1923 was a year engaged with multiple world changing events, from the independence of Turkey and Nepal, to the launch of TIME Magazine. One notable event which stands out among the rest, although not realised until much later, took place on 16th September 1923, and was the birth date of none other than Singapore’s Founding Father, Harry Lee Kwan Yew. “Kuan Yew” aptly translates to “Light and Brightness”, while his grandfather Lee Hoon Leong added “Harry” in his name. He was born at 92 Kampong Java Road, and the oldest of 5 siblings; 3 younger brothers; Dennis Lee Kim Yew (Who passed away in 2003), Freddy Lee Thiam Yew (Who passed away in 2012), Lee Suan Yew and a younger sister Monica Lee Kim Mon. Lee Kuan Yew was born to Lee Chin Koon and Chua Jin Neo, who were both 20 and 15 respectively when their marriage was arranged, and this was where many of his principles formed and took hold, particularly in the field of education. His grandfather, Lee Hoon Leong, worked for tycoon Oei Tiong Ham, rose in power until he was in a position where he oversaw Oei’s assets. As such, the family were rich and could afford numerous luxuries, including being in possession of a “limitless account” at Robinsons and John Little, which at that time only catered to the rich and prolific. During the Great Depression in 1929 till the late 30s however, the family’s fortune took a great decline and they were forced to start from scratch.

After the decline of the family’s fortune, Lee Chin Koon took to working as a storekeeper with the Shell Oil Company but did not like his job and as a result, would often go home in a foul temper more often than not leading to quarrels with his wife. As a result of his dissatisfaction, he would often gamble at the Chinese Swimming Club and would attempt to take jewelry from his wife to fund his gambling addiction. His wife however, resisted (Something that was unheard of back in that era) and refused to give in. Lee Kuan Yew’s most vivid memory of his father was when he had broken an extremely expensive jar of brilliantine and as a form of punishment, took him outside and hung him by his ears over a well. It was physical punishments like these which embedded in him his aversion to violence, - something he practiced with his 3 children - turning not to violence but a stern and informative rebuke instead. Lee Chin Koon was not an evil man, merely a victim of circumstance who sobered up during and after the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. After the war, he resumed his work at Shell until he retired and worked selling jewelry and watches at B.P. De Silva Jewelers.

From a young age, Lee Kuan Yew was taught the value of education by his parents. His father had long regretted not pursuing an education when he could have, and Young Lee’s impression of his mother was that if she had been born in a different era, she would have easily have made it as a successful business executive. It was with these lessons, both directly and indirectly, that led Lee Kuan Yew to strive for, and be successful in his academic endeavors as well as to instill this same principle in all Singaporeans to this date.

As a child growing up in the 20s and early 30s, he didn’t have all the technological marvels that we today enjoy and having been raised in a kampong, spent his time playing with marbles, tops and engaging in fish fighting matches. As simple as these activities may be in comparison with today’s standards, they taught him 2 very simple lessons; the development and nurturing of an indomitable fighting spirit, and the will to fight and win at all costs.

In school, he was consistently among the top scorers in his class at Telok Kurau English School and Raffles Institution. His grades and performances were top notched, and as a result received a multitude of scholarships including the Raffles Institution Scholarship, the Tan Jiak Kim Scholarship and the John Anderson Scholarship which led to his admittance into Raffles College. Needless to say, he was also the top student in both Singapore and Malaya in 1939. From his scholarships, he was given $350 in which he purchased a Raleigh Bicycle to replace his aging Meister. It was a significant milestone in his life as it taught him about rewards that did not necessary have to come in a monetary form, but that the rewards of hard work pays itself on its own.

One notable attribute about him while he was schooling was that he was a night owl as opposed to an early bird (An attribute that is linked to high intelligence, although highly debated about) and like many of us, would often wake up late in the morning hoping to make it to school in time. This didn’t go unnoticed by his school, and though he was well known for his academic excellence, D.W. McLeod (The school’s principal) was impartial in his punishment and gave him 3 strokes of the cane as he would to any other student. It was upon this incident that Lee Kuan Yew reflected, “I have never understood why Western educationists are so much against corporal punishment. It did my fellow students and me no harm.”

Upon Lee Kuan Yew’s entry into Raffles College, he debated long and hard on the core curriculum he wanted. He was advised by his parents to be a professional, to be a doctor or a lawyer and not a position in which he would have to be bounded by employment, a lesson he personally witnessed from his father as a result of the Great Depression. Since he did not have any interest in medicine, he decided to pursue law in the pursuit and allure of self-employment. While in Raffles College, he did not have a favorable impression of his time there and thought of the culture as immature as he was subjected to and was at the forefront of hazing by his seniors. From being made to crawl around school grounds pushing a marble with his nose, wearing a ragged tie and being forced to walk ahead of all the freshmen, his memories of college life were reduced to being bullied.

3) The Japanese Occupation

In the early morning of 8th December 1941, in the “E” Block of Raffles College, Lee Kuan Yew was rudely awakened by the sounds of loud thuds hitting the ground. They were bombs.

The Japanese had begun their invasion.

Though still studying in Raffles College, lectures were suspended and classes were empty. Lee Kuan Yew, together with other students, volunteered for a Raffles College Unit of the Medical Auxiliary Services (MAS) where their jobs were to attend to casualties. It was in vain however, as British forces withdrew from Johor to Singapore on 10th February and only 2 days later were the MAS disbanded as the British military took over the school. Soon after, the British surrendered and mass looting took place by the local Chinese, Malays and the Japanese.

The success of the Japanese invasion came with it new rules to live by and new etiquettes to adhere to as dictated by the Japanese. These new rules were not communicated to the locals however, and as a result many were punished because of something they knew nothing about. Lee Kuan Yew came close to bearing the atrocious brunt of such punishments, in an incident where he had picked up an Australian soldier’s cap in order to protect himself from the blistering rays of the sun. Nearing a Japanese checkpoint, a Japanese soldier shouted, “Kore! Kore!” and beckoned him over before using his bayonet to pierce and knock over the cap. He kicked him after, sending Lee Kuan Yew sprawling across the road. He realised that he had gotten off lightly after witnessing that others in similar circumstances were being made to kneel or carry boulders on their back for hours under the scorching sun.

One of the most horrendous massacres committed by the Japanese invaders was that of Operation Sook Ching. Chinese men were gathered by the truck loads, and were led to areas such as Changi Beach, Punggol Beach and Sentosa before being mercilessly gunned down to death. Lee Kuan Yew was supposed to be one of them while being detained at Jalan Basar Stadium but due to a stroke of luck, the Japanese soldier that ordered him to his death allowed him to return to his cubicle in the rickshaw pullers dormitory to collect his belongings. He waited out for one and a half days before being allowed to pass through the checkpoint after.

Often, it is within the strangest and most despondent of circumstances that we meet people who would stay with us for life. In Lee Kuan Yew’s case, that man was Koh Teong Koo, a rickshaw puller who gave Lee Kuan Yew the safety of his cubicle to hide out in. The journey of their relationship dates back from before the Japanese Occupation broke out, when Mr. Lee’s Mother, Chua Jim Neo hired Teong Koo to ferry her children to and from school and after years of bonding and trust between the Lee Family and Teong Koo, she loaned him money to start his own business. When the war first broke out, he was afraid that looters would get hold of his goods, and the Lee Family allowed him to safeguard his inventory in their house. As Dr. Lee Suan Yew once recalled, “As my mother always said, ‘Kindness begets kindness, and she was right”. Teong Koo aided in helping Mr. Lee hide out within the encampment, and in doing so, saved his life, and forming a friendship that though was unknown to many, was also no less meaningful or fulfilling.

Survival during the Japanese occupation was harsh, but Lee Kuan Yew had managed to find employment with the Hobudu (Japanese Propaganda Corps) from an advertisement in the Syonan Shimbun as an English Language Translator and Editor where he was to tap into allied radio frequencies and decipher them. Over time however, inflation rose drastically and his meagre pay at the Hobodu could not sustain himself and his family. In response, and as a testament to his resourcefulness, he went into the black market buying small pieces of jewelry, hoarding them and then selling them after at higher prices while making home-made stationery gum to meet rising demands in the market.

            Finally, on 15th August, the Japanese had surrendered and on 12th September 1945, the surrender ceremony took place and British forces had started coming back into Singapore.

On 16th September 1946, Lee Kuan Yew had left for England to study law. While expensive, he and his mother had both decided that the combined savings from her jewelry and his savings from his contract and black market work would be sufficient to cover the cost of legal studies in England. He would not be returning to Raffles College.

He went on board the Britannic and sailed to England. While on board the ship, he had his first taste of the many culture shocks to come. While the Japanese would queue up in an orderly fashion to take their turns in the brothel, or “comfort house” as it was called, the open promiscuity on board the Britannic led to explicit forms of flirting and as he witnessed with his own eyes, dozens of couples engaging in sexual activities on the lifeboat decks. The aftermath was that of numerous condoms (Termed “French Letters” back then by the British) being littered on the deck. It was a very sharp contrast as to what was normally seen in Asian culture back then.

The culture shock only got worse from then on, with varying and drastic differences as compared to life in Singapore. As anyone in Singapore who has or had studied in England can attest to, anything ranging from the climate conditions, the food, societal etiquette, and transportation mediums are in its most literal fashion, worlds apart. The only skill he had brought with him which did give him an advantage, was his command of the English Language. He realised then how pampered life was back in Singapore, where his family would take care of all matters including his accommodations, food and clothing. All he had to do was say the word. In England, he learned of the harsh reality and importance that was being independent.

He had first started his legal studies in the London University of Economics but in November 1946, Lee Kuan Yew went to Cambridge after hearing of its relaxed and laid back pace of life as compared to London. There, he went to see the censor of Fitzwilliam House (A non-collegiate body for students who were not as well off financially), W.S. Thatcher. He was accepted in the same academic year, and started school in Fitzwilliam College in January 1947.

In June that year, he received word that Kwa Geok Choo (His wife-to-be) was on a Queen’s scholarship to England. He was elated, and aided in expediting her college placement. She was an extremely bright girl (brighter than he was, in his own words), something Lee Kuan Yew had brought up on many occasions but at the same time, absence made the heart grow fonder, and an impeccable reflection of that was his desire to see her, and be with her. And see her he did, in early October within the same year. They talked about each other’s lives, the life that surrounded them in England, and their future together. Both of them eventually graduated with first class degrees in law, shared the exuberant news with their parents, and without anyone’s knowledge, were secretly married in the cold December winter of 1947.

They reached Singapore on 1st August 1950, both of them parting ways after their ship docked, with no one else being the wiser on their secret marriage.

   -   Dr Lee Wei Ling, on recounting one of her parents’ final conversations.

Lee Kuan Yew first met Kwa Geok Choo in Raffles Institution, and as a testament to her brilliance, was the only girl in an all-male school. Starting off as competitors where she would ace Mr. Lee in academic pursuits, he was enthralled by her. It was through this fierce competition where their friendship grew, and their journey of courtship were filled with dinner dates, picnics and general sentiments of disapproval from Geok Choo’s mother. Both of them were top students in Raffles Institution, and as such was no surprise when they both had made it to Raffles College together.

On New Year’s Eve of 1946, he had brought her to a seaside party at Mandalay Villa, on Amber Road. This was before he had left Singapore to study in England, and he asked her if she would be willing to wait 3 years for him. She was apprehensively initially, reminding him that she was 2 and a half years older than him. He replied that he did not mind, he was looking for an equal and not someone that needs to be looked after or spoon-fed. She agreed. They did not tell their parents, as such a long term commitment would not sit well with them. When he left on 16th September 1946, there was not a dry eye on both their ends. This would start the yearlong separation between them. It is worth remembering as well that the technology to communicate across borders was not as advanced as it was today, and that they were unable to enjoy the ease of communication that we today hold in the palm of our hands.

One year on, and as both luck and opportunity would have it, she had won the Queen’s Scholarship to study in England. It was there that their romance blossomed, as they took comfort and grew in each other’s companionship. Soon after her arrival, they were secretly wed. They registered at the local registry of marriages, and he bought her a platinum wedding ring from a jeweler on Regent Street, which she took to wearing on her neck. Upon their return to Singapore, they did not inform their families of their marriage, but later that year on 30th September 1950 and after obtaining permission from Geok Choo’s father, they were officially married in Singapore.

On 10th February 1952, their first son was born. He was named Lee Hsien Loong, now our current Prime Minister of Singapore. Their 2 other children, Lee Hsien Yang and Lee Wei Ling, were born after. To describe Geok Choo as his pillar, would have been an understatement. Not only fulfilling her duties as a wife to Lee Kuan Yew and their children, she also took care of household matters, practiced law within the family’s law business and also took to editing his books and speeches, shaping his writing style along the way. Their commitment to each other was that they would always spend time together, no matter how busy each of them were. This was evident even in their old age together.

In 2003, Geok Choo suffered a stroke, and her mobility was decreased drastically. Still, the couple would spend time together; Him making sure she was comfortable and had her needs fulfilled and she eagerly waiting the end of each day where he would describe his day to her and read to her, her favorite stories and poems, still supporting him in any way she could. She suffered another stroke in 2008, and on 2nd October 2010, she passed away peacefully in her sleep.

The couple were a living testament of the miracles and joys that could only be expressed and shared through the medium of love. As Lee Kuan Yew said at her funeral, “Without her, I would be a different man, with a different life. She devoted herself to me and our children. She was always there when I needed her. She has lived a life full of warmth and meaning.”

While studying in England, he personally witnessed for himself how inadequate the British were in governing their own country, and from that point on, decided to come back to Singapore to ensure that Singapore would have the opportunity to be independent and govern itself. That goal achieved its first milestone on 12th November 1954, when the People’s Action Party was formed. Their objective was to free Singapore from the British Colonial rule. Only 1 year after the PAP was formed, he had won his first seat in Tanjong Pagar, in the 1955 elections.

The members of the PAP during that time, or fondly remembered as the Old Guard now, were no pushovers. The 4 main members of his party; Dr. Goh Keng Swee, Dr. Toh Chin Chye, S. Rajaratnam and Lim Kan San not only brought with them the wealth of knowledge and experience needed to build Singapore, but also like Lee Kuan Yew, shared his fighting spirit and love for the people of Singapore. To that end, they were described as having great courage as well, disagreeing with Mr. Lee and each other on numerous occasions but having only one common goal at the end of the day, which was the betterment of Singapore.

During the next elections in 1959, the PAP’s campaign focused on 2 main problems plaguing Singapore; vast amounts of corruption running rampant and poor housing. These issues did indeed touch the hearts of Singaporeans, as the PAP won by a landslide. On 30th May 1959, they won 43 out of 51 seats, thus making Lee Kuan Yew the first Prime Minister of Singapore, and the PAP members at that time becoming what is known today as the Founding Fathers of Singapore after colonial rule. Staying true to his principle of incorruptibility (Something which he heavily campaigned for), he was offered USD 3.3 million to keep quiet about a CIA covert operation going on in 1960.  He refused, and instead asked that the money be used to develop both Singapore and Malaysia economically. The CIA did so. In 1965, when the beans were spilled, the United States were prompt in their denial. It was only then when Mr. Lee was angered and produced top secret letters thereafter describing the attempted bribery. The letter of apology was just as swift.

His first order of the day was to form a merger with Malaysia, which he believed would aid both countries immensely on economical levels, and having recently been released from British rule, their experiences would be beneficial towards building each other up. Both Singapore and Malaysia were merged on 1st September 1962. The merger was short-lived however, as due to a myriad of political distrust and tension, both countries were separated on 9th August 1965. Describing the separation on public television at that time, Mr. Lee broke down in tears and recounted, “For me, it is a moment of anguish. All my life, my whole adult life, I have believed in merger and the unity of the two territories. We are connected by geography, economics and ties of kinship. It broke everything we stood for.”

That was not the end of Singapore however, as Lee Kuan Yew’s resolve for Singapore’s survival not only grew stronger, and were evident in his actions thereafter. Bringing in policies that shaped Singapore into the success it was in, including conscription to defend Singapore, the formation of the Housing Development Board, laying the foundations of the education system to create the world class education recognised by the world all over while maintaining the vision he had of Singapore’s economic progress and a green city living side by side. In that vein, he started his annual tree planting campaign in 1963 by planting a Mempat tree at Farrer Circus. Though faced with many other social problems and a severe lack of resources, Singapore persevered and prospered. Countries all over the world look to Singapore as a model of growth, and a “miracle” city, having reached the stage it has today against all odds.

Throughout his life, whether he was in the position of a politician or otherwise, his heart was and has always been with Singaporeans and the betterment of Singapore. His speeches and actions though some may have disagreed with, have placed us where we are now, a land of full opportunity, with the capacity to dream, live and prosper.

What defines a man? As the late Martin Luther King once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” It is with these exact same words that perfectly describes who Lee Kuan Yew was, a man who against seemingly impossible odds overcame and succeeded. The true testament and legacy of a man, while already shown while he was living, is shown in an even greater light after he has passed on. Most of us would view our lives as mundane and routine, but take a step on the pavement or on the grass, take a gander from the train and take in the sights of the heartlands. Everything that engages our senses around us daily, were built from the blood and sweat of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, our Founding Fathers and our forefathers before us. That is his legacy, and the duty falls upon us now to continue with his legacy and the principles which has guided him throughout.

More than that however, it is important to remember him as someone more than a politician. Above that, and above all, he was a loving husband to his wife, a stern but caring father to his children, and a firm but jovial friend to his peers.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.