Lee Kuan Yew
Stirring hornet’s nest
His remarks evoke strong KL reaction and revive issues of ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ and race conflict in Malaysia. Littlespeck.
Sep 23, 2006

Background:
Singapore: Mr. Lee Kuan Yew said in an interview, "Our neighbours both have problems with their Chinese. They are successful. They are hardworking and therefore they are systemically marginalised. Indonesia and Malaysia want Singapore, to put it simply, to be like their Chinese - compliant.
We need a government (in Singapore) that will have the gumption and skill to say 'no' to our neighbours in a very quiet and polite way that doesn't provoke them into doing something silly."

Malaysian:
Calling the comment ‘naughty’, DPM Najib bin Razak said, "Malaysia does not practise a policy of blocking opportunities for non-bumiputras to progress further…
“I do not know his real motive but.. it is a comment that we can do without and is not appreciated at all. It is not accurate, has political impact and is very misleading.”

Comments
.. from Malaysian bloggers and forummers (excerpts, edited for brevity): -

By disillusioned rebel:
Mr. Lee why did you abandon the non-Bumis? You fought so hard for a Malaysian Malaysia then you abandon us like that. And while Singapore surged far ahead, you left us behind.
And sometimes this kind of statements will actually make life a bit harder for non-Bumis you know. One more thing, your Singapore Social Studies text book ah, can please don't blame everything on Malaysia for the separation?
Treat Tunku Abdul Rahman like criminal. Actually I think he was the most sincere and gentle Prime Minister.
Anyway, congrats on Singapore's acheivement.
Perhaps Singapore can provide more opportunities for these so called 'marginalised' people in Malaysia and Indonesia then, give them more scholarships and chances to study in Singapore, since Singapore needs foreign talent anyway. Plus Singapore is so rich, give other people a bit more only won't make much difference.

By banana lee:
First on Lee. He did not "abandon" the non-Bumis. Singapore is good because:
a) It is a small state - and thus easy to administer
b) It had a strong leader for its founding years
c) It ran itself on highly authoritarian lines - free media? *ptui*
Some of my mates are Singaporeans and they tell me that if you don't vote for PAP, you are out of the running for scholarships, HDB flat upgrades and all that jazz. Oh dear.. sounds like a Communist authoritarian state.

By tammy
I agree with Lee Kuan Yew’s comment. Quota system is the instrument to marginalise non-bumis. It doesn’t take a genius to see that.

By michael wong
Our leaders should not be in a state of denial and be brave enough to tell the world how since independence they have planned systematically to do just that. Any adult non-bumi from age 50 onwards will agree with Mr. Lee. Quit deceiving yourself, Malaysian ministers, the truth is out there for everyone can see.

By Neo
I totally agree with Lee. The smartest and brightest Malaysian Chinese are overseas because they don’t have equal opportunities in Malaysia. I am also one of the foreign talents working in Singapore holding Malaysian passport. Globalisation will wipe out countries that implement and encourage racial national policies.

By Mack
Yes, we should not be afraid of criticisms. It also means we should not tolerate broad generalisation and barbed comments which are for most part anecdotal and backed with nothing but personal opinions. That’s where I think Kuan Yew is coming from. Look, I am not denying that we have things I would like to see fixed, racial or otherwise, but Singapore, too, also has them, too. Just because ‘his’ Singapore is now run by someone else and he has time on his hands, does not mean that he can go around snooping voyeuristically in another man’s backyard.

By tigerjoe
Every one reaches a stage in his life where he has done it all.. and thereafter spend the remainder of his life looking for either amusement, redemption or both. Most pensioners are like that. Mr. Lee Kuan Yew must be the world’s oldest unretired pensioner.

By x-men
Please provide facts to prove what LKY said is misleading. As far as i am concern, i don’t see any misleading part on LKY parts.

By crossfire
Isn’t it obvious what he says is true? Why are Malaysians (particularly politicians) so ignorant to (deny) that non-bumis are being marginalised?

By Muhammad Chong
People like Harry Lee and those Malaysian working in Singapore think they are smarter and superior, which they are not.
We don’t need him to champion our fate. He should keep his comments to himself and don’t poke his nose into other people’s business.
I have no complaint about being a Malaysian Chinese and I definitely do not need Harry Lee to speak for me.

By sue lye
I agree with Lee Kuan Yew’s comments.
It would be great if wealth is equally distributed, giving equal opportunities to all. One sows, one reaps! But the way it has been done till now, no fairness!

By Jenny
Why don’t these old pensioneers sit down and shut up. First is the one in Malaysia and now this one. Why do you think we like to abandon old people? Because they talk too much

By Terry
I agree with what LKY said in his statement, but I don’t agree with what he’s done with Singapore. LKY is entitled to his comments… It doesn’t take much to realise that enforcing special privileges on race will do any good. It is unfortunate we cannot call all Malaysians/rakyat equal in our own country today…

By menj
I do not like playing the race card and race politics, but I think what some of the Malaysians commented here borders on racist connotations. I suppose they have forgotten the social contract, which was agreed upon by the founding fathers of that nation and the basic premises that laid the foundation for the current Constitution, namely the religion of the Federation and the national identity.
Having said that however, there ARE some things, which I would like to see (eradicated). However that does not mean that the Muslim majority should forsake THEIR right just to pacify the vocal minority who agrees with the known Chinese chauvinist Lee Kuan Yew.

By host
Mr. Lee is a reputable and respectable man not because of his wealth earned from his governed soil nor his fame gained from articulated folly opinions. Please understand his statements before criticising.

By 38
You will all eventually find that as you age, you will from time to time speak your mind freely and not really give two farts about what others think - ergo the recent pronouncements from LKY and Dr. M.
You must also remember that people like them, whether you like or despise them, have earned their status in life and whether you agree entirely with their opinions or not, you will almost always find more than a grain of truth in their statements. Elder statesmen like them haven\’t suddenly become stupid with age; it pays to listen.

By Shawn
a Malaysian Chinese. I worked in Malaysia for 3 years and started working in Singapore for quite a few months already.
From what I experienced in Singapore and Malaysia, I can see that as long as I try my best, I get what I deserve. I get a fair treatment in Singapore. Singapore will get you chance if you are capable.
What I’m writing here is not to provoke anyone… it’s a fact. I studied with some bumiputeras in my secondary… I remembered some of them were not even capable of doing simple mathematical calculations like +,-,x,/.
After SPM, my results were 6As and 4 Cs. I got into branch of UTM and course not my 1st choice. However, my bumiputera friends who were weak got into UM with good courses…
I really can’t stand this…
And there are so many more unfair things going on…
We have done our best to have a better career and better life but some not-so capable persons will always be the leaders or holding high positions.
I am very happy in Singapore now and I know that as long as I give my best and do whatever I need to do, I’ll get what I deserve.
Thanks Singapore for giving me what I deserve. A disappointed Malaysian.

By Dawud Farquhar
LKY has been senile for a long time now and needs such outbursts to keep him noticed and ‘relevant’. His logic can equally be applied to the marginalisation of the Malay community within Singapore and how the PAP has played a fine game of social engineering to maintain a cosmetic harmony.

By mm chua
Harry Lee's statement seems to strike a chord with many Malaysian, Bruneian and Indonesian Chinese.
In Indonesia, under deposed despot General Suharto, the Chinese minority suffered discrimination at the hands of the indigenous people.
In Brunei, the Chinese minority does not suffer oppression, but it is denied the right to Bruneian citizenship.
In Malaysia, there is a policy of affirmative action which re-distributes wealth from the Chinese minority into the hands of the indigenous Malaysians.
In Singapore, Harry Lee and his successors Goh Chok Tong and Lee Hsien Loong (Harry Lee's son) openly promote an anti-native bias.
The Singaporean government, under successive leaders, marginalises Malay, the national language of Singapore, under the guise of making sure Singaporeans are well-versed in English and Mandarin Chinese (Beijing Chinese).
The Singaporean leaders do not oppress the natives of their island state, but they blatantly uproot the natives from their history and culture.

By mikestation
Am amazed how leaders can tell such obvious big lies on newspapers. Hopefully they can refrain a bit during fasting month.
I recall the sad annual scene where high-scoring STPM students are ‘rejected’ by local universities, denied scholarships; while watching undeserving Matric students filling up the varsity places, getting scholarships to go study-cum-travel overseas, and don't need to pay back.
Compiled by Littlespeck.com