On Monday, 23rd March 2015, I woke up to the news that our first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew has passed on. He had been hospitalised since 5th February 2015 for a bad bout of pneumonia. And we, the nation, had been slowly prepared for the worst when announcements made by the Prime Minister’s Office said that his condition had worsened in the days before his passing away. And although we knew, the announcement still shocked many of us.
So many thoughts, and yet at a loss for words. I am so grateful that the Lord chose a man like Lee Kuan Yew for when Singapore needed a man like him. Isn’t it reassuring that God always raises up people for His purposes?
I can’t write as eloquently as many have, so I won’t. I will just nod and agree and echo what they say : I am grateful to live in Singapore under his leadership. I am grateful for a leader who lived for Singapore, who was always thinking and worrying about Singapore. His policies were not populist ones, it was always for the good of the country as he saw it. Yes, he made mistakes (Graduate mothers scheme, anyone?) but he isn’t God so of course he would have made mistakes. As he said – “I did what I thought was right, given my circumstances, given my knowledge at that time, given the pressures on me that time.” from Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going. His farsightedness was impressive. His Cabinet Ministers attest to that and so do the leaders from the world stage. To hear them say what they say about him makes me so proud to have had him represent our country!
On the personal front, the sweet love story between his wife and himself was beautiful and inspiring. The discipline he imposed on every aspect of his life is equally inspiring – he exercised every day even up to his 90s! To read of the punishing schedule he put himself through as shared by current Minister of Education, Heng Sweet Keat in Mr Lee Kuan Yew and His Red Box just made my jaw drop.
But amid the thankfulness and gratitude, I feel sad that there are those who are unhappy about the accolades given to him. People who have enjoyed the good life in Singapore but are now thumbing their noses at the man who made it possible. I say again, he did not do everything right but shouldn’t we give credit where credit is due??? And yes, he had a very capable team that helped him. Doesn’t every great earthly leader needed a great team to help him? Such viciousness, especially when it comes from the young is worrying and painful to read. What are we teaching or not teaching our youths? 🙁 We ought to learn from his mistakes not keep on harping at them! Let’s move on and move forward!
Thank you Lord for raising up Lee Kuan Yew to lead Singapore all these years, and may You continue to lead us as we move forward.
* Go read Remembering Lee Kuan Yew : Lessons for Archippus