The video above covers the history of Singapore from the founding by Raffles.
From 11:39 in the video, the narrative is typical of a Western-influenced perspective of Lee Kuan Yew, the Dictator.
Which is "forgiven" because LKY was on the whole "benevolent" and he succeeded in making Singapore a success. And success can forgive many things. And forget some things.
But that is the fallacy of historical narrative. Go back in time to 1965, right after Singapore and Malaysia separated and ask Lee how he feels, and if he were optimistic about Future Prosperous Singapore and what do you think he might say?
If you ask 50 ordinary Singaporeans who were around in the 60s or 70s for the one reason for Singapore's success, maybe 40 will say "Lee Kuan Yew". Maybe even 50.
And if we agree that LKY is one of the top reasons why Singapore succeeded, the question no one ever asks is, "how do we get another LKY?" or better yet, how did we luck out and got an LKY when Singapore needed one?
Why Lee Kuan Yew?
Lee Kuan Yew (or LKY as Singaporeans all refer to him) is the first PM of Independent Singapore. That's a fact.
But why?
Lee believed in Merger for Singapore. Merger with the Federation of Malaya. He believed in the conventional wisdom that Singapore HAD to be part of Malaya in order to survive. And so he went on Radio to give a series of talks to explain why Singapore had to be part of Malaya, and why there were forces opposed to merger and why their motives were suspect or nefarious.
Lee so wanted Singapore to be free from the British because he had experience Japanese brutality and indignity during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, and he had experienced British racism, arrogance, and air of superiority and decided that neither Japanese nor British should rule over Singapore. Neither were better or superior and neither should rule Singapore.
Singapore should be independent.
But Singapore was small. Too small. We didn't even have enough water. Merger was the obvious solution. Merger would allow Singapore to be part of a greater whole, and have access to a larger market, and a greater pool of workers. That was the conventional wisdom and Lee pushed hard for merger.
And succeeded.
Singapore was in! Part of the Federation. And the British left the governance of Singapore completely to the locals.
But the two years in the Federation were fraught with tensions and disagreement. A "Malay Malaysia" was what Kuala Lumpur wanted. A "Malaysian Malaysia" pushed PAP and Lee.
Riots broke out. Fingers were pointed. Each side blamed the other.
But the reality was that merger was a failure for Singapore. Singapore did not have the market access it wanted, and was constrained politically and economically.
For their own reasons, KL and Singapore decided to Separate.
Lee announced the Separation on National TV.
It was his Moment of Anguish writ large for all to see.
Singapore was Independent. Separated from Malaysia. An independent city-state.
And Lee was the Prime Minister.
Lee did not want Separation. He had authorised Dr Goh Keng Swee to negotiate a looser arrangement for Singapore in the Federation. Lee did not believe Singapore could survive on its own.
But the negotiations went further than loosening Singapore's ties to the Federation. It completely untied Singapore.
Some countries had to fight for independence. We had independence thrust unwanted upon us.
And Lee had to lead this newly independent country to survive, to thrive, to succeed.
He had hoped to lead Singapore to success as part of the Federation. But the Federation had kicked him and Singapore out.
Any other person might have decided that, I don't need this. There is no future in this. I am a trained lawyer. I've given enough of my life to try to lead this island to some kind of plausible future. It has brought me anguish. I don't need this.
Quit.
And get on with your life.
But that's not Lee Kuan Yew's style.
First, he knew if he quit, the Communists would return. He had fought them for so long, to give up and let them take Singapore was completely unacceptable. The moment of anguish would have been compounded with utter despair if he then just let the communists take over.
Second, if the communists took over, then Malaysia would have to eliminate them. And for Malaysia to eliminate the leaders of an independent state, would be war.
Third, there may have been some inkling that perhaps it was his personal fault. KL and UMNO clearly had some animosity towards Lee. Lee challenged them, argued with them, and even thwarted them when he could. Evicting Singapore was also to evict Lee. Would Singapore have stayed in the Federation if not for Lee? If so, then Singapore's predicament was his doing. And if he quit, it would be dishonourable.
Fourth, he believed in a Malaysian Malaysia. And now in Singapore - not a Chinese Singapore or a Malay Singapore, or an Indian Singapore. But a Singapore for Singaporeans, and that way would lead to a prosperous and flourishing Singapore that would do better than Malaysia.
Besides, what was the alternative?
Yes, he was law-trained, but he was not going to England to practice Law. He wanted nothing to do with racists who looked down on him.
So he stayed.
And he led.
And we benefitted.
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