LKY: through the eyes of an Outsider
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The Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum was the first time many had met Lee Kuan Yew in person.
LKY: through the eyes of an Outsider
By Guest Author
Published: November 6, 2009
Jonathan Brice is a junior in Economics and Political Science at the University of North Carolina. He is also a Business Adminstration Minor from the Kenan-Flagler Business School. He is currently on an exchange program at The National University of Singapore.
Through a series of peculiar occurrences, I ended up in a Chinese tutorial with Lester Lim. Lester is a Singaporean Senior who had studied abroad at the University of Illinois. As a former exchange student, Lester knew how hard it is to get acclimated to a new environment, and sought to cure my confusion and friendlessness.
In an attempt to make my experience memorable, Lester got me a press pass to the NUS Kent ridge Ministerial Forum to hear Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. As an honorary member of The Kent Ridge Common staff, I ventured to have one of my most memorable Singaporean experiences. As I was told by my fellow classmates before the event, “This is like getting to see Obama!”
So what makes MM Lee so special? “In the 1960s, Singapore was a third world country with a GNP per capita of less than US$320. Infrastructure was poor, there was little capital; the handful of industries produced only for domestic consumption. Low-end commerce was the mainstay of the economy, and there was little or no direct foreign investment.” (Economics and Development Board of Singapore, 2009) After MM Lee gained power in 1968, he led Singapore to great heights, making it a model for economic and infrastructure development. Currently, Singapore has one of the highest GNP per capita in the world, and was recently named the most innovative country in the world. Because of the way MM Lee helped develop modern Singapore, he is still widely recognized as the most powerful man in the country, despite the fact that he holds no direct political power.
The grandeur of the situation didn’t really hit me until the day before, as I was contacted by an anonymous figure in order to verify my identification information. Moreover, when I got to the event, we had to go through two levels of security that reminded me of an airport during the holiday season.
Once we got inside the venue, the light refreshments and soft classical music helped put the mood at ease. Once the music stopped, everything seemed to cease as the room went silence. Seconds later, the side door to the auditorium opened and all eyes were on the 86 year old Lee Kuan Yew
As he made his way to the stage, he was nothing like I expected. Instead of an uptight dignitary, what I saw before me was a regularly dressed guy with a coy smile and an inviting aura.
As he raised his hands to greet the audience, the room erupted in applause and a sort of excitement seemed to fill the room. Over the next hour, MM Lee went on to answer nine handpicked questions from the crowd of students, teachers, and dignitaries. Although his answers were rehearsed and covered somewhat mundane topics, he still said them in a way that served to draw you in.
The questions asked covered topics such as American hegemony, the Kyoto protocol, minimum wage, and the LKY legacy. On the question concerning American hegemony, MM Lee expressed the general idea that America is in decline. He believed that in 20 to 30 years, China would have a GDP equal to that of the US; furthermore, he expressed the idea that the current/past (depending on who you are) financial crisis has only shortened that time frame. Perhaps the most controversial topic discussed was the lack of a minimum wage in Singapore, and how that has led to increased income inequality. Nevertheless, to call that question controversial would be equivalent to calling Duke Basketball a good team. His answer only served to solidify his very laissez-faire view of government, as he made it clear that in the end, it is better to have a low paying job then not have one at all.
Despite his age, MM Lee was a great orator; through his linguistic charm, one could easily see how he handily won over a country. Almost every answer was answered with a joke, and his laid back manner made it very easy to relate. MM Lee is one of the few people with the rare ability to turn any conversation topic into something interesting, and being able to experience that firsthand made the evening worthwhile.
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Originally posted by I'm back:
So what makes MM Lee so special? “In the 1960s, Singapore was a third world country with a GNP per capita of less than US$320. Infrastructure was poor, there was little capital; the handful of industries produced only for domestic consumption. Low-end commerce was the mainstay of the economy, and there was little or no direct foreign investment.” (Economics and Development Board of Singapore, 2009) After MM Lee gained power in 1968, he led Singapore to great heights, making it a model for economic and infrastructure development. Currently, Singapore has one of the highest GNP per capita in the world, and was recently named the most innovative country in the world. Because of the way MM Lee helped develop modern Singapore, he is still widely recognized as the most powerful man in the country, despite the fact that he holds no direct political power.
How 3rd World was 3rd in 1960s Singapore?
Hilarious!!
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Originally posted by Chew Bakar:
How 3rd World was 3rd in 1960s Singapore?
Hilarious!!
Probably enough that we in the current generation won't want to live in?Heh, i think my grandfather had to take the family's toilet in his van and dump it somewhere because there was a strike.
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By
skeptic, at 16/11/09 22:28 ps. Skeptic was referring to a forum discussion on Lee Kuan Yew using ISA to detain his political opponents :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chia_Thye_Poh
http://www.singapore-window.org/81130sc.htm
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It is the creation of entire generations (of post 1965) Singaporeans who are brain dead. If you speak to most Singaporeans, they are empty shells who only care about making money and obeying instructions.
Ever since this phrase appeared, the amount of people constantly requoting this seems to be increasing. It's like the pot calling the kettle black.
What the hell does this even mean?
Yea i know it's fashionable to act like you're the only enlightened one in the annoymous internet world or the sole individual in a sea of confirmity but calling generations of Singaporeans brain dead with no supporting evidence whatever so is exactly the behaviour of a person who is brain dead.
How many people posting in this forum alone are of the post 1965 generation?
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Originally posted by Stevenson101:
Ever since this phrase appeared, the amount of people constantly requoting this seems to be increasing. It's like the pot calling the kettle black.
What the hell does this even mean?
Yea i know it's fashionable to act like you're the only enlightened one in the annoymous internet world or the sole individual in a sea of confirmity but calling generations of Singaporeans brain dead with no supporting evidence whatever so is exactly the behaviour of a person who is brain dead.
How many people posting in this forum alone are of the post 1965 generation?
Why the strong reaction to a viewpoint ??Do you suspect the author was refering to you ??
If not, then take it as an alternative viewpoint...
Simple as that..
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Originally posted by Chew Bakar:
How 3rd World was 3rd in 1960s Singapore?
Hilarious!!
In 1960s, u can hardly buy a good coffin for yourself, but today, just call and you get a sale guys running to your bed showing all kind of coffins you want at a very reasonable price, and you can book it thru the net too. That is how 3rd world was in the 1960s, in contrast with today, of course. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
In 1960s, u can hardly buy a good coffin for yourself, but today, just call and you get a sale guys running to your bed showing all kind of coffins you want at a very reasonable price, and you can book it thru the net too. That is how 3rd world was in the 1960s, in contrast with today, of course.
since you are rich why not venture into it - just asking -
Originally posted by I'm back:
since you are rich why not venture into it - just asking
I wanted, but Singapore casket is controlled by the govt, it is not even at the trading board. I am waiting for them to issue IPOs, sure can make money, the way our aging population is going, anything to do with old peoples is going to make money. I already got more drinkers coming to my pubs. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
I wanted, but Singapore casket is controlled by the govt, it is not even at the trading board. I am waiting for them to issue IPOs, sure can make money, the way our aging population is going, anything to do with old peoples is going to make money. I already got more drinkers coming to my pubs.
it's just got money there's discussion -
Originally posted by angel7030:
I wanted, but Singapore casket is controlled by the govt, it is not even at the trading board. I am waiting for them to issue IPOs, sure can make money, the way our aging population is going, anything to do with old peoples is going to make money. I already got more drinkers coming to my pubs.
The Uncles go to your pub b'cos they read your posts here lah...Sweet young thing... 21 years old... got BA and ER degrees... bungalow and condos... own pub with Vietnamese ladies-of-the-night under your control... well-connected to Joo Chiat MP Chan Soon Seng..
Must go and look see.. look see who this lady mah.
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Originally posted by I'm back:
it's just got money there's discussion
Not really, we are not tiger woods' mistress or wife, most of we sg gals got dignity and integrity to uphold, afterall, we give our sg man a very good image. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
Not really, we are not tiger woods' mistress or wife, most of we sg gals got dignity and integrity to uphold, afterall, we give our sg man a very good image.
i did not mention anything about your gals/staff or you - i am not pointing at youif you are rich, some people automatically flocked to you - be it men or women
got money - most of the time - easier to get certain things done
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Originally posted by Lionnosy:
Why the strong reaction to a viewpoint ??Do you suspect the author was refering to you ??
If not, then take it as an alternative viewpoint...
Simple as that..
You do realise that he's referring to you too right ? (unless you're born before 1965) -
Originally posted by angel7030:
In 1960s, u can hardly buy a good coffin for yourself, but today, just call and you get a sale guys running to your bed showing all kind of coffins you want at a very reasonable price, and you can book it thru the net too. That is how 3rd world was in the 1960s, in contrast with today, of course.Then go and buy and burn in that cheap coffin for a 3rd world bitch like you..
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Originally posted by Chew Bakar:
Then go and buy and burn in that cheap coffin for a 3rd world bitch like you..
Hahahahah!
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Originally posted by Stevenson101:
Probably enough that we in the current generation won't want to live in?Heh, i think my grandfather had to take the family's toilet in his van and dump it somewhere because there was a strike.
I don't remember any toilet strike. Probably you grandpa didn't pay him.
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Originally posted by I'm back:
Despite his age, MM Lee was a great orator; through his linguistic charm, one could easily see how he handily won over a country.
Almost every answer was answered with a joke, and his laid back manner made it very easy to relate.
MM Lee is one of the few people with the rare ability to turn any conversation topic into something interesting, and being able to experience that firsthand made the evening worthwhile.
So fast learn how to suck Lee Kuan Yew's cock?
You got future in Singapore.
Must go and suck harder.
I'm back, next time please don't post this type of propaganda filth.
ST and others already flooded with this type of filth already.
The entire Singapore bombarded with this filth for 50 years already.
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Originally posted by Chew Bakar:
I don't remember any toilet strike. Probably you grandpa didn't pay him.
Meh i got to get back to you on the date.Remembered my mom saying the guys that were supposed to collect the stuff went on strike.
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Originally posted by Stevenson101:
You do realise that he's referring to you too right ? (unless you're born before 1965)
Yeah...I do care about making money..
.. but not about obeying instructions...
That's why I take it calmly and... as just another alternative viewpoint
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Originally posted by Chew Bakar:
How 3rd World was 3rd in 1960s Singapore?
Hilarious!!
Politically, culturally and in terms of energy and vibrancy, the golden period of Singapore was from 1950s-1960s.
I think that is true.
Is that correct Chew Bakar?
It is also completely wrong to describe Singapore as "third world" in 1950s-60s.
That is Lee Kuan Yew's fucking propaganda.
I believe my views are correct, but I need you to confirm Chew Bakar.
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Originally posted by Lionnosy:
Yeah...I do care about making money..
.. but not about obeying instructions...
That's the reason I take it calmly.. and as just an alternative viewpoint
I was referring to the brain dead portion. -
Originally posted by Stevenson101:
Meh i got to get back to you on the date.Remembered my mom saying the guys that were supposed to collect the stuff went on strike.
Really did not remember any such strike or else it would be such a news.
Probably some nasty neighbourhood that didn't pay the 48 doors. I know of one such case in Serangoon 6 ms in the early 60s.
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Have we completely left our colonial days behind? williamcho
Get rid of that colonial mindset please
By Kelvin Teo
Published: April 2, 2009
SINGAPORE – Go anywhere in Singapore and mingle with the crowd. Chances are that you will come across someone speaking in a non-local accent. An observation that Singapore is colonized by individuals from a myriad of nationalities is spot on. Before you get an impression that we are xenophobic, please don’t get us wrong. It is not in our interest to advocate xenophobia, but rather to analyze the circumstances surrounding the current state of affairs and its ramifications on our national development.
In the beginning of August this year, Singapore will celebrate its 44th birthday. And one question that Singaporeans may want to ask themselves is – how far Singapore has progressed ever since it emerged from its colonial past in terms of national development? Sadly, the answer is very little. It seems that the colonial mindset is still pervading throughout our establishment, and manifesting in various forms.
Take our sports scene for instance, and let’s start off with a rhetorical question – is there a Singaporean essence in the silver medal winning exploits of our female table tennis team? One can be forgiven if he thinks that it was China team A versus China team B in the Finals. No one is disputing the usefulness of some foreign athletes who possess greater talent than our local sportsmen but it seems that the current system of fast-tracking the former to Singapore citizenship so that they can represent us is flawed. Supposingly, these foreign athletes are brought in to provide healthy competition for our local athletes, which will raise our sporting standards. No one is denying that proposition. But if they are brought in with the intention of raising our sporting standards, they can be sparring partners for our local sportsmen to give the latter a competitive edge. There is absolutely no need to fast-track these foreigners to Singapore citizenship.
On a national front, when the foreign talent policy was mooted years ago, the explanation was that these talents were brought in to provide jobs for the locals. One may get the impression that “foreign talents” is synonymous with “foreign direct investments”, because it is the latter that will provide jobs for the locals, not so much of individual foreign talents. And the usual cynics will question why there wasn’t any effort on the part of our establishment to encourage the growth of small medium enterprises? After all, Singapore’s economy is centrally planned with our government having a certain penchant to earmark a particular industry as a target for future growth. Is there any signs that our government will loosen its grip of the economy and allow small medium enterprises to proliferate? Not at all. After all, such enterprises will be the ones employing our locals. Thus, it should have been our enterprising local set ups hiring locals instead of foreign talents providing jobs.
And on the technology front, especially pertaining to our pet topic of Life Sciences, who could ever forget Mr Philip Yeo’s famous reasoning behind his capture of big name foreign scientists to Singapore:”They are whales brought in to train our guppies.” No one is doubting the ability of these foreign stars to transfer their knowledge to locals, but is it necessary to bring whales, a mammal who lives in the salt water of the vast ocean into the freshwater of Singapore? One local scientist cynically remarked:”Why spend all the money to bring all these foreign stars here when we could send our best to learn from their side, who will then bring back whatever they have learnt and transfer their knowledge to other locals?” And it is difficult to disagree with him because what we ultimately want is knowledge transfer from these luminaries and that can be achieved without getting them to come here.
Thus, it seems that this colonial mindset will ultimately hinder our development. The first step to the development of any nascent nation is the need to instill national pride. And such can only be instilled with the continued support of local endeavors. The hindrance by this colonial mindset is analogous to a sickly patient always in need of continuous foreign blood transfusion. Thus, wouldn’t our constant fielding of foreign sportsmen give an impression that we are a nation of couch potatoes who do not do sports, and need others to do it for us? And wouldn’t our so-called need to rely on foreign talents (according to the government) to give us employment reflect badly on our lack of attention to the development of local small medium enterprises?
I admire my Japanese counterparts a lot. There is a strong national pride about them, and this is reflected in their patronization of products manufactured by their own countrymen. Despite the encroachment of world famous brand names from the west, they still remain proud owners of local brands such as Sony, Mitshubishi, Toyota , Toshiba and countless others. We Singaporeans on the other hand have only one Creative ZEN to turn to.
Therefore, it is a setback for our national development if we are always told that we are not good enough, and thus, we constantly need foreign infusion. In doing so, we fail to instill national pride, which is the seed of our national development. When will be the day that our establishment rids itself of this rather unhealthy colonial mindset?
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Originally posted by angel3070:
Politically, culturally and in terms of energy and vibrancy, the golden period of Singapore was from 1950s-1960s.
I think that is true.
Is that correct Chew Bakar?
It is also completely wrong to describe Singapore as "third world" in 1950s-60s.
That is Lee Kuan Yew's fucking propaganda.
I believe my views are correct, but I need you to confirm Chew Bakar.
The 1950-60s was one of Singapore golden age with the boom due to the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Money wasn't that difficult to come by both the towkays and the working class. The only sore points are the racial tensions and rise of communism then.
In today parallel, the rising communism is not much different to today religious based terrorism.
"I was told by my fellow classmates before the event, “This is like getting to see Obama!”
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Here's another viewpoint :
The greatest act of political violence that old man Lee has done on Singapore is not the detention of these prisoners or the suppression of the media or even the castration of our judicial system.
It is the creation of entire generations (of post 1965) Singaporeans who are brain dead. If you speak to most Singaporeans, they are empty shells who only care about making money and obeying instructions.