Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew dies at 91

Just read on the news (at 22 March 2015, 5:17PM EST) that LKY has passed away.

1) CNA

2) CNN

3) BBC

4) WSJ

5) TOC / Human Rights Watch

6) Guardian

I will take this chance to point readers to Carlton Tan’s recent article once again:

UPDATE (9:12 PM): “For all our sakes, I hope that Mr Lee’s passing will mark the start of a new era, of Singapore 2.0—a nation without the worst of Mr Lee but with the best of him, a nation that is willing to make its own hard choices.”
(– Carlton Tan)

And Roy Ngerng’s article from a few days ago:

“Only with unity and equality, and justice and fairness, can we see Singapore move towards a brighter possibility, and this also requires Singaporeans to let go of the fear that the idea of Lee Kuan Yew has created, and to be willing to restart our engagement with our country.”
( — Roy Ngerng)

UPDATE (7:18PM): This moment brings up strong feelings in me. It makes me recall Dr. Thum Ping Tjin’s post (from 2014), Mr. Yoong’s post (from 2009), Tan Wah Piow’s (exile in London / 2015) and Chris Ho’s post (2015) which give a glimpse of the darker side of Singapore’s history (re: the Singaporean lives that were utterly ruined, because they committed the crime of having divergent political views from LKY). While I wonder if these issues were on LKY’s mind during his last days, I am not the person/entity to be the final judge on it.

I hope Singaporeans will be able to “stay united” and build upon the good that is there, so that the nation as a country/society evolves in a positive direction in the post-LKY era.

RIP.

* UPDATE (11:22 AM / 23 March): Mr. Yoong’s balanced and truthful commentary (2015).

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