Singapore strongman Lee Kuan Yew admits defeat on falling birth rate

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In Singapore's state controlled newspaper Straits Times of August 06, 2013 story "Money won't solve low birth rate problem" Singapore strongman Lee Kuan Yew admits that he unable to find a solution to the island's plummeting birth rate of 1.2. At this rate, a woman with a child does not replace herself let alone both parents. Please see the report at http://www.straitstimes.com/archive/tuesday/breaking-news/singapore/story/money-wont-solve-low-birth-rate-problem-mr-lee-20130806

It is reported that in his recent book "One Man's View of the World" he has said "I cannot solve the problem, and I have given up. I have given the job to another generation of leaders. Hopefully, they or their successors will eventually find a way out."

He conveniently sidesteps his own responsibility for this damage being done to the island by claiming that it is the lifestyles of the modern Singaporean that is responsible for this. He should know full well that it is his determination to continue the repressive policies so as to hang on to power over his people that has made the island so unattractive for raising families.

It is denying the average Singapore's normal human aspirations that has resulted in making life so unattractive, precarious and uncertain that people simply do not have the courage to have families. In Singapore, there is a law that denies the average man freedom of speech and expression which means that he has no avenue to express his unhappiness about government policies.

The newspapers and media are all state controlled which means he cannot express himself there either, unless it is an opinion supportive of the government.

In the event he or his children criticize the government he is liable to be charged and jailed and bankrupted by a Kangaroo legal system whose primary purpose is to silence dissent and destroy critics.

There is no real opposition party in island, which makes it literally a one party state. The so-called opposition Workers Party which has a handful of members are nothing more than an extension of the ruling party. It exists merely to ask a few meaningless questions but principally to ensure the ruling party remains in power and in return the ruling party allows them to remain in Parliament. In other words, you scratch my back and I scratch yours.

While the vast majority of the people earn about a $1,000 more or less, a month, Lee Kuan Yew and his handpicked ministers earn millions. If you accuse them of corruption, which it clearly is, you will be sued for defamation of character, or sedition, or contempt of court or a combination of these charges and promptly punished by the Kangaroo judges.

Last but not least, it is the numerous blogs, including mine, the Singapore Dissident which has been continuously and relentlessly writing about the injustices in the island which has reminded Singaporeans of the plight they are in. And this has in a large measure contributed to the islander's sending a signal to these billionaire politicians that they simply refuse to live like this or have babies.

Surely under these circumstances no one in his right mind would want to have children in Lee Kuan Yew's island. It is funny, this man still claims not to know this.

Well, it is simply too late pal. Singapore can only increase it's population by bringing in more transient workers from China who would spend a few years there for a few dollars more, only to leave and be replaced by others to take their place. Singapore is becoming a "hotel population" and this is not a harbinger for better times.

Lee Kuan Yew has himself said that this destructive uncontrollable slide in population which is already small to begin with, the local native born being no more than perhaps a mere 2 million, raises the greatest challenge to the island's very survival. I must admit, on this score, he is right.

Gopalan Nair
Attorney at Law
A Singaporean in Exile
Fremont, California, USA
Tel: 510 491 4375
Email: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com