A Roaring Toast to the Lion of Lions

by Derrick A Paulo
First published: 22 September 2003 in Today

Since its inception, Singapore's long-time ruling party has been synonymous with the man who helped found it. So, when the People's Action Party (PAP) marked Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew's 80th birthday last night, it was as much a celebration of the PAP as it was of its patriarch.

SM Lee blowing out the candles on his on his birthday cake as PM Goh and Mrs Lee look on at his 80th birthday celebration yesterday at Swissotel The Stamford. - TODAY photo by Wong Khing Chong

Turning back the clock, SM Lee commended both old and present comrades for keeping to the qualities and practices that have served the party so well for 49 years.

"We started the party on a shoestring, with very little money. We had to pass the hat around among the leaders each time we held a function," SM Lee said. "We did not ask for donations from either trade unions or big businesses, unlike the Labour Party and the Conservative Party in Britain ... We have stayed clean and honest."

To stress his point, SM Lee cited a survey by Transparency International, a non-governmental organisation. Last year, Singapore ranked fifth out of 102 countries in its Corruption Perception Index, up from the seventh spot in 1996.

"We set high standards for ourselves and have institutionalised honesty and integrity into our governance," he said.

"There is no waste of public and private funds. Our people feel no anger or angst or bitterness at being cheated and done in by those holding power."

Echoing this point was Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, who called the PAP "unique as a political party".

Like his predecessor, PM Goh took the audience on a walk through history as he recounted how the PAP HQ moved one from one location to another, but all of them "humble" and "modest" buildings.

In fact, the PAP's first HQ was next to the SPCA on Orchard Road.

Said PM Goh: "When we had meetings, we could hardly hear each other. We had to compete with the barking of dogs next door."

He also used the occasion at Swissotel The Stamford, to recognise party activists, whom he referred to as the party's "backbone" and its "long-suffering" faithfuls.

"Long-suffering because they work hard on the ground, organise Meet-the-People sessions and run around during elections, but they do not receive any personal benefits," said PM Goh, naming five long-serving members. They were Mr Chia Teow Kin, Mr Choo Siew Heng, Mr EM Sundaram, Mr Abdul Halim Abdul Kadir, and Mr Siang Kok Leong.

PM Goh also paid tribute to MPs like Chor Yeok Eng, Chan Chee Seng, Ho See Beng, Ng Kah Ting and the late Rahmat Kenap, together with the famous old guard that became Singapore's first ministers.

But, the night belonged to SM Lee, whose imprint on the PAP is still very much felt. "Indeed, his values are the values of the Party," said PM Goh.

"At SM's 60th birthday dinner, Comrade S Rajaratnam described SM as a lion. He said that an army of rabbits commanded by a lion was superior to an army of lions commanded by a rabbit."

PM Goh then raised a toast to "the lion of lions."

Thus was the sentimental emotion that marked SM Lee's first birthday celebration on Tuesday replaced by the roar of a party and its driving force.

Senior Minister's full speech >>>
Corruption Perception Index >>>