Late M'sian leader's daughter responds to remarks about dad
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Aug 30, 2010 - ST Forum
MM'S EULOGY FOR GOH KENG SWEELate Malaysian leader's daughter responds to remarks about dad
ON MAY 23, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew delivered an eulogy at the state funeral for former deputy prime minister Goh Keng Swee, who was the cousin of my father, Tun Tan Siew Sin.
In his eulogy, Mr Lee said: 'After we (Singapore) had joined Malaysia, we discovered we had been ambushed. He (Dr Goh) stood up for our rights and fought to protect Singapore's interests against the Federal Finance Ministry, whose Finance Minister was his cousin, Tan Siew Sin, who was out to spite Singapore.'
In deference to Mrs Goh Keng Swee, son Kian Chee and his wife Siok Sun, I have waited until after the 100 days of mourning before responding to Mr Lee's unwarranted attack on my father.
Despite their differences on policy issues, my father had a high regard for Dr Goh whom he credited as the architect of Singapore's stunning economic success.
In his two-volume autobiography, Mr Lee wrote disparagingly about my father. I had hoped that would be the end of his invective. I am sad the Minister Mentor still harbours ill will against a man who has been dead for 22 years.
My father's attitude towards Singapore is encapsulated in his speech in Parliament on June 1, 1965, in which he said:
'I would like to make it clear that we in the Central Government, whatever our differences with the Singapore Government might be, have no quarrel with the people of Singapore. Not only do we wish them well, but also we want them to progress as they should progress, bearing in mind some of the great qualities which they possess in so marked a degree.'
These words - and his acknowledgement that Singapore possessed some great qualities in a marked degree - refutes the suggestion that my father was 'out to spite Singapore'.
Mr Lee's continuing animus against my father makes memorable the tea that my mother and I had with Mrs Lee Kuan Yew in Carcosa (a hotel which was once the residence of the British High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur) in September 2001.
Realising that my mother's hearing problems inhibited conversation, Mrs Lee - who was seated next to Tun Dr Siti Hasmah (wife of then Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad) - broke with protocol, came and sat next to my mother and conversed with her for a few minutes.
My mother and I will always cherish meeting Mrs Lee.
Tan Siok Choo (Ms)
Kuala Lumpur -
If you are a dictator, it would seem that everybody in the world is out to spite you.
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以å°�人之心度å�›å�之腹
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he's always "right",
and "left" a lot of remarks.