Andrew Loh
Whenever MM Lee steps out and demolish, to use his own word, someone else’s ideas, he does so with much effect. Whether that effect is a positive or beneficial one is open to debate. What is not, perhaps, is that when MM Lee comes out forcefully, virtually everyone steps into line – immediately.
The latest example of this is, of course, MM Lee’s criticism of NMP Viswa Sadasivan’s speech in Parliament recently. Delivered in quintessential Lee Kuan Yew style – deliberate and persuasive – MM Lee called Mr Viswa’s speech “highfalutin ideas” which needed to be “demolished”.
The House fell silent as MM Lee spoke.
Such is the respect – some would call it fear – that MM Lee still commands.
The unfortunate thing about the episode is, perhaps, not that MM Lee rubbished Mr Viswa’s ideas but that Mr Viswa’s ideas are not exposed to a fuller debate after MM Lee had spoken against them. The end result is what MM Lee and his colleagues in Cabinet have lamented all along – a disinterested populace. A people who, seeing how easy it is for the establishment to put your views and ideas down, and to do so with so much ease, becomes either frightened or gives up trying.
Ironically, it was MM Lee himself who expressed such fears most eloquently in 1997.
“Supposing I’m now 21, 22, what would I do? I would not be absorbed in wanting to change life in Singapore. I’m not responsible for Singapore…Why should I go and undertake this job and spend my whole life pushing this for a lot of people for whom nothing is good enough? I will have a fall-back position, which many are doing – have a house in Perth or Vancouver or Sydney, or an apartment in London, in case I need some place suddenly, and think about whether I go on to America.” – SM Lee Kuan Yew, The Man & His Ideas, 1997.
I am not saying that MM Lee should pull his punches. That’s wishful thinking. The man’s political views took form in the cauldron of nationalism, by battles in the trenches, and in surviving the fire of baptism. Moderate rebuttals are not synonymous with a man who once boasted of wielding a hatchet in his bag. Nah, MM Lee’s robust style is character given birth by having been pushed to a cul de sac – and having to emerge from it victorious, or perish.
Yet times have changed and society must too. While MM Lee may retain his robust style, society must not defer to this, at least not always. Singapore and Singaporeans have reached a stage where mere rhetoric no longer suffices, no matter how forcefully it is delivered. Indeed, we have to and need to move beyond being awed by one man. The unquestioning deference which Singaporeans have paid to MM Lee all these years no longer will stand the country in good staid. Yet, let us not confuse deference with respect.
Deference to MM Lee means we do so because of his contribution to Singapore, his wisdom, or his authority in government, these past 50 years. And perhaps at times it is right that we should.
But when it comes to things of the nation, how we want to be, what values we want to have, the future that we imagine for ourselves and our children, deference to one man’s views resulting in a shut-down of discussions on these issues of national importance, clearly, can only do more harm than good. It numbs the mind from daring to dream. We defer to others, and end up with small minds which no longer can envision something better, bigger, grander.
We should allow ideas such as Mr Viswa’s to be fully and openly debated and discussed in our society, in the media, schools, online. We should be conducting public forums, speaking to politicians and academics, activists and ordinary Singaporeans about these things. Indeed, we should kick up a ruckus over the issues which Mr Viswa has brought up because they are important issues. How fair should our electoral system be? How should a nation such as ours treat the minority races? How do we rid ourselves of the fear of being involved in politics? Why are so many leaving us? Why do even our children want to leave this land? What kind of roles should our media play? Is government control of the media doing harm to our country? What does being Singaporean mean? Why do we not put down stakes on this land and claim it as our own?
These are not highfalutin ideas.
These could be the reality we will live – long after MM Lee has gone from the scene.
And because of this, we must cast aside deference to MM Lee and have the courage to tell him, yes we appreciate your immense contribution to this great nation of Singapore. We will always remember and honour your legacy. But you are not a nation or the nation unto yourself.
And so, the saddest and most unfortunate thing about the Viswa Sadasivan episode is one of lost opportunity. One which we may never have again for a long time. A small window was opened up – but was forcefully and immediately shut. All that most people remember of Mr Viswa’s speech is that it is one which riled MM. The importance of its content is lost.
We thus have to question if it is fair for one single man, even one such as MM Lee, to wield so much influence that when he speaks, even ideas become silent.
How does this benefit Singapore in the long run?
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People will remember Lee Kuan Yew for
- bankrupting JBJ
- arresting Lim Chin Siong with the ISA
- Operation Coldstore
- Operation Spectrum
If not for his political purges, Singapore would be a better place to live in.
I’m truly disappointed with the Parliament. Why are ministers paid so much just to sit in, listen and eventually echo ‘YES SIR’??
There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded.
- Mark Twain
Kaffein
LOL, we should commission a postal stamp bearing the portrait of MM Lee.
Which side of the stamp you put your spit will determine how you respect MM.
Just a reminder, doing so on the wrong side, the stamp will not stick.
The beauty of the Singapore system is that we’re actually debating this topic. Elsewhere, the idea of a leader being respected but not revered would make common sense. I mean, I know allot of Britons who respect Thatcher but do not worship. Let’s not even go so far – cross the Causeway and you’ll find Malaysians who respect the good things that Mahathir did but don’t worship the ground he walks on.
Seriously, it’s common sense that MM Lee has to be respected for the good things that he’s done but not worshiped by the population. Then again, when was common sense a virtue in the Singapore political arena.
Let’s look at the most common argument when it comes to MM Lee – He has allot of wisdom and experiences that can benefit Singapore so he needs to have a cabinate rank. We all accept that as if it were the gospel.
I don’t deny that he has experience and is able to contribute. I say, if he’s still able to contribute to Singapore he should. But I don’t think it’s common sense that he should remain in cabinate. Surely he can do things like write books and give talk shows. He can give lectures as former US Presidents often do or be sent to handle certain diplomatic missions. Given his closeness to the current cabinate, it cannot be common sense to think that he needs to be in the cabinate to give advice to the ministers.
If anything, it speaks poorly of our Ministers that we still MM Lee in the cabinate. It’s something the powers that be should consider.
“You Either Die A Hero, Or Live Long Enough To See Yourself Become The Villain.”
enough said.
Hi Andrew,
Very appropriate, timely and well written article. It strikes a chord inside me. I have been wanting to write such things about him and us (Singaporeans) but you have done it so nicely and superbly for me. Thanks.
This Old Man is now hampering Singapore’s progress to its next height, perhaps due to his personal fear of losing his own legacy or being paranoid of the inevitable downfall of the PAP in the future.
The glaring sad thing is not so much of the Old Man being respected and deferred but the irony of all the top cabinet leaders and member of parliaments keeping quiet about the obvious mistake that he has made regarding our national pledge as just an “aspiration”. This incident shows the cowardice and unthinking behavior of our top leaders who are supposedly very outstanding. It demonstrates a very serious weakness in our system. This is tragic!
Collectively, as a people, we must from now on refrain from giving him too much due respect. We should only accord respect where respect is due and accord deference only when we have considered that it will be good for our country’s future.
In fact, I once admired and respected him especially in the early years but no more during the last 15 years. His high-handedness, that he has again demonstrated, in demolishing a possible up-and-coming challenge to his ideas and the PAP’s archaic modus operandi is the very thing that really puts me off. (Sometimes I wonder whether he feels as though he is the King or Emperor.)
I sincerely believe that his continue presence in the political arena will do the PAP and Singapore more damage than good. I think he should gracefully step out of power and influence now if he truly believed in the good future of Singapore.
I would even go one step further. In order to facilitate a New Singapore to sprout, not only he should totally step down and out of the scene, but also all his close relatives, e.g. sons, daughters, in-laws, etc, should try to steer away from any political influence/power as far as possible.
For the good of Singapore, we should shake off the “ghosts” of the Lee era as early as possible because it has now become a stumbling block. And this is very necessary.
For a start, as you have suggested, we should stop deferring to the Man (including his family members) unnecessarily.
Last time, many years ago, when I look at his photo, I felt proud and full of respect for this man. Now, when I look at his photo, I feel sickened and want to vomit; I simply feel disgusted and repulsed – I don’t know why.
I fully agree that we should all, from now on, never try to carry his balls and kowtow to him just because of his stature and status.
I agree with what 9) True Patriot Down South said, “Does he have to literally Die before people see him for the mortal he really is?”
Anyway, this whole issue about fear and respect is just ridiculous.
Is he respected only because he is? Can there be fear if we do not fear him? Problem is, we gave him the respect, likewise with the fear.
And now that we fear, we ascribe that negativity in our emotions to him. Now that he’s doing less, we demand to retract the respect we had once given him.
Adding on to that, we’re judging him based on relativity: how much he has done in the past, and how much less he is doing now (though still much more than every of us)
Think: is that fair to him?
I do not question my love for This Man who built the nation in her early years. Neither do I question anyone’s. I do not place expectations on everyone’s faith towards him as the father of Singapore, but I do hope that we’ll be fair in our judgement of him. Even as the years go by.
If not for his political purges, we’d have despots with harems and swiss accounts yesmen to CIA or CHINA