Lee Kuan Yew: ST Asian of the Year

There is no life here that Mr Lee Kuan Yew did not touch or shape in some fundamental way.

Tanglin Halt resident Sayuti Dahlan, 82, remembered that, as a young man in his 20s, he would cycle from Pasir Panjang to Tanjong Pagar to attend rallies where Mr Lee would give powerful speeches.

Standing on a stationary, open- topped lorry, he would shout: "The British think we are stupid. But I will show them that the people of Singapore can and will have merdeka (freedom)."

Mr Dahlan underlined a defining characteristic of the founding Prime Minister's legacy:

"Mr Lee never used the words Chinese or Malay or Indian to describe us. He always said Singaporeans."

ST Asian Of The Year: GIANT ON THE GLOBAL STAGE

Steering from the bow of a small island nation in the Asia-Pacific, Mr Lee Kuan Yew's impact on the world was far bigger than the geopolitical space he occupied.

The last leader to have been shaped directly by World War II, his influence on China is well-documented, the product of years of painstaking effort.

Mr Lee visited China over 30 times, nurturing relationships with five generations of China's leaders, from Mao Zedong to President Xi Jinping. But he had the biggest impact on Deng Xiaoping, who was impressed by Mr Lee's successful mix of strong government and free markets.

Mr Lee provided an account of Mr Deng's catalytic four-day visit to Singapore in 1978 in his 2013 book, One Man's View Of The World. Over dinner, he writes, Mr Deng congratulated him. "I asked him what for, and he said, 'You've got a beautiful city, a garden city'."

Mr Lee answered that China could do better than Singapore, a sentiment that Deng repeated in 1992, during his famous Southern Tour. "Ah, he has not forgotten what I told him," Mr Lee writes, remembering with satisfaction.

Nearly four decades later, when the benefits of China's transformation had long become clear and at least 300 million had been lifted out of poverty, Premier Li Keqiang offered a tribute on Mr Lee's death.

Mr Lee's "contributions towards China's reform and opening up will be recorded in history", he said.

President Xi, who referred to Mr Lee as "our senior who has our respect", said his death was "a loss to the international community".

Across the Pacific, in the United States, Mr Lee was a treasured friend, adviser and mentor to several senators, congressmen and former functionaries. "I often arranged his visits in Washington, but it was not easy to put in order the many applicants who wanted to see him," said former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger.

A visit by Mr Lee was a kind of national event, Dr Kissinger wrote in an obituary. "That he would see the President was a matter of course. But in addition, he would see key Cabinet members. Senators, too, wanted to see him. And why? He did not talk about Singapore. He told them what they ought to do. He facilitated their reflection on their own role in the world.

"I looked at him as a teacher. I learnt much from him."

Mr Lee had a direct line to US presidents from Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, who sought his views on China. President Barack Obama hailed him as a "legendary figure of Asia in the 20th and 21st centuries".

Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher was another admirer, saying that he was "never wrong" in his reading. "Prime Minister, an hour's talk with you is itself worth a journey halfway round the world and farther still," she said at an Istana banquet in April 1985.

Mr Helmut Schmidt, the former West German chancellor, also counted Mr Lee as a close friend. At 93, defying a blood clot in his leg which ultimately contributed to his death last month, Mr Schmidt travelled to Singapore in May 2012 for what was to be their last meeting. "We need leadership figures. We need people like Harry Lee," Mr Schmidt said afterwards.

Why was Mr Lee so admired by foreign leaders? "Because of his intellectual brilliance, his power of analysis and judgment, his eloquence and charisma, and his willingness to share his candid and disinterested views. His longevity also gave him an advantage as he evolved from being the brilliant prime minister of Singapore to being a wise elder statesman," Singapore's Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh said in an article for The Straits Times.

In a testament to the deep regard for him across the globe, Mr Lee's funeral was attended by leaders from 23 countries, including the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

India and New Zealand declared a day of mourning and flew their flags at half-mast. A village in Tamil Nadu held a procession in his memory and a bus driver named his newborn child after him. A bust of Mr Lee was unveiled last month in Barcelona's Cap Roig Gardens, which he had visited a decade ago.

His memoirs, and other books distilling his insights, like Lee Kuan Yew: The Man And His Ideas and Vintage Lee, continue to carry his ideas, translated in many languages from Croatian to Myanmarese.


http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/st-asian-of-the-year-lee-kuan-yew-giant-on-the-global-stage

Value Of 38 Oxley Road To Be Donated To Charities

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his brother Lee Hsien Yang will each donate half the value of the Oxley Road house of their father, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, to charities named in the obituary notice, the Prime Minister announced on Facebook on Friday (Dec 4). Mr Lee Kuan Yew passed away on March 23 2015.

The eight charities are:

Education Fund
NTUC-U Care Fund
Garden City Fund
CDAC
Mendaki
Association of Muslim Professionals
Sinda
Eurasian Association

"Speaking as the children of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang hope the government will allow the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew's wish for the demolition of the house to be honoured and that all Singaporeans will support their cause." - LHL, 2015

In his lifetime, Lee Kuan Yew donated all of his earnings since 1991 to charities. This amounted to over $12 million.

Over a period of 5 years beginning 2007, his son Lee Hsien Loong donated over $3 million of his salary to charities.

In 2012, he further donated another $350,000 of his salary to establish three new awards to promote community bonding, encourage Singaporeans to pursue careers in social service, and recognise young arts talent. (http://bit.ly/2mUnHhw)

He also donated some money to MOE, to set up the “Lee Hsien Loong Interactive Digital Media (IDM) Smart Nation Award” for polytechnic students in 2016. (http://bit.ly/2oftzSy)

Social Policy, Singapore Style: Lessons for US

We have disadvantaged families and individuals in Singapore, but we don’t have a single disadvantaged neighborhood.” This was one of the most striking statements from Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, speaking here at Brookings earlier this week at an event on Housing, inclusion, and social equity.

Singapore has little choice but to manage its housing market closely: it has a population of 5.5 million people on an island of just 278 square miles, the equivalent of the entire population of Denmark living in a city the size of Lexington, Kentucky. But as a nation born by accident and populated by immigrants, Singapore has taken the additional step of effectively forcing geographical integration. There are, for example, legal caps on the proportion of people from a particular ethnic group who can live in a particular neighborhood, or even apartment block.

“This is intrusive,” admitted Shanmugaratnam. Some people, he conceded, would describe this kind of policy as social engineering. They would indeed. But his point was that policymakers end up as social engineers whether they like it or not. The question is simply whether they do their work “upstream,” by preventing segregation and concentrated poverty, or “downstream,” using policy to try and deal with the consequences of segregation. This was a lesson not lost on the Americans in the audience. It was perhaps the most thoughtful argument for progressive paternalism I have heard.

The Deputy Prime Minister insisted that social policy should not simply be seen as a “residual” of economic policy, something we pay for once we’ve secured growth, but as an important element in creating economic stability and success. For example, one result of Singapore’s strict neighborhood integration policies has been to ensure that home values increase across the board, which keeps wealth inequality in check:
                                          
To say that the U.S. is in a different situation would be an understatement. While Singaporean public policy has acted specifically to prevent segregation, American policy has mostly done exactly the opposite, through racist laws, practices and attitudes. As Margery Turner of the Urban Institute put it, we have “social engineered ourselves into the current situation”

One big takeaway: while Singaporean social interventionism is not on the cards, it is clear that U.S. policy makers will have to be much, much more intentional about integration.

By Richard V. Reeves

 http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/social-mobility-memos/posts/2015/12/02-social-policy-singapore-style-reeves

Tharman: Public Housing And Social Integration Go Hand In Hand

Public housing and social integration go hand in hand, DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam said at a Brookings Institution conference centred on the theme "housing, inclusion and social equity".

Public housing that avoids any kind of segregation is at the core of social policies that have promoted cohesion and economic vitality in Singapore.

“The secret sauce is our neighbourhoods, the composition of them and the way they are designed so as to maximise interactions and give us the best chance of achieving an integrated community,” said Mr Tharman.

"It's not just about the numbers - the balance of ethnic groups in different neighbourhoods - it's about the everyday experiences. It's walking the corridors and taking the same elevators as your neighbours every day; it's the way the kids grow up together in the playgrounds and in the primary school nearby; it's about the peers in the neighbourhood. Neighbourhoods matter, the culture of neighbourhoods matter, but it doesn't come about by accident," he said in his keynote address.

When it came to social interventions, the Singapore government had decided to jump in upstream instead of downstream - even if some consider the measures to be intrusive social engineering.

"You either engage in social interventions or, if you like social engineering, by design, as intelligently as you can, under the best public purposes in mind or you engage in social interventions and engineering by default. And typically, if you do it by default, once problems have accumulated, the problems are larger, they are more intractable and they are more expensive," he said during the dialogue after his speech.

Mr Tharman also said that just as the invisible hand of the market can produce inefficient outcomes, social forces can push society apart.

"Financial markets can also be extremely inefficient even in economic terms, as we know from the global financial crisis. The consensus has shifted and it would be crazy to think we can do without regulating markets.

"We also know that societies don't naturally trend towards some equilibrium, they don't naturally trend towards harmony, and particularly ethnic and religious accommodation and harmony. It's not a natural tendency of society, it's not part of the natural workings of society that you get people wanting more and more to live with people who are different from them," he said.

"So we need the visible hand of public policy to mitigate the invisible hand of markets, both the economic market as well as the invisible hand of social forces."

H e explained that in Singapore, this intervention cut across many different policies.

Besides building small flats next to big ones and setting housing quotas to ensure that racial enclaves do not form, he stressed that it was crucial to have quality public spaces, high standards of service and rejuvenation to ensure estates do not fall into disrepair, and good access to jobs and good schools.

"The policies of integration that I've described... have given society something for free, a bonus. It has given us home equity appreciation for the lower income group, no less than for those in the middle and above. It would not be possible if they were living in an enclave by themselves or a neighbourhood by themselves, which is common in many cities.

"By designing neighbourhoods so they are mixed for all income groups and with high quality shared spaces, attractive for everyone to live in, everyone's home equity goes up," he said.

"We have disadvantaged persons, we have disadvantaged families, we have at-risk youth, but we don't have disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Singapore, and we don't have an at-risk neighbourhood. That's a big difference," he added.

The Warthog Built By Singapore That The Taliban Don't Want To Know

British forces have brought a new weapon to bear against the Taliban who “simply don’t want to know” when it arrives on the battlefield, commanders have said.

The Warthog is a 22-ton tracked armoured vehicle whose off-road ability allows it to frequently outflank the fleet-footed Taliban.
The vehicle’s success has led to a rethink on British tactics as they are not only able to deliver troops, supplies but they can also bring down heavy firepower from unexpected directions.

It can carry up to a dozen soldiers who can be deployed either to fight insurgents or engage with the local population to build up an intelligence picture of tribal communities.

It has almost certainly saved lives after 11 Warthogs were hit in one tour by large IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device) without anyone inside being killed although two were badly wounded.
The Warthog has also proved adept at being able to drive through the notoriously difficult terrain of Helmand’s irrigated “green zone”.

In one epic six week long battle earlier this year the vehicles provided a perimeter defence for the Royal Engineers as they laid a key road in central Helmand called Route Trident. Previously the Sappers had come under daily attack but with the heavy weaponry such as .50 calibre heavy machine guns and 40mm grenade machine guns the Warthogs kept the Taliban at bay.

With many ambushes happening in the easily defended Green Zone of tree-lined irrigation ditches the Warthogs allow troops to get behind the enemy’s backs.

“You can put Warthog into places you would not dream of with other armoured vehicles as it has very low ground pressure giving us the ability to move around the battlespace in a completely different way,” Major James Cameron, the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment squadron commander, the first to use the vehicle on operations.

“We have been able to manoeuvre in an extraordinary way. Literally we can go over ditches, swim rivers or go up ravines getting right in behind the enemy where they least expect us.

“We run on them at speed and before they know anything about it we are right on top of them.”

On one occasion Major Cameron was in an engagement with 30 Taliban in which he fired 1,200 rounds through his turret-mounted GPMG.

Towards the end of their six month tour radio intelligence has shown the Taliban commanders warning their men “don’t fire at the tank”.

The Warthog is unique in that it is the first armoured vehicle to be built for a Western army by an Asian company. Singapore based ST Kinetics won a £150 million contract for 115 vehicles as the MoD looked for a robust all-terrain vehicle.

STK managed to produce the first Warthog within nine months of the order, on time and ahead of schedule although there was a delay of several months as the armour protection was improved.

The Warthog is replacing the BAE Systems built Viking which is being withdrawn from service after almost a quarter of the fleet was destroyed by Taliban bombs.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8681903/Taliban-dont-want-to-know-in-Warthog-fight.html

Singapore Is Determined To Be A Master Of Its Own Destiny

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that Singapore is determined to be a master of its own destiny in a world where power often determines which countries prevail and set the agenda.

He was delivering the annual S Rajaratnam lecture organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Our foreign policy is a balance between realism and idealism," he said.

"We know we have to take the world as it is and not as we would wish it to be. But we believe that we can and must defend ourselves and advance our interests."

Singapore's foreign policy is vital in securing Singapore's place in the world. If Singapore wants to remain relevant on the international stage, it must continue to succeed as a country.

"A failed state cannot have an effective foreign policy," he said.

Singapore “cannot be everywhere” in the international arena as it is a small state. But PM Lee stressed that Singapore has to be present for key forums and on key issues, such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, as “our interests are at stake”.

 Excerpt of PM Lee Hsien Loong's speech at the 8th S Rajaratnam Lecture, 27 Nov 2015

Small countries like us have to constantly to ask ourselves: how can we ensure that we survive, and keep our place in the sun?
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We are determined to be masters of our own destiny. Our foreign policy is a balance between realism and idealism. We know we have to take the world as it is and not as we would wish it to be. But we believe that we can and must defend ourselves and advance our interests.

Of course we have to be clear what our fundamental interests are and these have not changed in 50 years – to have peace in the world; to have an international order where countries respect and abide by international law; to establish a network of friends and allies whom we can work with; to have a stable and secure Asia-Pacific region, especially Southeast Asia; and ultimately, to preserve our sovereignty, and our right to determine our future.

How can Singapore advance these national interests?

I offer you another old Chinese saying – the Chinese have solved all these problems long ago. This is from the Confucian classic "Great Learning" – 修身齐家治国平天下 - one must first cultivate one's own person, then regulate one's family, then order well one's state, then only can one make the whole kingdom "天下" – all under heaven – tranquil and happy. This is the Confucian view of government, and it is deep in the Chinese psyche. That there is a direct link from the virtue of the individual, to the family, to the larger society and to universal harmony. Singapore is a modern society, but we have tried hard to maintain traditional values that are relevant to us and this piece is a timeless piece of wisdom that neatly encapsulates how we can think about advancing our interests internationally. A successful foreign policy is founded on what we do domestically in Singapore and we must first put our home in order, then our external relations can prosper.

Let me elaborate on this starting from the outside. First, internationally, we have to be an active and constructive player, seeking to add value and making ourselves relevant to other countries. Secondly, in our own region, we have to make common cause with our neighbours. Thirdly, Singapore must continue to succeed as a nation, to wield any influence abroad. Fourthly, Singapore’s success, whether externally or domestically, depends on our staying united as one people, firm in our conviction that Singapore will endure and prevail.

Full transcript of speech here: http://bit.ly/1LF2HuY

Advancing Singapore's Interests By Playing An Active And Constructive Role In The International Arena

Making common cause with others:

".....we make common cause with others, in particular with other small states. Individually, our voice may be weak, but collectively, our voices will be amplified and we can make ourselves heard.

That is why at the UN, we set up the Forum of Small States (FOSS). ........ We put together under FOSS, countries under 10 million. It is an informal group, but there are 105 members of FOSS all over the world. We meet together, we discuss, we foster common positions on issues, and we share experiences and strategies.........Another one that we have set up is called the Global Governance Group. An informal coalition, this time 30 small- and medium-sized states formed to exchange views on global governance. What does that mean? That means financial rules, that means IMF world bank, economic policies, so as to feed them into the G20 processes, to render the G20 a more inclusive, transparent and representative grouping. So the first thing to make ourselves heard is to make common cause with others." - PM Lee Hsien Loong

Excerpt of speech at 8th S Rajaratnam Lecture 27 Nov 2015

What The Government Does To Advance Singapore's Interests
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..Becoming part of the Maritime Silk Road; Becoming an observer on the Arctic Council.

By constantly "looking ahead to anticipate developments, to position ourselves, to protect our interests, whichever way events may break. It is particularly important in these uncertain times where you cannot predict which way things will go, and you must prepare for multiple eventualities.

For example, we are embarking on the third Government-to-Government (G-to-G) project with China in Chongqing. This will position us at one end of China's "One Belt, One Road" project.

Now, Singapore is part of the "belt", which is the Silk Route going through Eurasia, out of China and we are also part of the "road" – the Maritime Silk Road passing through Southeast Asia. It is a valuable position to be in.

Another example, we joined the Arctic Council as an observer to find out what may happen when the northern sea-route becomes viable as the Arctic ice melts............Sam Tan who is our Envoy, who has worked very hard and has made many friends in the Arctic Circle, on the Arctic Council. It is relevant to us. It will not happen tomorrow. It may come to pass or it may not. But it probably will, and if it does, we will be there. These are small bets to hedge our position."

Excerpt of PM Lee Hsien Loong's speech at the 8th S Rajaratnam Lecture, 27 Nov 2015

http://www.pmo.gov.sg/mediacentre/pm-lee-hsien-loong-8th-s-rajaratnam-lecture-27-november-2015