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Mrs Lee Kuan Yew dies aged 89

Mrs Lee Kuan Yew dies aged 89 yesterday evening. This piece of news shocked Singaporeans for Mrs Lee (also known as Madam Kwa Geok Choo) was Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's wife. Behind every successful man is a Great wife; indeed Mrs Lee Kuan Yew helped Minister Mentor Lee manage their family and domestic matters so that Minister Mentor Lee could focus on building Singapore from a third world country into what it is today.

Although Mrs Lee Kuan Yew has shunned from most of the public spotlight, she, as wife of Minister Mentor Lee still holds significant roles in many Singaporeans including me. As a Singaporean, I am very grateful to Mrs Lee Kuan Yew for being the emotional pillar behind Minister Mentor Lee.


When Minister Mentor Lee took over a Singapore forced to exit from Malaysia, he has to contend with the racial lines which divided Singapore as witnessed in the many racial riots then; gang triads and communism. Singapore is without natural resources and with its land scarcity, many have expected Singapore as a young nation to fail; but under Minister Mentor Lee's leadership, he has helped steer Singapore into what it is today.

Singapore has zero in natural resources to offer to the world. What Singapore has in its people, in the ideas of its people. It is with these ideas that we created Newater, hosted the first F1 night race, the world's inaugural Youth Olympic, having the world's best airport, among many other accolades.

Indeed it is very disheartening and even sad to witness many Singaporeans saying not so nice things to Minister Mentor Lee online even when Mrs Lee has died! True, certain policies could be better as the fact is that no policies are perfect. One can lament on ministers earning few millions per year but one must remember that their jobs are not as simple as one think as our leaders have to continously think of ideas to offer to the world, to ensure our industries are sustainable in the backdrop of zero natural resources.

I hope that with the death of Mrs Lee Kuan Yew, Singaporeans could take few minutes to reflect on how Singapore has gone a long journey from 1959 (self governance) to 1965 (independence) to what it is today with Minister Mentor Lee's team.

It is only lately that Singaporeans including me understand more about Minister Mentor Lee's family with Minister Mentor Lee and his daughter, Dr Lee Wei Ling sharing in the Sunday Times.

Minister Mentor Lee is a devoted and good husband to Madam Kwa and together they have weathered through the goods and bads of life.
Mrs Lee's death would be an immense blow to Mr Lee.

I would like to send my condolences to Minister Mentor and Prime Minister. My heart is with them at this moment.
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