Thank you Mr LKY

He had been sick for the last few weeks -hence, we all feared for the worst but somehow we still hoped he could make it till National Day.

When I saw the news on Mon morning , the real sense of loss started to sink in. I tuned in to radio at 8am and heard the speech by Lee Hsien Loong as our Prime Minister who is also his son. As he made his Chinese speech, I could hear his pain but he still tried to hold his composure - at this moment, I truly felt the loss. Over the next few days, my days were fraught with meetings and calls and I didn't have much time to grief.

By night, I spent whatever little me time I have to read up whatever articles I could find about him .. I tried to watch whatever  I could catch on TV too as it was recalling the history of Singapore. Then I realised that as a Singaporean, I hadn't known him all that well when he was alive.

I certainly didn't realise that he was extremely influential in the global stage , despite our small country and history. I didn't realised he managed to grow our Gdp per capital so rapidly in just 50 years ,surpassing many developed and developing Countries. I didn't realised he had the greatest love story ever with his wife (and now I know how pivotal she was to Singapore as well and I think we should all learn from them how a couple should be) , and I certainly didn't realise how utterly devoted he was to Singapore. 

Today I was having a conversation on Leadership and I wondered how he was with his peers. For a man of his intellect and stature, was he arrogant ? Was he condescending ? Did he listen to alternative views? 

My answers were answered when I reached home . There's some interviews of people who has worked with him and they all unanimously spoke of how he listened and was prepared to change his mind if the logic was sound and if you could persuade him. He treated all as equal and was not arrogant.

Hence, I concluded that a good leader not only needs very good acumen , determination and discipline but it is also essential to listen , to inspire and to make people drive towards a common purpose. And over this week, I saw how Singaporeans unite as we mourn the loss of a great leader and how people would queue 5-8 hours just to bid him farewell. For a nation of our age and our usual apathy towards most things, this is really something  I have never seen before and never imagined possible. 

May we always remember this sense of gratitude, this unity, and learn from him the commitment that one can humanly give to Singapore or anything in life. If we do, I am convinced that we will be able to build a legacy for the next 50 years that he would be proud of. 

Thank you LKY, thanks for dedicating your entire life to Singapore and giving us a home that we can call our own and the opportunity of education and meritocracy  so that we can try to write our own destiny. Thanks for the security and stability of the country where one can walk the streets without fear at any time of the day. Thanks for incalcating all the right values in the system such that we have come to be known as people who could get things done. Thanks for inspiring us to give our best in whatever we do such that we can look back without regrets. 

Thank you Sir .. Don't worry, rest in peace, we will make you proud.