These were the words of Lee Kuan Yew to his people. It was the time when there was an apparent internal conflict within the country of Singapore. They became the icon of prosperity and professionalism.

Lee Kuan Yew was my father’s favorite. He would tell me stories on how he strengthened the military forces of Singapore; it was through his capacity to negotiate the help of the British Government to protect his country.

His country was then facing a possibility of succumbing to the ideology of Marxism and hard core communism. He worked with his communists friends. He loved them but not their ideology. He tried his best to change their perspective by talking to them one by one, trying to convince them of the danger of Marxist Ideology. Until, Singapore was annexed to Malaysia, and his communist friends were killed and exiled.

Later on, his respectable and honored Tunku, decided to separate Malaysia from Singapore to avoid probable bloodshed among the peoples of Singapore and Malaysia. Both citizens of two states have strong feelings of patriotism, so they decided to separate. The Singaporean believed their Singaporean heritage is uniquely different from their Malaysian brothers. And so it was in the year August 9. 1965, Singapore became a nation.

My Singaporean friend Karen is an epitome of the Lee Kuan Yew generation. She is much younger, but she was a living legacy of the formidable spirit of this Asian leader.

As a child they were trained by their learning institutions for integrity, excellence and long-term vision. She felt the pressure of making a mark in her country. She was a social worker, a businesswoman and a leader at the same time. Even in house work, she was the best in laundry. Like all young girls in the Far East. We see home management as one of our great expertise side by side with our professional work. Fathers are for fatherhood and Mothers are for motherhood, she says. They are not distinct, but complementary. She speaks British English, Chinese, Malay and Spanish.

Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy will ran in the blood of the Singaporean youth. His influence will surpass his lifetime.

A classmate of my mother from India was asked how Mahatma Gandhi was then, and she answered: “Ah Mahatma Gandhi, he was the hope who opened our hearts to the Truth.”

He is a noble fighter of Truth in its fullness; he made the expression “satyagraha” famous. He fought against racial discrimination using the battle of the will, intellect and persuasion. He is considered a saint but a straightforward politician.

His strategy was to unite his country to fight for a common cause. He didn’t spare his wife, and corrected her in place of his true convictions. She loved him just the same, because she was noble and intelligent too.

Gandhi challenged the system of India, such as child marriage and untouchability. He believed the people of India can only work for independence if they are prepared for self-government. He encouraged social development and self reliance. It was his priority more than India’s independence.

Gandhi did his best to teach his country what real freedom was. The freedom to choose to foresee the consequences. Thus, he resorted to a moral advantage and challenged the core of the hearts of the British Empire. He challenged their nobleness vis a vis their racial discrimination and injustice towards Indian people.

I remembered learning World History and found Mahatma Gandhi admirable for his fortitude and formidable character. It propelled me to also do what is true. He actually influenced me not to join the Red Army in my country. I saw many intelligent young people wasting their lives in the mountains struggling for a lost cause using violence and terrorism. But Mahatma Gandhi’s way is the best.