Goh, now a senior minister in the cabinet, said he believed Lee will be "bold in making changes" to meet the new global and domestic environments.

"He (Lee) genuinely welcomes a robust debate. He will accept good arguments which are in the interests of Singapore.

"But he will not change just to please some Western-influenced liberals who apply their notion of democracy, pluralistic politics and freedom of the press unthinkingly to Singapore," said Goh, who stepped down this month after 14 years as prime minister.

"He will take a practical approach to what works for Singapore," Goh said in a speech late Friday to his Marine Parade parliamentary constituency.

Lee, son of Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew, promised greater freedoms in the tightly controlled city-state when he was sworn in on August

In a subsequent policy speech, he said indoor political discussions will no longer require licenses under certain conditions.

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