"Dumb" Myanmar generals

This is one of the best comments by Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew on the situation in Myanmar. The Straits Times cited the Asian statesman as saying that the military leaders of Myanmar are "dumb". Kudos to Kuan Yew and Singapore for calling a spade a spade.

Such strong language is absolutely necessary as Singapore has assumed the chair of Asean, a grouping of Southeast Asian nations including the rogue state of Myanmar. The army's action of killing monks and protesters recently cannot be tolerated any more, although Asean has had a policy of non-interference in the affairs of member nations.

Kuan Yew should have added that he would have made the Myanmar generals stand against the wall and give them ten of the best.

"Dumb" Myanmar generals cannot last indefinitely MM
MINISTER Mentor Lee Kuan Yew believes Myanmar's ruling generals, who, he described as being rather 'dumb' when it comes to managing the country's economy, will not be able to survive indefinitely.

But he says the army must be part of the solution to the problems facing their country, because if it is dissolved, all of Myanmar's administrative instruments will go with it and the country will have nothing with which to govern itself.

Mr Lee made these points during a wide-ranging interview at his office in the Istana on Sept 27 with syndicated columnist Tom Plate of the University of California Los Angeles Media Centre and new-media expert Jeffrey Cole of the University of Southern California Annenberg Centre.

Mr Lee said: 'These are rather dumb generals when it comes to the economy... How they can so mismanage the economy and reach this stage when the country has so many natural resources?'

He noted that Singapore hoteliers, who had sunk millions of dollars in Myanmar on his advice, have now found their hotels empty.

Mr Lee disclosed that he has tried to advise the generals and take Myanmar out of its isolation, referring specifically to former junta member Khin Nyunt, who is now under house arrest.

MM Lee said: 'He's the most intelligent of the lot. I sold him the idea, or at least he bought the idea, that the way for them to go forward was to get out of uniform and do it like Suharto, form a party, Golkar and then take over as a civilian party.

'But halfway through, Suharto fell. So, it ended up as the wrong advice, they back-tracked. Then they chucked Khin Nyunt out.'