Temasek Review
PAP strongman Lee Kuan Yew, who is currently in Moscow to
dispense his usual “pearls of wisdom”, raised eyebrows when he told
the audience during a dialogue session with students from the
Skolkovo Moscow School of Management that he is no longer in charge
of Singapore.
When asked by an Armenian student Mr Grant Alaverdian about the
goals he would set for Singapore’s next generation of leaders, Lee
replied promptly:
“I’m not in charge anymore, it depends on what the
present leaders envision for themselves and how they can take
Singapore from where it is, to where they want to go. My
contribution now is like an over-the-horizon radar – (telling them)
there is opportunity there or there is trouble there…”
The octagenarian Lee, who just turned 87 lately, is probably the
oldest living MP and minister in the entire world. A former prime
minister of Singapore, he nows hold the title of “Minister Mentor”,
an unique position not found anywhere else.
Though he admitted that he is not doing much work except
“forecasting”, many believe Lee continues to wield real influence
behind the Singapore cabinet and is the prime driver behind some of
its unpopular and controversial policies such as its pro-foreigner
and ultra-immigration policies to increase Singapore’s population
to 6.5 million people.
He echoed it when asked about his dream for Singapore:
“Gradually but almost relentlessly, we will become
cosmopolitan, international.”
Due to the PAP’s open-door policy to immigrations, foreigners
now make up 36 percent of Singapore’s population, up from 14
percent in 1990. Of the remaining 64 percent who are citizens, an
increasing number are born overseas.
The newcomers coming from diverse parts of the world have
diluted the national identity of Singapore, with two out of three
Singaporeans polled indicating that they are worried by the
relentless influx of foreigners.
Lee forgot to add that his dream is not only to make Singapore
an international city, but one which remains under the control of
the despotic PAP regime forever.
