Open Letter on MM’s health

The following is a letter written by a member of the public to the Prime Minister and Minister Mentor, forwarded to TOC and other news outlets. MM Lee was hospitalized two days ago at Singapore General Hospital with a chest infection. There has not been an update so far on his condition.

To: PM Lee/MM Lee

I am writing to both of you (as Prime Minister and member of the cabinet/MP respectively) to seriously consider not fielding MM Lee for the coming General Elections for the following reasons:

1. MM Lee is already 87 years old and he openly admits with each passing year, he is not the man he was a year ago (something to that effect, in his recent interview). Therefore, I can assume he meant mentally and physically, he is slower with each passing day/month/year.

2. With his recent hospitalization, is he seriously ill? If so, he should gracefully volunteer not to stand for election as the MP in Tg Pagar GRC. Remember ex-President Ong Teng Cheong? The government ruled that because he was ill, he should not stand (not eligible?) for re-election as President with his diminished effectiveness/health.

3. MM Lee readily admits his wife, Mrs Lee’s illness has been draining much of his time and energy as he is primarily her main caregiver (so we are led to understand).

4. As a resident in the GRC, I note that MM Lee has not been attending (or does not attend nowadays?) the Meet-The-People (MTP) sessions as the MP in the Tg Pagar GRC and this duty has been delegated to Dr Koo Tsai Kee. (Note: this happened before his recent hospitalization, so it is not due to the hospitalization. It might be due to time needed to care for his wife and/or his physical/mental condition or whatever the reason). If he cannot/does not have the time to meet/serve the needs of his constituents in his personal capacity, why should be offer himself as their MP/representative?

To PM Lee: Therefore, I sincerely urge you as his superior to drop him as a candidate for the coming election. He can still remain an “Advisor” or “Mentor” to the cabinet, but not an absent MP.

To MM Lee: I sincerely urge you to let another person have the chance to serve the constituency (if PAP wins the vote, whether contested or not) as the legitimate MP who serves and meets the people and not as an absent MP. I hope you are magnanimous enough to face the reality (and not in denial) that you no longer are the man you were, and step down gracefully so that another capable man/woman is able to serve the needs of the constituents. You need not be an MP or in the cabinet to be able to contribute.