You cannot disrespect the memory if the ingapore statesman, even if you refuse to ackowledge him as the "founding father" of modern Singapore, because Mr Lee was the man who, single-handedly, transformed Singapore into what he envisaged as "one united people", by hook as well as by crook. I grew up in Singapore for much of the first two decades of my life, so I actually lived some of the stories most Malaysians have only heard about where LKY and his policies and dictates were like. Every time I visit my relatives in Singapore, I can't but be in awe of what the first Singapore PM had done for and to Singapore and her people. At 91, Mr Lee may be dead, but his legacy will live on forever. You can't take that away from him.
In fact, even in death, LKY might have done a number on his neighbours in Johor, who have been hurt by his unkind remarks about their State and city Johor Baru. Johoreans were supposed to own the whole of today, as today was to mark the much-awaited, long-overdue Coronation of their 5th Sultan. It is God's will that every March 23, when Johoreans celebrate their
new public holiday, the rest of the world and history will remember it as the day the world - at least this part of the world that we live in - had lost one of its greatest sons.
RIP, Uncle Harry ...
Sultan is mentioned in Al Quran. Nothing wrong with that. However a bit sad the ceremony still replicate British colonial.
ReplyDeleteThe worst scenario, many from pembangkang "hendak jadi sultan" and "kebal undang-undang" under their own jungle law ! They say Sultan Melayu just for Melayu ! Damn !
Let them bow, rip.. afterall they are not malaysian by heart. You know them.
The only thing that I admired LKY was that he managed to exterminate religious influence from public sphere. Religion, in Singapura, is left behind at home, in the care of the child's own parents. Even religious greetings or wishes, of all religion, in radio and television broadcast, are forbidden.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have doubt whether LKY can do that in a Malay Majority State. Singapura, of-course have no 'rural' constituent.
The 1st. mistake that Tun Dr.M made, a year after becoming PM was bringing that bugger, from ABIM into UMNO. ABIM was then aligned to PAS, an extreme Islamist Party. Everybody in PAS was furious when Anwar joined UMNO. With Anwar in the Government, BN's popularity amongst Malays, increased. This excited Dr.M. As a mediocre graduate of Malay Studies from UM, no body exactly know where Anwar acquired his religious education. Somehow he managed to masquerade as a pious man, even manage to lead prayers in Mosque and Suraus, now and then. The 'Islamisation' of schools and the government, soon ensued. Dr.M played along as PAS influence, somewhat diminished. This was the 2nd. mistake, that caused Malaysian regression.
With too much religion, people are easily fooled and misled. Even the brilliant Dr.M was hoodwinked by Anwar's pious deeds and behaviour, to the extent of grooming Anwar as successor. In the eyes of Dr.M, in the early 90s, Anwar is adorable. The trust in Anwar was so great that he literally gave Anwar the Finance portfolio, cum Deputy PM.
The 3rd mistake that Dr.M made was dismissing outright, Police intelligence presented by the then IGP, about Anwar's sexcapade and also that sodomy allegation in Parliament by Karpal Singh and Mat Sabu. That letter by Ummi Hafilda Ali too. Ummi Hafilda is sister to Azmin Ali, now Dato' MB Selangor.
(Nallakaruppan, Anwar's former best friend and tennis-partner, even publicly alleged that Anwar, once had lead a Raya Puasa prayers, after buggering a young man, a day early. Why Anwar don't sue him is anyone's guess).
Therefore, Anwar was Dr.M's greatest mistake to the Malaysian people. If Tun Dr.M had any other greater regrets, this is it.
Had Dr.M, brought his sons into politics, like what LKY did, Malaysia would not be in such a dire political mess, today. Who give a damn about nepotism when DAP & PKR practice it themselves, to the hilt.
bersungguh2 hang ni....najib da panas bontot ka????hippo da kurang 4 kilo ka???
DeleteWhatever you might to say or think of LKY, this much you must attribute and be thankful to Singapore. It is your ability to express your feelings and thoughts.
ReplyDeleteOn that same topic the whole world, is expressing the loss of what a great man he must have been. He was even once invited to address the US senate, unlike the repugnant and avaricious Mahathir who had to spend millions just to buy his way to shake the hands of the US President. You don't need to be a genius to know why ?
Just look at the 'fruits' of his policies to day compare them to what LKY, no doubt, LKY had his short comings. Who doesn't ? He has never claimed to be a saint or near God but at the least he has left behind one of the most prosperous nations on earth. Especially when all the ultra Umno schmucks was of the believe that Singapore would beg ,on their hands knees to be accepted back into Malaysia. But at last that is not to be.
All these plus many others achievements of LKY can only be envied or to be emulated. Most of all they must be the envy of the repugnant and avaricious Mahathir.
He left behind an entire nation mourning and grieving over his death. When that happens to the half breed soon, I am sure millions of Malaysians will rejoice and come up to celebrate the occasion. I for one will, for sure, despite the ban, will fire crackers to mark and to celebrate the long overdue occasion. LKY spent his entire life building Singapore to be one of world's richest nation when the repugnant and avaricious did in his tenure of 22 years as PM is for him to become the richest man in Asia, if not the world and making his acumen-less son to become a billionaire Unfortunately without any more 'gifts ' from the father. He ill gotten wealth has diminished him only to be a multi millionaire. What would he be when the black gold or when Petronas is no longer around, from the good earth runs out ? What goes round will come around !
Charles bodoh kiwi,
DeleteYou and your diatribe against mahathir. What else is new? Mahathir must have been your worst nighmare in your sleep. Probably like freddy kurger in nightmare on elm. He must have been haunting you in your sleep. Hahahaha.... Better take some paraquat to ease your bad dreams of mahathir.... Hahaha
RD you are very damn right ! . Dr M had created a ruckus in bringing that bugger! He should have brought in his sons..Now Dr M critic Najib wholesale but what he did wrong in the early stages of his premiership by bringing in that bugger he should publicly speak out that it was grave mistake . He should admit the 3 mistakes that you mentioned. He should also admit that it was a mistake of not bringing his sons in.
ReplyDeleteThere you have the paradox that flummoxes us all - that you can't be a Muslim and support a government that is officially "secular"?
ReplyDeleteOr can you - seeing as how Muslims have settled down and acclimatised to living in the US, Australia, Canada, Singapore etc - without the complications of hudud?
One of LKY's fundamental decisions was to make Singapore a strictly secular country with no one "official" religion. At one stroke, this emasculated religious demagoguery, fanaticism and zealotry. Singaporeans could get on with practising their religion without infringing on the rights of others and without making other religions feel "threatened".
Would the "conversion" and "apostasy" rows that crop up in Malaysia happen in Singapore?
I don't think so.
And that is one of LKY's legacies.
RD:
ReplyDeleteWho cares about nepotism if the family doesn't steal. We don't have honest transparent families in BN. Everyone has their hands in the kitty. That's BN nepotism for you.
RD .
ReplyDeleteTun M was outsmart by Lee K Yew on many occcasions.
Water deal,railway land and pulau batu puteh.
Pomp and pageantry exhibited at the coronation serves nothing more than an illusion of greatness.
ReplyDeleteWhat is left of the tanah jajahan takluk great kerajaan Melayu Johor.
That strategic piece of island across Selat tebrau is not Johorean anymore. The occupants of that tiny red dot is now crucial and influence strongly on the economy, property and livelihood of common johor folks.
The rakyat could be put to a shock and awe display of grandeur for an hour or two but after that it is back to their humdrum real life of traffic jam, higher cost of living, homes they could only afford to see but never own, and economy over dependent on selling land and property to foreigners.
Instead of addressing these problem and showing empathy for the rakyat suffering, the soveriegn is in itself THE part of the problem and more.
His Majesty remain deluded like some leaders past and present in Putrajaya into believing the yearn for physical and visual develop status is the way to bring progress.
For the Sultan his idea of investment and transparent is paying premium land at market to force JSC to give him the necessary approval and sell it off to cina. Nothing new and great, the UMNO politicians have been doing it for years.
It would not be a surprise that the ideas came from some UMNO aristcrats. These UMNO aristocrats would intend agree and praise him as though his wayward ideas of development is his and will not be honest to tell him that the ideas are big but shallow. The physical facade does not generate real economic benefit then the single transaction and creates no muultiplying value.
Why fight but take a bite at the cherry too. Typical of feudel minds of ruling elites. Nothing different than court jesters to make the highnesses laugh.
Those in the DAP have done the hard yards. It is no picnic being in a "Chinese" Opposition while the country is run by a "Malay" Government. I would not call it nepotism.
ReplyDeleteMahathir knew the calibre of his sons. He did his best to help them in business, etc. But he was never an intellectual. He did not understand that "Rule of Law" is not the same as rule by law. We give freedoms to others because one day we are going to need them ourselves.
Having said that LKY was also a flawed individual - albeit a clever one. But his role models (like Mahathir's) were the colonial types. "I am big, you are little. I say, you do" type.
Even Anwar is a prisoner of the colonial system. After all, isn't MCKK based on the English public school system with its attendant sexuality?
I am glad I have escaped all of that. Goodbye Malaya!
Ismail
ReplyDeleteWater deal, Railway land and Batu Putih was not sealed during Dr.M's time. Please check your facts.
Nothing was ever agreed upon with Singapore when he was PM. Dr.M's relation with LKY, as he wrote in his memoir (picture of them shaking hands): "Ours was a civil relation, never a friendship".
Charleskiwi.
Last monday, I lit a bamboo cannon with rejoice. And that's not only for the Coronation of Johor's Sultan. I intend to do it every year on 23rd.March, early in the morning, but see la what time I wake-up. I hope you can burn your fire-crackers too, on that ocassion.
I too was wondering how come the Johor Sultan's coronation as akin to a British Emperor's coronation! Whereas in our other states it is steeped in Malay customs and traditions such as in Perak albeit some of these customs/traditions seem pre-Islamic.
ReplyDeleteLKY successfully made singapura shed all its past history of being part of the Malay states. It is clear that LKY thought that the largest immigrant community in singapura at that time was superior to the indigenous people. All semblance and connection to the Malay past was shed in the name of progress and one-upmanship. The indigenous people of singapura play a very minor role in today's singapura.
ReplyDeleteStrong rumours had been circulating that LKY had died a few days before his actual death. There even was a supposed screen shot of his death's announcement on the SG govt's website. Could it be that LKY had indeed died earlier, but the govt chose to announce his death as occurred on 23rd march, coinciding with the planned festivities up north in Johor? You know, just so they could let LKY outshone Johor and Malaysia in general one last time. Hehe
ReplyDeleteRIP dato' Harry lee.