On crediting Lee Kuan Yew for everything /u/Former_Limit4396 Singapore

It’s been 10 years since Lee Kuan Yew passed. I still remember the scenes of people queuing for hours to pay their respects. Some posted pictures or videos of themselves crying on social media to show how sad they were.

At the time, however, I noticed something worrying. Even the mildest criticism of him — no matter how balanced or fair — was met with intense backlash.

The common narrative I hear often portrays LKY as a singular figure who almost single-handedly transformed Singapore from a “fishing village” into a First World nation.

Yet this oversimplification overlooks two key truths:

• Singapore was not a fishing village in the 1960s. It was a crown colony.

• Singapore’s success was the result of collective contributions. The dedication of the Old Guard and many others who worked alongside LKY.

Here are some key individuals whose contributions were instrumental in shaping Singapore:

1. Lim Kim San, Singapore’s first HDB chairman, tackled the severe housing crisis and, in an extraordinary act of service, worked without a salary for years. Under his leadership, HDB built tens of thousands of affordable homes, fostering social stability. The first generation of PAP leaders were truly a class of their own.

2. Dr. Albert Winsemius, Singapore’s economic advisor for over 20 years, was a visionary in shaping industrial policy. He championed export-driven growth, initiated the Jurong Industrial Estate, and brought multinational corporations to Singapore.

3. Goh Keng Swee, often called Singapore’s “economic architect,” laid the foundations for long-term stability by establishing the CPF, spearheading the EDB, and introducing National Service.

4. S. Rajaratnam played a pivotal role in securing Singapore’s place on the global stage. He co-founded ASEAN, drafted the national pledge, and promoted multiracial harmony.

5. Hon Sui Sen, as Singapore’s first Finance Minister, spearheaded the development of the Jurong Industrial Estate, which set the stage for Singapore’s rapid industrialisation in the 1960s. He transformed Singapore into a financial hub by establishing the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and creating the Asian Dollar Market.

While LKY’s leadership, vision, and ability to inspire were undeniably critical, the narrative that he single-handedly built Singapore risks erasing the contributions of these individuals.

I feel it’s a regretable that many young people and new citizens do not know the names above and what they actually did for Singapore.

Furthermore, if we truly admire LKY, wouldn’t it make sense for this admiration to be based on knowledge of what he did or didn’t do?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we needed up here and how we can share a more balanced and inclusive story of our nation.

It’s been 10 years since Lee Kuan Yew passed. I still remember the scenes of people queuing for hours to pay their respects. Some posted pictures or videos of themselves crying on social media to show how sad they were.

At the time, however, I noticed something worrying. Even the mildest criticism of him — no matter how balanced or fair — was met with intense backlash.

The common narrative I hear often portrays LKY as a singular figure who almost single-handedly transformed Singapore from a “fishing village” into a First World nation.

Yet this oversimplification overlooks two key truths:

• Singapore was not a fishing village in the 1960s. It was a crown colony.

• Singapore’s success was the result of collective contributions. The dedication of the Old Guard and many others who worked alongside LKY.

Here are some key individuals whose contributions were instrumental in shaping Singapore:

1. Lim Kim San, Singapore’s first HDB chairman, tackled the severe housing crisis and, in an extraordinary act of service, worked without a salary for years. Under his leadership, HDB built tens of thousands of affordable homes, fostering social stability. The first generation of PAP leaders were truly a class of their own.

2. Dr. Albert Winsemius, Singapore’s economic advisor for over 20 years, was a visionary in shaping industrial policy. He championed export-driven growth, initiated the Jurong Industrial Estate, and brought multinational corporations to Singapore.

3. Goh Keng Swee, often called Singapore’s “economic architect,” laid the foundations for long-term stability by establishing the CPF, spearheading the EDB, and introducing National Service.

4. S. Rajaratnam played a pivotal role in securing Singapore’s place on the global stage. He co-founded ASEAN, drafted the national pledge, and promoted multiracial harmony.

5. Hon Sui Sen, as Singapore’s first Finance Minister, spearheaded the development of the Jurong Industrial Estate, which set the stage for Singapore’s rapid industrialisation in the 1960s. He transformed Singapore into a financial hub by establishing the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and creating the Asian Dollar Market.

While LKY’s leadership, vision, and ability to inspire were undeniably critical, the narrative that he single-handedly built Singapore risks erasing the contributions of these individuals.

I feel it’s a regretable that many young people and new citizens do not know the names above and what they actually did for Singapore.

Furthermore, if we truly admire LKY, wouldn’t it make sense for this admiration to be based on knowledge of what he did or didn’t do?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we needed up here and how we can share a more balanced and inclusive story of our nation.