The people of Singapore have lost Lee Kuan Yew, the most significant political figure in their country’s short history. While he has his critics, no one can dispute that Singapore rose from a swampy backwater into a glorious capitalist democracy.
Lee Kuan Yew: 1923 – 2015 R.I.P.
One of the true greats and now a part of history. I have visited Singapore several times during my years in the Navy ’69 to ’92 and always enjoyed my visits. Nice people, clean and efficiently run country. Singapore to me is an example of “diversity” in the correct sense – people of many differing cultures and backgrounds living and working in harmony and all officially encouraged to do better for themselves through self-improvement.
While watching the video, imagine if Stephen Harper were saying the same [common sense] things. There’s no doubt in mind that the trifecta of the Liberals, NDP, and Media Party would disagree with most every single thing and try to argue that what he was saying was un-Canadian.
Singapore is a nice place. But it is not a true democracy, and never has been.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/05/opinion/chee-singapore-democracy/
Strange how two people experienced WW11 Occupation under different but similar circumstances. They both were eventually educated in England and one used his experience for evil in the world. Lee was not the evil one.
Chee Soon Juan, to whom you link, is a far left-wing agitator. Hardly a good source of info, especially as the info is on CNN.
I lived in Singapore for several years. I have also lived in other countries. In the loss of Lee Kuan Yew, the world has lost a great leader and statesman. Prior to Singapore gaining its independence, Singapore was no different from Malaysia and Indonesia, its neighbours. One only need look at these three countries today to see the impact he had on Singapore.
The limits he placed on Singaporeans was necessary to prevent it from becoming another backwards, corrupt and ideologically driven religious backwater.
I wish we had more Lee Kuan Yews in the world. We need them.
He will be remembered as a father of his countrymen. Mugabe will be remembered as a curse. While this man goes to the grave honorably his counterpart in A Africa will be picking his bank accounts apart for billions stolen. One built a nation, the other destroyed his own. Only the racist left will morn the latter.
It is widely known by almost everyone other than CNN and people other than journalists you don’t like that Singapore is not a true democracy, primarily because of suppression of the opposition and no freedom of the press. Singapore is not lumped in with the true democracies in the world.
https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2014/singapore#.VRC7TL3D_qB
Your comments that prior to independence from Britain that Singapore was no different than Malaysia and Indonesia are utterly ridiculous.
Yew was a benevolent autocrat. Too bad Mao wasn’t cut from the same cloth.
A lot of love here for an autocratic, non democratic strongman.
Even if you’re right, quoting CNN is not the way to prove it.
When is the truth about “democracy” going to emerge? It’s just a scam used by “them” to get the masses to think they have some stake in the game. Democracies always fail because people soon learn to vote themselves largesse as the old cliche` goes. And those who offer it usually run the country into the ground within a generation or two, for greatness is never in their agenda, really. Harry Lee, the best Englishman East of Suez, as I once read Lee described, was a great leader who built a great country.
Brilliant man, sad to see him go.
I spent 10 years in Singapore, wonderful country full of great people. Someone said it best here Lee was a benevolent autocrat, a dangerous risk for a nation unless blessed with someone of his character and intellegence.