The democrat who started a dynasty

Mumbai: Lee Kuan Yew, the father of modern Singapore, who died on March 23, at the age of 91, was in the mould of South Korean military dictators who pulled their country by the bootstraps to modernise it. In the Korean case, it ultimately caught up with democracy whereas Singapore retains its authoritarian provenance. That said, Lee’s contribution to the making of the island state was phenomenal.

As a foreign correspondent based in Singapore in 1962 for five years, I had a ringside seat to witness the dramatic developments in the life of Lee and his land. Those were the days the leader of the People’s Action Party was building his political career even as he contested British rule. And he interacted with foreign correspondents frequently over interminable courses of mouth-watering Chinese food in restaurants, or at the official residence to build his international image.

I started on the wrong foot because in granting me an interview before going to India to meet Jawaharlal Nehru, he felt offended by my introducing a human touch in mentioning that we met at a golf club over glasses of beer. He was under the mistaken impression that Nehru belonged to the class of Indian politicians who took a dim view of those who enjoyed a drink.

Over time I was able to develop good working relations with him. He was promoting the concept of Malaysia comprising Malaya, Singapore and Sabah and Sarawak (with Brunei later dropping out). Lee was a great advocate of the proposed federation because he felt the island was too small and bereft of natural resources to flourish as an independent nation.

Lee held a referendum with all cards stacked in his favour and state-controlled electronic media rooting for joining the federation. Opponents’ options were limited to leaving their ballots blank they could not mark a “no”. He won by a margin of 70 per cent. Then, as so often happens with brilliant politicians, Lee overplayed his hand. He sought to assume the leadership of Malaysia by his vigorous campaigns.

Lee was walking over a minefield because he set alarm bells ringing, Malays, who exercised political power as opposed to the Chinese who ran businesses and commerce, in Malaya were sufficiently disturbed at what they perceived as a Chinese upstart seeking to upset the political order. And the main Malay organisation, UMNO, under the leadership of Tunku Abdul Rahman decided to throw Singapore out of Malaysia.

I attended the historic televised press conference given by Lee on May 9, 1965, at which he cried. It was a sensation, the man of steel crying. Any number of friends and acquaintances asked me later whether Lee really wept. While confirming that he did, I said he cried over his own foolishness for not realising what he was walking into.

Indeed, Lee showed his mettle by picking up the pieces and set about making the island state into an entrepot financial centre and a hub of services. He had several innovative ideas in rooting out corruption. Senior civil servants were paid high salaries they would receive in the private sector and there was exemplary punishment for those who erred. And Lee wooed defence and other industries to set up shop on the island.

With neighbours such as sprawling Indonesia notorious for their corrupt officials and leaders, Singapore’s fame spread far and wide. The island state was an oasis in a sea of corruption and Western businesses and service industries flocked to the island. In material terms, it was a great achievement.

During those relaxed days of the early 1960s, Lee once said of an Opposition leader over a delectable Chinese meal that he would come to his senses counting the cobwebs in his Changi prison cell. Indeed, he set up the trappings of a democratic state with members of Parliament and an assembly. But elections are fought on the basis of rules set by the PAP with scales favouring the ruling party. There is even a patch of ground called the Speakers’ Corner (a mockery of the original in London) where Singaporeans can exercise their freedom of speech.

Lee believed that freedom is a dangerous thing and should be doled out to people in strictly regulated doses. Having made Singapore prosperous, he has also left his country with a whiff of the dynasty syndrome. His son, Lee Hsien Loong, the present Prime Minister, took office after a stint by Goh Chok Tong. He himself was appointed senior minister called minister mentor.