[Straits Times] Compile ST coverage on Mr Lee

THE Straits Times' (ST) coverage this past week of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's life has been comprehensive, well researched and interesting.

I enjoyed reading the articles, as there was always something refreshing to read about Mr Lee.

The stories and interviews of people who had close interactions with Mr Lee were the highlights for me.

Reading the third-party accounts of how they were impacted by Mr Lee's kindness, coaching and passionate service reveals the human side of an esteemed leader, one that is sincere, genuine and authentic.

These personal stories connected me emotionally to the experiences they encountered with Mr Lee, and that triggered a greater sense of bonding with our founding father.

The quality of the coverage underscores the hard work and immense effort put in by the journalists and all others involved. It was a fitting tribute to the man who gave his life for Singapore.

To safeguard this important coverage from being discarded, and to put it to good use, I suggest that the material be uploaded onto a separate link on the newspaper's website and archived for readers' free use for a few months.

These priceless nuggets of Mr Lee's work, personality and leadership style will provide local and foreign readers with easy access to information about his life and legacy.

I am inspired by his visionary leadership with passionate service of high standards, fitness discipline and devotion to family. Others will also be touched in different ways from reading the material.

As overseas readers may have difficulty in obtaining The Straits Times, the online portal would enable the international community, be they overseas Singaporeans or foreigners, to read and treasure these memories.

The portal will also engage Generation Y and get them interested in Mr Lee's past.

This is an important generation that needs to understand the unique leadership style of our founding father, as well as how people from all walks of life were touched and impacted by him.

The material could also be compiled into a coffee-table book, to complement books written by and on Mr Lee. Through pictures and stories, this suggested book will present the people's perspectives of Mr Lee's life, his death and his legacy.

Frankie Mao

[Straits Times] Why overseas S'poreans love Singapore

NOT so long ago, the Government wrung its hands over whether Singaporeans who went overseas were stayers or quitters.

Overseas Singaporeans, including myself at the time, responded that we should be seen as "ambassadors" and not "traitors".

The grief that Singaporeans overseas showed over former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's death speaks volumes ("Tears flow as S'poreans abroad gather to watch funeral"; Monday, and "Overseas citizens prepare to watch live telecast of funeral"; Sunday).

Overseas Singaporeans do not love or miss Singapore because of laksa or chicken rice.

What they treasure is the vision of Mr Lee and the political will of his team to stamp out corruption, racism and plutocracy, to build a country that is as meritocratic and successful as possible.

Far from being quitters, Singaporeans overseas are, in fact, better placed than most to see the scourge of poor governance.

They know Singapore is a place where they have plenty of liberties, even if these are not part of textbook "democracy".

There are, of course, naysayers.

We all know Mr Lee had a very hard way of dealing with people he felt were bent on destroying his favourite "child", Singapore.

I ask these naysayers to look around and see if they can find the perfect leader, who has done everything right and is appreciated by all segments of society.

Look at the countries who have shaky governing institutions and no rule of law. These countries are ruled by autocrats who hold the factions together with brutality and bribes.

And once these autocrats are gone, the countries descend into factional fighting and worse.

Saying "thank you" is an inadequate way to show our appreciation to Mr Lee. Still, we thank him for the Singapore we (including those living abroad) call home.

Agnes Sng (Ms)

[Straits Times] Silent majority in half a paradise

I AM one of the "silent majority".

I have never written or blogged or Facebooked about national issues. But there's always a time for it.

I mourn the loss of our national giant, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. My heart is saddened as if I have lost someone close to me. At the same time, my heart is bursting with pride at the unprecedented show of gratitude and patriotism.

If there was one good thing that came out of Mr Lee's death, this must be it. Grieving together has enlarged our horizons and our souls.

Once, as I was leaving my exercise class, I remarked that it was extremely humid outside. Quick as lightning, my exercise mate from Hong Kong told me: "Don't complain, Singapore is half a paradise." She is right. And this, in no small part, is due to the work of Mr Lee, who really could not have done more in his life for this nation.

To the "noisy minority" in relentless search of freedom of speech, political freedom and all, the acid test is this: Have you given 50 per cent of your life for this country? How about 25 per cent, 10 per cent or even 5 per cent? If not, why the noise?

There are always places where such freedom can be found. But together with it, there will be freedom to be discriminated against, freedom to be raped, freedom to be mugged, freedom to be shot - complete freedom.

As for me, I am staying put, humidity and all. I am blessed and proud to be a Singaporean.

Loh Lay San (Madam)

[Straits Times] No problem with 'lack of freedom'

CRITICS of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's policies and contributions have totally missed the point ("Amid the tributes, some brickbats and questions"; last Friday).

Most of us Singaporeans, the silent majority, do not have a problem with the way Mr Lee governed Singapore.

No government is perfect. The policies Mr Lee and his team implemented were for selfless reasons, only for the good of the people.

I greatly admire the courage of our Government in implementing tough policies, as it was its foresight and its strength in not yielding to populist pressure that brought Singapore to our present state.

I have no problems with the banning of chewing gum or other "inhumane restrictions".

I am grateful that I was able to grow up in Singapore, with the emphasis on the importance of education, a roof over my head, and equal opportunity, even though I came from a poor family. What is the use of freedom if I do not even have a roof over my head and a stable livelihood?

Freedom and democracy as defined in the West are not what I desire if it means one group can freely impose its ideals on another. Freedom must be accompanied by maturity and the expectation that all can behave in a responsible way.

But we are all human and have our weaknesses, so it is impossible to expect this level of accountability among us.

Josephine Leow Ting Ting (Ms)

[Straits Times] Help firms develop contented staff

ACCORDING to Dr William Wan of the Singapore Kindness Movement, employees who enjoy their work in an environment where they are valued and appreciated are more productive ("Happy workplace, happy workers, greater productivity"; March 16).

Surveys conducted last year by the Singapore Human Resources Institute ("S'pore workers less than happy: Survey"; Nov 13, 2014) and the Families for Life Council ("Poll respondents lament lack of family time"; Sept 3, 2014) seem to support this.

Bosses can create happier and more productive workplaces by not driving up productivity to unreasonable levels with long hours at work and the deployment of insufficient human resources.

With the retrenchment of white-collar workers becoming more common, most unhappy employees will not insist on their right to greater work-life balance.

Employers can mitigate the negative effects of workplace bullying by those in positions of authority. The ill effects of such bullying are not limited to the targeted employee, as it often results in a decline in overall staff morale and productivity.

The Government also has a crucial part to play in making our workplaces more gracious, by considering corporate tax relief and enforcement of policies to encourage more employers to make work-life balance a reality.

Currently, many companies are opposed to work-life balance initiatives, owing to concerns about the bottom line being affected, or potential abuse of the system.

Contentment at the workplace may be a reality once companies gain a better grasp of ways to narrow the gap between the expectations and reality affecting both employers and employees.

Edmund Khoo Kim Hock

[Straits Times] Rethink plans for Johor coastline

PROPERTY projects along the Johor coastline seem to be targeting the investment dollars of wealthy foreigners and Malaysians ("The future is in Johor, says Sultan"; March 19).

But while some Singaporeans and foreigners may choose to live in Johor and work in Singapore, the numbers are not likely to be significant.

Many of the properties are likely to become vacant second or third homes of transient "outsiders".

The Forest City development's claim that its reclamation efforts are far smaller than Singapore's nearby is a lame effort to justify its actions ("Forest City developers insist green issues tackled"; March 20).

The Republic is over 25 times smaller than Johor, and hosts 60 per cent more residents.

If the Johor coastline is as strategic to the state as the Johor Sultan stressed, would it not make more sense to leave the strait clear for sea trade at Malaysia's Tanjung Pelapas port as well as Singapore's upcoming maritime and logistics hub in Tuas?

The waterway also has the potential to be a world-class hub for water catchment, aquaculture and tourism. Borderless recreation, such as international rowing competitions, can be jointly organised by both sides.

I hope independent experts can be appointed to consider these suggestions, and above all, assess the impact the Forest City development has on marine ecology in the area.

Nothing can be more strategic than enhancing the long-term social compact and resource security of friendly neighbours, instead of depleting the shared body of water with mismanagement and short-sightedness in a more crowded world.

Toh Cheng Seong

[Straits Times] Paramedics should prioritise logic over protocol

MY MOTHER, two children and helper were travelling in a taxi along Bukit Timah Road when their vehicle ran into the back of an auxiliary police van.

As there were four injured passengers, a second ambulance was called.

According to my mother, the paramedics had a prolonged disagreement as to whether to take them to KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) or National University Hospital (NUH).

When my mother pressed them to make a decision, they even told my mother not to interfere.

They eventually said they would take my mother and children to KKH and my helper to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) because KKH did not treat adults in emergency cases.

I was surprised that KKH did not have the facilities to treat adults, and that the paramedics intended to take my helper, who had been in Singapore for only two months, alone to TTSH.

Speaking to the paramedics on the phone, I suggested that they all be taken to NUH, which had an accident and emergency unit that could attend to both children and adults.

However, one of the paramedics insisted on following protocol - which meant getting my children checked for internal bleeding as soon as possible - and refused to entertain my suggestion.

It was only after much persuasion that they finally relented and decided to head to NUH.

I fully appreciate the need to follow protocol, had the injuries been severe and the victims' conditions critical, but, in this instance, all the victims were found to be in stable condition, and precautionary scans were merely advised.

What if both my mother and helper had suffered head trauma? Would the paramedics have taken my children - a three-year-old and a seven-month-old - to KKH by themselves, and my mother and helper to TTSH instead?

Gerald Tan Aik Ki