The Last of the Politicians

Young Singaporeans like their Lee Kuan Yew in only two ways: served up on the glorious pedestal of national history, or skewered by the cynicism of his detractors. For a man so much larger than life, there can be no middle ground.

Both these versions of Singapore's first Prime Minister were on the menu as undergraduates stepped up to the microphones at the Q&A session of the 2005 Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum earlier tonight. Many opened their questions with accolades and gratitude for his instrumental role in shaping Singapore's ascent into the first world.

One, as we are now familiar, chose a very different tack. Jamie Han will be remembered for some time as the person who dared utter "despot" to Lee's face. He will be a hero to those who feel, for one reason or another, disenfranchised by Lee's no-nonsense, authoritarian legacy.

But love or hate Lee, all the students who attended the forum were there for the same reason: to get a firsthand experience of his wisdom and personality while they still can. Singaporeans have never known a Singapore without Lee Kuan Yew, though that is an eventuality that draws closer each year. For people of my generation, therefore, a public appearance by Lee has all the perverse pull of a closing down sale.

I sometimes wonder what I will tell future generations about him. Those born after he has departed will surely turn to people like myself for a fuller picture of the legend. Sadly, I cannot offer them more than what they will find in the history books. Like most Singaporeans my age, the drama of the 1950s and 1960s is alien to me. I was born into a secure and stable country with Lee's name already stamped on it; at a time when most of his work was behind him. What can I tell the inquisitive children of tomorrow?

This question weighed on my mind as I took my seat in the University Cultural Centre hall this evening. By the time I left, I had my answer.

It was not, surprisingly, confirmation of Lee as an enlightened leader or as a "despot". Too little went on in the forum for such conclusions to be made, and I now believe that anyone who left feeling convinced one way or the other must have made up their minds before even arriving.

What I gained from the evening, and can give to future Singaporeans, is a picture of Lee the Orator.

From his grilling of the student who doubted Singaporeans' sense of belonging, to his cool handling of Han's audacity, he wowed his audience at every turn. At times, he came across like his 30-year-old self once did, confidently cross-examining and issuing challenges. At others, he demonstrated how to recover from an awkward situation admirably.

Take, for instance, how after one student stunned the audience by declaring he had recovered from a stroke early in life, Lee encouraged him with a reminder that his own wife had suffered a stroke, and that they too were moving on, to wild applause.

Or how after Han discredited press freedom in Singapore by referring to his rejected letters to the Straits Times, Lee hit back in a reply to another question by saying "politics is not about writing letters", eliciting hoots of laughter.

The night was full of such gems; there are too many to list here.

While most will want to take issue with the substance and sincerity of Lee's replies, I prefer to read his performance as a masterclass in how to work an audience and win their support. His feisty delivery, disarmingly quick wit and willingness to argue head-to-head are qualities rarely found in our government leaders...qualities of a true politician.

To be sure, the Vivians and Tharmans of today are brilliant men in their own right, but they are ultimately polite technocrats who fall somewhat short of Lee's street-level charisma and intimidating presence. This is not a problem as they did not have to rely on such attributes to fight tooth and nail for every inch of their credibility as Lee did in his day.

The upshot of this, however, is that when Lee goes, so will all the sparkle and historical gravitas of the ruling party. More men like Lee, who marry their convictions with an ability to sell them to the hardest customer, would a shot in the arm of Singapore politics. I do not know when or if such individuals will emerge again. Until then, I will be happy to tell the next generation about the flair and fire of the best of them.