Lee Kuan Yew visits Suharto in Jakarta
Like history revisited, a couple of old buddies got to rub up against each other yesterday. Lee Kuan Yew, who led Singapore to become the most successful economy in SE Asia, met up with his old playmate Suharto, who is still alive and kicking in Jakarta.
Lee Kuan Yew was a Communist who led Singapore to independence. He famously said that after doing so, he took a long hard long at the task in front of him and realized only capitalism was going to work. Acting as Singapore’s Prime Minister for 31 years (1959-1990), he ruled with a iron hand and turned a small island with no natural resources into a manufacturing and business center.
Singapore is 75% Chinese and Lee Kuan Yew realized there was a short term threat from Malaysia and a longer term threat from Indonesia, that Singapore might be taken over (Indonesia having a habit of grabbing land - E.Timor, Papua).
Suharto also ruled with an iron fist until 1998, after a 30 year run as Pres. Lee Kuan Yew also met with SBY on Tuesday. Critics have said that SBY is too close to the Suharto clan and that Suharto will never be prosecuted for his dealings. My attitude is who cares. Suharto’s days are over, he made an enormous amount of money, killed a lot of people, but the future is the things that SBY is working on.
Love him of hate him, Lee Kuan Yew hacked out a stake for Singapore which will last for a long time.
By Nick | Permalink
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Comments
A ” Bali Expat ” with a relatively short existance in Indonesia would be making the “who cares” statement.
Hmmm Maybe Indonesians care
Maybe the East Timorese also care and any Indonesian who has lost friends and family to the Suharto Regime care. Maybe it’s only rich pilit expats who don’t care.
Used to think your blog was good Nick. After reading a few of the things you have written lately I’m wondering why you live in Bali.
I think the reason you were “ripped off” a whole 10 cents is the fact most people in Bali are really feeling the pinch for the lack of tourism and maybe the money they “scam” off you could help to feed them. Are you just another “rich expat” who only looks after yourself or are you at all interested in helping the Balinese since perhaps you are in a different position to them…proof is in your eating spots. Don’t think you have any real idea what it is like to experience what they go through every day just to survive it.
I lived up there for 2 years and one of the main reasons I “came home” was I was sick and tired of the expat scene
I’m not saying don’t have your lifestyle. Just saying have a bit of respect and compassion for theirs.
Concider yourself fortunate that they let you live there because you are after all the guest in their country. Something I think some expats forget.
who cares if suharto is prosecuted?
you’re joking right?
surely living in bali has perverted your sense of justice?