Tatler is the latest to jump on to the idolatry bandwagon ascribing a God-like status to LKY in this month's edition.
In its opening intro, it credits LKY for transforming Singapore from an "economic backwater" into a modern cosmopolitan.
Looks like the editor needs some history lessons.
In 1957, the groundwork for universal education had already been laid by the Government of Lim Yew Hock which passed the Education Ordinance and opened 100 elementary schools, 11 new secondary schools and a polytechnic school. The four languages of English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil were also giving parity, sowing the seeds of racial harmony.
Public housing had also been initiated through the establishment of Singapore Improvement Trust set up by the British in 1927 with the objective of clearing slums that had taken root causing diseases to spread.
Economic development was also not neglected. In 1959, Singapore already had the 3rd highest GDP in East Asia. (See graphic taken from Economic Growth of Singapore in the Twentieth Century: Historical GDP Estimates and Empirical Investigation by Ichiro Sugimoto)
So was Singapore a backwater in the 1950s? Hardly... The groundwork was already laid with the requisite civil structure in place. The PAP merely took over the infrastructure and built on it. Try putting the Lee in charge of Timbuktu and let's see what he can achieve.
The Alternative View
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