Lee Kuan Yew (1923 –2015) is considered the founding father of modern Singapore. From a low-resource Island to a developed Global economic powerhouse, Singapore has had a remarkable transformation with the leadership of its founding father Lee Kuan Yew.
Though a Small Island, Singapore has already achieved extraordinary economic and social development and remarkable transformation in socio-economic, and political development. Lee Kuan Yew was the country’s first Prime Minister (1959-1990).
Singapore was under the colonial power of the British government. Singapore’s people were suffering from many issues such as a lack of resources, lower socio-economic conditions, unstable politics, and whatnot!
But with the Legacy, thoughtful policies, established governance, and uninterrupted focus emphasized on building a developed and successful nation, the contribution of the legend Lee Kuan Yew is tremendous.
The challenges beyond the success: historical background:
Before being independent, Singapore was facing a huge number of challenges, including colonial deprivation from the British, Malaysia’s intervention, and so on. These were considered as the main obstacles of Singapore along with lower economic conditions, increasing unemployment, lack of infrastructure, unskilled, and uneducated population, and many more. This island also had a lack of natural resources problems related to the City are comparable with the Chinese and Malay populations. Even they were refused to be helped by the Malaysian government as well in 1965 and became an independent Nation.
With a lack of resources, an immense number of unemployed people, and a lack of direction to lead the country, the future of Singapore seemed uncertain. The problem did not stop there. Vulnerable state policies with a lack of military, least and limited land, inadequate agriculture land and production the challenge was not less.
In this vulnerable situation in Singapore, the legend Lee Kuan Yew and his party people’s Action Party (PAP) took responsibility for Singapore with their extraordinary nation-building projects that the world might never have experienced.
The initiative taken by Lee Kuan Yew:
Lee Kuan Yew’s main challenges were to establish a disciplined cohesive and promptly skilled society to survive and bring success to Singapore. This legend’s main aim was to make capable individuals beyond his background or ethnicity and increase their leadership skills so that they could contribute to the nation’s development and he was right.
For this reason, he built a multicultural approach that ensures Singapore’s ethnic diversity, and unity as well as a strength rather than a liability. He started to establish harmony and ensure equal opportunities and responsibilities which drives diversified cultural racial and ethnical people even if most of the Asian countries were suffering from racial and cultural divisions that can weaken unity.
For instance, he focused on establishing bilingualism in schools and Educational Institutions that allow the students to learn both English and also their mother languages. It helps to Foster Social Cohesion and make them stronger to compete with the Global economic stages.
Transformation in economy and development:
With this transformation in economic development Singapore has become a first-world country from a third-world country. Lee Kuan Yew had a long-term vision that was pragmatic and forward-looking. He started to take the initiative to transform the city-state into a trading spot and a business hub as Singapore was in lack of natural resources.
For instance, he started to make efforts to attract foreigners for foreign investment and took the Singapore economy for development. As Singapore was on major shipping routes for its geographical location, it helped to make it a business-friendly environment.
As a result, Singapore become the most attractive destination for foreigners to set up their operations in Asia. Lee Kuan Yew’s government emphasized establishing the Economic Development Board which helped to drive industrialization. It mainly attracts multinational corporations to Singapore with the offers of more structured infrastructure, educated, and professionally skillful working people, and even tax breaks.
Investing in education and infrastructure also was a good initiative taken by the People’s Action Party (PAP) governments. It had the outcome of well-trained and skillful workforces that played the most significant roles in the development of the economy.
Moving from low-wage manufacturing to high-tech sectors, the establishment of Changi Airport and Port of Singapore, a strong initiative taken for anti-corruption measures, strong governance, and ecosystems, the Housing Development Board, and appropriate foreign policy were some of the successful reinforces taken by the mastermind Lee Kuan Yew.
Lee Kuan Yew’s contribution to transforming Singapore into a global City and implementation of success is unavoidable. With successful leadership, any situation can be changed that is the real evidence made by this legend.
However, the criticism was also not less, Scholars argue that his policies, strategic vision, and initiative were the main reason for the rapid positive growth of Singapore’s people.
To read more blogs like this click here.
Sadia Sultana Lima
Intern
Content writing department, YSSE.