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Lee Kwan Yew chides his tough TV questioners

Not all young people think like the "radical, English-educated young" who fired tough questions at Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew (李光耀) during a televised forum, the senior statesman said in an interview published yesterday.

Lee told the Straits Times that he was not surprised by the polarized reactions but would be wary of believing that the views of the 10 young people he met represented those of their generation.

All of those who took part in last week's hour-long forum were graduates aged 30 or younger.

Some of the panelists said they had been told to give free rein to their questions. They met with Lee for an informal discussion of the issues before the taping and said they understood that the point of the forum was for them to put "hard questions" to him.

"The premise of the show was clearly explained to us beforehand," said journalist Kor Kian Beng, 28, with the New Paper.

She said Lee "told us to not be intimidated by him."

A MediaCorp spokesman said the program was thought timely because a large proportion of voters were born after Singapore secured its independence from Malaysia in 1965.

Ahead of the general election expected to be held early next month, the participants focused on such sensitive issues as freedom of speech, a level playing field for the opposition and political choice.

They also asked whether Lee, 82, should retire from politics.

Journalist Lee Ching Wern, 26, with the newspaper Today said she did not anticipate a backlash from the forum.

"Those who launched attacks on our character, our upbringing, our lack of Asian values and our disrespect for Minister Mentor Lee are not being fair," she said. "We were cast in this forum to play the devil's advocate."

The ruling People's Action Party (PAP), which has never lost more than four seats in an election, is hoping to remove at least one of the two opposition members in the 84-seat parliament.

The fragmented and cash-strapped opposition is planning to run more candidates than it has in the past to prevent the walkovers that have taken place in the past three elections.

But political analysts predicted that the PAP will continue its overwhelming dominance.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍), Lew Kuan Yew's 54-year-old son, is seeking a huge mandate for his premiership.

The senior Lee, Singapore's first prime minister until he stepped down in 1990, told the Straits Times he believes that these "radical, English-educated young" will revise their priorities over time.

"They will realize that a large majority of Singaporeans are steeped in their respective Asian cultures, whose core values will not be easily displaced," he was quoted as saying.

Seven of the participant were journalists, one was a publications manager and two were Singapore Management University students.

Public reaction to the TV forum has been split. Older Singaporeans tended to be critical of the participants, contending they were disrespectful. Younger ones tended to praise the boldness of those who took part.

Lee said he sought to explain that the PAP did what it did, not to enrich its leaders or perpetuate its rule, but to ensure that Singapore would always have an honest and capable government.

"For the time being, they do not want to be persuaded," Lee said of the forum participants. "They were overemphatic in putting across their views."
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