After the passing of Lee Kaun Yew, a founding father of Singapore, his son, Lee Hsien Loong, became the Prime Minister from 2004 to May of this year. Lee Hsien Yang expressing concern about the Singaporean government persecuting him, his wife and son. Mr. Yang was granted refugee asylum in Britain under his “well-founded fear of persecution” (Yoon). He is permitted to remain there for five years and apply for extension. The Singaporean government states their fears are “baseless”, but Mr. Lee and his deceased sister wrote a statement declaring “they did not trust Lee Hsien Loong ‘as a brother or a leader’” (Yoon). 

Singapore, once a British colony, has an interesting history with the U.K. During the Second World War, Japanese soldiers defeated the British in Malaya and Singapore (Osborne). After the Japanese surrendered in 1945, Singapore once again fell under British rule. Foreign occupation of Singapore introduced post-colonial challenges such as lack of natural resources and economic stability. Founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, transformed Singapore into one of the world’s most prosperous nations (Rahman). Despite Singapore’s independence from colonialism, it holds the diplomatic relationship with Britain is strong. 

 

The New York Times article resonates with themes of state and political change while looking at the historical background of Southeast Asia. The occupation of Southeast Asian countries by foreign powers has led to interesting power dynamics after each country’s independence. Singapore operates as a parliamentary republic, where a party forms the government and is typically headed by a prime minister. The parliamentary system originated in Britain, and several of its former colonies, including Singapore, have since adopted it. The ruling party in Singapore, the People’s Action Party, has dominated Singapore’s political landscape. It has been described as ‘paternalistic’ or authoritarian’. According to a professor at the National University of Singapore, “With no risk of being displaced from parliamentary power, the government is wont to make unilateral decisions, believing that it ‘knows’ what is best for the governed” (Huat 74). A strong political party with no viable opposition does bring up potential concerns of persecution. Although the government states Mr. Yang’s claims are ‘baseless’, it is important to address concerns regarding their limited political diversity. The ethnic Malay and Indian people of Singapore are not treated with the same respect as ethnically Chinese, and the government has not solved this issue. If people are discriminated against based on race and religion, then there is a chance that differing political beliefs between family members can also be a point of tension. The relationship between state and individual rights should be a focus to address contemporary issues of governance and individual liberty. 

Huat, C. B. (2003). Multiculturalism in Singapore: An Instrument of Social Control. Race & Class, 44(3), 58-77. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306396803044003025

Osborne, Milton. Southeast Asia an Introductory History. Allen & Unwin, 2024.