Key issues about the world according to Lee Kuan Yew

Lee Kuan Yew is a great man and one of my heroes since I was old enough to discuss news and current affairs with my late-father who held him in high regard as well. In fact, there is a family story that during my grandfather's funeral back in 1960, when the time came to place the headstone to his grave, my great-grandmother (a very pious and spiritual woman - but who did not read newspapers - and who died in 1970 age 80 ) told everyone to wait. Why they asked? She simply said she had a feeling that a great person would be passing by. Who? No idea. So everybody waited no knowing what would happen next. And then she gave the signal to go ahead to place the headstone. At that very moment, Lee Kuan Yew's motorcade drove past the cemetary. Then, he was only 37 years old and one year into being Chief Minister of Singapore.

Lee Kuan Yew has his critics and yes, he has his flaws. But as Henry Kissenger once said, whatever one's view of him - good or bad - one has to listen to him because you always learn something from him. My own take is that he is a pragmatist so, in fact, as far as he is concerned much of the criticisms about him are irrelevant. He is not a romantic so he has no yearning for his ideas or his actions to be perfect. He is not a populist or revolutionary so he is not always looking for an opponent or strawman to knockdown. He is not after money otherwise he would be a failure on that count. He knows there is a price to pay for everything, so everything considered whatever he has achieved is more lasting and significant than the costs for achieving it. This is such a simple notion but one that is very hard to apply unless one has a clear understanding. He is obsessed above-all with delivering what he feels to be necessary for his passion - Singapore - so he has no qualms about his methods (unless he feels it was not working).

Which brings me to something else my father always tells me. He says everytime a new US President comes into office, not long after that he would see Lee Kuan Yew to get advise and learn about the world. So this week, Lee Kuan Yew is in town and looks like he will be meeting everyone there is to meet in the Obama Administration, including the President himself this coming Thursday.

So which is why last weekend, I get to watch him interviewed by Charlie Rose (one of the few smart and serious TV journlist left in American TV - but then, he is on PBS the high quality public TV channel). Even at age 86, I hear a towering intellect giving an astute reading of the world with the mind of a strategist. This is too good not to share.

His life-long experience of understanding politics and world statesmanship lent him a clear mind to discerne short-term noise and distractions from the fundamental strategic issues. Every one of his statements made a point; there was no political non-answers. He recalls his statistics carefully and not - as it is tempting for many public figures to do so - make them up to make a point. I appreciate listening to someone who observes the world in order to learn and not to "prove or disprove" some pre-conceived position.

Put simply, he is in a class of his own.

Please enjoy (this is part 1 out of 6).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNhcOwhpR1E

Terrorism is not far from us

I just learn from a friend from the industry who escaped unharm during the terrorist attack at Oberoi Hotel of Mumbai.

According to him, the terrorists were shooting indiscriminately at the restaurant guests. The terrorist didn't sort out certain nationalities before shooting. It was indiscriminate shooting to churn out the heaviest casualties.

As the terrorists were shooting, everyone were running for their life and my friend was fortunate to have escaped and survive. His American colleague and a local business partner were not as fortunate. They were killed and another local business associate were severely injured.

Not until I learn this first hand from someone I know personally, terrorism is always somewhat inpersonal and remote. This is the closest experience I had with terrorism. It really send a chill down my spine.

I had traveled to Mumbai and I had stayed at Oberoi. The victim could have been me, and indeed anyone who happens to be at the place and at the time.