Lee Kwan Yes was the head of government in Singapore when I was stationed there, with short stays in Borneo, in military service during the Indonesian confrontation. Although young in age, I felt that his actions in maintaining, and improving, a multi racial society in a small city state, were second to none. Nightly tv programme "Belarjah La Bahasa Kebang Sahn" (probably spelled wrong) interpreting various words and phrases from English into Malay, Indian, and Chinese, helped promote diversity and a national identity. His policy of only 2 children per family being subject to free State medical care and education, with the cost of any more being the responsibility of the parents helped prevent the overcrowding of the relatively small island. There were several more that I felt were beneficial to the population. I forget which UK government was in power from 1964 to 67, but perhaps if they had followed some of Lee's policies, it may have led to the foundation of a better society.
Penseivat - interesting that he impressed you even at a young age. What I like is the practical outlook. Some problems need to be tackled with determination rather than fudged if only to foster an outlook where this is at least possible. We don't really have that.
Sackers - I'm not so keen on his solution, but haven't had a close encounter with the problem. To my mind his argument about the damaged caused quite deliberately is very strong though.
When he came to Britain as a student he seems to have impressed everyone he met. (He was then known as Harry Lee, having grown up speaking English not a Chinese language).
He married a conspicuously bright girl. Their son eventually graduated as Senior Wrangler at Cambridge (and is the present PM of Singapore).
By the standards of politics he's a giant but I suspect he'd have been a substantial figure whatever career he'd pursued.
dearieme - I'm not surprised he impressed everyone he met, his clarity of outlook is most impressive even now. He brings home how hard it is to sustain that level of clear thinking.
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Lee Kwan Yes was the head of government in Singapore when I was stationed there, with short stays in Borneo, in military service during the Indonesian confrontation. Although young in age, I felt that his actions in maintaining, and improving, a multi racial society in a small city state, were second to none. Nightly tv programme "Belarjah La Bahasa Kebang Sahn" (probably spelled wrong) interpreting various words and phrases from English into Malay, Indian, and Chinese, helped promote diversity and a national identity. His policy of only 2 children per family being subject to free State medical care and education, with the cost of any more being the responsibility of the parents helped prevent the overcrowding of the relatively small island. There were several more that I felt were beneficial to the population. I forget which UK government was in power from 1964 to 67, but perhaps if they had followed some of Lee's policies, it may have led to the foundation of a better society.
Mm h'm!
Penseivat - interesting that he impressed you even at a young age. What I like is the practical outlook. Some problems need to be tackled with determination rather than fudged if only to foster an outlook where this is at least possible. We don't really have that.
Sackers - I'm not so keen on his solution, but haven't had a close encounter with the problem.
To my mind his argument about the damaged caused quite deliberately is very strong though.
When he came to Britain as a student he seems to have impressed everyone he met. (He was then known as Harry Lee, having grown up speaking English not a Chinese language).
He married a conspicuously bright girl. Their son eventually graduated as Senior Wrangler at Cambridge (and is the present PM of Singapore).
By the standards of politics he's a giant but I suspect he'd have been a substantial figure whatever career he'd pursued.
dearieme - I'm not surprised he impressed everyone he met, his clarity of outlook is most impressive even now. He brings home how hard it is to sustain that level of clear thinking.
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