Why no one told us all these when mr LKY was still alive

[zeroo]

Mr Lee was a very frugal man, and I explain that because that's the way he ran the country.
Once, I was on a trip with him to the United States. I was at his table for dinner. At the end of dinner, we were given dessert. I asked for ice cream, and we were given ice cream.
This was the United States - they gave me three large scoops. I hadn't expected it. I don't eat much dessert, so I took one scoop and I left the rest behind.
He saw that. He told me off. He said, you are wasting food.
I told him, this is what they served. I didn't ask for this. He said: You should have found out how much they would serve and should have ordered only what you could have eaten.
He said that - even though we were being hosted by the United States, and it didn't matter to him that it was the Americans who were paying for it.
It was not a question of money. He believed as a principle that there should not be waste.
It's a simple illustration. But this was central to the way he thought. Both in his personal life and in government.
His exercise shorts, for example. For 17 years, he wore the same shorts. And when it broke or tore - he patched it up, or his wife patched it up for him.
And he was very careful with government money in the same way. Because it is your money.
Every week, we have a Cabinet meeting. Every week. Even this week, Prime Minister (Lee Hsien Loong) called for a Cabinet meeting.
We meet first for lunch. Sometimes not, but almost always, we meet for lunch. And this is not a social lunch, we discuss government business. Cabinet meeting is after the lunch.
Mr Lee does not attend the lunch. But his rules are, because you have to eat lunch anyway, he says you have to pay for the lunch even though you are coming to Cabinet to discuss Cabinet (matters). You have lunch, you pay for the lunch. The Government doesn't pay for the lunch.
We must be the only Cabinet in the world that does that, when we meet to discuss government (business).
But it is good, because in every way, we are reminded every day that public money should be carefully spent.
By Minister K Shanmugam

 

[zeroo]

Many of you know he was strict about his exercise. Again, I say this not because I want to tell you about his exercise routine, but because of his iron discipline.
My friend, who was 30 years younger than Mr Lee, was in a foreign country on a trip with Mr Lee. At about 6am in the morning, on the day they got in, my friend was jet lagged and very tired.
If my friend was jet lagged, 30 years younger than Mr Lee, it would have been far worse for Mr Lee. But at 6am, he heard some sounds in the courtyard below. So he went to the window to look, and Mr Lee was in his exercise gear running around, with his security officers next to him.
That was the discipline he brought in politics, in government, in everything that he did.
by Minister K Shanmugam

 

[shittypore]

Im so touched, now can i hve my full sum CPF at 55.

 

[Patriot]

Wow! I am impressed by Mr Lee"s frugality and his principle that the government ministers should spend public money frugally.

I wonder who paid for Mr Lee's office in Istana, the gurkha guards, the security officers, and other staff who attended to his needs when he was just an MP?

 

[frenchbriefs]

Wow amazing,you have lunch you pay for the lunch,garment does not pick up the tab.now we have a Carmen that pays its jiak Liao bees millions and spent billions on white elephants while neglecting its own people.

 

[Force 136]

No free Lunch

But why so stingy until you don't even help Citizens to pay for University fees and Old age healthcare? Is Singapore so poor?

Why you have money to buy lousy foreign companies, but no money to spend on Citizens?

 

[jw5]

He wore the same shorts for 17 years and he also washed them himself? Fantastic! :p

 

[tonychat]

Why are all these shit important?

 

[steffychun]

Shamu can be a kindergarten teacher. This sort of story works for young kids.

 

[blackmondy]

He wore the same shorts for 17 years and he also washed them himself? Fantastic! :p

Did he use the same diapers over and over again in his last days ? If not, then it is extravagant.

 

[laksaboy]

Ah... the heartwarming anecdotes of the Old Bastard's Hakka frugality.

That explains a lot does it not? Being penny wise but pound foolish, knowing the price of everything but the value of nothing.

The PAP is the embodiment of his ideals and traits, and it clearly shows.

 

[zhihau]

He wore the same shorts for 17 years and he also washed them himself? Fantastic! :p

I thought it was the underwear he washes it himself? Now shorts too?

 

[laksaboy]

I thought it was the underwear he washes it himself? Now shorts too?

He also washes bras and panties.

"Come Wei Ling, take off your Bee Dees, papa wash for you."

 

[mako65]

Tats his own fxxking regimental way of life....contributes nothing to da common people!

 

[laksaboy]

But it is good, because in every way, we are reminded every day that public money should be carefully spent.

Yeah... like how it was spent on YOG, right?

Shanmugam shouldn't be afraid of getting assassinated... his thick skin will almost certainly stop all bullets.

 

[Unrepented]

Mr Lim Bo Seng would rather die than work for the Japs and not betray his comrades and countrymen.........that is principle, discipline, character and, that much iron in the man.

 

[Wunderfool]

Mr Lee was a very frugal man, and I explain that because that's the way he ran the country.
Once, I was on a trip with him to the United States. I was at his table for dinner. At the end of dinner, we were given dessert. I asked for ice cream, and we were given ice cream.
This was the United States - they gave me three large scoops. I hadn't expected it. I don't eat much dessert, so I took one scoop and I left the rest behind.
He saw that. He told me off. He said, you are wasting food.
I told him, this is what they served. I didn't ask for this. He said: You should have found out how much they would serve and should have ordered only what you could have eaten.
He said that - even though we were being hosted by the United States, and it didn't matter to him that it was the Americans who were paying for it.
It was not a question of money. He believed as a principle that there should not be waste.
It's a simple illustration. But this was central to the way he thought. Both in his personal life and in government.
His exercise shorts, for example. For 17 years, he wore the same shorts. And when it broke or tore - he patched it up, or his wife patched it up for him.
And he was very careful with government money in the same way. Because it is your money.
Every week, we have a Cabinet meeting. Every week. Even this week, Prime Minister (Lee Hsien Loong) called for a Cabinet meeting.
We meet first for lunch. Sometimes not, but almost always, we meet for lunch. And this is not a social lunch, we discuss government business. Cabinet meeting is after the lunch.
Mr Lee does not attend the lunch. But his rules are, because you have to eat lunch anyway, he says you have to pay for the lunch even though you are coming to Cabinet to discuss Cabinet (matters). You have lunch, you pay for the lunch. The Government doesn't pay for the lunch.
We must be the only Cabinet in the world that does that, when we meet to discuss government (business).
But it is good, because in every way, we are reminded every day that public money should be carefully spent.
By Minister K Shanmugam

Why no one told us all these when mr LKY was still alive?

Because if he were alive, he would not be at all impressed by this flattery.

And if you are not careful, what you said may come across a veiled insult and retaliation to his telling you off for wasting ice cream. That he is so "frugal" frugal that he wears the same running shorts for 17 years.

 

[Rogue Trader]

it's funny how all the values the Old man have been claimed to espouse are the opposite of what the Pap is today.

"Frugal" = million dollar salary and overbloated minitries paid by public money

"Strict and disciplined" = Mas selamat escape, overblown YOG budget, FTs climbing over sinkies' heads

 

[Sinkie]

Writing of the bible....

In the beginning is the light [Kuan]
And the light is bright [Yew]
And it is good
So good

 

[halsey02]

I thought it was the underwear he washes it himself? Now shorts too?

Maybe soon, we will read, he washes the same condom, after use? no?