I would like to thank all of you who have taken the trouble to respond to my piece on Mr Lee Kuan Yew, published on my website on 30 March.
As a political commentator who necessarily comments on sensitive, controversial and even emotionally charged topics, I expected, indeed welcomed, the wide range and diversity of views expressed in your responses.
I am aware that some of you were upset, and hence owe you an explanation. My explanation will be by way of a small incident related to what Mr Lee had said about me as a political critic.
In April 2013, his biographer, Tom Plate, author of ‘In Conversation with Lee Kuan Yew’, said in the Afterword to his book (reproduced in ‘The Straits Times’), that when, during his lengthy interview with Mr Lee, he asked, ‘Do you have any self*-criticism?’, Minister Mentor directed him to my political writing. Mr Plate must have been shocked, as he had described me as the ‘most persistent’ critic of the PAP.
I myself was speechless with astonishment. Mr Lee’s actually equating ‘self*-criticism’ with what I had written about him and the PAP, could only mean one thing—that he was in agreement with my views! Indeed, he not only agreed with them, but was authorising Mr Plate to quote from them. It took me a while to absorb the sheer incredibility of it all. But I had never been so deeply, humbly moved in my life. I suppose that even if Mr Lee had not shown this approval of my writing, I would have continued with it. But the fact that he did has made it easier for me to be frank and outspoken all the way.
If readers had been upset in particular by the timing of my piece, coming at a time when emotions were still raw, I can only say that
http://catherinelim.sg/2015/04/03/to-all-who-have-responded-to-my-piece-on-mr-lee-kuan-yew/
As a political commentator who necessarily comments on sensitive, controversial and even emotionally charged topics, I expected, indeed welcomed, the wide range and diversity of views expressed in your responses.
I am aware that some of you were upset, and hence owe you an explanation. My explanation will be by way of a small incident related to what Mr Lee had said about me as a political critic.
In April 2013, his biographer, Tom Plate, author of ‘In Conversation with Lee Kuan Yew’, said in the Afterword to his book (reproduced in ‘The Straits Times’), that when, during his lengthy interview with Mr Lee, he asked, ‘Do you have any self*-criticism?’, Minister Mentor directed him to my political writing. Mr Plate must have been shocked, as he had described me as the ‘most persistent’ critic of the PAP.
I myself was speechless with astonishment. Mr Lee’s actually equating ‘self*-criticism’ with what I had written about him and the PAP, could only mean one thing—that he was in agreement with my views! Indeed, he not only agreed with them, but was authorising Mr Plate to quote from them. It took me a while to absorb the sheer incredibility of it all. But I had never been so deeply, humbly moved in my life. I suppose that even if Mr Lee had not shown this approval of my writing, I would have continued with it. But the fact that he did has made it easier for me to be frank and outspoken all the way.
If readers had been upset in particular by the timing of my piece, coming at a time when emotions were still raw, I can only say that
http://catherinelim.sg/2015/04/03/to-all-who-have-responded-to-my-piece-on-mr-lee-kuan-yew/
