‘In a statement yesterday (7 Sep), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong will visit India from 7 to 11 September 2014 to reaffirm the close bilateral ties between Singapore and India.
“To promote stronger links between the next generation of ministers from both countries, ESM Goh will be accompanied on his visit by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Home Affairs and Trade and Industry S Iswaran and Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee,” the statement said….’
What does the above statement mean? To promote stronger links, does it mean the current links are not strong and intimate enough? What would stronger links mean? Is it because the Indians are not happy with the CECA and Chok Tong has to go there to renegotiate or to assure the Indians that things could be better?
India used to have two strong men in the Singapore Govt in full support of stronger bilateral relations, ie Chok Tong and George Yeo, who were instrumental in the signing of the CECA. In the absence of George, is Chok Tong the only strong lobby left and the Indians are feeling insecure and need to be reassured that someone will replace George in this relationship?
Which country must Singapore send the ESM to reaffirm frail ties? Or which country needs to be regularly hugged to tell them that ties are good and no need to worry? Or it is the other way, that Singapore is feeling the coldness from India and needs to be embraced by India to feel good? Have we not have had enough of the Indian Fever, or are we asking for more? I already started to imagine Chok Tong doing the John Travolta routine, Indian Fever once again, minus George Travolta. Who is the next George Travolta in line to build strong Singapore Indian ties?
Chua Chin Leng AKA RedBean
*The writer blogs at http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/