It didn’t take long after Lee Hsien Loong announced that he would be stepping down as Singapore’s Prime Minister on May 18 for the tributes to start rolling in.
“Our region has had no wiser leader than PM Lee and Australia no better friend,” former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull wrote on X. “He and his wife Ho Ching are humble leaders and first among equals – truly Singapore is their life’s work.” New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called him “a remarkable leader for his country, the region and the world”.
The Rakyat Post in neighbouring Malaysia noted that Mr Lee had achieved the rank of brigadier general by the age of 32, and that “he could have been one of the greatest mathematicians if he hadn’t gone into politics” – having graduated top of his class in the subject at Cambridge University. And Michael Fullilove of the Lowy Institute think tank in Australia wrote: “I have found him to be a person of great strategic wisdom. When PM Lee speaks, the region listens.”
It’s a testament to his period in office that it has been a long time since anyone suggested that Mr Lee was “in his father’s shadow”, which was a commonplace description when he became premier in 2004. No one forgets who his father was – Lee Kuan Yew, the founding leader who through sheer brute determination drove Singapore “from third world to first”, as the second volume of his memoirs put it.
But the younger Mr Lee’s achievements, including the city-state bouncing back strongly from both the Great Recession and the pandemic, its regional leadership on the digital economy, emphasis on education, and some mild but significant social and political reforms, are all his own – as is his success in maintaining what he calls “our strong, trusted international reputation”.
One role for which Mr Lee will be missed internationally is as one of the last, great tireless advocates for globalisation
Three figures that support that: according to Bloomberg, total asset management in Singapore increased more than eight-fold to $3.6 trillion in Mr Lee’s two decades at the helm; the non-resident population grew by 135 per cent, as growth demanded more workers than the country could supply; and 77 per cent of the population think Singapore is heading in the right direction, according to a poll this year.
One question that arises is whether Singapore is ready for a post-Lee politics.
Mr Lee senior was prime minister from 1959-1990, Mr Lee junior from 2004-2024. In between was Goh Chok Tong, like both Lees a member of the governing People’s Action Party, which has never lost power. But during Mr Goh’s time, Lee Kuan Yew remained in the cabinet as “senior minister” while his son had become deputy prime minister. Thus the joke that the country had been run by “the father, the son, and the holy Goh”.
Lawrence Wong, the finance minister and incoming premier, has just announced that Mr Lee junior will also remain in the cabinet as senior minister. So it’s not quite the end yet. But it’s moving in that direction (so long as Mr Lee’s son doesn’t enter politics, as it was once speculated that he would).
It ought to be no problem for the Lee family to depart from the political scene. Singapore is a democracy, after all. But as Jeevan Vasagar noted in his 2021 book Lion City, “few countries in the world are so intimately bound up with the fortunes of a single family. In a city which has gone through constant and sometimes turbulent change, the Lee family has been a constant presence in public life”.
As Singapore’s leaders well know, the history of city-states is not encouraging; they tend to be swallowed by larger neighbours. The reassurance provided by the presence of the country’s most famous family may be missed.
One role for which Mr Lee will be missed internationally is as one of the last, great tireless advocates for globalisation.
It’s a term that has become unfashionable, and Mr Lee has conceded that the concept is under pressure. But as he put it in a 2021 interview: “The imperative for countries to co-operate, for businesses to operate across many geographies, to tap resources, to bring skills and talents and experiences together, and then serve markets all around the world, I do not think that is going to disappear.”
Mr Lee’s belief in co-operation applies not only to the realm of commerce but also security. He has always stressed the need for “institutions which will bring in countries” on all sides.
In a lengthy discussion at the Council for Foreign Relations two years ago, it was notable that Mr Lee welcomed every single multilateral organisation or agreement that came up, from the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum, to the East Asia Summit, the US Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the Three Joint Communiques between the US and China that set the basis for diplomatic relations and acknowledged the Chinese position on Taiwan, the principles of the UN charter, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (which later became the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), the Association of South-East Asian Nations and more.
What was also welcome was his pointing out that international mechanisms have to adjust to reflect a changing world. In the case of China, he said the country needed “some space to influence the global system. For examples, shares in the IMF or influence in the World Bank”.
“You don’t want to change the whole system of international order or international law. This is a framework which everybody fits into. But now you’ve got a big player, and they do want to participate. And you have to enable them to participate,” he added.
The alternative, he argued, was that a different set of institutions would be developed, in this case the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The question he demands that we ask and answer is simple: “What is the mechanism of the win-win co-operation?”
In today’s geopolitical landscape, Mr Lee’s pleas may feel quaint or unrealistic. The whole concept of international law or an international order has never been under such pressure. But maybe we should listen to him more. For his pleas are for a world that co-operates and adapts, not one that breaks asunder and splinters into hostile blocs.
The world that Mr Lee wants is one that we would miss, if the chance to build it evaporates – just as the region and beyond may miss Prime Minister Lee once he has gone.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Youth YouTuber Programme
The programme will be presented over two weeks and will cover the following topics:
- Learning, scripting, storytelling and basic shots
- Master on-camera presence and advanced script writing
- Beating the algorithm and reaching your core audience
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Qualifier A, Muscat
(All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv)
Fixtures
Friday, February 18: 10am Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm Semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm Final
UAE squad:Ahmed Raza(captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Bio
Age: 25
Town: Al Diqdaqah – Ras Al Khaimah
Education: Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering
Favourite colour: White
Favourite place in the UAE: Downtown Dubai
Favourite book: A Life in Administration by Ghazi Al Gosaibi.
First owned baking book: How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson.
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
MANDOOB
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Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
