Remembering Lee Kuan Yew

Today (16/9/23) would have been LKY’s 100th birthday. I want to take some time today to reflect on why I think he is the closest thing I have to a hero. In particular, I just want to note down some of the key qualities which I find admirable in him based on what I’ve read and seen.

1. Humility. LKY was above all else humble. He did not appear to be arrogant and was always ready to seek help if there was a problem he couldn’t solve. He didn’t let his ego get in the way of acting in the best interests of Singaporeans. They were always ready to copy best practices from other examples rather than trying to reinvent the wheel and come up with some grandiose harebrained scheme.
2. Pragmatic. He didn’t let dogma get in the way of solving a problem. If there is something to be done, he and his team found a strategy that looked sensible and implemented it. It didn’t matter if it was right or left. If the strategy didn’t work, they were prepared to make adjustments rather than vainly engage in sunk cost tactics.
3. Realist. Any leader needs a certain degree of optimism to galvanize his people, but LKY was not a blind fool. He was keenly aware of the limitations of his circumstances, and knew how to operate well within them. For example, he knew he had to introduce national service because such a small country could not survive without a quality army. He also introduced bilingual education because he knew that although English was the key to prosperity, people’s mother tongues have a special place and if they were lost then Singapore’s native cultures would be irreparably damaged.
4. The fact that he not only built something great, but that he built it to last long after he was gone. This is where I draw a comparison with one of my other heroes, Bismarck. Bismarck was also a shrewd realist, statesman, and nation-builder but the system of government that he gave Imperial Germany couldn’t survive without him. Bismarck’s constitution was designed for a dominant Chancellor who could hold his own against the Kaiser, and none of Bismarck’s successors was capable of doing that. Singapore’s government has remained effective long after LKY stopped being PM and long after he has passed away. I love that LKY didn’t cling onto power until he died, and that he gracefully made way for the next generations of leaders and mentored them as they assumed the mantle of responsibility.

These are all qualities I wish to embody in my own life. I hope some day down the line someone can say that I too demonstrated these virtues in some measure. Happy birthday Mr Lee Kuan Yew.