Lee Kuan Yew rejects Wikileaks cable of him attacking Islam
-
Lee Kuan Yew rejects Wikileaks cable claim
SINGAPORE: Singapore's former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said the claim in a cable released by Wikileaks in which he had "characterized Islam as a 'venomous religion'", is false.
Mr Lee on Monday issued a statement following the release by Wikileaks of a cable by the US Embassy in Singapore reporting on the visit of Senator Hillary Clinton to Singapore in July 2005.
He added that that he looked up Ministry of Foreign Affairs' filenote of the meeting and nowhere does it record him describing Islam as "venomous", nor did he say anything which could have given that impression in his meeting with Senator Clinton.
In the statement, Mr Lee said he did talk about extremist terrorists like the Jemaah Islamiyah group, and the jihadist preachers who brainwashed them.
He said that they are implacable in wanting to put down all who do not agree with them.
He added that their Islam is a perverted version, which the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Singapore do not subscribe to.
Mr Lee said he also pointed out that Singapore Muslim leaders are rational, and that the ultimate solution to extremist terrorism was to give moderate Muslims the courage to stand up and speak out against radicals who have hijacked Islam to recruit volunteers for their violent ends.http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1151119/1/.html
-
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 002073 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON SN SUBJECT: VISIT BY SEN. CLINTON TO SINGAPORE (JULY 5-7) Classified By: Amb. Franklin L. Lavin. Reasons 1.4 (b)(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Singapore's senior leadership discussed the challenges of combating Islamic terrorism, the need for moderate Muslims to speak out, and the importance of success in Iraq in meetings with visiting Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY). GOS leaders told the Senator that cross-Strait relations were calmer than last year. While China did not want a collision with the United States, it could not allow Taiwan to pursue independence. At the same time, they urged the United States to continue to play a major role in Asia since it was the only country capable of balancing China's rising power. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong encouraged the U.S. military to be more engaged with its regional counterparts. PM Lee also reviewed Singapore's border controls and immigration policies. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) visited Singapore from July 5-7. She was accompanied by staff member Huma Abedin. The Senator met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew on July 5. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) also participated in the three meetings. Islamic Radicalism and Iraq --------------------------- ¶3. (C) The problem of Islamic terrorism would not be easily extirpated, observed MM Lee. While Muslims in Southeast Asia were traditionally moderate and tolerant, they had been affected by radicalism emanating from Middle East and the spread of wahhabism from Saudi Arabia. Singapore's Muslim leaders were rational and educated in English and the GOS kept a limit on madrassah-based education. He stressed that moderate Muslims had to be encouraged to stand up and speak out against radicalism. They needed confidence that they could win. We could get to the tipping point, noted MM Lee, but he didn't know how long it would take. ¶4. (C) MM Lee said Islamic terrorists would continue to use violence until shown that their methods would not succeed. If they were successful in Iraq, they would try to topple secular governments in other countries, such as Indonesia. PM Lee said Singapore supported U.S. efforts in Iraq; it was important to get the Iraqi government working, with a security force that could take over from U.S. forces and fend for itself. ¶5. (C) Asked by Rep. Rangel how organized terrorists were internationally, MM Lee responded that orthodox Islam was a powerful force capable of recruiting volunteers for terrorist groups. He noted Singapore's experience in 2001 and 2002 in dealing with Jemaah Islamiyah's terrorist plots in Singapore and characterized Islam as a "venomous religion." Democracy and Islam ------------------- ¶6. (C) SM Goh told the Senator that democracy and Islam were compatible. It was necessary, however, to first carry out economic and social reforms to prepare the ground for democracy -- such as empowering women and encouraging education. Democracy was not just elections. He noted that some Middle Eastern countries had been looking at Singapore as a model for economic development. Many of these countries also preferred the "Singapore model" of democracy to that of the United States, given the ruling People's Action Party's consistent electoral success. MM Lee questioned the wisdom of pushing hard for greater democracy in Egypt. He urged a more gradual political opening to avoid ending up with a government like in Iran. Do not be dewy-eyed about the situation, he admonished, since one man, one vote would put the radicals in charge of Egypt. Cross-Strait Relations ---------------------- ¶7. (C) SM Goh commented that cross-Strait relations were calmer than last year, due to the joint U.S.-Japan security statement in February, China's Anti-Secession Law, and the visits by Taiwan opposition leaders to China. The PRC leadership had become more flexible and subtle in its approach to Taiwan, SM Goh argued. President Hu Jintao was more patient about Taiwan and was willing to put the issue aside for a decade or more. ¶8. (C) China had no interest in a collision with the United States, according to MM Lee. The PRC wanted peace and stability so it could concentrate on promoting economic growth, which was critical to the regime's legitimacy. The one issue they could not overlook was Taiwan. While China supported the status quo, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) would continue its build up to dominate the Taiwan Strait to deter the United States from getting involved in any cross-Strait conflict. U.S. Role in Asia ----------------- ¶9. (C) All three GOS leaders urged the United States to continue to play a major role in Asia. MM Lee commented that the United States was the only power capable of balancing the rising power of China. SM Goh observed that India had to become more involved in the region as well to balance China. Singapore wanted all outside powers to be active in Asia so that "no dominant country could call the shots for its neighbors." ¶10. (C) Noting that he had attended the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, PM Lee urged the U.S. military to be more engaged with its counterparts in the region, especially Indonesia and Pakistan. The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) had been cut off for a long time. The United States was fortunate to have invested in the right friend in President Yudhoyono, according to PM Lee. Regional Situation ------------------ ¶11. (C) The regional situation had improved over the last year, according to SM Goh. Indonesia had conducted successful elections and President Yudhoyono understood the West and could reach out to it. He was a decent man who was taking action against corruption, but the problem was endemic in Indonesia. In Malaysia, the change in prime minister was for the better. SM Goh commented that former PM Mahathir enjoyed fighting with everyone. The long-term problem was what type of Islam would dominate in Malaysia. He expressed concern that a more radical version of Islam was gaining ground and forcing moderates to take more extreme positions. Border Controls and Immigration ------------------------------- ¶12. (SBU) Asked about Singapore's border control system, PM Lee said it helped that Singapore was an island. While some people were able to sneak into the country, it was far easier to control than the Rio Grande. Rep. Rangel noted that Singapore's sanctions for illegal immigrants were different than in the United States and PM Lee noted that they were caned and then deported. Employers and landlords of illegal immigrants also faced sanctions. The GOS was experimenting with biometrics to speed up the entry process, especially for the tens of thousands of people entering from Malaysia every day. ¶13. (SBU) While unemployment was 3.9 percent, there were many jobs that Singaporeans no longer wanted to do, such as in construction and domestic positions, observed PM Lee. The GOS allowed in some 200,000 workers in these fields. The GOS, however, did not want these workers to "establish roots" in Singapore and encouraged turnover. At the same time, the GOS was trying to attract skilled workers, notably scientists and engineers, to come and stay in Singapore. They were needed to help offset Singapore's low birth rate and to help the country develop new industries, such as its emerging biotechnology sector.http://wikileaks.org/cable/2005/07/05SINGAPORE2073.html
-
5. (C) Asked by Rep. Rangel how organized terrorists were internationally, MM Lee responded that orthodox Islam was a powerful force capable of recruiting volunteers for terrorist groups. He noted Singapore's experience in 2001 and 2002 in dealing with Jemaah Islamiyah's terrorist plots in Singapore and characterized Islam as a "venomous religion."
-
.
-
boh kor leng will accept one rite
打æ»éƒ½ä¸�承认
-
He said that they are implacable in wanting to put down all who do not agree with them.
Singapore must try in all cost, not has this policy mindset, either in opposition or preposition stance
-
Originally posted by Amitayus48:
Singapore must try in all cost, not has this policy mindset, either in opposition or preposition stance
He describing himself?
-
Originally posted by Amitayus48:
Singapore must try in all cost, not has this policy mindset, either in opposition or preposition stance
I think for that to happen, Lee Kuan Yew must die.
-
(SBU) While unemployment was 3.9 percent, there were many jobs that Singaporeans no longer wanted to do, such as in construction and domestic positions, observed PM Lee.
The GOS allowed in some 200,000 workers in these fields.
The GOS, however, did not want these workers to "establish roots" in Singapore and encouraged turnover.
At the same time, the GOS was trying to attract skilled workers, notably scientists and engineers, to come and stay in Singapore.
They were needed to help offset Singapore's low birth rate and to help the country develop new industries, such as its emerging biotechnology sector.
-
Originally posted by Dalforce 25:
I think for that to happen, Lee Kuan Yew must die.
The average lifespan is about 70-80 years. For sure that no one live forever lest your compassionate lovingliness
-
Actually if you read the whole thing, it doesn't make sense for LKY to say that Islam is a venomous religion. LKY was going along the line, terrorists hijacked Islam, they (the Muslims) can stand up to terrorism etc, and then suddenly say they are venomous?
Sen. Clinton has staff member Huma Abidin with her. Would LKY say such a thing openly?
So is LKY mad, or the Ambassodor "mistaken"?
I think the Ambassador Franklin L. Lavin thinks he won't get caught telling such lies in US confidential documents. His reasons, to influence his country leaders against Islam.
-
This should be taken in the context of his previous record of statement.
Not just his views of the religion, but of Islam's practice by muslims in Singapore and the world.
What did he say in his Hard Truths but suddenly retract before the election?
What did he say in past years on integration of communities, on how communities should be governed, on the military, on living side by side etc?
-
Ex-Singapore leader denies Islam slur
SINGAPORE's outspoken former leader Lee Kuan Yew has denied calling Islam a "venomous religion" after leaked US diplomatic cables set off a furore in the multiracial city-state.
One of hundreds of cables from the US embassy in Singapore released last week by the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks had Lee as describing Islam as a "venomous religion" in a 2005 meeting with then senator Hillary Clinton.
"This is false," the 87-year-old Lee, Singapore's founding prime minister and elder statesman, said in a statement.
Lee said that he looked up a foreign ministry note of the meeting, and "nowhere does it record me describing Islam as 'venomous', nor did I say anything which could have given that impression".
"I did talk about extremist terrorists like the (Southeast Asian) Jemaah Islamiyah group, and the jihadist preachers who brainwashed them. They are implacable in wanting to put down all who do not agree with them," he said.
"So their Islam is a perverted version, which the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Singapore do not subscribe to." During the meeting, another US lawmaker in Clinton's party had asked Lee about "how organised terrorists were internationally", according to the leaked cable signed off by then US ambassador to Singapore Frank Lavin.
It said Lee "responded that orthodox Islam was a powerful force capable of recruiting volunteers for terrorist groups".
"He noted Singapore's experience in 2001 and 2002 in dealing with Jemaah Islamiyah's terrorist plots in Singapore and characterised Islam as a 'venomous religion'."
Singapore has a predominantly Chinese population with minority races including Malays, who are mostly Muslim, making up 13.4 percent of its population of five million.
The small Southeast Asian nation's closest neighbours geographically are mainly Muslim countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Lee's comments sparked a furore among Singapore's online community, which now plays a large part in shaping public debate in the city-state, where newspapers are perceived to be pro-government.
"LKY (Lee Kuan Yew) should not make general and sweeping statements like that," Lee Rou Xuan, a Singaporean citizen, wrote on the Facebook page of the blog site The Online Citizen. "He should have taken a greater effort to find out more or maybe his million-dollar-paid ministers should have given him some good advice."
Sonny Pereira, another Facebook user, said the former leader's remarks were seditious. "This is serious! He ought to (feel) shame in public and the Arab world for what he said. This is sedition!" Pereira wrote.
-
Originally posted by mancha:
Actually if you read the whole thing, it doesn't make sense for LKY to say that Islam is a venomous religion. LKY was going along the line, terrorists hijacked Islam, they (the Muslims) can stand up to terrorism etc, and then suddenly say they are venomous?
looks okay to me.
(C)
Asked by Rep. Rangel how organized terrorists were internationally, MM Lee responded that orthodox Islam was a powerful force capable of recruiting volunteers for terrorist groups.
He noted Singapore's experience in 2001 and 2002 in dealing with Jemaah Islamiyah's terrorist plots in Singapore and characterized Islam as a "venomous religion."
MM Lee
responded that orthodox Islam was a powerful force capable of recruiting volunteers for terrorist groups.
He noted Singapore's experience in 2001 and 2002 in dealing with Jemaah Islamiyah's terrorist plots in Singapore and characterized Islam as a "venomous religion."
-
Lao Lee is careful not to offend the muslims in Singapore. Sly fox.
-
Glad to see that most Singaporeans are sensible enough and reject Lee Kuan Yew's disgusting views on Islam.
Lee's comments sparked a furore among Singapore's online community, which now plays a large part in shaping public debate in the city-state, where newspapers are perceived to be pro-government.
"LKY (Lee Kuan Yew) should not make general and sweeping statements like that," Lee Rou Xuan, a Singaporean citizen, wrote on the Facebook page of the blog site The Online Citizen. "He should have taken a greater effort to find out more or maybe his million-dollar-paid ministers should have given him some good advice."
Sonny Pereira, another Facebook user, said the former leader's remarks were seditious. "This is serious! He ought to (feel) shame in public and the Arab world for what he said. This is sedition!" Pereira wrote.
Lee Kuan Yew should watch his mouth and stop babbling provocative remarks that disturb the racial and religious harmony of Singapore.
-
Originally posted by Brain Freeze:
Lao Lee is careful not to offend the muslims in Singapore. Sly fox.
Malaysia and Indonesia will also attack him if he is open about his remarks.
-
I don't know, but look at the whole scenario.
LKY was in the presence of Sen Clinton, and a staff (with a Muslim name), PM Lee and SM Goh. Is such a meeting held behind closed doors? Without media, aides, attendants, secretaries, etc. Even if it is, is he mad?
Wonder what Sen Clinton or Huma Abidin have to say about this, should LKY ask them to help clarify the matter.
-
Lee Kuan Yew's previous remarks on malays and muslims:
"If, for instance, you put in a Malay officer who's very religious and who has family ties in Malaysia in charge of a machine gun unit, that's a very tricky business. We've got to know his background... I'm saying these things because they are real, and if I don't think that, and I think even if today the Prime Minister doesn't think carefully about this, we could have a tragedy." - SM Lee Kuan Yew, Straits Times, September 19, 1999 on Malays in the Singapore Armed Forces
"Of course there are Chinese millionaires in big cars and big houses. Is it the answer to make a few Malay millionaires with big cars and big houses? How does telling a Malay bus driver that he should support the party of his Malay director (UMNO) and the Chinese bus conductor to join another party of his Chinese director (MCA) - how does that improve the standards of the Malay bus driver and the Chinese bus conductor who are both workers in the same company?
If we delude people into believing that they are poor because there are no Malay rights or because opposition members oppose Malay rights, where are we going to end up? You let people in the kampongs believe that they are poor because we don't speak Malay, because the government does not write in Malay, so he expects a miracle to take place in 1967 (the year Malay would become the national and sole official language in Malaysia).
The moment we all start speaking Malay, he is going to have an uplift in the standard of living, and if doesn't happen, what happens then? Meanwhile, whenever there is a failure of economic, social and educational policies, you come back and say, oh, these wicked Chinese, Indian and others opposing Malay rights. They don't oppose Malay rights.
They, the Malay, have the right as Malaysian citizens to go up to the level of training and education that the more competitive societies, the non-Malay society, has produced. That is what must be done, isn't it? Not to feed them with this obscurantist doctrine that all they have got to do is to get Malay rights for the few special Malays and their problem has been resolved." — Lee Kuan Yew in the Parliament of Malaysia, 1965
"According to history, Malays began to migrate to Malaysia in noticeable numbers only about 700 years ago. Of the 39 percent Malays in Malaysia today, about one-third are comparatively new immigrants like the secretary-general of UMNO, Dato' Syed Ja'afar Albar, who came to Malaya from Indonesia just before the war at the age of more than thirty.
Therefore it is wrong and illogical for a particular racial group to think that they are more justified to be called Malaysians and that the others can become Malaysian only through their favour." — Lee Kuan Yew (in 1964 or 1965), — Ye, Lin-Sheng (2003). The Chinese Dilemma, p. 43. East West Publishing
"How does the Malay in the kampong find his way out into this modernised civil society? By becoming servants of the 0.3 per cent who would have the money to hire them to clean their shoe, open their motorcar doors?" — Lee Kuan Yew in the Parliament of Malaysia, 1965
- "I have to speak candidly to be of value, but I do not want to offend the Muslim community... I think we were progressing very nicely until the surge of Islam came, and if you asked me for my observations, the other communities have easier integration – friends, inter-marriages and so on – than Muslims... I would say, today, we can integrate all religions and races, except Islam." - from his book 'Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going' (Asia One, March 08 2011 [8])
- "Hard Truths was a book based on 32 hours of interviews over a period of two years. I made this one comment on the Muslims integrating with other communities probably two or three years ago. Ministers and MPs, both Malay and non-Malay, have since told me that Singapore Malays have indeed made special efforts to integrate with the other communities, especially since 9/11, and that my call is out of date. I stand corrected. I hope that this trend will continue in the future." - statement that he stands corrected on how well-integrated Malay-Muslims are in Singapore (Asia One, March 08, 2011 [9])
- http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lee_Kuan_Yew
-
Originally posted by mancha:
I don't know, but look at the whole scenario.
LKY was in the presence of Sen Clinton, and a staff (with a Muslim name), PM Lee and SM Goh. Is such a meeting held behind closed doors? Without media, aides, attendants, secretaries, etc. Even if it is, is he mad?
Wonder what Sen Clinton or Huma Abidin have to say about this, should LKY ask them to help clarify the matter
Many US and SG politicians are firmly on the government side- secular and in the US, fiercely Republican (check out their previous ambassador to Iraq).
There are Singapore Muslim MPs working hand in hand with the government, their role is to manage the government's image towards the muslim community here.
This is elaborated on in this cable, "Muslim MPs in Singapore" http://wikileaks.org/cable/2005/02/05SINGAPORE312.html
-
Originally posted by Brain Freeze:
Lao Lee is careful not to offend the muslims in Singapore. Sly fox.
Lee Kuan Yew is afraid of two ethnic groups in Singapore, dialect chinese and malays.
These two can pose problems for Lee Kuan Yew. The group he fears the most is the dialect hokkien chinese group. This is probably the real reason why he pushed for anglicisation and suppression policies.
The problem of Islamic terrorism would not be easily extirpated, observed MM Lee.
While Muslims in Southeast Asia were traditionally moderate and tolerant, they had been affected by radicalism emanating from Middle East and the spread of wahhabism from Saudi Arabia.
Singapore's Muslim leaders were rational and educated in English and the GOS kept a limit on madrassah-based education.
Singapore's Muslim leaders were rational and educated in English
GOS kept a limit on madrassah-based education.
For the dialect chinese, limits on chinese schools are not enough.
They must be totally and completely eradicated from Singapore.
The political threat is too great.
-
jump into kallang river also cannot wash clean lo this time...
-
Originally posted by Dalforce 25:
Lee Kuan Yew's previous remarks on malays and muslims:
- "Hard Truths was a book based on 32 hours of interviews over a period of two years. I made this one comment on the Muslims integrating with other communities probably two or three years ago. Ministers and MPs, both Malay and non-Malay, have since told me that Singapore Malays have indeed made special efforts to integrate with the other communities, especially since 9/11, and that my call is out of date. I stand corrected. I hope that this trend will continue in the future." - statement that he stands corrected on how well-integrated Malay-Muslims are in Singapore (Asia One, March 08, 2011 [9])
- http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lee_Kuan_Yew
I cannot stand his half-assed apology. Even while apologising he can lecture them to continue the trend.
-
Originally posted by alize:
I cannot stand his half-assed apology. Even while apologising he can lecture them to continue the trend.
I feel like slapping his cocky face.
-
This great man shouldn't apologize or rebut anything along the lines of this accusation because what he said is the truth.