This week has seen Singaporeans united in a way that has not been seen in a long time. The pervasive air of grief is almost tangible, especially on Monday morning as most Singaporeans woke up to the inevitable news that Lee Kuan Yew had finally succumbed to his illness and passed away. It was as if all Singaporeans had been orphaned in one fell stroke, and nearly everybody found solidarity in a common sense of loss.
Here was a giant of a man, who carved the first generation of Singaporeans into his very likeness – pragmatic and determined, allowing nothing to distract from the goal of establishing the long term future of this young nation. The older generation who witnessed the transformation of Singapore would be quick to recognize the leadership he provided, even as some might argue that the ideas and contributions were not his but in fact of his team. The bottom line is, any football club would tell you that talented individuals are meaningless without the direction of a strong leader. The debate on who deserves the credit for policies and effort is almost a moot point in this respect. No one doubts the fact that he ran his party with the same iron fist that he used to run the nation. Nothing was done without his overview and consent.
There will always be a lot of debate regarding the man, who was vilified in his life as much as he was venerated. Perhaps the merits of both arguments had to do with which end of his policies each fell under. He had always insisted that nation building required the sacrifice of the individual for the good of the many. Even as western nations castigated him for his human rights record, it is remarkable during a time like this to witness the genuine outpouring of grief and affection for him. (As I write this, the latest recommendation from the authorities is to stop showing up to pay our respects at the Parliament House, as the waiting time is already approximately 8 hours.) A harsh and demanding parent he might have been, but his children recognized ultimately that everything he did, he did for the sake of their future. As one writer so succinctly said, it is hard for anyone who loves Singapore to feel anything except a profound sorrow at the death of a man who more than anything else epitomized a love for Singapore.
It is a brave new world that we now step into as Singaporeans, as the chapter finally closes on the greatest son that Singapore had ever produced. We will need to look ahead to establish our own future. But I count myself lucky that I lived during his lifetime, and was able to witness a little of how he transformed Singapore. It is time now once again, for the Next Lap.
