Photo courtesy of "Singapore Democrats".I once told a group of 120 college students in America that I look upon MM. Lee Kuan Yew as my hero. I was delivering a speech about Singapore, and how Singapore came to be a prosperous country - more so than the United States, in a span of a few decades - in the hand of our founding father and first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
And now, not only do I look upon him as a hero, I see him as a real man - a man who loves his wife dearly and he loves her so till her last day. On Oct 2, his wife Mdm Kwa Geok Choo died at the age of 89. I think she has lived a wonderful life. Many of us see her as a bright student, a successful lawyer, a nurturing mother and a caring grandmother. But to me, I see her as someone who is deeply loved by her husband. Honestly, how many women can beat that? Especially in our society when divorce rate and marriage infidelity are going up at an accelerating rate.
I read about the love story of MM Lee and his wife and am immensely touched by it. They got secretly married in London while studying there, and they got married again (this time with their parents' consent) when they got back to Singapore. Mrs Lee was the supportive wife, the great woman who stood behind Mr Lee while he was reshaping Singapore.
I remember, when she got a stroke while traveling abroad some years ago, MM Lee shed tears. It was the second time he ever shed tears in public. The first was when Singapore was expelled from Malaya in 1965 (years before I was born). MM Lee cried publicly because he couldn't bear the thought of Singapore being on its own - he thought that Singapore would be doomed without Malaysia. But I'm glad he proved himself and everyone wrong. Not only was Singapore able to make it on its own, it became so much more successful than Malaysia. MM Lee did us proud. That's because he loves Singapore, as much as he loves his wife.
In a recent interview with a New York Times reporter, MM Lee said that the stress of his wife’s illness is harder on him than stresses he faced for years in the political arena. And that....his life has been darkened by the illness of his wife in these final years.....
To me, MM Lee is a good example of what a great man is. He loves Singapore, he achieved success for Singapore. He loves his wife deeply and to her last day, and he is loved deeply in return.
I have no respect for men who achieved great career success but lives a frivolous life with women - such as the New York governor who used prostitutes and the American president who is famous for doing that (hem hem, you know, I know) while at office.
In spite of great success, one is nothing unless you know how to love somebody deeply. I'm not trying to be a crusader here, but simply air my own view point. Modern people give up too quickly and too easily, especially in our Internet society. I've seen relationships and even marriages broken up because of long distance. I've seen men who claim they love their girlfriends but cheated on them with an eye closed. I've seen couples split up because they no longer see eye to eye. Its a disappointing world. I am disillusioned in this self-gain society where people love too easily but do not mean it.
MM Lee's love for his wife is one of those stories that gives me hope. I want to be like MM Lee - who fear nothing and is not afraid to love.
Some dissident citizen, out of spite, posted this remark on "The Temasek Review" website. (The dumb thing is, the website has been down for 5 hours since I last checked.) But this dissident citizen was calling MM Lee as someone who seeks to be feared rather than loved.
Hello, what's wrong with that? I mean, you can't seek to be loved by EVERYONE. Unless you are a clown. Isn't it enough that he is deeply loved by his wife, his lifelong partner? What more do you want than being loved by one person who matters most to you?
I am someone who could give up everything to achieve my dream. And I already did that. By leaving behind my comfortable life in Singapore and five-figure savings to do what I like to do in the U.S. Most of my dreams have been fulfilled so far, and I am contented with my life. But ultimately, there will come a day when I give myself up for The One. Because life will not be meaningful without having loved and being loved deeply by that person.
With this - I paid my respect to the Great Mrs Lee for having lived such a wonderful life. And I hope MM Lee will find strength to carry on, like what he told the reporters:
"I cannot choose how I'm going to go. I just carry on my life and that's that. If you start thinking about it, you will go downhill. Every day is a bonus, so let's carry on," Lee said.
MM Lee, please take good care. You know in your heart that you have lived a great life. You have done Singapore proud, and you have been a tremendously good husband to your wife. And with this, you shall go on.
