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Set for official launch on 8 September, Lee Hsien Loong and Singapore examines the impact of Singapore’s former Prime Minister’s governance and key policies.
By Felicia Chua
Singapore’s former Prime Minister (PM) and current Senior Minister (SM) Lee Hsien Loong is undoubtedly one of the nation’s most prominent public figures. On home ground and through the media, SM Lee has charmed Singaporeans with his quirks, from code-switching effortlessly during national speeches after taking just a sip from his iconic blue porcelain tea cup (dubbed by the nation as the ‘magic cup’ henceforth) to his #jalanjalan and Guess Where? Instagram posts from his leisure walks and work trips.
On the international stage and political front, SM Lee cuts a striking figure as one of Singapore’s most influential political figures, commanding respect and authority with over 40 years of public service in politics under his belt. Spanning 20 years, SM Lee served as Singapore’s third Prime Minister from 2004 to 2024.
Now, two years after his stepping down, the upcoming nonfiction release — Lee Hsien Loong and Singapore — brings together 23 essays by Singapore's leading thinkers and policy practitioners to examine his leadership and legacy during his tenure as Singapore’s third Prime Minister. Within the book, Singapore’s top thought leaders analyse how then PM Lee led Singapore through several crises, including the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how he responded to the domestic challenges of income inequality and social stratification, low fertility, an ageing population, online safety, and Singaporeans' desire for a more sustainable, affordable habitat.
Edited by Dr Gillian Koh, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, Ms Chua Mui Hoong, former Opinion Editor at The Straits Times, and Associate Professor Terence Ho, Associate Professor (Practice) at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, these essays afford a critical examination of then PM Lee’s contributions. From foreign policy to economic strategy, social support frameworks, media, politics, and key state institutions, these essays will prompt readers to consider whether there remains unfinished business his successor must address.
Lee Hsien Loong and Singapore will officially launch on 8 September, and is available for pre-order from 18 August to 7 September.
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