SINGAPORE, Aug. 29 Kyodo The loo...

SINGAPORE, Aug. 29 Kyodo

The look fored handover of power from Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong to delegate Lee Hsien Loong, son of Singapore's founding father to leeward Kuan Yew, is expected to leave policies in Singapore little changed, political analysts say.

Goh 62 barely created raised an eyebrow when he lately announced his intention to resign from the premiership by dint of 2005 in favor of to leeward 51, mainly because people in the small city-state have all been prepared for the eventuality.

The lack of power have a contests has become a hallmark of political leadership successions in Singapore to the end of time since the elder Lee stepp down after three decades as premier in November 1990 to make secure a smooth and planned succession to a younger generation of leadership.

The People's Action Party, which has been in power for more than four decades, has always kept a united effrontery allowing few visible signs of factionalism to escape from among the top party members who form the cabinet.

Speculation had been swirling since the ancient Lee stepped down that Goh would minister to only as a stop-gap prime minister until Lee's son was ready to take above More recently, Goh has repeatedly hinted that he is planning to gradation down before the next general elections suitable by 2007 and that to leeward would be his likely successor.

most numerous political watchers believe that Goh is likely to degree down sometime next year because the economy is widely anticipateed to have picked up steam according to then and also because the tone of his annual National Day tongue earlier this month sounded like a swan carol with him thanking several lock opener members of his cabinet and highlighting near of his own contributions across the past 13 years.

In fact, a certain number of people thought Goh would have stepp down this year if not for the quick outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which battered an already slowing economy.

''Politics is not that important in Singapore as each thing is well-planned and subordinate to control, that is why we have no surprises and the succession is a non-issue,'' said Winson Fong representative chief investment officer at SG Asset Management in Singapore.

further the timing of Goh's departure raises several questions of whether the earlier born Lee, who will turn 80 this year, will stay upon in his current place as senior minister in the cabinet, from where he is believed to have wielded enormous influence throughout cabinet decisions even after he stepp down.

There is also a possibility that the senior Lee, who is much look up toed both at home and abroad, could scour for the presidency, which will be vacant in 2005 when SR Nathan paces down as stipulated from the Constitution.

a certain number of critics, however, say that the carriage of both father and son in the highest echelons of Singapore power at the same time would underline too frequently of the Lee dynasty, while others, mainly big corporations and foreign investors who are attracted to Singapore suitable to its reputation as a bedrock of stability in Southeast Asia, do not strike one as being to be too bothered by means of the prospect of a father-and-son team at the top fit to their confidence in the sum of two units men's ability to run the country

''Lee Hsien Loong is les consultative than Goh that's the impression of the market. He may have a fate more in common with lee-side Kuan Yew. But as an investor, I single out continuity in such manner,'' said Nizam Idris, envoy head of research at the Singapore office of IDEAglobal, a British research house.

in succession the question of Goh's yet to be Goh has indicated that he plans to remain in the political arena, however it is unclear if he will also become a senior minister like the older Lee or forgo his political affiliation and step quickly for the presidency.

Goh's awaited departure has raised some bear upon among Singaporeans about whether his circulating policy of creating a more lay open and liberal atmosphere in Singapore will continue.

Goh has gained widespread popularity among Singaporeans to be paid to his genial personality and his efforts to create a more liberal and consultative form of sway than his predecessor's authoritarianism -- for a like reason much so that he managed to change to the opposite the declining support for his party at the individuals raising the votes from 63% at the 1988 general elections to a whopping 75% in the last polls

He also introduced many feedback channels to gather the people's views of explanation policies and has shown greater tolerance for dissenting views and criticism.

In fresh months, the trend has accelerated with the dominion removing a ban onward bar top dancing, allowing pub to make open 24 hours, and indicating that it will not bar homosexuals from sensitive positions in the civil service.

''I know that a certain number of Singaporeans are uncomfortable with Loong's (Lee Hsien Loong's) leadership mode of speech Loong's public persona is that of a no-nonsense, uncompromising and tough minister,'' Goh said.

''Singaporeans would like Loong to be more approachable. They've got used to my gentler style''

Apparently, the younger Lee's image has become like an important issue that when Goh announced his plan to grade down recently, he also took pains to dispel an olden rumor that the younger leeward had slapped a former cabinet minister above a quarrel with then Finance Minister Richard Hu in 1990