Ex-ST’s reporter Mary Less tells of her terror after writing an honest article on the education system here.
Jentrified Citizen – The above is a screenshot of a letter from ex-ST journalist Mary Lee which was published in The Independent Singapore website. For more on this gripping personal story you can visit http://theindependent.sg/how-lky-changed-my-life/
I am sharing this as it is a very real and vivid reminder of the ugly terrifying side of rule under Lee Kuan Yew who has been glamourised and sanctified by the media and idolised by blinded fans as a holier-than-thou leader, a legend larger than the real person. I hope people will open their minds to hearing all sides of story to know the truth and not have LKY wrongly immortalised in history as a leader who did no wrong. (And get it right once and for all, LKY was NOT the founder of Singapore which existed long before his ancestors even stepped foot on this country)
Have things improved under his son Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong? Is the state no longer using such dirty tactics to muzzle its critics? Not really. The difference is that the cold steel is now sheathed in velvet gloves and the muzzling is more subtly done. Vocal critics are still being monitored (just look at the ridiculous number of undercover police they sent to video the people who attended the Hong Lim Park protests). Yes, we are still wary but we are no longer terrorised.
There comes a time in life when many of us, as decent human beings, are pushed to the edge of our tolerance. Ultimately, our conscience and human desire to resist and speak up against wrongdoings overcomes our fear. Ultimately, good must triumph over evil as the saying goes.
Mary Lee, kudos to you for not being cowed and for bouncing back stronger and braver.
Jentrified Citizen 
Until the PM publicly renounces his declaration to spend time fixing the opposition it is safe to presume the tactics will continue though in a different guise. The master illusionist will be judged badly by history when the whole truth and nothing but the truth behind all his actions and schemes are exposed when the fear is removed. The trickle beginning with Wikileaks, Cheong Yip Seng and Ngiam Tong Dow and others will turn into a flood. What kind of man will cling on to his MP’s seat when he can no longer sit or stand without help and still be guarded by Ghurka guards and have an office at the Istana with a full complement of highly paid civil servants? And, as was revealed by his daughter the other day, that he still has Mandarin tutors, presumably at public expense ?
Oh… Btw, they cleverly inserted “modern” to the phrase as in “founder of modern Singapore”.
I’m not too sure if we can attribute one person to be “founder of modern” Singapore or if we can even say the team, including Toh Chin Chye Goh Keng Swee, S Rajaratnam etc can be called “founders”… they did what was necessary at that time developing Singapore – that much credit we should at least give due recognition to them.
Also not forgetting those who struggled to free Singapore from being a British colony, such as Devan Nair and Lim Chin Siong.