Transcription
[Music] [Applause] [Music]
Then years from now, this will be a metropolis. Never fear, the next thousand years, we will be here, recognizable, identifiable. A total population refused to be cowed. We give them the [Music] courage. To the young and to the not so old, I say, look at that horizon, follow that rainbow, go ride [Music] [Music] it.
The flags are out, the big decorations are up, and it's prelude to Malaysia. Singapore joyfully takes another step forward to full independence on this Malaysia Solidarity Day. [Music] August 31st, 1963. It's two weeks before Singapore's merger with [Music] Malaya. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew delivers a speech that expresses his hope and optimism for the new nation of Malaysia. By Asian standards, Malaysia is a small nation, but let no one doubt the will, cohesion, endurance, and the discipline of our people, and let no one misjudge the resolve of her [Music] leaders.
The Federation is formed, but would soon be rocked by deep political and economic differences between the ruling parties of Singapore and Malaysia. Communal tensions erupt, culminating in racial riots in 1964. In May 1965, Lee takes to the Malaysian Parliament to make his case against communal politics. [Music] [Music] But the two sides are unable to resolve their disputes. They agree to go their separate ways.
Singapore separates from the Federation on the morning of August 9th, 1965. Hours later, Lee makes the announcement. "I'm not sure I have for me, it is a moment of anguish because all my [Music] life, you see, the whole of my adult life [Music] I had believed in Malay in [Music] merger and the unity of these two territories. You know, it's a people connected by geography, economics, and ties of kinship." [Music] "Would your mind every stop for a [Music] while?"
Lee resumes his broadcast and concludes by addressing the new nation's Malay [Music] population. "And I ask them, 'Don't worry. This was the government that believed in multiracialism, had brought Singapore away from chauvinism into multiracialism. Pity it turned out that we could not achieve multiracialism and integration in Malaysia, but we will achieve it in Singapore.'"
In the years that follow, Lee continues to engage Singapore's Malay community regularly. India, economy, Poland, Bulgaria, Arab, Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, China, communist, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Korea, UND [Music] done.
Amidst ambitious plans to grow the economy, some in the international community have doubts about the survivability of the young island nation. "Can Singapore survive as a separate independent state?" "Could I put it this way, by way of example? To sit on a stool is more comfortable and stable than to sit on a shooting stick, right? Well, now we are on a shooting stick, but I intend to sit on that shooting stick. And since that's all that I've got, 214 square miles, will jolly well make it a strong shooting stick. And my, you've seen Singapore, the people here is a shooting stick made of steel."
Throughout the 1960s, Lee continues to express his confidence in the steely resolve of Singaporeans. "I am calculating not in terms of the next election. I'm calculating in terms of the next generation, in terms of the next 100 years, in terms of eternity. And believe you me, the next thousand years, we will be here. I won't be here, but people like me and like my friends here tonight will be here, recognizable, identifiable. This was a mud flat swamp. Today, this is a modern city. 10 years from now, this will be a metropolis. Never fear. You know, some people think, 'Oh well, you know, we are a small place, they can put the screws on us.' It is not so easy. We are a small place in size, yes, geography, but in the quality of the men, the administration, the organization, the metal in the people, the fiber. Don't try. That's why we got booted out, you know. If they could have just squeezed us like an and squeeze the juice out, I think the juice would have been squeezed out of us and all the goodness would have been sucked away. But it was a bit harder, wasn't it? It was more like the durian. You try and squeeze it, your hand gets hurt. And so they say, 'Right, throw out the durian.' But inside the durian, you know, a very useful ingredient, high protein."
That high protein would soon be tested. On 18th July 1967, four months after Singapore introduces mandatory military conscription, the British government announces it would withdraw its military forces from the island. That same day, Lee addresses the first batch of cadets commissioned from the Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute. "The more effective and self-reliant we become, the more desirable and reliable a partner we will make. And what we lack in numbers, we will make up for in quality, in the standards of discipline, training, motivation, and dedication, and leadership. As a citizen military builds up."
Lee visits London to negotiate an extension of the defense agreement. [Music] "I don't think we want to fight. What we want to do is to reason, to argue, to see what is in Britain's best interest and at the same time doing the least damage to Singapore. There is still a threat there that you might withdraw your deposit." "In no, I, you know, I, I think it's hardly worth going to London if I'm going to, you know, go over BBC threatening British ministers. But we've got to face such facts of life. I mean, if in fact there is going to be a rapid and accelerated rundown to a point where our security is jeopardized, then obviously some vast sums of money will have to be spent in an accelerated expansion of our own mere defense capabilities."
As the country wraps up investments to build up a military, strategies to industrialize conceived at the start of the 1960s reap [Music] dividends. As Singapore enters into the 1970s, unemployment halves and the country charts with renewed vigor a bold path towards development and growth. [Music] [Music]
It's the dawn of the 1970s in the young nation of Singapore. The rhythmic whir of industry is the soundtrack of the times, capturing the optimism of a brighter future out of an uncertain past. The push to develop labor-intensive industries proves effective, so effective that by the 1970s, labor surplus becomes labor shortage, which in turn leads to higher wages. Amidst these impressive achievements, Lee Kuan Yew imbues upon citizens the spirit of personal and social [Music] responsibility. For [Music] [Music] [Music]
In the 1972 general elections, Lee's People's Action Party wins all seats in Parliament and nearly 70% of the overall vote. Lee acknowledges the 30% of votes lost as protest votes. "And naturally, we are concerned because they feel their life have been upset. The pace of industrialization, urbanization, urban renewal has brought about a change of not only a style of life, but their livelihood. But there are some protest votes which we cannot satisfy. Those who want extra special treatment. I mean, there are certain policies we're going to stand by."
Lee leads his party into another consecutive victory at the 1976 general elections. Again, the party sweeps votes from every constituency contested. Questions are raised internationally on the People's Action Party's dominance in Singaporean politics. "But you ever feel, Prime Minister, it's often been said in the West that a good democracy, a good democratic uh society is one in which you not only have a good government, but you have a good opposition uh to match that government. Do you not ever feel the lack of that?" "I often wonder whether the foreign journalists or the casual visitor like you uh has fathomed or can fathom the mind of an oriental. What's inside is completely different. Is this a good government that I can trust to look after me and my family, and will see that my children are educated and will have a job better than mine and have a home better than mine? Is it fair or is it unfair, unjust, favoring its relatives, its friends, looting the public purse for its relatives, for itself, so that ministers live in luxury whilst the masses live in squalor? I mean, those are the crucial issues because those are the issues that have toppled governments in the Third World. Work on those crucial issues is ongoing."
By the 1970s, more students complete secondary school. Many move on to either junior college or polytechnic and university. But in multicultural Singapore, problems with language and communication remain. For s [Music]
By the late 1970s, Singapore's GDP grows at an average rate of 13.3%, one of the highest in the developing world. Alongside the pursuit of economic growth, Lee decides to promote positive values among society. In 1979, he launches the National Courtesy Campaign. "We are better fed, better dressed, and better housed, living in high-rise new towns, working in high-rise offices and factories, traveling in crowded buses and lifts. Our lives will be unbearable if we are all selfish and inconsiderate. Greater courtesy will help us be psychologically better adjusted with less pent-up frustrations. We shall succeed because Singaporeans have a great capacity to change and respond to new challenges."
Of [Music] Singapore in the 1980s, a period of [Music] progress. Changi Airport opens and is widely hailed as the crown jewel of Singapore tourism and a pillar of [Music] modernity. In 1980, Lee Kuan Yew delivers an election rally speech. He sums up the key to success in the new decade with one word. "The word is simple, it's called productivity. Productivity means the ability to use men and machines in such a cooperative way that you produce more products per man-hour of a superior quality than any other person can do, any other group can do. And that means cooperation, not antagonism."
Why Lee expands on the point, recounting a strike by the Singapore Airlines Pilots Association a month earlier. "Think and decided, no, don't waste my time." On November 16th, 1980, the airline has a scheduled flight from Dubai to London. During their stopover in Zurich, three pilots and a flight engineer ground their flight. The plan is to press Singapore Airlines management to accept union demands for a 30% wage hike and better working [Music] conditions.
Following the incident, Lee Kuan Yew summons union representatives to meet him. "I gave them a choice: continue this, and I will by every means at my disposal teach you, and get the people of Singapore help me teach you a lesson you won't forget. And I'm prepared to start all over again, or stop it, get back to work, restore discipline, then argue your case. And let there be no mistakes about it, whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him, or give it up. This is not a game of cards. This is your life and mine. I spent a whole lifetime building this, and as long as I'm in charge, nobody's going to knock it down."
Lee reflects on this journey of nation-building in 1983 at an event commemorating his 60th birthday. "Having taken life and death decisions and gone through one acute crisis after another, my perspective, ambitions, priorities have undergone a fundamental and I believe a permanent transformation. For only a people who are willing to face up to their problems and are prepared to work with their leaders to meet unexpected hardships with courage and resolution, only they deserve to thrive and to prosper. And responding to the toast, may I express the hope that Singaporeans are such a people."
By the mid-1980s, just two decades since independence, Singapore's economy has become one of the fastest growing in Asia. Speaker, the Prime Minister of Singapore, admits the Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew earns international standing as a statesman. In 1985, he's invited to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress. "Protectionism and retaliation will shrink trade and so reduce jobs. Is America willing to write off the peaceful and constructive developments of the last 40 years that she has made possible? She will have to go one step further. She will have to be the policeman to enforce order over her sphere of influence of the world outside the Soviet bloc. It is in the interest of peace and security that America upholds the rules of international conduct which rewards peaceful, cooperative behavior and punishes transgressions of the peace. She is the anchor economy of the free market economist of the world. In your hands, therefore, lie the future of the world. Thank [Applause] [Music] you."
Back home, Singapore celebrates several major milestones. One of which is the 10th anniversary of the Clean Rivers Program, started in 1977. "The cleanup was a comprehensive, total exercise. Over 10 years, if any part of the program had stalled, we would not have made it because the process was an interrelated whole. Now, for the first time since the founding of Singapore, these rivers are clean again. New recreational amenities on and by the Marina and the rivers offer a new way of life for the people. It's something Singaporeans can be proud of."
The launch of the Mass Rapid Transit, or MRT, system in 1987 is yet another milestone. The country's first metro system shifts not only Singapore's economy but the quality of life of its citizens into higher [Music] gear. In a series of speeches from the decade, Lee urges Singaporeans to not take their new levels of comfort for [Music] granted. "That is the sunshine after, but there were dark moments, very dark moments. I could not be sure we would ever get out of that tunnel. And because the people supported us, therefore we succeeded. It just wasn't guts on our part. It was guts on a part of a total population. A total population refused to be cowed. We gave them the courage. We drummed up the music, but the people's different from their backs, and that's the way it has to be." [Music] [Music] Done.
I, Lee Kuan Yew, being chosen and appointed Prime. Political leaders are judged first by how effectively they have exercised their authority in the interests of their people. Second, by the way in which they have provided for continuity, so that a successor government will continue to protect and advance the interests of their people. And third, by the grace with which they leave office and hand over to their successors. I, Goh Chok Tong, having been appointed to the office of Prime Minister, 28th November 1990. Lee Kuan Yew hands over the reins to Goh Chok Tong, who becomes Singapore's second Prime Minister of the Republic of [Applause] Singapore. Lee would remain in cabinet as Senior Minister. Welcome, Senior Minister, as he makes his way into the lecture theater. Tremendous transformation in Singapore, which has.
Lee continues to engage the public, often as a keynote speaker at events where he shares his insights with Singaporeans. "They say we got enormous reserves. Yes, we do. But you know, a few years of a recession, an economic setback, and all that will suddenly be depleted. Our savings could be wiped out in about five, six years if you say, world recession like the last Great Depression in the 1930s. Now, our problem now is how best to improve our chances, how to invest, because we have the capital, we have the savings. You never chose your father and mother, but they chose each other, and you are there. But what we can do is to make sure that what you have is developed to its maximum potential. And in this information age, it takes a lot of training, a lot of capital to raise a person to his full potential."
The crowds that I addressed. "We were taking on not only the British of the pursuit of." During his time as Senior Minister, Lee participates in forums with Singaporean youth to hear their views and to offer his own. "And the scarcity value of land goes up. Going to a prestigious university like NUS or Harvard would cause a bomb to any ordinary family. So, um, does that mean that in your speech, you will imply that there will be very little chance for undergraduates that doesn't have such opportunity open to them to play a major role in Singapore, like becoming a, a minister?" "Let me phrase this in [Music] uh, honest but not offensive way. Supposing I can only make two Bs and two Cs and get into NUS or into NTU, I think I would do what you have done, take up accountancy. No, I, I mean that seriously. I mean that seriously. The business sector is going to grow in Singapore. But if you want to go into politics, you can make a very good MP, and I would not rule that out. We need a lot of soldiers who are going to carry a heavy load because ministers cannot do all the work. The constituency has to be looked after. Let me tell you that I could not have done what I did over the last 30 years if I did not have MPs who took over part of my constituency work. But if you want to be a leader, man, then you must take the hard knocks. And please remember, you elect duds, you get a dad government." [Applause] [Music]
In the early 2000s, as Singaporeans usher in the dawn of a new millennium, the country still grappling with a host of challenges, from the aftermath of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis to a looming terror [Music] threat. "That's right. Please seek to inspire the nation to reinvent itself, to stay relevant. We must improve our internationally traded services sector by adding medical, educational, and legal services, attracting customers from the immediate region and beyond, from India and China. The world has changed, and so must we. Embracing change also means being adaptable and resilient in the face of crisis."
"Another five people in Singapore have been infected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, bringing the tally to 44 patients. Of these, eight are in serious condition." "My wife went to SGH on the 3rd of April for a frozen shoulder. The radiographer who helped her and took the ultrasound had gone down with SARS. At 2:00 in the morning, we took a temperature. It was 37.8." "So I ran out the doctor said, 37.8? Said, no, it was one of those ear thermometers. I said, take it by the tongue. So put the tongue thermometer. No, 37.3. Went back to sleep."
The 2003 SARS outbreak in Singapore lasts from February to May that year. 238 are infected, and the death toll is 33. The economic fallout is chronic. A significant slice of Singapore's economic pie is lost from sectors like retail, hospitality, and tourism, as firms begin to cut wages and jobs. Some of the anger from workers is directed at foreign workers. "I cannot understand what SATS is trying to do now. And the boys are asking, why are the Filipinos still here when we are losing our jobs? I do not believe SATS is doing something stupid because they must produce results. If we say tomorrow all foreign workers leave, I think Singapore will be worse off, not better off. So we better live with and learn how to adjust. This is a bad period. We got to go through it. We'll go through it, and we'll come out on top. But we do things in a sensible way. Don't let the economy go down. Whatever else we do, our companies must be competitive and stay competitive. If they are dead, there are no jobs for anybody. So I'm sorry if I cannot give you a simple answer, yes, let's sack the Filipino. Can't be done."
Months later, as the nation recovers from the economic and emotional impact of the SARS outbreak, at his 80th birthday celebration, Lee Kuan Yew encourages Singaporeans to get back on their feet. "The present pessimism of the fainthearted, reflected in the media, that Singapore has seen its best days, that the music has stopped and that the party is over, it's totally unfounded. That is not the way I see the future for Singapore. After we have cut costs and made ourselves competitive, we shall rise to greater heights. But if we psych ourselves into gloom, we deserve to be sidelined. To conclude, let me recount how the National Pledge came about. We needed to remind our people of their obligation to each other and to the [Music] nation. Since 1966, it has been recited at all school assemblies. 37 years on, our response to the SARS crisis as one united people gives us real hope that this pledge is not a dream. Now, I ask you to join me in a toast to the citizens of Singapore who pledge themselves as one united people, regardless of race, language, or [Music] religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity, and progress for our nation. Ladies and gentlemen, to the President, the people of Singapore. Singapore."
I, Lee Hsien Loong, having been appointed on the 12th of August 2004. Lee's son, Lee Hsien Loong, succeeds Goh Chok Tong as Prime Minister. The elder Lee stays on in cabinet, this time as Senior Minister, guiding younger ministers. "But to be able to use it, you have to have it at at your fingertips." He also continues to weigh in on key policy discussions in Parliament. One of them is the debate on whether to build integrated resorts in the country. "To say no after the worldwide publicity of this argument for over a year, Singapore will be sending out the wrong signal that we are staying put, the same old Singapore, neat and tidy like Switzerland, better than Switzerland, no chewing gum, no smoking, and air-conditioned places, no this, no that, no fun of a place to visit. Is it? These virtues are valuable, but no longer sufficient. Now we also have to be not just economically vibrant, but an exciting, fascinating city to visit." "How are you, sir? So glad to see you."
Meanwhile, as Singapore's most recognizable diplomat, Lee continues to command respect around the world for his insights. "When you look at the achievements that they say, boy, Lee Kuan Yew has created a miracle in Singapore, but he is an authoritarian. I have to govern now 4 million people, 3 million are Singaporeans, 1 million are foreigners who get jobs in Singapore. And of that, 100,000 are professionals. Why do they come there? Because it's a thriving economy that gives them jobs, and their families are happy and safe. No drugs, no muggings, no rapings. You can walk the streets 3:00 in the morning, you're okay. You won't see any policemen there. You won't see soldiers lining the streets. Every 4 years to 5 years, I have to renew. I had to renew my mandate. That's a free election, and there about five, six, seven different parties that will spring to life one year before the elections and try their luck. And in the last few elections, they devised a new strategy. They knew that the people wanted a PAP government, but wanted an opposition. But what was the concession they made? That the people wanted a PAP government. So why should I be authoritarian when I had the people with me? That's what the people wanted." "Do you still have such a sense of crisis or survival even today as you have always had?" "All the time, because we are so vulnerable. We are open to the world. We are small. We are vulnerable, vulnerable economically, vulnerable politically, vulnerable militarily. Mhm. I mean, this is a, it's like a, if I can put it like a rather well-stocked mansion, mhm, with squatters all around it. MH. So a small country of three and four million, 3 to 4 million citizens, and 1 and a half million foreign workers working here because we need them, has to defend itself, have to maintain a foreign service that spreads itself, creating, we hope, friends around the world, and trade and commerce and investments."
Key to fostering friendships and partnerships is maintaining trust in Singapore amongst the international community. Lee would often reflect on the hard work that went into building Singapore's reputation as an efficient city-state with good governance. Most of these policies started as mere ideas, simmering in the 1960s and '70s, and over the years, they bore fruit, bringing long-lasting benefits to [Music] Singapore. "Anybody coming into this region will know, you base yourself here, then you look around and do your business and see where the businesses are. That cannot be done overnight. But what can immediately be done was to show investors that this is a well-organized place. So when they come into the airport, especially investors, they will pass by greenery, which means maintenance. So without having to tell anything to the CEO, I knew that he would understand that when I say we will deliver, he knows that we can deliver."
Lee would serve as a Member of Parliament until his death in 2015. Since being elected as Prime Minister at the age of 35, he spent 56 years of his life serving Singapore. Welcome, our two former Prime Ministers, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. On 9th August 2014, he attends Singapore's 49th National Day Parade, one of his last public appearances. For Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore, the following year, the late statesman is remembered at the nation's 50th National Day celebrations. "To the young and to the not so old, I say, look at that horizon, follow that rainbow, go ride it. Not all would be rich, quite a few will find a grain of gold, dig it up. But all those who pursue that rainbow will have a joyous and exhilarating ride and some profit." [Music]