SINGAPORE: Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has called on citizens to maintain balance and look to improve Singapore as the government enters into a national conversation with thousands of citizens on the future of the Southeast Asian city-state. He called on citizens to not use the idea of a national dialogue as not serious and hoped Singaporeans would show the idea as fruitful, although challenging. “As I used to say, we leave no stone unturned. “But some stones, after we look at them, the original place was quite nice, and we put them back," he told reporters on the last day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders' summit. His statements come after Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Saturday that the national conversation was not a “culling session" for sacred cow policies. After attending meetings with 20 other world leaders from the Asia Pacific, Lee also reminded people that Singapore is doing quite well compared to the situations in some other countries, and continues to enjoy a good standing internationally. “We discuss the issues but I don't think we are doing everything wrong, otherwise we won't be standing here and in good standing internationally. “Not only internationally, but even in Singapore we are doing quite well considering the circumstances and comparing the situations that other countries face. So, we want to improve, but let's do it prudently," he said. Lee added that the Our Singapore conversation, which unveiled its committee on Saturday, is a chance to look at problems afresh with a new perspective, in a new situation and with a new generation. “So each time we come back, some problems are revisited, some issues which we did not alter before, we may come to the conclusion we need to make changes. “We have to take it in that perspective. We can't say that we have had a discussion before, so there is nothing new to discuss. That is not the way the world is."
