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Even without Mr Lee, let’s see the merits of unpopular policies

As a young undergraduate, I am thankful to be living the dream of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. His authoritarian style of rulership had left some unhappy, but was necessary for the survival of an abandoned nation in 1965.

As a young undergraduate, I am thankful to be living the dream of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. His authoritarian style of rulership had left some unhappy, but was necessary for the survival of an abandoned nation in 1965.

Singapore has benefited from the hard-headed policies he had deemed right. While some were controversial, those policies have helped shape the First World country we enjoy today, a privilege we cannot take for granted.

We are familiar with some of these policies, for example, to do with the Central Provident Fund, immigration, National Service and the media. Each are unpopular with some Singaporeans, but were implemented for the greater good.

The Republic’s remarkable progress was no sheer coincidence; it had been partly due to strict governance. Many have praised Mr Lee for his shrewd methods in developing Singapore, yet his style may not be accepted today.

In recent times, some Singaporeans have become complacent and are pushing for liberal policies that may work in other countries, but not here.

As we mourn a great leader, we must ask ourselves whether or not strict governance is uniquely necessary to ensure Singapore’s survival for the next 50 years, given that we are still a vulnerable state with no natural resources.

Should we liberalise and implement populist policies, or should we defer certain rights for the country’s betterment and implement necessary policies to guide us, in the same way Mr Lee’s harsh policies have served us effectively?

Even without Mr Lee, let us see the merits of unpopular policies, so that we can continue to walk home safely at night, not worry about our next meals, have a roof over our heads and be an efficient, prosperous nation.

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