Goodbye, LKY

I was awoken by incessant signals off my mobile phone. It was news of the passing of Singapore's former Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. I felt as if a member of the family had passed away, that same feeling when I heard of the passing of my own father more than a decade ago. Ink will be spilled in the days to follow, recounting the life of Mr Lee. To me, he was the head of government for all my growing up years, during which I witnessed the breakneck development of the place from an island to a nation. Just the other day, a colleague of mine who lives half way across the world in Brazil, visiting Singapore for the very first time, marveled that ours is an island, a city, a state, and a country all rolled into one. Indeed, Singapore remains Mr Lee's legacy and remains for us who are left to ensure that his legacy endures.

I mourn his passing, as will the nation.

Long live Singapore. Rest in peace, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.