[h=1]Lee Kuan Yew on fate of Singapore in 100 years' time[/h]
Published on Aug 11, 2013
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Singapore's former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew waves during Singapore's National Day parade celebrations on Aug 9, 2013. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
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On Aug 22, 2012, I received a thank-you card from a Singaporean by the name of James Ow-Yeong Keen Hoy.
From his elegant, cursive handwriting, I guess he must at least be in his 50s. Young people these days prefer to type, and when they do write, they simply do not write as beautifully.
He wrote: "My family is deeply grateful and has benefited from your magnificent leadership and solid contributions that have enabled our nation to achieve peace, happiness, progress, prosperity, solidarity and security all these good years. A big thank you!
"May we have the honour to sincerely wish you, Sir, peace and joy, wisdom and longevity and all the very best in the coming good years. And may our beloved country be blissfully and richly blessed and be mercifully safeguarded now and always. God bless."
I quote at length from this card to highlight the enormity of the mindset shift, from an older generation, including this writer, his peers and his seniors, to a younger one that takes for granted Singapore's affluence.
People like Mr Ow-Yeong have seen Singapore develop from the unsettling 1960s, when hardship and poverty were still the rule rather than the exception, to today's vibrant and cosmopolitan Singapore, providing well-paying jobs to a highly educated population.
Many older Singaporeans also progressed from living in shanty huts to high-rise apartments with present-day conveniences and surrounded by safe neighbourhoods.
They have a good understanding of the nation's imperatives - what it took for us to get here and what it would take to keep up our success - as well as its vulnerabilities.
The younger voters do not share those views. Having been born into a Singapore that had in many ways already arrived, they see all that is around them - a working system generating stability and wealth - and they ask: "Where is the miracle?"...
Even as things stand, we have regretfully shifted the system away from attracting the best talent through reductions to ministerial pay.
If I were a Cabinet minister at the time the change came up for discussion, I would have stood firm. But the younger generation of ministers decided to go with the trend.
It is true that no country in the world pays ministers as we do. But it is also true that no other island has developed like Singapore: sparkling, clean, safe, with no corruption and low crime rates.
You can walk the streets or jog at night. Women will not be mugged. Police do not take bribes, and if they are offered bribes, there are consequences for the ones offering.
None of this came about by coincidence. It took the construction of an ecosystem that requires highly paid ministers.
With every pay reduction, the sacrifice that a minister makes - giving up his profession or his banking job - becomes greater.
Some will eventually tell themselves: "I don't mind doing this for half a term, 21/2 years, as a form of national service. But beyond that, it has to be: thanks but no thanks."
The final outcome would be a revolving-door government, which will inevitably lack a deep understanding of the issues or the incentive to think about problems in a long-term manner.
Will Singapore be around in 100 years? I am not so sure. America, China, Britain, Australia - these countries will be around in 100 years. But Singapore was never a nation until recently.
An earlier generation of Singaporeans had to build this place from scratch - and what a fine job we have done.
When I led the country, I did what I could to consolidate our gains. So too did Goh Chok Tong.
And now, under Lee Hsien Loong and his team, the country will do well for at least the next 10 to 15 years.
But after that, the trajectory that we take will depend on the choices made by a younger generation of Singaporeans.
Whatever those choices are, I am absolutely sure that if Singapore gets a dumb government, we are done for. This country will sink into nothingness.
[h=5]Background story[/h]
Former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s new book launched last Tuesday, One Man’s View Of The World, presents what he thinks about the future of major powers and regions. In these extracts, he speaks about death and dying, a younger generation of Singaporeans who have known only a thriving Singapore, as well as Japan’s ageing society and Europe’s currency woes.
NEXT STORY: Fans who signed up by deadline will not miss start of EPL season: SingTel and StarHub
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Published on Aug 11, 2013
7:51 AM
1628
8
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos<style> .storyRight { width:520px; } </style>
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Singapore's former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew waves during Singapore's National Day parade celebrations on Aug 9, 2013. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
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On Aug 22, 2012, I received a thank-you card from a Singaporean by the name of James Ow-Yeong Keen Hoy.
From his elegant, cursive handwriting, I guess he must at least be in his 50s. Young people these days prefer to type, and when they do write, they simply do not write as beautifully.
He wrote: "My family is deeply grateful and has benefited from your magnificent leadership and solid contributions that have enabled our nation to achieve peace, happiness, progress, prosperity, solidarity and security all these good years. A big thank you!
"May we have the honour to sincerely wish you, Sir, peace and joy, wisdom and longevity and all the very best in the coming good years. And may our beloved country be blissfully and richly blessed and be mercifully safeguarded now and always. God bless."
I quote at length from this card to highlight the enormity of the mindset shift, from an older generation, including this writer, his peers and his seniors, to a younger one that takes for granted Singapore's affluence.
People like Mr Ow-Yeong have seen Singapore develop from the unsettling 1960s, when hardship and poverty were still the rule rather than the exception, to today's vibrant and cosmopolitan Singapore, providing well-paying jobs to a highly educated population.
Many older Singaporeans also progressed from living in shanty huts to high-rise apartments with present-day conveniences and surrounded by safe neighbourhoods.
They have a good understanding of the nation's imperatives - what it took for us to get here and what it would take to keep up our success - as well as its vulnerabilities.
The younger voters do not share those views. Having been born into a Singapore that had in many ways already arrived, they see all that is around them - a working system generating stability and wealth - and they ask: "Where is the miracle?"...
Even as things stand, we have regretfully shifted the system away from attracting the best talent through reductions to ministerial pay.
If I were a Cabinet minister at the time the change came up for discussion, I would have stood firm. But the younger generation of ministers decided to go with the trend.
It is true that no country in the world pays ministers as we do. But it is also true that no other island has developed like Singapore: sparkling, clean, safe, with no corruption and low crime rates.
You can walk the streets or jog at night. Women will not be mugged. Police do not take bribes, and if they are offered bribes, there are consequences for the ones offering.
None of this came about by coincidence. It took the construction of an ecosystem that requires highly paid ministers.
With every pay reduction, the sacrifice that a minister makes - giving up his profession or his banking job - becomes greater.
Some will eventually tell themselves: "I don't mind doing this for half a term, 21/2 years, as a form of national service. But beyond that, it has to be: thanks but no thanks."
The final outcome would be a revolving-door government, which will inevitably lack a deep understanding of the issues or the incentive to think about problems in a long-term manner.
Will Singapore be around in 100 years? I am not so sure. America, China, Britain, Australia - these countries will be around in 100 years. But Singapore was never a nation until recently.
An earlier generation of Singaporeans had to build this place from scratch - and what a fine job we have done.
When I led the country, I did what I could to consolidate our gains. So too did Goh Chok Tong.
And now, under Lee Hsien Loong and his team, the country will do well for at least the next 10 to 15 years.
But after that, the trajectory that we take will depend on the choices made by a younger generation of Singaporeans.
Whatever those choices are, I am absolutely sure that if Singapore gets a dumb government, we are done for. This country will sink into nothingness.
[h=5]Background story[/h]
Former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s new book launched last Tuesday, One Man’s View Of The World, presents what he thinks about the future of major powers and regions. In these extracts, he speaks about death and dying, a younger generation of Singaporeans who have known only a thriving Singapore, as well as Japan’s ageing society and Europe’s currency woes.
NEXT STORY: Fans who signed up by deadline will not miss start of EPL season: SingTel and StarHub
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<cite id="dsq-cite-999304002" class="dsq-comment-cite">Seymour Asherbut </cite>1 day ago
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give me a break ! lky wears watever he likes n if it is a "old Chinese costume" u want 2 read somehting into it ? wat if he wears a sarong n a songkok--he is malay? don't u guys hv anything better 2 do than 2 be fashion critics n bad one at that--did u see the color of his underwear or is it breifs or boxer ?.. u will die 2morrow--lky will be 118 years n will climb mount everest n live longer, better n greater than u sad moronic souls...LEE KUAN YEW IS A SINGAPORE LIVING TREASURE-- in other cultures n nations --they will worship him.... who r u ????? a maggot under his feet.
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<cite id="dsq-cite-998993136" class="dsq-comment-cite">Masood Mohajer </cite>2 days ago
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All I can surmise from reading between the lines of this piece of eloquent prose, courtesy of the Straits Times is that the esteemed and erudite LKY continues to believe that if you tell a fib often enough it becomes the truth. Namely, the exhorbitant ministerial salaries he and his ilk have and continue to enjoy at tax payers expense are the one and only reason that Singapore is such a gleaming success. It has absolutely nothing what so ever to do with the sweat and hard work of ordinary Singaporeans whom have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice and work hard and are squeezed to no end to ensure that this jewel of a nation remains this island of absolute success and stability in the stormy seas that surround it. Majullah Singapura!
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<cite id="dsq-cite-999307890" class="dsq-comment-cite">Seymour Asherbut </cite>1 day agoin reply to Masood Mohajer
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like a broken record --u latch on 2 high salaries as to demean lky's fantastic record as the FATHER of Singapore n in the end u r now harvesting wat he planted in the beginniong 2 let u enjoy yr life now [hdb/car/cpf].... be respectful n don't whine.
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<cite id="dsq-cite-999322502" class="dsq-comment-cite">Masood Mohajer </cite>1 day agoin reply to Seymour Asherbut
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No one is demeaning his record and respect is given to whom it is due and certainly due to him. No one is whining either. Merely pointing out the facts. The broken record you speak of is worn out by the PAP itself since they continue to speak of this issue of high pay which obviously is not being digested well or at all by the majority of Singaporeans whom object so strenuously to it. But since you agree with the high salaries then perhaps you could volunteer to donate a higher percentage of your pay or CPF contributions to the ministers for them to be able to continue receiving their high salaries and lifestyles.
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<cite id="dsq-cite-999450259" class="dsq-comment-cite">Seymour Asherbut </cite>1 day agoin reply to Masood Mohajer
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don't be presumptuous--why guess ; i could have already done wat u preach. DON'T FLOG A DEAD HORSE---again read 1994 "white paper on competitive salaries for competent [don't come n say not] n honest govt. as two thirds of the salaries of average principals earned income of the top 4 earners in 6 professions --accounting, engineering , banking , law , manufacturing , mulit-national corp. In Feb 1996, the white paper was implemented... so this "high govt. salaries" have been in place 4 17 years , repeat after me--17 years,-----n u still want -WAT ? 2 reel back the million dollars paid to ministers n p/m ?.... only possible solution is to vote yourself in as p.m. n change the status quo.
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