Surrounded by all these media coverage and social media posts about LKY's recent death, I feel compelled to chip in with my own tribute and thoughts too. It's hard not to feel emotional when something like this happens, but I'd be lying if I said I was sad, because honestly, I'm not really (ok pls don't get me wrong i am not a heartless bitch!!!!). of course I'm not happy, I am a bit sad (esp aft reading all the tributes and orbituaries and seeing photos :-( ) but this sadness is outweighed by a myriad of other feelings - shock, regret and appreciation.
Shock because even in the days leading up to his death, even when his health deteriorated and the day of his demise seemed to be drawing nearer, I'd never actually entertained the possibility of him actually dying. Strangely enough, I actually dreamt of it happening that night, but I didn't actually think much of it - just a dream, right? But that made the news hit even harder, I guess. I was shocked because I never imagined that LKY would be one day be gone. Having only studied Singapore's history in SS and learnt about how he led Singapore through the tumultuous 1950s-60s from a textbook, the struggles and woes he faced in Singapore's early days didn't seem that real and personal. I didn't actually grow up with him, and I didn't witness first-hand his rise to power, unlike the previous generations. To me, his position was a given. He was always there at NDP, in the news, on the papers, and he's always looked the same, with his head of white hair and sharp eyes. LKY was always there for Singapore, and thanks to his omnipresence, to me, he wasn't just the founding father of Singapore; he was Singapore. With his passing, I felt as though a part of Singapore was gone; it marked the end of an era for Singapore, a child he so willingly nurtured since her birth, who had to witness the death of her founding father. In a sense, it marked the end of Singapore's adolescent age and signified her true transition into independence.
In the days following his death (aka CT week but I absolutely do not regret spending my time reading about him instead of studying) I probably learnt more about him than I did the past 10 years. A bit late :-( but better late than never?? I learnt about the tough decisions he had to make regarding Singapore, about his harsh methods to contain his opposition, about his unfaltering love for his wife, about his brilliance as a student in Singapore (top student in RI wew cambridge + scholarship + a whole host of other academic achievements i can only dream about woah) . I learnt about him not only as a leader but also as a person. All the while I found him to be a really capable and admirable leader, but now that I know more about his personality, woah dude I think he's not only admirable, but also really really inspiring. I really really respect how he does what he thinks is right, how he believes fully in his decisions, and how he has the ability to carry them out. His methods might have been harsh, but you cannot deny that they worked. Above all, I admire his ability to love (like what ms vic said hehe) - his love for his country and his love for his wife. He was a man who loved, and was in turn loved by many. There are so many accounts of him showing care and concern for the people around him (residents in his constituency, political leaders from other countries, fellow ministers etc etc he was popzy popzy) and also his wife - their timeless love story, which spanned 60 years, is really very inspiring (relationship goals!). Knowing this much more about his life made me able to connect to him on a more personal level and better value what he has done. Really regret not studying more about him as a person (than merely as a leader) earlier and that it only took his death for me to fully appreciate him :-(
Finally, appreciation - complaining might seem like an Olympic sport for Singaporeans ("Champion grumblers", as the man himself once said) but at the end of the day, our love for our country overpowers any gripes we have (for majority of us Singaporeans anyway........). Singapore is still our home, and really so much better off than many other countries - I mean, our streets are clean and safe, there are little to no instances of violence and riots; we have a never-ending supply of clean, fresh water to drink; we have a booming economy and structured education system (even though stress HAHA complain here a bit) and a house to go home to. Saw this post comparing the states of SG and Cambodia (and attributing our success to our leaders) floating around on twitter, and I really agree with it - can still remember that night during reflections in Cambodia, when we sat in a circle and talked about how efforts to tackle the poverty there was ineffective because of the corrupt government. Thanks to LKY and his hard stance against corruption, such a situation is foreign to Singapore. The ISLE trip also made me realise just how fortunate I am to be born in Singapore. And really, we owe it all to the contributions of this great, great man and his equally able and devoted team of leaders.
It is testament to the immense influence he's had on Singapore that even after his passing, LKY continues to unite us. In fact, ironic as it may be, the Singaporean spirit has never been so alive - people from all walks of life; regardless of race, language or religion, come together in mourning and paying our last respects to him. It's actually really heartwarming seeing the Singaporean spirit manifest itself in various instances: restaurants providing queuers free food and drinks, florists offering free flowers, establishments setting up chairs for queuers to sit, ministers buying food for the masses etc...... I'm sure the man himself would be proud. :')
"When a great man dies, for years the light he leaves behind him lies on the paths of men." The light LKY illuminated Singapore with has kept us shining so brightly, and for that, we will always be grateful. :') Thank you, Mr Lee.
