“Why hasn’t anyone said ‘fuck yeah the guy is dead, Lee Kuan Yew was a horrible person’.. because everyone is scared, everyone is afraid that if they say something like that they might get into trouble which, give Lee Kuan Yew credit, that was primarily the impact of his legacy, but I’m not afraid, so if Lee Hsien Loong wishes to sue me, I will oblige to dance with him.” - (Yee 2015)
Amos Yee, a 16 year old Singaporean, made the news when four days after the death of the country’s founding father, he uploaded a video entitled ‘Lee Kuan Yew is finally dead!’ (See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TZPdM3xn24). In 8 minutes and 39 seconds Yee discusses his reasons for detesting the late former prime minister, compares him to Jesus whilst attacking Christianity and uses a string of statistics to demonstrate why he believes the country is severely unequal despite its MEDC status. Following the upload, multiple police reports were filed against Yee who was later arrested.
The death of Lee Kuan Yew resonated loudly across the country, although sadness was felt among Singaporeans, it was also clear that a huge sense of pride for their short but impressive history was further invoked. Moreover, both the young and old were heavily affected by his passing. Respects were paid online and in person as citizens queued up at the Padang to see Lee Kuan Yew in the days before the state funeral, which took place on the 29th of March at my host university.
Many have commented online about the situation involving Amos Yee, suggesting that the government’s choice to arrest him actually enabled him to prove his point. In a post I wrote last year I looked at Singapore’s rank in the Reporters Without Borders’ world press freedom index; this year Singapore ranked 153rd out of 180 countries (Abernethy 2015). What’s more it has not been uncommon for people producing online content critiquing the Singapore government to be prosecuted (Abernethy 2015). Aside from demonstrating the lack of freedom of speech in Singapore, the criminalisation of Amos Yee raises questions as to why the government felt so threatened by the opinions of a 16 year old. It must be said that his commentary was slightly distasteful at times and his comments made against Christianity have caused offence, yet his arrest perhaps demonstrates the government’s growing fears of a grass roots rebellion against the state.
Whether agreeing or disagreeing with Amos Yee’s opinions, most people would ascertain that he has a right to voice them. Singapore has come a tremendous way in the past 50 years and the country owes a lot to their late founding father, however, the city’s future may be limited in many ways if people’s right to speak freely is not granted.
Abernethy, L (2015) Singapore teenager charged over critical Lee Kuan Yew Video, The Guardian, [Online], 31 March, [Accessed 26 April 2015], Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/31/singapore-teenager-amos-yee-pang-sang-charged-critical-lee-kuan-yew-video
Wang, L (2015) Amos Yee – Lee Kuan Yew is Finally Dead!, [Online], [Accessed 26 April 2015], Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TZPdM3xn24 *
* The original video posted on Amos Yee’s Youtube channel has been taken down.
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