I am saddened by Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s passing, but I am also grateful. Every people have their legends and heroes who help them know who they are and why they are unique. Mr Lee was such a person for us.
His death is perhaps the first thing Singaporeans have been able to rally around. This blow has awakened national pride and kinship, and is galvanising us in our identity.
Mr Lee was like the men of his time: Stoic, tough, stubborn, passionate and never in doubt. They lived in a time of struggle, where sensitivity was a luxury that did not fit their calling.
Mr Lee was the one we were glad was fighting on our side. His voice stirred our hearts and gave us hope. Great leaders do that sometimes.
They speak not out of what is, but what can be, hoping that their convictions will become reality. They are prophetic. Mr Lee helped turn a once feeble hope into reality.
Some would call Mr Lee a despot. If he had indeed purposed to be one, he must be judged to have failed miserably. Where is his mansion of gold, his harem, his private jet, expensive suits and toys?
Have we not seen his house, his schedule and lifestyle? What did he do with his “ill-gained wealth”? A leader is perhaps best judged not by the content of his policies, but the content of his life.
Clearly, Mr Lee spent his entire life on family and country. What is most impressive is his dedication. Perhaps it was a sense of responsibility because it was on his watch when Singapore was kicked out of Malaysia.
His tears turned into steely words: “Singapore ... will survive.” He engaged neither blame nor self-pity, but took on the burden of Singapore’s success. His single-mindedness, total commitment, intelligence and leadership make his story so remarkable.
In all this, I see his legacy in his son, and not as a bid to retain control. I see Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong honouring his father’s calling, taking the burden as his own and taking his father’s legacy to new heights.
I see PM Lee leading Singapore in a way his father could not and was not called to do: Building bridges and serving with humility, candour and warmth. He has my support, respect and allegiance.
Singapore’s orphaning by Malaysia is in a way healed by a story of father and son. We are indeed not orphans anymore; we are whole; we have come into our own; we are free and ready.
We will be an influence on the nations around us, provoking not only envy but showing kindness, the kind we have experienced, that empowers them to believe their children will inherit a better tomorrow. Mr Lee, we salute you.
The full version of this is found at http://ift.tt/190FXKm...
His death is perhaps the first thing Singaporeans have been able to rally around. This blow has awakened national pride and kinship, and is galvanising us in our identity.
Mr Lee was like the men of his time: Stoic, tough, stubborn, passionate and never in doubt. They lived in a time of struggle, where sensitivity was a luxury that did not fit their calling.
Mr Lee was the one we were glad was fighting on our side. His voice stirred our hearts and gave us hope. Great leaders do that sometimes.
They speak not out of what is, but what can be, hoping that their convictions will become reality. They are prophetic. Mr Lee helped turn a once feeble hope into reality.
Some would call Mr Lee a despot. If he had indeed purposed to be one, he must be judged to have failed miserably. Where is his mansion of gold, his harem, his private jet, expensive suits and toys?
Have we not seen his house, his schedule and lifestyle? What did he do with his “ill-gained wealth”? A leader is perhaps best judged not by the content of his policies, but the content of his life.
Clearly, Mr Lee spent his entire life on family and country. What is most impressive is his dedication. Perhaps it was a sense of responsibility because it was on his watch when Singapore was kicked out of Malaysia.
His tears turned into steely words: “Singapore ... will survive.” He engaged neither blame nor self-pity, but took on the burden of Singapore’s success. His single-mindedness, total commitment, intelligence and leadership make his story so remarkable.
In all this, I see his legacy in his son, and not as a bid to retain control. I see Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong honouring his father’s calling, taking the burden as his own and taking his father’s legacy to new heights.
I see PM Lee leading Singapore in a way his father could not and was not called to do: Building bridges and serving with humility, candour and warmth. He has my support, respect and allegiance.
Singapore’s orphaning by Malaysia is in a way healed by a story of father and son. We are indeed not orphans anymore; we are whole; we have come into our own; we are free and ready.
We will be an influence on the nations around us, provoking not only envy but showing kindness, the kind we have experienced, that empowers them to believe their children will inherit a better tomorrow. Mr Lee, we salute you.
The full version of this is found at http://ift.tt/190FXKm...
