Page 12 - Awe Mainta 28March 2015
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awemainta.com Online Diasabra 28 di Maart 2015

Remembering a Great

Singapore’s Founding Father &
First and Longest Serving Prime Minister

Today we cover the life and death of Lee Kuan Yew, a role model who’s leadership and success story should
be a shining example for our island. Similar to Aruba, Singapore was a relatively small island state with no
natural resources. In just under a single generation, after Singapore was forcefully separated from Malaysia,
Lee Kuan Yew accomplished the almost impossible task of transforming an impoverished country, against
all odds, into one that flourishes and succeeded. His leadership and direction is one that we should try to
follow. Today, Singapore is one of the most powerful economies in Asia and one of the richest countries in
the world. He died on March 23, 2015 and his funeral will be held in Singapore on Sunday, March 29, 2015.
Lee oversaw the nation's transformation from a relatively underdeveloped colonial outpost with no natural
resources, into an Asian tiger economy. Since then, it has pulled off a dramatic transformation - boasting
two casino-integrated resorts and an airport that has frequently topped the "world's best" list. In addition,
the central business district is filled with skyscrapers that rival neighbouring Hong Kong and mid-town New
York. When Lee became prime minister in 1959, Singapore’s per capita income was little more than $400.
Today it is over $56,000; higher than that of all but a handful of other countries.

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