It has not been an easy few days for the past week, especially when the founding father of Singapore has just passed away and adding on, a tiff with the missus days prior.
Singapore has also just entered into a mourning state, with all flags at half mast. TV and media, have been filled with speeches of past and also interviews with people whom have worked with him, including his family such as Mr Lee Hsien Loong and even Mr Lee Kuan Yew's brother. It was very important, as such interviews and even speeches of the past gives an insight into what Mr Lee had felt then. This is something not even memoirs can express. After all, they are just words imprinted onto paper. A book is but made of paper after all.
In my life of 36 years ,I have grown up always feeling proud whenever Lee Kuan Yew is shown in papers greeting the leaders of USA or China.I always felt and know that he was different; a leader whom people listen when he speaks, regardless of place and demographic. Condolences from various countries have proved to be so.There was nothing he couldn't fix I always felt. I knew we were a small country, and while more bigger concerns then were about play and play, I felt proud of my countrymen and everything Singapore. As i started to grow, i began to know who Goh Chok Tong was, and other prominent ministers.
A big fact that has been debated and even more recently. Does Mr Lee Kuan Yew deserve all these accolades? Was Singapore's success not the fruit of other hardworking ministers? Yes, there were others who worked hard and often sacrificing their own without people even knowing. There were unsung heroes then and there are still now. However, as I read and see through many different excerpts of Mr Lee's speeches, I began to know more about the brilliant man and understood better of why he was special.
There are many types of leaders. There are those who are solo kings and do all and expect the rest to follow. They are normally one man show type. There are another type which cares for their people and tries to do a lot of things for the people. When things don't work out and came defeated, they realise that they cant do anything but to share the pain and die together with the people. They feel this is what a good leader should do.
Yes I agree.
However, Mr Lee is not only a good leader. He is the best that Singapore has have and will have for a long time. Does he accept that should Singapore fail, he will die and perish with the people? No, he did not accept for one second that Singapore can fail. To him, Singapore must never fail. Has it ever struck you how much determination that means? If i am a teacher and i take a class of academically poor students, how determined can I be that all my class will pass with flying colours? Probably 10/40 will be a good gauge. However, Mr Lee was aware of the perils Singapore faced early and did he accept second best? No. He was very aware of what could happen as he travels often overseas and were always on the lookout of ways to improve the country when he returns. Look at the tenacity of his speeches. He was speaking not to only convince voters, but to impress upon the people that what he has said was true and should listen. He was not speaking with a heck care attitude and he speaks with a sincerity that he wants people to listen because he knows that he will not be around to see Singapore for the next fifty years. Eventually not only the ministers he must train but also the people. He had faith in the people, he saw that we had the grit and determination. Singapore is the only country that empties the waster 365 days.
To me, there were also big Singapore figures who had made a difference to Singapore. But let me ask you, who else than Lee Kuan Yew took on the mantle and put the responsibility of Singapore's survival on his shoulders alone? Did Goh Keng Swee came out and said leave Singapore to me? No other leader took on that but Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He believed. Was he afraid, yes perhaps. Perhaps that drove him to heights where he realised that there were ways out but it depends on the whole country working together.
There was this famous speech he gave during an election rally.
"Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him. Or give it up. This is not a game of cards. This is your life and mine. I've spent a whole lifetime building this and as long as I'm in charge, nobody is going to knock it down," Lee Kuan Yew said emphatically during an election campaign rally speech at Raffles Place in 1980.
The part of the speech was made in reference to the strike by the SIA pilots back then. He took on the pilots head on and eventually the pilots knew they were going to lose.
Today a colleague shared with me how she felt towards Lee Kuan Yew's passing. As she as a malaysian she didnt feel anything but agreed though that Mr Lee was a great man. I could only tell myself and felt so grateful that I have a great Singapore leader whom many will take pains even just to pay their last respects. How many of such leaders who can command such respect over the causeway?None, that I know of anyway.
There are so many stories, quotes of Mr Lee that i have lost count. His legacy will live on , truly and perhaps every countryman can learn from him. We always like to compare and feel how great we will be if we have half of this pretty face , half of that richness. If only there is one more , just one like Lee Kuan Yew. Singapore will surely live onto another few more decades of prosperity. But let's be thankful. God put him amongst us, a poor country with 0 resources to lead us. Mr Lee supposedly practices agnosticism i felt that he must have experienced God somewhere.
I have never experienced such happenings in Singapore nor will the country see this again. Definitely not in my lifetime. Tens of thousands queue in the hot sun for hours just to see Mr Lee for the last time, albiet from a distance.Everyone felt the need to pay the last respects, give thanks for a lifetime of effort and tears behind the scenes whom we are all always taking granted for but often took little notice of.
I have not had the chance to see him before nor shook his hands when he was alive. I guess many who had gone down to the Parliament House to pay their last respects also felt the same. How many people in the world can say that I have gave thanks and paid my last respects to the founder of my country? Not even Americans can do that today...
Children in the future will get to know of him, watch his videos and will know what he has done so that today I can still write on this laptop. Just like the ones who perished in the war in the past so today we can have freedom, much credit must be given to Mr Lee's vision and his determination for Singapore to succeed.
Soon it will be Sunday when Mr Lee will get cremated in a private session. Shopping centres and even all betting outlets will be closed as a mark of respect. I guess life will move on as usual thereafter but lessons learnt should never be forgotten. I suppose this year's National Day Parade will be special. Mr Lee never misses one. But this will be the first time Singapore misses him in one.
Something i learnt this week: When we were born, we cried and the whole world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you die the whole world cries and you rejoice.
His work and institution will live on.
Thank you Mr Lee Kuan Yew.