Sanctions against Myanmar will be counter-productive: PM Lee

[treating the morally bankrupt] (artc. below) ... …whether you want to do petty indignities to individuals, which is really against human nature.
'Somebody who is sick, he wants to come to Singapore, he needs treatment and you're telling me that I shouldn't treat him because he is not a good man? It goes against the Hippocratic oath of doctors.'…

The temptation of convenience, the path of disaster.

Who really runs this country, is it PM Lee or the Drs (Hippocratic oath)? Admitting despotic rulers to SG govt hosp? "Myanmar junta leader's family reportedly in Singapore "
To promote medical tourism the Hippocratic oath of doctors is quoted,
And during elections, then buying votes becomes okay… …
Mana ada moral mandate?



Sanctions against Myanmar will be counter-productive: PM Lee
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 05 October 2007 2045 hrs

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that sanctions against Myanmar will be counter-productive.
He also stressed that ASEAN alone cannot solve the problem in Myanmar, and called on the international community to weigh in as well.
Mr Lee said this in an interview with the CNN, which was aired on Friday evening.
He was responding to the presenter who asked if ASEAN could do more besides issuing strong statements against the unrest in Myanmar.
ASEAN has to take a clear stand on Myanmar because what happens there affects the group's reputation, said PM Lee.
What ASEAN wishes to see is developments that will lead progressively to a Myanmar government that has more legitimacy at home and greater acceptance internationally, added Mr Lee.
But ASEAN, he stressed, does not have the leverage to solve the problems in Myanmar.
Mr Lee also explained why economic sanctions against the military-ruled country may not be productive.
He said: "First of all, this is a country which wants to isolate itself from the world, so they are not afraid of you cutting them off.
"Secondly, if you want to have sanctions, it cannot just be Singapore or even ASEAN, but all of the countries in the world have to do that, and that includes the Western countries, investors in Myanmar and its neighbours like China with big stake in Myanmar.
"And thirdly, if you do have sanction and it worked, I think the people who will be hurt by the sanctions will not be the regime or the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council), the government, but the people of Myanmar, so it will be counter productive."
Mr Lee added that the United Nations will play an important role, and the recent visit to Myanmar by UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari is the first step to improving the situation there.

Mr Lee also responded to a question on whether Singapore should prevent members of the Myanmar government from coming to Singapore for medical treatment.
He said: "I think we have to decide whether we're trying to influence the policy of a government or whether you want to do petty indignities to individuals, which is really against human nature.
"Somebody who is sick, he wants to come to Singapore, he needs treatment and you're telling me that I shouldn't treat him because he is not a good man? It goes against the Hippocratic oath of doctors."
Separately, Mr Lee spoke on the phone with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday.
The UN chief invited Singapore, in its capacity as the current ASEAN chair, to make a statement at a UN Security Council meeting on developments in Myanmar.
PM Lee told Mr Ban that he has written to China, India and Japan to work together with ASEAN and the UN to help the parties in Myanmar find a way towards national reconciliation. - CNA/ir

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/304073/1/.html

[http://disgruntledsporean.blogspot.com/2007/10/not-treating-burmese-murderous-junta-is.html#comments : another view pt.]

PM Lee says countries worldwide respect and admire Singapore's proven system

LHL: It's OK to buy votes...

"Right now we have Low Thia Khiang, Chiam See Tong, Steve Chia. We can deal with them. Suppose you had 10, 15, 20 opposition members in Parliament. ... ...I'm going to spend all my time thinking what's the right way to fix them, to buy my supporters votes, how can I solve this week's problem and forget about next year's challenges?"

PM Lee says countries worldwide respect and admire Singapore's proven system
By Sharon Tong/S. Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 03 May 2006 1839 hrs
SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says Singapore is at the top of its game because of a strong political system and quality leadership.
Speaking at the first lunchtime election rally in Singapore in nine years, Mr Lee says the PAP has a proven system that works.
He says countries the world over respect and admire Singapore's system.
Mr Lee says what the PAP wants for Singapore is something special and precious that's worth fighting for.
So Singaporeans must put their hearts and souls into working together as a team to realise and create this special Singapore.
Raffles Place - in the heart of Singapore's financial district - was the venue of the election's first lunchtime rally.
Lunchtime rallies, which were absent in the last General Election, have made a comeback this year.
The target is to reach out to the professionals, managers, executives and businessmen.
Nine PAP candidates took to the stage to explain the importance of maintaining good policies and programmes for Singapore, and why the PAP is the right party to deliver the right essentials.
Mr Lee says: "Deep capabilities in our population, in our government, in our leadership and deep values in our people to understand, to support, to work together, to make it work. Our system is different, it's good, it's good for Singapore and it works."
He says some Singaporeans want a more open, multi-party system.
Mr Lee says the opposition parties are capitalising on this by asking for their votes, not because of their abilities or policies, but because then, the opposition would exist.
But he questioned if this would make things better for Singapore.
Mr Lee says: "What is the opposition's job? It's not to help the PAP do a better job ... because if they help the PAP do a better job, you're going to vote for me again and they're going to be out of a job for a long time. So their job is to make life miserable for me.
"Right now we have Low Thia Khiang, Chiam See Tong, Steve Chia. We can deal with them. Suppose you had 10, 15, 20 opposition members in Parliament. Instead of spending my time thinking what is the right policy for Singapore, I'm going to spend all my time thinking what's the right way to fix them, to buy my supporters votes, how can I solve this week's problem and forget about next year's challenges?"
Mr Lee says while any Singaporean can enter politics, the quality needed to get elected must be very high.
He says this is why the PAP has assembled a strong, national team with a long term view - one that would work together and fight to realise its vision for Singapore.
At the rally, Mr Lee also named four potential office bearers, whom he will appoint after the elections.
They are Grace Fu, Lee Yi Shyan, Masagos Zulkifli and Lui Tuck Yew.
Mr Lee says if they are elected, they will be appointed parliamentary secretaries and ministers of state, adding that some of them have potential to go higher.
He described them as "big people with broad shoulders" who could deal with big issues and would serve the people well.
As to whether there would be more office-holders, Mr Lee says only time will tell as he learns more about the new candidates and their abilities.
Earlier, Mr Lee says he is especially proud of the bicultural candidates - those who are equally comfortable speaking Chinese and English, like former IE Singapore CEO Lee Yi Shyan. - CNA/de
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/206313/1/.html