Students protested against LKY outside university.
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Extracted from the Strait Times Thursday March 29 2007
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan yew received an honorary doctorate yesterday and told his critics here afterwards that he was prepared for Singapore to be measured by any yardstick of governance they could find.
The ceremony for his award from the Australian national University (ANU) went smoothly despite a protest outside the university hall by some 50 students and a handful of faculty members.
Opposed to an award for someone they saw as having an authoritarian leadership style, several held placards that said "ANU not for Yew" and chanted the same slogan.
Approached by the Australian media after the ceremony, Mr Lee stood by his record and Singapore's standard of governance.
"I go by the rules of governance," he said to a question after leaving the hall.
"You measure by every single yardstick of governance. Look up the world economic forum global competitiveness report.
"You run through every single item: rule of law, transparency, integrity of the system, efficiency of the civil service, confidence in the courts both domestically and internationally."
The WEF last year ranked Singapore as the world's fifth most competitive economy based on nine factors, including the strength of its institutions.
On the protest, he said, far few people would have known about the award if his critics had not drawn attention to it through their opposition. "Because they made the protest, therefore they have highlighted the fact that despite their protest, the ANU proceeded and I was not deterred from coming."
He shrugged off their hostility and said he was "quite accustomed" to such a reception.
"It's not going change me; I'm not going to change you. We are going to prosper; you are going to prosper. But if I allow you to run my country, it will spiral downwards and we will hit rock bottom," was his message to his critics.
As for his one time warning that Australia risked becoming "white trash" in Asia, he noted it was an issue the media here linked to raise.
"There are some words some times thrown in the heat of the argument which perhaps at that time was warranted. You have changed," he said.
At yesterday's ceremony, Mr Lee's "unparalleled contribution" to Singapore's development was highlighted by the ANU Council in a citation which set out why it conferred the Doctor of Laws degree to him.
It said under his leadership as prime minister from 1965 to 1990, Singapore "moved from an extreme economic vulnerability to its current position as the region's most vibrant economy, whose people enjoyed standards of education, health and welfare among the highest in the world".
"Few leaders have had such a singular impact on their country's history," it said, adding that Mr Lee was receiving the award on the grounds of his "service to the development of Singapore, his international statesmanship and his friendship with Australia".
Asian studies undergraduate Ernest Ng, 24, a Singaporean at the ceremony, was very proud to see Mr Lee receive the award.
"I have benefited from his leadership," he said.
But of a different view were those protesting outside, including law student Simon Henderson, 21. He said he was frustrated the award given as Mr Lee "suppressed his political opponents and democracy". -
LKY is flattering himself. The OLD GUARDS did not contribute to the success of Singapore?
All ideas were his and his alone?
What about the strategic location of the island? What about the citizens of Singapore who are now in their golden years?
I thought itÂ’s a GROUP EFFORT that made Singapore a successful nation.
Why donÂ’t he calve a piece of land on a unstrategic part of Africa the size of Singapore, with no natural resources, with a population of about 2 million Africans in it and start all over again?
Take all his current million-dollar ministers with him. See if he can yield the same result in the next 40 years? -
Don't think LKY and his million dollars ministers can succeed if they calve a piece of land on a unstrategic part of Africa the size of Singapore, with no natural resources, with a population of about 2 million Africans in it and start all over again.Originally posted by googoomuck:LKY is flattering himself. The OLD GUARDS did not contribute to the success of Singapore?
All ideas were his and his alone?
What about the strategic location of the island? What about the citizens of Singapore who are now in their golden years?
I thought itÂ’s a GROUP EFFORT that made Singapore a successful nation.
Why donÂ’t he calve a piece of land on a unstrategic part of Africa the size of Singapore, with no natural resources, with a population of about 2 million Africans in it and start all over again?
Take all his current million-dollar ministers with him. See if he can yield the same result in the next 40 years? -
You run through every single item: rule of law, transparency, integrity of the system, efficiency of the civil service, confidence in the courts both domestically and internationally. -Lee Kuan Yew
Rule of law
In singapore demonstration need to apply permit what kind of rule is that? Rule of going against human rights?
Transparency
How much tax payer money have the government thrown away and did not account and shown to the public. You call that transparency?
GST is to help the poor or to cover up losses of Shin corps or for ministers pay hike? You call this transpancy?
integrity of the system
Chia Thye Poh, a member of the Barisan Sosialis, was detained without trial for 32 years under the ISA. You call that integrity?
Ministers pay themselves highest in the world and keeping on demanding more pay to match with private sectors. You call this integrity?
Son holding prime minister and fianiancial minister's position claiming due to meritocracy. You call this integrity?
World first created positions like Senior minister and minister mentor which seem to allow oneself to hold on to power and to get million of dollars from the taxpayers. You call this integrity?
efficiency of the civil service
Paying the ministers highest in the world and never shown the best result in the world. You call this efficiency?
confidence in the courts
NKF incident have shown everyone what kind of justice is being upheld here. You call it confidence in the courts?
Anyone still have any more to add? -
One thing he failed to do, that is to create a Singapore nation which people feel really proud about, a land where her people with diverse views may come together to express themselves without fear, be accepted for who they are, and not have to feel intellectually slighted by idiotic policies that use the silent majority to justify latently discriminatory policies against those that do not fit into the official Singapore story.
That will be the final stain on his legacy. He may have made Singapore into an independant Republic, and a prosperous one, but he will not have any credit when we reach the stage of self-actualisation and turn this state into a nation.
Don't be fooled by the media, there is no Singapore nation as of yet.
It's merely a "nation". -
Then?
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We are still a trading post.
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LKY just blow his own trumpet and hope that everyone is blind like the blind men and the elephant... you know that story?
You have to look at the whole elephant and not simply "see" one part like the said blind blind men.
The people are not blind. They know the greed, oppression and suppression that goes on in Singapore all for what? Money for whom? Raise GST for what? Charge exorbitant prices for HDB for what? -
This is all none of my business.
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so why do you bother to waste space here.....Originally posted by Eric Cartman:This is all none of my business. -
Because I am bored and am looking for a fight.Originally posted by countdracula:so why do you bother to waste space here..... -
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I read 250 5 room flat were not sold n some Sporean were buying houses in JB, Malaysia n renting out their HDB flat.Originally posted by AndrewPKYap:LKY just blow his own trumpet and hope that everyone is blind like the blind men and the elephant... you know that story?
You have to look at the whole elephant and not simply "see" one part like the said blind blind men.
The people are not blind. They know the greed, oppression and suppression that goes on in Singapore all for what? Money for whom? Raise GST for what? Charge exorbitant prices for HDB for what?