Lee Kuan Yew - a short video biography

Comment on the video:

This is good. I would have veered into hagiography. This is more balanced. Some thoughts: 

Born in tears

[This was originally posted on Facebook on National Day, 2010.]

While other countries had to fight and struggle for their independence, Singapore had independence thrust unwanted upon her. Well sure, we wanted independence, but as part of a greater federation of states, for economic viability as well as strategic strength.

Dr Mahathir, historically (or hysterically) - a satire (spoof? sarcasm?)

[History is written by the victor. And sometimes written with irony. Or Sarcasm. I can't tell the difference. Or is it satire? Help!]

From Critical Spectator Facebook post of 22 June 2022.]

When historians look back at the first 60 years of Singapore's independent existence, ranking the most influential figures who have contributed to the country's prosperity and security, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will surely rank up there next to his contemporary, the founding father, Lee Kuan Yew.
This is a man who, even at a very ripe age of 97, continues to work for the city-state, instead of enjoying his well-earned retirement.
Recently he raised many eyebrows again, saying a few days ago that Malaysia should reclaim Indonesian Riau islands and the island of Singapore - ancestral Malay lands. But this is just his typical modus operandi, that we have to look through to properly understand his goals.

I believe it is far more important to judge people by what they do than by what they say, as it is what reveals their true motivations and points us to their greatest achievements.

Rajaratnam's Vision for Singapore as a Global City

Singapore Perspective 2022 video: 

How did Singapore, the "Accidental Country" become the Nation that it is today?

COMMENT: How the 1967 Six-Day War influenced Singapore’s early nation-building

Vernon Lee

5 June 2017


Fifty years ago today, on 5 June 1967, a war began to rage in the Middle East that would go on to have a seismic impact on global politics to this day. Almost 8,000 kilometres away, the prime minister of a newly independent nation in Asia was keenly monitoring the progress of the Six-Day War, fought between Israel and five Arab countries.

12 Iconic Singapore Markets & Hawker Centres That Are No Longer Around

24 Mar 2022

Sheri Goh

Singapore markets & hawker centres of the past

If you ask any Singaporean which markets and hawker centres are the best, they’ll likely recommend Newton Food Centre, Chomp Chomp and Old Airport Road, or Maxwell Food Centre if they work in the CBD.

We take a nostalgic trip to Singapore markets and hawker centres that are no longer around – way before you belanjah-ed your friends to a meal of char kway teow or chicken rice at the air-conditioned food courts that have found their way into every mall. 

The Ukraine Situation - sort of like Konfrontasi.

When Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak (and also Brunei, but they later withdrew) wanted to join the Federation of Malaya in the early 1960s, Indonesia was against the proposal. And when the Federation added these 3 states in 1963, Indonesia initiated Konfrontasi. 

Have you ever asked, "why Konfrontasi?" WTF does Singapore joining the Federation of Malaya got to do with Indonesia, right? 

Because Sukarno (then president of Indonesia) had a vision of a Greater Indonesia, one similar to the old empire (Majapahit, I think). Similarly, Putin has ambition (or vision, or delusion) of the old Soviet Union where Ukraine is "My Kraine".

So now Ukraine (like Singapore in early 1960s) wants to join NATO (analogous to Federation of Malaya), possibly eventually, joining the EU, but that's another story. Russia (analogous to Indonesia during Konfrontasi) wants Ukraine for herself, and objects. And the threatened invasion is similar to Konfrontasi, except Russia has quite a bit more capacity to prosecute a war than Indonesia in the 1960s. So if Russia objects militarily, it would be a lot more than a few saboteurs sent to Ukraine.