I must admit that I was taken by surprise to see the massive queues of
Singaporeans lining up to show their last respect to LKY. I am surprise
not just by the numbers but the genuine spontaneous turnout not of the
Ah Mah and the Ah Pek types that many would quickly jump to conclusion
that they were there because of the chicken rice and the free
transportation. The crowd were mostly from the young and rebellious
group that would likely to vote against the PAP in view of their
youthful angst against authority. They came in droves and droves to
wait for 4 to 8 hours, braving the tropical heat of the day and the
still of the night, to bow to the LKY resting in state in Parliament
House. They have forgone their good times in the pubs or in their
favourite haunts in Orchard Road to be there just to catch a glimpse of
the man that made their lives better, the true beneficiaries of
Singapore’s progress and prosperity, a generation that has not seen
hardship and poverty except in some individual cases.
Since no organisation thinks it appropriate to do so, Mysingaporenews
will, in all its audacity, confer its own version of the Asian of the
Year Award to Lee Kuan Yew posthumously. I should have given him the
Award earlier but thinking that he would have lived for many more years
and would be getting the Award from the Straits Times in due course. So I
withheld this self arrogated initiative till now. If I can remember,
one of the main criteria for such an award is for a leader to have met
many many leaders of the world.
On this point alone, LKY was at least 4 times over qualified and beat
anyone hands down. He met all the heads of govts of the world more than 4
times over during his 50 years in politics. From China he met Mao
Zetung, Zhao Ziyang, Li Peng, Hua Guofeng, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin,
Hu Jingtao and the current Xi Jinping. From India, he met Nehru, Rao,
Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, not sure if he had met the
ST Asian of the Year Modi. In the USA he had met Johnson, Nixon, Ford,
Carter, Reagan, the two Bushes, Clinton, and Obama. From Britain there
were Wilson, Callaghan, Heath, Thatcher, Major, Brown, Blair, Cameron,
and probably a few ancient PMs.
Who can beat this kind of record? Of course in Malaysia he had met them
all from Tengku to Najib. But the honour of being Asian of the Year is
more than just meeting other heads of states. Not many PMs or Presidents
had done and achieved as much as he had with his long tenure in office.
This is a record that is not going to be broken for a long time to
come.
Perhaps ST should come out with a more honourable award like Asian of
the Century that would be more befitting to this man. It was a pity that
the ST did not give him the Award as the Asian of the Year when he was
still around. He missed the Nobel Peace Prize as well to complete his
collections.
This unquestionable Asian of the Year is now RIP in Parliament House to
receive the respectful bows of a people that are not ungrateful to
appreciate what he had done for them and their country. Singapore is
unlikely to produce another son on par with the likes of LKY in the next
50 years or 100 years.
28 comments:
Mr LKY, Sir, like it is said in the SAF; we'll continue with the mission.
There is time off in my company for seeing Kuan Yew.
No! No! No!
It is not surprising at all to
see the massive massive queues of
Singaporeans lining up, genuinely
wish to pay their last respect to
Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
He is not just Asian of the Year!
He Is The World!
Going forward, the govt must
protects the usage of the
"LEE KUAN YEW" or "LKY" or
related brands with approval-to-
use by the govt.
Do not allow people to suka suka
use the brands.
He met so many people? Then Lky must have clocked more mileage than anyone ever lived, even more than any pilot ever flown. Hell, he probably flown more miles than the Apollo astronauts
Uncle bean, there is a large difference between respect for lky and the current pap government. Please don't get confuse as it's not the same. Even opposition voters other than the extreme one acknowledge lky contribution to their lives.
Aiya, all these crowds streaming in for the six days prior before his funeral will be washed out just by one WP rally
I must admit that I was taken by surprise to see the massive queues of Singaporeans lining up to show their last respect to LKY.
RB
U should also not be surprised if in the next GE, PAP can maintain or even improve on the 60% votes and 93% seats it won in the last GE.
And notwithstanding what u and like minded ones have blogged for so many years.
Forget Asian of the Year....that is far too small time.
A better award would be Psychopathic Politician of the Century---of all the people he met, he was far more effective in walloping his cuntry and their rudder-less, clueless and aimless sheeple into non-nonsense strict compliance with a grand vision, and achieving it, than any of the other "leaders"---including Mao who killed tens of millions but set China backwards.
LKY did sacrifice a few souls---with his famous "hatchets and knuckledusters"---but in purely utilitarian and pragmatic terms, those were necessary sacrifices for the benefit of millions. Most Singaporeans don't have a problem with that. (FACT) Many have forgotten or if they're young, they don't even know names like "Tan Wah Piow" or that at one time it was believed that there was an underground "Marxist Conspiracy" to overthrow Lee and his government. The fact remains, most Singaporeans DON'T CARE who LKY had to "knock out" and get them out of the way. In his later years, the eloquent, often dissenting and entertaining David Marshall was spirited as ambassador to various EU climes---getting him"out of the way" after being an annoying thorn in LKY's side for 30 or so years.
To be a great politician, you not only need to embrace and apply Machiavellian principles to achieve your objective, you have to be driven by the very same cognitive engines as PSYCHOPATHS.
According to Aristotle, there is a tinge of "madness" (aka mental disorder) in every genius, and new emerging (neuro) science is beginning to shed light on the benefits of being a psychopath. Not the John Wayne Gacy or TV's "Dexter" type, but the cool, calculating, charming and emotionless decision maker and action-oriented person like many surgeons, equity traders, military and law enforcement types, and of course, the most effective politicians.
Relax folks. Being a psychopath is not a bad thing, if the psychopathy is directed to serving one's fellow human being.
That, LKY did consistently. As a Benign Dictator, he is without equal.
Aiya, all these crowds streaming in for the six days prior before his funeral will be washed out just by one WP rally.
Virgo 49 10:28 am
Tiok.
But then Sinkie crowds are also not an indication of voter support for the parties lah. How many seats did WP won, despite the massive crowds at their rallies, as compared to the pathetic crowd at PAP rallies?
PAP for sure will win again next GE, but will PAP do better next GE, given the crowds streaming in before LKY funeral?
didn't watch tv.....
someone told me tv showed a minister cried openly.....
he must be very very very sad to do that.....
hope he takes good care......
@ 1135:
>> tv showed a minister cried openly
Did he arrive in a lorry with the rest of the professional mourners and the band?
Mr LKY, Sir, like it is said in the SAF; we'll continue with the mission.
March 26, 2015 9:12 am
What mission?
Lu kong si mi lan chiao?
Commander die already.
Cannot tell you he was wrong.
Cannot tell you it's time to do a U-turn.
It is time to reassess and rethink the mission.
SAF's mission is to protect Singaporeans.
Not be a private army to serve any one Singaporean, no matter how good.
/// Mysingaporenews will, in all its audacity, confer its own version of the Asian of the Year Award to Lee Kuan Yew posthumously. ///
How about Human Bean of the Century Award, Mr red little bean?
Hi RB, speed. LKY has done much for Singapore. No one can deny that. He has been very dedicated and as far as one can see, very honest and also a person with integrity. He has left behind a very efficient country working like a well oiled machine. For that he has my fullest respect and admiration. I hope future governments in charge will not squander all he has built away. A good system is in place and it must not be wasted by bad policies introduced to benefit only a few. Singapore is at a crossroad. Which way it will go will depend on the people chosen to steer it. Lets hope for the best. I am a mat saleh but always have a keen interest in the welfare of this little red dat.
Many people eating snake to go see the dead body.
His trips are all 1st-class SIA and 5-star & 6-star hotels with 3-star Michelin restaurant meals. Paid 110% by your taxpayer money.
Moreover he chalked up billions of air miles which he likely redeem for himself & his family. This is happening from 40 years ago until today with many of current ministers, perm secs, MDs, CEOs of stat boards, and hundreds of directors and senior managers in civil service.
Remember also that in many of his overseas trips e.g. to china, he brought along family members purely as "tourist status". Famous example is his daughter. Who pay for such unofficial travel companions?!?!
Rather, it should be:
"Lee Kuan Yew - Asian of the 20th and 21st Centuries".
LKY's legacy is 360 degree.
Just look around you - everything anyone sees has his footprints and handprints;
It is impossible to find anyone who has not, or whose family has not, benefited one iota of LKY's effort, indeed.
Criticise him if you desired, your capacity to criticise him is an integral part of his legacy that has fed you, gives you a job and put a roof over your head.
Be grateful, and build on his works.
Be grateful, and build on his works.
March 26, 2015 6:40 pm
Maybe he should be grateful to Singaporeans for serving National Service with 2 years of our lives?
Maybe he should be grateful for Singaporeans for giving him our CPF money to serve national service until we die?
What Lee Kuan Yew has left behind are his Name, Treats; the Army be used for freak GE Result, your daughter and mother become maids in foregn lands and shall I add even whores.
Anyway, he has left behind a pack of his proteges to rule over the People.
Do expect the Journey ahead to be treacherous and fraud with challenges, UNLESS THERE RISES A MATCHING CALIBRE OF HIS STATURE.
patriot
My apology for the Typo Mistake in the Word 'TREAT' in my Afore-mentioned Comment. It should be corrected to 'THREATS;'.
patriot
"... your daughter and mother become maids in foregn lands and shall I add even whores."
March 27, 2015 5:43 am
Not true.
Your wife and daughters are already whores in Singapore.
An increasing number of Singaporean wives are divorcing their Singaporean husbands to marry ang moh husbands to emigrate for a better life for themselves and the children.
- many Singaporean daughters are happily fornicating with alien talents and spending their weekends in condos rented out by expats
So you see.
If you are a Singaporean, it's better to have an ugly wife and daughter.
More than 2 years bro, half of our life revolved on annual in camp, routine reporting, ippt, call ups practice, what's have they planned to torture you.
First few years even out for short trips overseas need applied manually exit permits.
After completed full circle if reservists training posted to SCDF for another few years of incamp training and exercises.
Even lost SAFRA membership for good. The worst insult, no employers even fellow sinkie comrades fellow cosuffers do not want you as you are leecheh going incamp disrupting their business.
Worst thsn kena section 55
Blaming LKY for lots of stuff not of his doing is just plain disrespect, man! Patriot, if you pimp your wife and daughter to become maids and whores in foreign lands, it's because they are clearly NOT Singaporeans - don't blame the Man!
As with Virgo49, just break a leg or contract AIDS and you can get exempted from Reservists duty. And you expect your buddies to take over your load and your tasks, coward eh?
Let me ask those who are so unhappy with LKY - Have you actually met him face2face and truly know him?
Without LKY, just imagine you growing up in a country like any of our neighbours - NO, you don't need to imagine, just go visit our neighbours and see your alternate life if not in Singapore.
@ patriot:
Every successful society needs an iron-fisted individual to do their "dirty work"---work that the average citizen has no stomach or skill for.
Singapore's "economic miracle" was actually "designed" by a Dutch fella named Albert Winsemius, but it took an iron fist and no-nonsense will to implement it on the young cuntree just kicked out from the Malay-majority Malayan Federation to "teach those damn Chinese a lesson". LKY et al were all YOUNG PUNK (in their early 40's) SOCIALISTS back then---apart from Goh KS, they had no clue about economics or how to get a nation to make money so that its people can afford to live, not merely survive. Enter Winsemius into the picture.
The "recipe" though easy to write on paper, is orders of magnitude harder to implement in real life:
House the people, educate the kids, make sure the general population is healthy, get a strong rule-of-law govt in place, then open up the FREE MARKET and invite the world in, bring money of course. Anyone who gets in the way: sue and jail them, exile them, or chase them away.
Politics is dirty business. Massive political ACTION is very dirty business---you have to destroy a few lives to make it better for the rest.
Not everyone has the will or the stomach for this. Most of us are just "too nice" to want to go out and harm others.
Well, LKY was a master at doing this "dirty business". We have capital punishment for really, really bad people. We have soldiers and police trained to kill, if required. All this is NECESSARY "dirty business" , and it requires people who can, are willing and able to do this so we can live and be upwardly mobile; because let's face it, the alternative sucks, and thus is NOT an option.
Which is why I will always defend the requirement for a BENIGN DICTATOR for a culture like Singapore. Without strong authority willing to wield the occasional hatchet or knuckleduster, Singapore is finished very quickly.
That's just how it is.
I had been reminded frequently by a very close friend for over 40 years that nowhere he had been is comparable to Sin. He travelled to more places than I did. To him, LKY was one very outstanding brilliant man, that I never dispute and will not dispute. What I am VERY SURE WAS THE RUTHLESSNESS OF THE MAN. And the WORD WAS USED UNABASHEDLY TO DESCRIBE HIM. I personally do not see any positiveness in that description. I like to say that it was one characteristic of the Man that I never ever like.
I was involved in activities against the Merger(into Malaysia) as a kid and many Youths then in the 60s at the Village I lived in at Koh Sek Lim/ Gulega Road were affected by Operation Coldstore. Many had to escape whilst others were interrogated and some jailed. Till today and likely forever, I will NEVER BELIEVE THAT THOSE FELLOW VILLAGE YOUTH WERE A THREAT TO Singapore. Many that escaped had never return.
I know how hard my fellow Singaporeans have worked and are working to make living better. I DO NOT GET TO SEE THE LOCAL RULERS TAKING CARE OF SINGAPOREANS LIKED THE BRITISH COLONIAL MASTER AND THE SUCCESSFUL LOCAL PHILANTROPISTS SUCH AS TAN KAH KEE, TAN LARK SYE, LEE KWANG CHIAN, ALJUNIED AND SOME OTHERS THAT PLAYED HUGE ROLES TO UPLIFT FELLOW SINGAPOREANS.
WORSE WAS TO WITNESS HIM CLOSED NANTAH AND TOOK AWAY VERNACULARS FROM THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. NOTHING BEAT THE EVILNESS OF THE STOP AT 2 NONSENSE. THE TERMINATION OF FOETUSES AND COERCED LIGATION HURT NOW JUST TO RECALL THEM.
MY ONLY IMPRESSION OF THE MAN OTHER THAN HIS RUTHLESSNESS, LACK OF CONSCIENCE IN OTHER WORDS, IS THAT HE WAS A PERFECT SELF SERVING AND SELF GLORIFYING MAN.
IT IS ALMOST OAINFUL AND SICK IN THE HEART TO LEARN LATELY THAT HE AND SR NATHAN WORKED FOR THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL ARMY DURING WORLD WAR II. MY DISLIKE FOR THEM TURNS TO SOMETHING MUCH WORSE.
My Friend who reminded me about the Qualities of Sin and the Local Rulers, sadly chose to end his life this morning.
I am so very sad to have lost a friend who never failed to sing praises of Sin. Must say his death got nothing to do with politic.
patriot
Just read at Singapore Notes(Blogsite) that Mrs Lee Kuan Yew nee Kwa Geok Choo was wondering why her Husband was loved and hated as much.
Well, to love him is easy, just believe in his Books, the State Media and currently, the Tears shed onscreen.
To dislike and loathe the Man, one has to be over 60 in age and or familiar with local events and mindful of the Values of Virtues, not just the Values of Money and Material Achievements. There lies the Differences.
patriot
@ patriot:
Yes, you might not like it, as with many other people.
However I think I fall in with the majority in this case: the majority of people didn't mind, in fact some appreciate LKY's capacity for being ruthless and swift in delivering the crushing blows.
Like I've said---these are NECESSARY SKILLS, plus the NECESSARY WILL to actually thrust the knife. He did the necessary and crucial "dirty work" for us---how else to build a 1st world society in 50 years if you are not willing to be "ruthless" when it is the FUNDAMENTAL emotion/ action required to save the day? Smart-alec types will always get in your way to try and upset or thwart your "big vision". You have to get these idiots out of the picture.
And to his credit, LKY used the law to remove his opponents in a "civilised" manner---a true gentleman, an well-bred eloquent Englishman, not a truly ruthless no-class, frothing-at-the-mouth-and-screaming-mother-curses Asian savage. No one can accuse the man of the murders the majority of dictators are openly guilty of. Hence "Benign" Dictator is an apt description, IMO.
Judging by the tumultuous turnout by people paying last respects, I would say the Benign Dictatorship model is a roaring success, and the majority of people actually SUPPORT it, or at least the way LKY used it---a FACT many people writing shit on the internet or in the foreign media are too emotionally pissed off to honestly admit.
So there are essentially 3 outcomes: 1. people like LKY and what he did 2. People HATE and are OUTRAGED at LKY and his methods and 3. Indifference, but aware.
I belong in category 3. As for how others feel, I'm also indifferent, but aware. ;-)
Thank You Matilah Singapura.
Points taken.
The Demise of my Dear Friend fills me
with grief at the Moment. Will return as soon as I can.
Good Night All.
patriot
Hi Michael, first batch CAS men as we are called in 1967. No shrinking of serving the then infant nation.
Not unlike today. We are not cowards to break our legs just to get e exempted. At that time no Aids, just Vietnam Rose.
At that time served with pride under Dr Goh Keng Swee. Well taken care of as servicemen in priority in housing and jobs as singaporeans.
We in 1969 drenched in heavy downpour at Padang when LHL just blowing his sax phone or trombone in school uniform.
My son served as second generation NSMEN. Now not worth to serve and protect others matetial interests. Last in row in jobs and housing.
What others shouldering burdens for you???
Must be crazy to serve as slaves wheras they lived as kings.
Right???
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