Archive for the ‘Commentary’ Category
LKY’s prejudice
A throwaway quote in Plate’s new book incites wrath and an unflattering political cartoon in Sri Lanka. Daily Mirror: He is certainly ill-equipped to make a sweeping racist statement like the one he has made in his latest book that “Sinhalese who are less capable are putting down a minority of Jaffna Tamils who are […]
Filed under: Commentary, Quotes | 2 Comments
Tags: conversations, lee kuan yew, sri lanka, tamil, tom plate
Crossing paths with Lee Kuan Yew’s offspring can be dangerous, even when they’re not officially in positions of power. Asia Sentinel: The Singapore government has declined to reappoint Attorney General Walter Woon after his two years on the job expired earlier this month. Woon was earlier criticized by Lee Wei Ling, the daughter of Singaporean […]
Filed under: Commentary | Closed
Tags: lee wei ling, organ donation, tang wee sum, walter woon
Censored in Singapore
The New York Times attempts to explain why they allowed their sister publication International Herald Tribune to bend over and pay damages to the Lees. Lee Kuan Yew once testified, according to The Times, that he designed the draconian press laws to make sure that “journalists will not appear to be all-wise, all-powerful, omnipotent figures.” […]
Filed under: Commentary, Quotes | 1 Comment
Tags: damages, defamation, international herald tribune, lawsuit, lee kuan yew, new york times
The Asia Sentinel sarcastically lambasts China’s handling of the Rio Tinto case, comparing it to how smoothly the Lees handle things. But at least the mainstream media seem willing to comment on these issues rather than be cowed by contempt and other actions that continue to give Singapore’s kangaroo courts a veneer of credibility. Even […]
Filed under: Commentary | Closed
Tags: china, lee kuan yew, rio tinto, singapore
Once again the New York Times is forced to grovel over an article by Philip Bowring: In 1994, Philip Bowring, a contributor to the International Herald Tribune’s op-ed page, agreed as part of an undertaking with the leaders of the government of Singapore that he would not say or imply that Prime Minister Lee Hsien […]
Filed under: Commentary, Newspaper | Closed
Tags: apology, defamation, international herald tribune, lee kuan yew, nepotism, new york times, philip bowring
The Temasek Review asks a simple question. If you were to ask 10 elderly Singaporeans in the streets randomly who the Prime Minister of Singapore is, chances are quite a number will answer “Lau Lee” in reference to Singapore’s octogenarian leader Lee Kuan Yew. Lee was the first Prime Minister of Singapore from 1959 to […]
Filed under: Commentary | 2 Comments
Tags: lee hsien loong, lee kuan yew, minister mentor, temasek review
A credible challenge emerging
Interesting commentary in The Star: FEARED for his destruction of political foes, Lee Kuan Yew once predicted that when he quit, a new breed of quality politicians would come out to challenge his party. Today Lee remains very influential in the Cabinet, but his prophecy is prematurely coming to pass. At 87, the Minister Mentor […]
Filed under: Commentary | 1 Comment
Tags: lee kuan yew, politics, reform party, retirement
A lovely example of that Straits Times trademark, the utterly sycophantic reader letter: I HAVE always been impressed with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew for his vision and passion. But my respect for him has gone up a few more notches after his recent speech to encourage the study of Chinese language differently. Having believed […]
Filed under: Commentary, Newspaper | Closed
Tags: bilingual education, lee kuan yew, mistakes, sycophancy
Lee Kuan Yew Watch 
Do not print pictures of me smiling – Lee Kuan Yew
The Online Citizen unearths an old memo from 1965 with odd instructions: He emphasized the seriousness of the occasion and threatened “punitive” measures against any newspaper which printed pictures of him smiling. Of course, in the end Lee famously cried on live TV while announcing the expulsion of Singapore from Malaysia.
Filed under: Commentary, Event | Closed
Tags: 1965, crying, independence, lee kuan yew, singapore, smiling