Tags
“Political reform need not go hand in hand with economic liberalization. I do not believe that if you are libertarian, full of diverse opinions, full of competing ideas in the market place, full of sound and fury, therefore you will succeed” – Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of Singapore, is no more…
He was one of the giant leaders of the world and would remain as one for long. There are not many who led a nation to independence and then built the country from the dump to a economic powerhouse in a couple of decades.
Did the world celebrate him to the stature he deserved, the way we celebrated many other world leaders? I don’t think we did, due to strange reasons.
He was an authoritarian for some and democrat for many others; an autocrat for the western world and a role model for many Asian countries. But none of these did bother him much because the only thing mattered to him was Singapore and the welfare of its people. He was always ready to carry any cross for the sake of Singapore.
Many people, especially the foreign media, have questioned the boundaries of freedom and the severity of punishments in Singapore and criticized Lee Kwan Yew and the political system he planted for it.
After living in Singapore for more than a decade, I can’t recollect even an instance where our freedom was under threat. Singapore was one of the freest countries I ever lived or visited. We were ruined by its cleanliness, efficiency, courtesy and security. As a common man you have it all. You have it in plenty that you get bored of it!
But freedom means different things to different people. If you look at the history, the very concept of freedom is quite relative and ascending. For those who starve, freedom is food. For those who are full, freedom is peace. For those who have peace, freedom is the opportunity to be fearless. For those who live fearless, freedom is the right to disagree.
Many civilizations, societies and races have interpreted freedom the way it suits them. Most of the developed countries that claim the highest level of freedom achieved it over centuries.
Lee Kwan Yew had painfully learned from the past that Singapore, being a young city-state with no natural resources, can’t afford another riot or rebellion. He thought equality is just an aspiration, not really practical. He believed in pragmatism and meritocracy.
He had strong political views that many did not agree. But he has his own convictions to hold on to those. He believed one need to have iron fist to govern a Chinese society. He was hard on the people who opposed him. Yet, nobody can take the credit, the credit of transforming Singapore, away from him.
To transform the world, what we need today is the leaders like Lee Kuan Yew, not any violent revolutions.
Mr. Lee, thank you for your leadership, your selfless contribution to Singapore and your profound and pragmatic lessons to the world.
I’m sure you would live forever in the hearts of millions, in the pages of history and in the Singapore skyline, as a shining star, watching and protecting Singapore as you always did!
Image Courtesy: lee-kuan-yew.com, hiddensingapore.com
Lean Wisdom 