Authoritarian offspring of Singapore's founder discusses the efficiency of a "subtle dictatorship"
Article Revamped:
In a scathing article for The New York Times, Lee Hsien Yang, the boyo' of Singapore's founding father, calls out the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) for straying from his dad's original principles. According to him, the once-authoritarian system that ensured universal prosperity, clean governance, and top-notch public services is now just an autocratic mess.
Lee Hsien Yang claims that the current leadership has lost touch with the people and is more interested in serving the rich, PAP members, and their cronies rather than meeting the societal needs. Despite having long respected his old man, Lee admits that his views are shaped by a family feud over the family home. The house, he explains, has become a symbol of defiance against his father's wishes, with his father wanting it demolished after his death. However, his elder brother, Lee Hsien Loong, the former prime minister, opposed it. Fearing arrest, Lee Hsien Yang fled to the UK with his family and was granted political asylum in 2022.
Lee described his father as a product of Singapore's struggle for nationhood, who believed in a strong hand but also communicated and listened to a wide spectrum of Singaporeans. Today's rulers, he says, are out of touch, and Singapore's reputation for being free of corruption is slowly slipping away. Despite high rankings in corruption perception indices, Singapore has seen several high-profile scandals involving ministers, politicians, and state companies.
Issues with public transport, data leaks, localized flooding, and high cost of living are eroding the trust in the government. Yet, the government continues to tighten its grip, using police investigations, libel lawsuits, and other legal measures against opponents and critics. Lee cites the case of Pritam Singh, leader of the opposition Workers' Party, who was found guilty of giving false testimony under oath.
Lee Hsien Yang believes that the upcoming elections offer no chance for competitors of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, as the PAP holds 83 out of 93 seats in parliament and controls key institutions. The elections, he warns, are far from free and fair. Nevertheless, he sees an increasing demand for change, as, in the 2020 elections, the ruling party secured only 61% of the votes, while the opposition Workers' Party won a record 10 seats.
Lee Hsien Yang argues that the system established by his father was only effective when he was in charge. Concluding the article, he quotes political scientist Samuel Huntington:
In the heart of Southeast Asia, an ambitious young family from Kazakhstan tried their luck. We caught up with them to learn about their foreign journey.
- I, Lee Hsien Yang, as the son of Singapore's founding father, have voiced my criticism towards the current ruling People's Action Party (PAP), asserting that they have deviated from my father's original principles.
- In the article, I pointed out that the once autocratic system, which ensured quality public services, clean governance, and universal prosperity, has now turned into an autocratic mess.
- I accused the current leadership of being out of touch with the general public and prioritizing the rich, PAP members, and their associates over societal needs.
- I warned that the upcoming elections offer no fair chance for competitors of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, as the PAP holds a majority in parliament and controls key institutions.
- In the article, I also discussed events from my personal life, including my political asylum in the UK and a family feud over our family home, but I maintain that my views on Singapore's current political situation are independent of these personal issues.
