athulican
Posted 24 Mar 2015
LKY did a lot. I grew up in Singapore in the late 60s and 70s and saw the transformation.
However, my respect for the man would be so much greater if all the lies and propaganda would be filtered out.
LKY was a giant among men. Let his own accomplishments speak for themselves. Do not hype it up and drive people who remember the truth against him.
Singapore was already a modern city from way back then. I remember shopping in the old Fitzpatrick building where Centerpoint stands today. I remember other shopping centers too. I remember the bustle around Fullerton Square. Sure, it's not the glass and gloss of Singapore today, but then this was the 60s and 70s. Where in the world was glass and gloss then? That was "modern" in those days.
No doubt Singapore progressed, but so did the rest of the world. I remember reading about Goh Keng Swee and Albert Winsemius and their economic plans from way back. I remember the NTUC under Devan Nair. I remember the contributions of many of the old guards.
Suddenly, they were asked to retire and all accolades were placed on the shoulders of just one man via a heavily controlled media. Ironically, a controlled media is one thing this certain young lawyer named Lee Kuan Yew spoke out against so strongly when he was the opposition.
I saw the persecution of all opposing political voices. Something else this young lawyer spoke out so strongly against, saying we can't have a true democracy without strong opposition (and a controlled media). He even spoke out strongly against the use of ISA... when he was in no position to use the ISA.
Then I saw his son being put in power. I saw policies put in place that no longer looks after the key ingredient of Singapore, the Citizens. I saw the courts being used against the Citizens.
I saw a PAP controlled media turn against any opposing voices, not just political opponents, but Citizens disgruntled with their policies.
I saw a group of untested people waving a PAP banner they did not sacrifice for but hide behind, heavily rewarding themselves while telling everyone else to fend for ourselves against polices they created.
I saw the man I once respected so much being elevated to impossible heights, having all his mistakes whitewashed, other people's sacrifices and ideas being pushed under his throne, and even his very valid and strong contributions to the nation blown way out of proportion.
I hear words like 'founding father" and "sacrificed his life for" being thrown around.
No doubt he put in effort but he was rewarded, HUGELY rewarded for this efforts. Let's not glamorize this and say he gave up his life. There are many other people who really did sacrifice and passed away paupers cause they were sued and persecuted relentlessly cause they did not agree with the views of the PAP. They spoke up against the policies that has led to the huge inequality in the country today in fact. Now, to me, they sacrificed but went unappreciated.
I fear now this current batch of PAP, who are no longer for the Citizens, will use this great man's name and God-like status they created to further their own political agendas.
I pray Singaporeans fight for the Singapore LKY wanted, not let a handful of people waving a brand name hijack the country.
