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| Lee Kwan Yew, Former PM Singapore |
These
seven strategies are drawn from lessons learned under the leadership of
President Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore (1963-1989) as contained in his
autobiography: From Third World to First
World: The Singapore Story (1965-2000).
Lee Kwan Yew was the first Prime Minister of Singapore, ruling for three
decades. He is credited for transforming a third world country to a first world
country in a single generation.
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| Lee Kwan Yew, Former PM Singapore |
Lee
oversaw Singapore’s transformation from a stagnant British crown colony to an
Asian Tiger economy. When he took over, the per capita income was about $400
and in about two generations left when the per capita income was $ 50,000. His
policies are today taught at the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy in
Singapore.
Managing cultural diversity:
African countries have been plagued by ethnic strife arising from the diverse
ethnic communities in their countries. These conflicts have undermined
social-economic development as was the case with Rwandan Genocide, the civil
war in DRC Congo, the conflict in Southern, Liberia and Sierra Leon among
others. How did Lee manage diversity?
Singapore
is a multi-racial and multicultural country with ethnic Chinese (76%), Malays
(15%), and Indians (7.4%) making up the majority of the population. PM Lee
sought to build a socially, economically and politically inclusive society. The
country’s diversity was turned into strength.
National Security: Lee
prioritized national security. He appointed Goh Keng Swee as Minisster for
Interior and Defence and build up a strong Singapore Armed Forces. He sought
the help of Israel and Taiwan for advice, training and facilities. National
security is critical for any country’s development as it gives confidence to
investors and protects their investments.
Economy: Together
with his economic Development Board chairman Hon Sui Sen, and in consultation
with Dutch economist Albert Winsemius, Lee set up factories and initially
focused on manufacturing industries. He made efforts to attract foreign
investors from multinational corporations (MNCs).By the 1970’s the arrival of
multi nationals like Texas Instruments, Hewlet-Packward and General Electric
laid the foundation turning Singapore into a major electronic exporter the
following decade.
Africa
needs to adopt some of the policies pursued by Lee, such as modernizing her
transport and energy infrastructure and seeking more direct investments.
Prohibitive tax regimes should be discouraged and more competent economists,
the caliber of Albert Winsemius, appointed to oversee new economic policies.
War on Corruption:
Perhaps one of Lee’s major achievements was the fight against corruption. He
introduced legislation that gave the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB)
power to conduct arrests, search, call up witnesses and investigate bank
accounts and income tax returns of suspected persons and their families. On 21st
November 1986, Lee received a complaint of corruption against then Minister of
National Development Teh Cheang Wan. Fearing the consequences of corruption, Teh
committed suicide before any charges could be preferred against him.
The
scourge of corruption has denied African countries the much needed funds to
invest in education, health care, transport or industries. Billions of dollars
from Africa have been stashed in overseas accounts by corrupt government and
well-connected businessmen. Ending high level corruption can lead to massive
industrial growth in Africa in the next 20 years.
Water Resource Management: Lee
recognized the importance of solving the water crisis in his country. He knew
that over-relying on Malaysia for provision of water would subject his country
to price fluctuations and political leverage. He initiated water reclamation
programs. Although the water treatment plant was closed in 1975 due to cost and
viability, his efforts in solving the global water crisis are celebrated every
year.
It
has been argued that Africa’s next wars will be about water. Conservation of
water towers shall not only avert these devastating conflicts but shall be
critical to the economic development of African countries. It will ensure
adequate clean water for domestic and industrial use by the countries as they
transition from third world to first world.
Corporal punishment: One
of Lee’s abiding beliefs was in the efficacy of corporal punishment in the form
of caning. In his autobiography The
Singapore Story, he described his time at the Raffles Institution in
Britain in the 1930’s where he schooled. He described his experience with the
then headmaster, D.W. Mcleod. “I bent over a chair and was given three of the
best with my trouser on. I did not think he lightened his strokes. I have never
understood why Western educationists are much against corporal punishment. It
did my fellow students and me no harm.”
Lee
inherited judicial corporal punishment from the British and strengthened its
application. By 1993, it was mandatory for 42 offences and optional for a further
42. Can corporal punishment in Africa deter economic crimes that have ruined
the economies of many countries? With many international protocols forbidding
the use of such measures, it remains controversial.
Population control:
Lee sought to control population explosion by introducing a “stop at two”
family planning campaign. Third and fourth children were given lower priorities
in education and such families received few economic rebates. One of the
problems facing African countries is increased population as compared to the
GDP. African countries need to control population growth if they are to achieve
first world status in a record 20 years.
Efficient education system:
Lee Kwan Yew realized the importance of a high quality public education and
meritocracy in building a prosperous nation. He identified human capital as a
key competitive edge, supplemented with rigorous application of meritocracy.
African
countries need to streamline their education systems and make them respond to
the needs of the 21st century. Strict meritocracy should be adopted
and vices such as favourism, greed, tribalism and nepotism should take the back
seat in running of government.
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