Singapore's Founding father

Community Tributes All Around Singapore

Although we didn’t know it when we booked our trip, we arrived in Singapore at a historic time.  Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister and known to many as the country’s Founding Father, passed away the day after we arrived.  He was 91 years of age. 

After the news broke, the country immediately went into a week of national mourning. Community tributes popped up all around the country and memorials and “look backs” took over the news airwaves.  On the final day, there was a passionate state funeral that brought out hundreds of thousands of citizens as well as high profile world leaders (including Bill Clinton) from all around the globe.

 

Singapore is a small country of only 3 million residents.  But over 1 million visited the community tribute sites to show their respects.  And they braved the rain during his state funeral to watch as his casket was driven through the town.  It is a testament to how loved he was and how much people credit him with building Singapore into the thriving country that it is today.

It is no wonder though that the country grieved and honoured him when he passed. When the Government of Malaysia voted to expel Singapore from the federation in the 1960s, there was a realistic fear that Singapore would not survive.  Overwhelming poverty, high levels of unemployment, infrastructure ravaged by war and a serious threat of attack by neighbouring countries gave newly independent Singapore little hope of future success.  But Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew bravely and determinedly took the reins, getting Singapore to join the UN, and developing a governing strategy, economic and housing policies and a military defence strategy that were innovative, pragmatic and strategic.  

And his initiatives clearly seemed to have worked - the Singapore of today is nothing short of remarkable – an efficient business system, a strong political system, gorgeous architecture and greenery, and a religious tolerance and multiculturalism seen in few other places across the world.  

Lee Kuan Yew was a pragmatic visionary who has through hard work and perseverance created a legacy that will live on well beyond his life.  Truly inspirational.
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Below:  Some Pics of Stunning Singapore today...

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