For all its gleaming skyscrapers and successful
transformation from a tiny fishing village to one of Asia’s —
if not the world’s — most modern cities, Singapore is not yet the
finished product.
That’s the frank, honest and brutal assessment of none other
than Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the 87-year-old founding father of the
city-state.
“We are a nation in the making. Will we make it? Am I certain
we’ll get there? No, I cannot say that. Something can go wrong
somewhere and we’ll fall apart,” said the Minister Mentor at
the launch of his new book at St Regis Hotel on Friday.
Speaking in front of an audience of over 160 people,
comprising of diplomats, Members of Parliaments and academics, MM
Lee went on to assess Singapore’s chances of becoming a true
nation.
“If you believe it’s a reality, then I think you’re making a
mistake. It’s an aspiration, it’s something we must make into
reality probably in another 20,30, 40, 50 years.”
At what stage would he consider Singapore a true “nation”?
When its people were willing to make sacrifices and “die for one
another”, he said.
He gave the example of China and Japan as nations
having been ravaged and demolished
but whose ”people have come together to rebuild it”.
But if the same thing were to happen to Singapore, it may
“simply fall apart”, said MM Lee.
“I do not deceive myself for one moment that our
differences of race, culture and religion will disappear,” he said,
before urging the current and future generations of
Singaporean leaders to “nurture, strengthen and build
upon” the current Singapore.
WIDE-RANGING BOOK
The 458-page book, entitled Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To
Keep Singapore Going, also reveals MM Lee’s views
on topics ranging his personal interpretations of love,
family, homosexuality and even fengshui.
When asked if he believes in fengshui for instance, he laughed
and said it was “utter rubbish” that people think he does.
“I’m a pragmatic, practical fella. I do not believe in
horoscopes, I do not believe in fengshui, and I’m not superstitious
about numbers,” he said.
MM Lee also calls love at first sight “a grave mistake” that one
will regret. He advised Singaporeans to choose “somebody who will
raise your standard”, joking that it was exactly what he did.
The 87-year-old also keeps an open mind about
homosexuality.
“It’s not a lifestyle,” MM Lee said. “There’s a genetic
difference, they’re born that way and that’s that.”
“So if two men and two women’re that way, just leave them
alone,” he reiterated.
In the new book, Mr Lee also revealed his wish to have the
family home torn down for redevelopment after he dies, even though
many would probably wish to have the memorable place conserved.
“I’ve seen other houses, Nehru‘s, Shakespeare‘s. They become a
shambles after a while.”
“Because of my house, the neighbouring houses cannot build high.
Now demolish my house and change the planning rules, go up, the
land value will go up,” he added.
After more than half a century in the public eye, fans and
critics alike, MM Lee says he remains driven by the two things he
holds closest to his heart – his family and his country.
“I did some sharp things to get things right,” he admitted.
“Maybe they disapprove of it, (found it) too harsh, but a lot was
at stake.”
“At the end of the day, what have I got? Just a successful
Singapore.”
-- Yahoo! News
