MM Lee says leadership continuity is critical for development
By Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 05 March 2008 1454 hrs

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RIYADH: Continuity in leadership is not just critical for a small country like Singapore but it could also help other developing nations in the Gulf achieve continuous economic growth, said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

Speaking at the Riyadh Economic Forum on Tuesday, Mr Lee shared with listeners Singapore's experience in development.

Dubai's Palm Jumeirah project was one of the mega developments Minister Mentor Lee visited before he left for Saudi Arabia to attend the forum.

He told his audience at the forum that even as Dubai and other Gulf states poured billions into building infrastructure, people in Dubai were still asking him what the country should worry about.

Mr Lee said building infrastructure was the easier part.

He added: "The problem is to get the people to run that infrastructure, and institutionalise skills, the knowledge, productivity with which you use and maximise that infrastructure."

Singapore, Mr Lee said, continues to face this challenge as competition for talent is global.

It had lost some of its talent to other countries but the government had fortunately been able to make up for these losses by attracting talented people from abroad, especially from China and India.

And for Singapore to continue as a first world oasis, Mr Lee stressed the need to uphold meritocracy, good governance and capable government.

MM Lee said running a country was like making music.

Great music cannot be made with just a three-piece band.

In fact you need an orchestra with a conductor that understands the strength of each musician and the instrument they play.

MM Lee said: "To be the prime minister, you don't have to know every instrument, but you got to recognise, ah, he's a good violinist, he'll be the first violinist, he'll be the double bass. He will play the viola, he will have the trumpet, he will do the drums. Then you coordinate them and then you have great music. And if you already have a great orchestra, you can put a dummy there and you still got great music."

When asked if the Singapore economic model was applicable to oil rich Saudi Arabia, Mr Lee said the same economic principles applied to all countries.

But to stay relevant in a globalised world, countries must continue to adapt as the external environment changes. - CNA/ch