Committee to be set up to look into memorial for S’pore’s founding fathers
Singapore Central Business District (CBD), night skyline. Photo: Ernest Chua
A committee will be set up to gather views from the public and conceptualise a memorial for Singapore’s founding fathers, announced Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday.
The committee will be chaired by Mr Lee Tzu Yang, chairman of The Esplanade, and if the idea resonates among Singaporeans, the committee will take the project further, he said.
The Prime Minister, who gave a ministerial statement in Parliament yesterday, was responding to questions from Members of Parliament who had asked about various commemorative initiatives for the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, including introducing dollar notes with his image and having a Founder’s Day.
In response to the latter suggestion, the Prime Minister noted that Mr Lee was always conscious that it was a team effort that contributed to Singapore’s success. His core team included Goh Keng Swee, S Rajaratnam, Hon Sui Sen, Lim Kim San — all of whom have died — and Mr Othman Wok, who is 90.
Nevertheless, he said Mr Lee had found value in having a memorial — possibly coupled with an exhibition gallery — on Singapore’s founding fathers to educate future generations. “A founder’s memorial need not be a grand structure, but it must stand for our ideals, our values, our hopes and aspirations,” he said.
Noting the outpouring of grief by members of the public for Mr Lee, the Prime Minister added: “With time, our grief will subside, but our unity should remain. If the memorial captured that same spirit, we will have succeeded.”
Mr Lee Tzu Yang, who is also chairman of the Casino Regulatory Authority, said he was honoured and, at the same time, “slightly daunted” by his task. “My immediate task will be to form a committee to represent the various segments of our society,” he said in a statement, adding that the committee would consult widely.
More details will be provided after the committee has been formed and meets next month.
