On the early morning of Monday, 23 Mar 2015, I awoke to the saddening news of the passing of the nation's first prime minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He was 91.
The Prime Minister's Office first broke the news with an official announcement of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's passing at 3.18am. All the local media were broadcasting his death to the nation--the morning news programmes across all channels were interrupted with the breaking news, all local radio stations were playing sobering music as a mark of respect, and social media gradually saw the rapid change to a mourning status. Facebook posts were beginning to flood with the news, updates, and local companies and individuals changed their social icons to a monochrome colour.
And at 8.00am that very same nation, Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong personally announced Mr Lee Kuan Yew's passing through a live telecast. It was a moment of anguish and grief. The nation was shaken by Mr Lee Kuan Yew's passing.
What followed after that were brief but detailed reports of the wake and funeral arrangements. The nation will begin with a seven-day mourning and end with a state funeral on Sunday, 29 Mar 2015. From Monday to Tuesday, Mr Lee's casket will be at Sri Temasek for a private wake which was to be followed by a public wake at the Parliment House from Wednesday onwards.
Never have we seen an incident in Singapore that unites and brings together the entire nation to its knees and tears, and this was definitely one. When the casket carrying Mr Lee's coffin arrived at the Istana, crowds were shouting out his name and with public applauding. Singaporeans were coming to terms to Mr Lee's death, even as the PMO was beginning to update the public a week earlier following the deteriorating health of the elder Mr Lee.
The national television began to cease its normal programmes across most channels, and documentaries of Mr Lee's political story began appearing on our mostly flat screens (no longer boxes). Singaporeans seemingly began to understood how great this man was to his nation, from the beginning of his political career to his incredible vision of what Singapore could be.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew may no doubt appeared as a dictator and a pragmatic democratic leader to some. Yet many of the pioneer generations, generations who had been around when Singapore was separated by the then-Malaya on 9 Aug 1965. Some viewed Mr Lee as a persuasive politician with much arrogance and gust, challenging his opponents to build a credible and uncorrupted government for the people of Singapore.
Facebook subsequently began to be the main vehicle of voice among the dissent and the anti-PAP. International reports of his passing came to be, in which some journalists and editors chose to portray the dictatorship image of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. But measure a man not by his words or actions, but by his achievements and his character.
From a third world country, Mr Lee built this nation to a first-world country within a span of 31 years as a prime minister, and his political party see to this establishment until Singapore turns 50 this year. An incredible feat indeed.
With surmounting problems when the nation first became a Republic in 1965, Mr Lee Kuan Yew began tackling each problem with facts and steel.
When people wrote off Singapore because it lacked the natural resources, Mr Lee began envisioning the nation building its economy with investments. Now Singapore is a major hub where foreign countries and companies chose to put their investments because of a stable and uncorrupted government where security was ensured.
When it was needed to make Singapore an attractive place for investments, Mr Lee decided that Singapore would be a clean and green country. Only then would investments and the economy grow, and indeed the nation grew. Singapore is now known as the Garden City to many countries.
Where smell and pollution was a problem, Mr Lee tackled the problem with the same vision of a clean and green nation. The rivers were removed of its rubbish and fishes returned, and roadsides were planted with trees and scrubs that bring about the birds and the butterflies.
Where water was an issue and crucial to survival, Mr Lee demanded the enduring supply of water from Malaysia until 2062 and explored other options to Singaporean's basic survival needs: water from natural resources such as rain and the sea (and most recently the creation of the marina barrage as a water retention solution) and recycled water (through osmosis).
When the nation was heading to a housing crisis, Mr Lee took the courage to build public housing blocks for its people by building upwards. Today, 85% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats and majority of us own them whereas in many developed countries, people don't own them.
Where the nation had different races and religions, Mr Lee believed in a multi-racial and multi-religious society and harmony. This was essential to the nation's continuous growth without the interruption of an unnecessary civil war, and yet at the same time we retain our cultural and racial identities.
Where the nation had different languages and dialects, Mr Lee decided that English would be the common language while we retain our mother tongues so we preserve our cultural identity. It was tough, but now we reap the benefits of knowing at least two languages of the present world--English, where much of the nations work by it, and Chinese, where the country of China is ever becoming more influential.
Where the sovereignty of the nation is at stake, Mr Lee took to it that every Singaporean son would serve in the nation's defence, a contrary policy at that time. However, now Singapore boosts one of the most feared national defence in the world and with every men trained in national defense, any nation or war-makers would think twice on threatening this tiny nation.
Where a nation cannot survive on its own, Mr Lee ensured that Singapore would make good friends with its neighbouring country Indonesian and Malaysia in particular, while Singapore became good friends with China and India. A strategic and essential move for a nation's survival.
So where can you find a prime minister who has achieved and contributed so much for his nation? We found none except in Mr Lee Kuan Yew. As his son, Mr Lee Hsien Loong said at the announcement of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's passing, "We won't see another man like him."
As Mr Lee Kuan Yew has once commented, "I have spent my life, so much of it, building up this country. There's nothing more that I need to do. At the end of the day, what have I got? A successful Singapore. What have I given up? My life."
Mr Lee Kuan Yew has undoubtedly built this nation with his sheer tenacity, courage and hard work. This is what has shaped Singapore.
On reflection, Mr Lee Kuan Yew could not have shaped very much of the society and its people of Singapore, even with policies. Yet he would be very proud of how the nation responded to his passing.
Men and women poured to his wake, even if it meant waiting in the queue up to 10 hours under the hot scotching son, with much gracious and no-complaints.
Mr Lee was applauded and his name loudly shouted as his casket was driven passed the commoners on the streets.
Even earlier, as his casket paraded on the Singapore roads from the Parliament House to the NUS Cultural Centre in the heavy downpour, Singaporean sons and daughters lined up along the streets to bid him a final goodbye.
Such was how much Singapore has appreciated and loved its first prime minister. No words, no tears, and certainly no eulogies could sum and express the country's gratitude to Mr Lee Kuan Yew for his contributions to shape the modern Singapore.
We are forever grateful, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
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