In Remembrance

Painting by Tong Chin Sye

Singapore has lost a preeminent leader and father figure in Mr. Lee Kuan Yew who died on 23 March 2015, at 91.  His death marks not only the end of an amazingly fruitful life but of a remarkable era.

I was born in 1959, the year Singapore became independent from British rule, the year Lee Kuan Yew and the People's Action Party (PAP) pushed for self-governance.  His governance had shaped my national as well as personal psychic growing up. I have lived away from Singapore for longer than I have lived there, but the qualities that were instilled in me growing up in Lee Kuan Yew's young country as it forged its way against all odds are still alive and strong as I live my life here in the United States.  The emphasis of seeking equality for all people, "regardless of race, language or religion" still loom large in my heart.  The belief that hard work pays off regardless of one's beginnings and the sense of patriotism, loyalty, and implicit trust of authority are hard for me to shake off.  This is because I grew up in a country, though fraught with uncertainties, had a government that  genuinely cared for its people.

Many criticisms had been levied against Mr. Lee, some rightly so, but the man must be credited for doing many things right.  All we have to do is to look at the countries surrounding Singapore.  The contrast is astounding and testifies to his forward thinking policies, strictness, commitment, and love for his nation.  It is nothing short of remarkable that Mr. Lee should be able to inspire a people with such diverse ethnicities and religions to stand and work together to build a nation.  And it is nothing short of a miracle that a country with no natural resources whatsoever, short of its people, should within such a short span of time emerge from the chaos of Japanese Occupation and British rule to become one of the leading nations not only in the region but in the world.

I am grateful to Lee Kuan Yew for having been instrumental in providing me with an excellent education, an education that is equally available to everyone in the country, regardless of race or social standing.  I am grateful for the freedom of religious worship for all--for making it possible for me to worship at my church, for my grandmother to raise her joss-sticks at her temple, for our family friend to pray at his mosque, and for my science teacher to celebrate Deepavali without fear of retribution.  I am even grateful for his oftentimes swift and sometimes harsh crackdown on any hint of dissension that could create civil unrest.  I am grateful for the stable economy that provided ample work for my family and friends; for an economy that thrives on proper legislation and not corruption. I am grateful for the excellent healthcare system that took good care of my grandparents and parents in their twilight years.  I am grateful for the affordable housing that is home to many of my extended family and friends, and now my daughter.  I am grateful for the strict law enforcement that allows us to walk the streets in safety, and the strong military that keeps us secure at home as the neighboring nations contend with ethnic strife and dog us with persistent threats.  All in all, I am grateful to Mr. Lee for governing with such wisdom, benevolence and integrity, thus allowing his countrymen to live with much dignity and security.  Such security and accomplishments should never be taken for granted.

Mr. Lee's death brings to mind the end of a generation that had witnessed a horrific World War and self-centered colonial rule--a hardworking, long-suffering generation that took neither national security nor any achievement for granted.  Along with Mr. Lee and my parents, the majority of that generation has passed on; there are few that are left to remind us of the struggles of the early years of independence when Singapore could have easily gone communist or imploded with ethnic or religious strife. But instead, it thrived and grew beyond expectations because of the dedication, intelligence, foresight and passion of men and women like Lee Kuan Yew, whose love for country and countrymen took precedence.

Singaporeans from all walks of life grieve the death of Lee Kuan Yew, thousands braving the hot sun, standing in line for hours to pay their last respects.  Their devotion and sorrow are palpable.  They have lost not only a great leader, but a father figure. The difference between Lee Kuan Yew and other world leaders, I believe, is that he led his people not so much like a politician but like a father, a very strict but devoted father.  He had poured his life into his country and his people know it and feel the urgency of his care.

My hope for Singapore is that the qualities that Lee Kuan Yew and his generation had exhibited and  instilled in my generation, of dedication, hard work, equality, ethnic and religious freedoms will live on for many generations to come.  That honest, righteous, and fair legislation will continue to rule the day and not be corrupted by the influx of the super wealthy and the contradictory cultural norms of recent immigrants.
                           
I thank God that He was gracious to this tiny country by molding a man to become its leader during its crucial formative years, to provide Singapore with Lee Kuan Yew to lead and govern with wisdom, compassion, integrity, and equity.

Proverbs 20:6-8

6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who walks in his integrity—
    blessed are his children after him!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.

Proverbs 14:34

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.