Lee Kuan Yew no more

We deeply mourn the sad demise of Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of modern Singapore, a country he had single-handedly built from scratch through sagacity and visionary leadership.

Born to a fourth generation Chinese immigrant family, Yew had been the driving force behind building a society based on meritocracy, justice and rule of law. If it were not for Yew, Singapore would not have been what it is today.

In fact, after its short-lived merger with Malaysia, when the Southeast Asian city-state was on the brink of an uncertain future, Yew steered the country out of turbulent waters to make it an economic powerhouse of the region. Not only that, it is indeed Yew's policy that has bound Chinese, Malays and Tamils firmly together, setting an enduring example of lasting peace and racial harmony in the heart of Asia.

When we glean through the life and times of this illustrious politician, it does not escape our eyes that there are hardly any instances where he has bowed down to populism or has taken decisions just to bag votes in the elections. The result that we see is no less than a miracle: Singapore is generally free from violent crime and corruption, and the tiny island-nation can now boast of being one of the most peaceful and prosperous nations on the continent.

Yew's life has been that of valour and sacrifice. He has set footsteps that should be followed closely by politicians across the world. Adieu, Lee Kuan Yew, the titan of Asian history!