MM Lee On Week-Long Whirlwind Visit To Malaysia
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http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/breaking-views/28432-lky-visits-malaysia-not-for-nostalgia--the-malaysian-insider
The Malaysian Insider, 3 Jun 2009
LKY visits Malaysia, not for nostalgia — The Malaysian Insider
UNE 3 — Lee Kuan Yew — the father of modern Singapore — will visit Malaysia next week, touring several states and meeting with a number of Malaysian leaders and senior journalists in what has been billed as a trip down memory lane.
But there is nothing nostalgic about the trip for the longest-serving Singapore prime minister, senior minister and now minister mentor. He has been at the helm of Singapore since 1959, brought Singapore to form Malaysia and cried when it had to go independent in 1965.
His week-long visit is packed with meetings from the start in Kuala Lumpur where he meets MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat on Monday.
A day later, he will meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Umno vice-presidents and Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. And some editors of major Malaysian media.
Kuan Yew then moves to Ipoh to meet Perak Ruler Sultan Azlan Shah and Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir despite the political impasse in the silver state. His trip continues to Penang where he will pay a visit to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and other leaders of the DAP, an off-shoot of his People's Action Party (PAP) after Singapore left the federation in 1965.
The octogenarian will then cross the peninsula to the Malay heartland and meet Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and the Kelantan regent.
It will be his first face-to-face meeting with Nik Aziz, the PAS spiritual leader and Kelantan mentri besar for the past 19 years. It is a recognition by Singapore of the growing importance of the Islamist party in Malaysia.
Kuan Yew will also pay a courtesy call on Pahang's Sultan Ahmad Shah and the Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob.
Lightweight tourism for old times' sake it is not.
What is clear is that Kuan Yew wants to feel the pulse of the country that became Malaysia on his 40th birthday in 1963 and figure out if the political landscape will be altered drastically after the next general elections.
The unprecedented win by the opposition pact in Election 2008 where Islamists and secularists came together on a common platform to capture four more states and break Barisan Nasional's two-thirds parliamentary majority was clearly a shock to Singapore which has only known PAP rule since independence.
Much of that victory has been credited with a younger population and politicians who are savvier in connecting with them, using the Internet to overcome the mass and mainstream media controlled by the government. Much the same as in Singapore.
And since Election 2008, Singapore politicians have been wondering whether the strong showing by the Pakatan Rakyat is sustainable or whether Umno will be able to recover lost ground and triumph in the next polls.
So what happens in Malaysia is very important for Singapore, which is sandwiched between two Asean giants Malaysia and Indonesia, and has been derisively called a little red dot by some Malaysian leaders.
And of utmost importance to Kuan Yew whose pessimism about Singapore survival after being asked to leave Malaysia fuelled his determination to turn the city-state without any natural resources into one of the most developed port and financial hubs in the world.
He is someone that Malaysia can learn from. The only thing is, Lee Kuan Yew is in Malaysia to learn, for his country's future.
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Hope he meet with accident at the NS highway...
Or wait... perhaps he flys from state to state?
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I think Lee Kuan Yew is shaken after watching the funeral video of Roh Moo Hyun.
So now fly here fly there.
Take a break.
Or maybe this is his last chance to visit these countries.
I wonder whether there will be big funeral event for him.
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Originally posted by Hawk Eye:
Hope he meet with accident at the NS highway...
Or wait... perhaps he flys from state to state?
Do you think he will travel by car?
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Originally posted by Ah Chia:
I think Lee Kuan Yew is shaken after watching the funeral video of Roh Moo Hyun.
So now fly here fly there.
Take a break.
Or may be this is his last chance to visit these countries.
You mean his last fling?
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Originally posted by Ah Chia:
I think Lee Kuan Yew is shaken after watching the funeral video of Roh Moo Hyun.
So now fly here fly there.
Take a break.
Or maybe this is his last chance to visit these countries.
I wonder whether there will be big funeral event for him.
Big funeral event for him? I don't think we will get to see such crowd at his funeral.
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So it will be a small crowd, not big crowd?
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Originally posted by Chew Bakar:
You mean his last fling?
Fling? Lol...
If only he was in the AF447.
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Originally posted by Ah Chia:
So it will be a small crowd, not big crowd?
Who cares anyway?
I only care about my public holiday....
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Originally posted by Hawk Eye:
Who cares anyway?
I only care about my public holiday....
What make you so sure that there will be a public holiday? -
This si lao tou, times are so bad and our economy doing badly still using money travel here travel there. Really sicko! think money easy come by. Not his money so i suppose he take it lightly.
movement of his so robotic so slow still dare go overseas, what a disgrace! Mahathir still looks ok, better than him.
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Originally posted by tranquilice:
What make you so sure that there will be a public holiday?chop off head if there is no public holiday when he dies. He built the nation so definitely going to be a big event for his funeral, sure public holiday will be given.
if no public holiday, sure his kakias and those plp people will make noise and request for it
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feels hungry,,,,,,i need mutton beriyani...........do u think lky would be a kind soul to ta pau a few packets for me?i know some generals ta pau a small mountain of rice, for their men,,,,,,,feels hungry.....
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In this trip who do you think is the most important person he is going to visit ? and Why?
I will tell you my take --- Lim Guan Eng.
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Haha... expected to be asked this question. Lets wait and see.
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Is he using public money to travel or his own money??
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Simi Whirlwind ??? More like eat wind
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Originally posted by Ah Chia:
I think Lee Kuan Yew is shaken after watching the funeral video of Roh Moo Hyun.
So now fly here fly there.
Take a break.
Or maybe this is his last chance to visit these countries.
I wonder whether there will be big funeral event for him.
Shake simi lan? There is no cliff behind Lau Lee's house
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Is he using public money to travel or his own money??
You think he will use his own money??? The answer is obvious, no need to ask. He represents Singapore, so .... -
Hope he kena H1N1. but there again he has got doctors accompanying him there.
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will he get shot again like back in his younger days???oh well.....dun matter no more..........him dead or alive...econmyn jobs in spore is ina mess.dun think he can save it now.
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
Hope he kena H1N1. but there again he has got doctors accompanying him there.
I hope he bring along Dr Khaw as his stuntman then maybe he doesnt need to wear a mask oso.
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whats everyones job here???
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Originally posted by TERMINATOR2000:
will he get shot again like back in his younger days???oh well.....dun matter no more..........him dead or alive...econmyn jobs in spore is ina mess.dun think he can save it now.
if he get shot and die that will save lots of $ for sg and can put this $ to better use to help the needy during this difficult time -
Originally posted by TERMINATOR2000:
whats everyones job here???
don't hijack leh