Worried that the public resentment may affect his premiership legacy, former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong drew a line separating himself from PAP Ministers saying that he does not get million dollar salaries like them. Goh Chok Tong said his “Emeritus Senior Minister” title is only in name, and he does not receive legally corrupted millions like the other PAP Ministers:
“Factually, the government website, has debunked online falsehoods on PM’s and Ministers’ pay. I shall use this opportunity to debunk public perception that I am paid a ministerial salary. ESM is merely a title 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑛𝑜 𝑝𝑎𝑦.”
The former Prime Minister then mocked Lee Kuan Yew, saying he will not threaten to get up from his grave. Goh Chok Tong however was quick to pledge his loyalty to dictator Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and indicated that he has no wish to overthrow the corrupted regime like Mahathir Mohammad did against Najib Razak in Malaysia:
“Instead of threatening to get up from my grave when things go wrong, I prefer to contribute while still alive but without getting in the way of the younger leaders. Moreover, I have no plans to do a Mahathir!”
Due to Lee Hsien Loong’s corruptions and incompetent administration leading to a sharp decline in living standards, many ruling party supporters are calling for key leaders like former PM Goh Chok Tong and Deputy PM Tharman Shanmugaratnam to stage a coup against the current Prime Minister. The two are however ambivalent about the idea as they could risk losing their lucrative salaries and even an exile like Lee Hsien Loong did against his own younger brother Lee Hsien Yang.