Why is Lee so
hard on his political opponents? Could the PAP ever lose its grip on power? Are
the younger leaders up to the mark? Will growing religiosity change Singapore
for the better of worse? How will rising giants China and India affect
Singapore's fortunes? Why is rich Singapore so parsimonious when spending on
the poor and disadvantaged? Why the drive to attract immigrants despite
Singaporeans' discomfiture?
Lee, fielding these and many other questions in the book and on DVD, is
combative, thought-provoking and controversial. Lee has stayed in the public
eye for 60 years - as the revolutionary leader who steered Singapore to
independence, as the Prime Minister who transformed the Republic into a First
World country, and as Minister Mentor, the elder statesman.
Based on 32 hours of interviews, this book and DVD pick up where his memoirs of
1999 and 2000 left off. His views are articulated forcefully, with forays into
history to buttress his point. To him, Singapore is a miracle that could
disappear if not for exceptional leadership and safeguards. Here is Lee at 87,
an unrepentant believer in strong government, in genes, and in the view that
economics trumps freedoms. Unvarnished Lee This book presents the politically
incorrect Lee, often impatient and dismissive of those who criticise his
worldview. He is not one for regrets. He does not recant. But there are moments
when he looks back and thinks he could have done things differently or been
more accommodating. Readers will gain insight into Lee's mind as he ruminates,
argues, thinks aloud and rebuts.