MPs remember Mr Lee Kuan Yew: 'He cared deeply'

Senior Minister of State for Law and Education Indranee Rajah (Tanjong Pagar GRC).

"In the last week, we have seen a tremendous outpouring of love for Mr Lee. Thousands - young, old, rich, poor, from all races, religions and all walks of life - came. First, to wish him well and, then, to say goodbye.

I have been at Tanjong Pagar Community Club every day, the last five days. You have also seen the queues that have snaked around this Parliament. You have to be there among the people to understand.

What is the essence of the man that inspires such an overwhelming reaction?

Some might say it's his vision, his drive, his intellect.

But these alone would not have been enough to generate this wellspring of emotion.

The real secret of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's enduring bond with Singaporeans is that we all fundamentally understood that (this) vision, drive and intellect were all powered by one thing - he cared.

He cared deeply for Singaporeans and Singapore, and all his actions were driven by a desire to make things better for them.

Singapore was his life's work.

And people know this.

So just as he was there for us on that amazing journey from Third World to First, Singaporeans have been here for him in the last days of his life and now for his final journey."

This article was first published on March 27, 2015.
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