Leadership
Thank you for Finishing Well, Lee Kuan Yew (1923–2015)
Happy 97th Birthday, Minister Mentor
Today is his 97th Birthday.
I remember his 60th birthday gala dinner
Celebrated with 99 tables
At The Mandarin Hotel Singapore,
His favourite hotel.
I was among the many guests
Who loved him,
Together with millions other Singaporeans
Whom he loved and gave his life, wisdom and all.
Few knew him face-to-face, mostly at a distance,
Many Singaporeans have seen him, heard his speeches,
In every general election, most have voted for him,
To lead us, our children and theirs into a better tomorrow;
We were not disappointed.
In 1965 fifty-five years ago, Lee Kuan Yew wept for Singapore
When tossed out like a pariah and garbage from Malaysia;
In 2015, Singapore wept for Lee Kuan Yew
For the Metropolis that he promised then to build;
A better place than the one we left,
More prosperous, harmonious, peaceful and safe;
A Garden City by the sea,
A Nation par excellence,
A People rugged and resilience,
To continue his nation building vision
For the future of the world, and
For our generations to come.
Much are written on how he began,
How he defined my future and us all,
How he fought, persuaded, led and organised,
For us to become his vision made real;
Around us, his hand-prints and footprints
Left no doubt LKY’s the Architect and Builder;
A Servant Leader by any measure,
A mortal human being,
Extraordinary by exceptional degree.
I remember that fateful day in 2015,
Heaven’s rains and our tears mixed,
Surge forth like a tidal wave
United in joyful celebrations,
To carry his remains to eternity
And preserve his immortality among the Greats;
We can choose to feel abandoned
By the loss of LKY in our midst;
Or to grasp the inheritance he left for us,
To continue his work to our very end.
Singapore is LKY’s dedication;
We are his pre-occupation.
He took us on a path of no return,
Promising a journey demanding
And worth the effort;
He made my life his endgame,
And Singapore his life;
He set his sights on Singapore made exceptional,
To achieve the things that really matter,
That we make a difference to the world
To make a difference in my life.
At every stage of his life,
LKY put forth his best effort
To the very end of his life,
He fought a good fight for Singapore;
We should now show the same diligence
To the very end of our lives;
Be involved and help others positively,
Never leave the weak, poor and sick
And leaving no Singaporean behind;
Do them with his enthusiasm,
To finish well like him.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MM LEE KUAN YEW.
