Singapore’s first ever elected Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, has died at the age of 91.
The world renowned leader is most admired for the role he played in transforming Singapore from a small port city into one of the wealthiest and most industrious nations in the world, whilst serving as the nation’s prime minister for 31 years.
The US President Barack Obama described him as a “giant of history” whose advice has been sought by other world leaders, reports the BBC.
In statement made on Monday, Mr Obama said,
“I personally appreciated his wisdom, including our discussions during my trip to Singapore in 2009, which were hugely important in helping me formulate our policy of rebalancing to the Asia Pacific. He was a true giant of history who will be remembered for generations to come as the father of modern Singapore and as one the great strategists of Asian affairs.”
The British Foreign Secretary , Phillip Hammond, said,
“Lee was a leading global statesman of his era. Singapore and the UK have a long deep friendship, he will be sorely missed.”
The Chinese foreign ministry called him a “uniquely influential statesman in Asia” and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed sadness at the former Singaporean Prime Minister’s death.
The current Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, paying tribute to the leader, said,
“He fought for our independence, built a nation where there was none, and made us proud to be Singaporeans. We won’t see another man like him.”
During his tenure as prime minister and afterwards, Mr Yew had a keen interest in the situation in Sri Lanka, and often commented on developments within the island.
Speaking in an interview after the start of the armed ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, Mr Yew said,
“One-man one-vote led to the domination of the Sinhalese majority over the minority Tamils who were the active and intelligent fellows who worked hard and got themselves penalised. And English was out. They were educated in English. Sinhalese was in. They got quotas in two universities and now they have become fanatical Tigers. And the country will never be put together again. Somebody should have told them - change the system, loosen up, or break off.”
Referring to the Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, who allowed Singapore to separate from Malaysia he added,
“And looking back, I think the Tunku was Wise. I offered a loosening up of the system. He said: ‘Clean cut, go your way.’ Had we stayed in, and I look at Colombo and Ceylon, I mean changing names, sometimes maybe you deceive the gods, but I don't think you are deceiving the people who live in them. It makes no great difference to the tragedy that is being enacted.”
Speaking after the end of the armed conflict in 2009, Mr Yew said,
“Sri Lanka is not a happy, united country. Yes, they have beaten the Tamil Tigers this time, but the Sinhalese who are less capable are putting down a minority of Jaffna Tamils who are more capable. They were squeezing them out. That’s why the Tamils rebelled. But I do not see them ethnic cleansing all two million-plus Jaffna Tamils. The Jaffna Tamils have been in Sri Lanka as long as the Sinhalese.”
On the contribution of Tamils from Sri Lanka in Singapore, Mr Yew once said,
“Yet in terms of achievements and contributions to the growth and development of the modern Singapore and Malaysia they have done more than warranted by their numbers. The point is that the Ceylonese are holding their own in open competition with communities far larger than them. They have asked for no special favour or consideration as a minority. What they have asked for – and quite rightly – is that they should be judged on their merits and that they be allowed to compete with all other citizens fairly and without discrimination. This, as far as the Singapore government is concerned, is what is best for all of us. I believe that the future belongs to that society which acknowledges and rewards ability, drive and high performance without regard to race, language or religion.”
The world renowned leader is most admired for the role he played in transforming Singapore from a small port city into one of the wealthiest and most industrious nations in the world, whilst serving as the nation’s prime minister for 31 years.
The US President Barack Obama described him as a “giant of history” whose advice has been sought by other world leaders, reports the BBC.
In statement made on Monday, Mr Obama said,
“I personally appreciated his wisdom, including our discussions during my trip to Singapore in 2009, which were hugely important in helping me formulate our policy of rebalancing to the Asia Pacific. He was a true giant of history who will be remembered for generations to come as the father of modern Singapore and as one the great strategists of Asian affairs.”
The British Foreign Secretary , Phillip Hammond, said,
“Lee was a leading global statesman of his era. Singapore and the UK have a long deep friendship, he will be sorely missed.”
The Chinese foreign ministry called him a “uniquely influential statesman in Asia” and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed sadness at the former Singaporean Prime Minister’s death.
The current Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, paying tribute to the leader, said,
“He fought for our independence, built a nation where there was none, and made us proud to be Singaporeans. We won’t see another man like him.”
During his tenure as prime minister and afterwards, Mr Yew had a keen interest in the situation in Sri Lanka, and often commented on developments within the island.
Speaking in an interview after the start of the armed ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, Mr Yew said,
“One-man one-vote led to the domination of the Sinhalese majority over the minority Tamils who were the active and intelligent fellows who worked hard and got themselves penalised. And English was out. They were educated in English. Sinhalese was in. They got quotas in two universities and now they have become fanatical Tigers. And the country will never be put together again. Somebody should have told them - change the system, loosen up, or break off.”
Referring to the Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, who allowed Singapore to separate from Malaysia he added,
“And looking back, I think the Tunku was Wise. I offered a loosening up of the system. He said: ‘Clean cut, go your way.’ Had we stayed in, and I look at Colombo and Ceylon, I mean changing names, sometimes maybe you deceive the gods, but I don't think you are deceiving the people who live in them. It makes no great difference to the tragedy that is being enacted.”
Speaking after the end of the armed conflict in 2009, Mr Yew said,
“Sri Lanka is not a happy, united country. Yes, they have beaten the Tamil Tigers this time, but the Sinhalese who are less capable are putting down a minority of Jaffna Tamils who are more capable. They were squeezing them out. That’s why the Tamils rebelled. But I do not see them ethnic cleansing all two million-plus Jaffna Tamils. The Jaffna Tamils have been in Sri Lanka as long as the Sinhalese.”
On the contribution of Tamils from Sri Lanka in Singapore, Mr Yew once said,
“Yet in terms of achievements and contributions to the growth and development of the modern Singapore and Malaysia they have done more than warranted by their numbers. The point is that the Ceylonese are holding their own in open competition with communities far larger than them. They have asked for no special favour or consideration as a minority. What they have asked for – and quite rightly – is that they should be judged on their merits and that they be allowed to compete with all other citizens fairly and without discrimination. This, as far as the Singapore government is concerned, is what is best for all of us. I believe that the future belongs to that society which acknowledges and rewards ability, drive and high performance without regard to race, language or religion.”