Singapore plans to plant 10,000 trees across the nation to mark the 100th birthday of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who was known as the Republic’s chief gardener.
The initiative is part of the LKY100 series, which aims to honour the late Mr Lee’s values and ideals that shaped the People’s Action Party (PAP) and the nation.
The series will also include community dialogues and public programs.
Lee Kuan Yew, who passed away in 2015, launched the first nationwide tree-planting campaign in 1963 and introduced the “Garden City” vision in 1967. This sparked a greening movement in Singapore that has lasted for decades.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong kicked off the initiative on Sunday with a tree planting event at St George’s Lane, where he and 100 families from Jalan Besar GRC planted 100 trees.
Tree planting days will be held across all 15 PAP town councils in the coming months. The goal is to make towns “zero-waste, energy efficient, and greener” by 2025.
Dr Wan Rizal, an MP for Jalan Besar GRC, highlighted the ruling party’s unwavering dedication to environmental stewardship, which was ignited by the late Mr Lee.
Deputy Prime Minister Wong emphasized the importance of unity and resilience in the face of adversity. Drawing from the example of Singapore’s founding leaders, he encouraged Singaporeans to uphold the values and ideals that have guided the nation’s development.
In addition to the tree planting initiatives, other events and programs have been planned to further celebrate Lee Kuan Yew’s 100th birthday.
As announced by Minister of Manpower Dr Tan See Leng in Parliament, the celebration of Lee Kuan Yew’s 100th birthday also involves plans for conferences, publications, and activities to engage younger Singaporeans and raise awareness of his contributions to the nation’s history.
These include a travelling exhibition by the National Heritage Board, which will showcase artefacts and stories from the nation-building years, as well as a more extensive exhibition at the National Museum on key historical milestones.
Business leaders have proposed a fund for private donations to support educational causes in honor of Mr Lee’s passion for education. The government is coordinating with various groups to support these efforts.
There has been speculation that the ruling party may use the events leading up to the 100th birthday of the late Lee Kuan Yew as an opportunity to garner support for PAP in a potential early election.
This strategy could potentially replicate the overwhelming support PAP received in the 2015 election following the passing of Lee Kuan Yew.
