It has been an unprecedented week in Singapore, probably never to happen again.
A little nation of 3.34 million Singapore citizens mourns the man whose legacy is Singapore, the Late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
I have not been able to pen my personal tribute until now. The past week, I have been busy penning tributes on behalf of the organization I work for until the wee hours of the morning.
This morning, 29 March 2015, when the State Funeral for Mr Lee Kuan Yew will take place later in the afternoon, the occasion has come for me to honor Mr Lee with my very own tribute.
And this will be my longest blog post to date.
I want to start by recalling a little story that happened to me many years back in the early 2000s.
On a business trip to UK, I was walking along a busy street of the city of Manchester, home to the football club I have supported since a teenager (Manchester United).
I was with a dear Irish friend. As we were walking, I came across people standing by and holding placards, making noises and raising their voices. On the placards were distasteful, rude and insulting words describing certain leaders and politicians of another country. The people were name-calling these leaders with unflattering words such as “pigs”.
I have watched overseas demonstrations on television before, yet, at that moment I turned to my friend and ask him what was going on. His simple reply to me was: “freedom of speech”.
I remember very clearly, till this day, that I thought to myself there and then: “if this is democracy and this is what freedom of speech is about, then I don’t want democracy and freedom of speech”.
Well, ofcourse I do.
But I suppose what I really meant was I would not desire democracy and freedom of speech in the form that I witnessed that day. Obviously, every one of us are entitle to our own positions and views and I write this with no intent to damage the many overseas friendships that I have made and cherish over the years. But Singapore needs a democracy that is unique to her circumstances.
This is a major legacy that Mr Lee has left me and my fellow citizens. We can debate and disagree on policies and ideology. But we need to substantiate with facts and deliver in a respectable and honourably manner.
Singapore People’s Party secretary-general Mr Chiam See Tong put it best this way in his tribute yesterday when he said: “In Parliament, he clobbered me. But… I never lost my dignity or decorum.”
Mr Lee was often brutal with his words against political adversaries. But it was always with the interest of his beloved Singapore and never for person agenda or pride
Sometimes, his delivery may seem overzealous to many of us, but at the end of the day, he simply wanted a Singapore that would survive and thrive.
I cannot say that I am a die-heart fan of the political party Mr Lee founded and led. There are a number of policies and decisions that the government has made that I disagree with. Such as awarding licenses to Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa to operate casinos in Singapore, the foreign sports talent scheme, the group representation constituency scheme, constant redrawing of electoral boundaries amongst others. I have also been less than comfortable about the issue of high ministerial salaries.
I would like to see a strong, credible and constructive opposition party arising and having candidates whose heartbeats are for the long-term welfare of Singapore (like Mr Lee) elected into parliament. Debate must happen but constructive through channels such as public forums or public offices.
This is a legacy we need to pass on to our next generation: to be passionate about Singapore, to dare to express their views on what kind of Singapore they would like, and to do so in the context of respect, having thought through issues carefully and within the legal framework instituted by our government.
Unfortunately, something has happened, which to my dismay, is fanning the attitude of utter disrespect particularly among the younger generation.
A police report has just been lodged over an anti-Lee Kuan Yew and Christianity online video supposedly made by one Amos Yee is a case in point.
Call it disruptive technology.
The internet is now the new electronic placard and is giving people the opportunity to make irresponsible and often even crude remarks about another individual. What makes matter worst are that many of these individuals believe that they can remain anonymous through creating dummy accounts.
The unique legacy that Mr Lee has left behind for Singapore must not be destroyed. Just as Mr Lee has led Singapore to progress from Third World to First in one generation, we the beneficiaries of his legacies can likewise degenerate this nation in a single generation.
Nevertheless, this past week was special.
We saw Singaporeans and perhaps even non-Singaporeans queuing by the thousands patiently to pay their last respect to Mr Lee. More than a million individuals have done so this past week at various memorial centres and at Parliament House
The overwhelming response has not only caught our government by surprised but has laid to rest the respect and honor the majority of Singaporeans have for Mr Lee. This past week, the majority has silenced the minority critics.
None of the Kiasu syndrome, which has been our more notorious side, was evident.
Singaporeans have been known to queue for sales and give-aways. But the longest queue in modern memory yet had been reserved to pay the last respect to Mr Lee.
And no angry queue cutting or scuffle was reported.
When the tsunami happened in Fukoshima Japan and we watch from television the calm and dignified response from the Japanese as they queued up for assistance, we marveled. This past week, we experienced that in the dignified and kind manner in which Singaporeans were treating each other.
Service staffs were putting in extra hours of work to enable Singaporeans to pay their tributes round the clock.
The National Courtesy Campaign which Mr Lee first launched in 1979 has been long forgotten. Yet this week, business and volunteers were showing kindness by distributing free drinks, snacks, shelters and even flower bouquets to those waiting in line.
And was it not a survey not too long ago which reported that Singapore is the most emotionless society in the world?
Gallup partner Jon Clifton was quoted by Bloomberg as saying. “If you measure Singapore by the traditional indicators, they look like one of the best-run countries in the world. But if you look at everything that makes life worth living, they’re not doing so well.”
Well, the past week, Singaporeans rubbished that survey result.
We saw open outpouring of emotion among young and old and Singaporean of different races. We saw people prostrating before Mr Lee’s casket in Parliament House. We saw people dashing across the street rushing to join the queue before the gate closed for the final time last night at 8pm. And the look of sheer disappointment for those who could not make it. I personally witnessed a business leader who had to pause in-between his speech to hold back his tears during a business community tribute.
We also witnessed tributes from former political foes like former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and former opposition Member of Parliament Mr Chiam See Tong. What a touching sight to see when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong clasped the hands of the frail and wheel chair bound 80 year old Mr Chiam.
Even the two casinos, which I still oppose, will be shutting their business for four hours later today as a mark of respect to Mr Lee.
This week, a people put aside their political boundaries, ugly behavioral tendencies, preoccupation with making money and usual muted emotion to honor the man we call Father. Father of modern Singapore
In a blog post I published on 9 August 2014, I paid my tribute to Mr Lee:
Today’s Singapore is characterized by its clinically clean and green environment, efficiency of public services, iconic skyscrapers, wide choices be it in cuisine, entertainment or education and modern conveniences one can expect of a modern metropolis.
I ascribe our success in a relatively short span of time to the legacy of one man; visionary founding father of modern Singapore, former Prime Minister and Minister Mentor Mr Lee Kuan Yew. His vision was probably ahead of his peers when he said:
‘A faint hearted people would have given up long ago. We never gave in, never mind giving up. For that alone, we deserve to succeed. If we press on, in twenty years we shall build a great metropolis, worthy of a hardy, resilient and stout-hearted people.’ ~~ (Lee Kuan Yew in his National Day Speech, August 8 1972)
I believe that the Singapore of 2014 has advanced even beyond his wildest imagination.
No doubt, normalcy in Singapore will resume in the months ahead. Will we forget Mr Lee Kuan Yew?
Not a chance.
Will his legacy carry on?
It really depends on a lot of factors.
But one thing I do believe. We are a nation blessed by God. God has a wonderful plan and destiny for us.
Many Christian leaders in the past have prophesized that Singapore will be the Antioch of Asia. Takes another blog post to explain, but in short, Singapore will bring blessings to other nations in Asia.
We have been blessed to have had a leader in Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Mr Lee’s influence and impact extended globally. The Singapore model of industrialization have been replicated in many parts of Asia through the development of numerous business park projects and these countries have benefited from Singapore.
Most of us among the Christian circle deeply believe that Mr Lee Kuan Yew was not luck or chance but God had ordained Singapore to have such a unique leader as our Founding Prime Minister.
Indeed there will not be another Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He was practically a statistical outlier. Ofcouse, God will raise future leaders who will lead us politically. But Mr Lee was a blessing and so are his legacies.
There were three key lessons that stood out as for me as I watched the many documentaries about Mr Lee’s life this past week: his jealous protection of Singapore, his frugal lifestyle and his sacrifice and servanthood for his country.
Mr Lee would not tolerate any nonsense that would corrupt or destroy the nation he loved and he guarded the nation jealously.
He lived simply as an example for others to follow. To him, there were more important things in life to live for than to live for things.
But the biggest lesson of all:
He gave.
He gave his life to leave behind Singapore.
There are many Christian verses that teaches us about the importance of giving and serving:
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ “
Act 20:35
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:45
The life of Mr Lee has been an example to all Singaporeans on what it means to live a full life with no regrets.
It is not a life of accumulating materials things that we cannot take along once we pass on.
But it is what we leave behind, a legacy of blessings for the next generation. Just as our Lord Jesus Christ came to serve that we who are here today might live.
This past week, a people mourn for a man not because of his position of office. This week a people mourn for a man because they have lost a love one who truly believed in them.
Thank you Heavenly Father, for blessing this nation with Mr Lee Kuan Yew.