Chan Chun Sing gives chéngyǔ lesson in tribute to Lee Kuan Yew on 10th death anniversary

Do the words chéngyǔ (成语) strike fear in your jiak kentang heart?

If so, this article probably isn't for you.

But for the rest of us, Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing wielded chéngyǔ (Chinese set phrases or idioms) in an eloquent fashion while delivering a tribute to the late Lee Kuan Yew on Mar. 22 at Duxton Plain Park.

Speaking at a commemoration event organised by the People's Association, Chan, who is also an adviser to the Tanjong Pagar grassroots groups, used chéngyǔ to illustrate three lessons he had personally picked up from the late Lee.

1. 以民为本，以国为先 (The people are the foundation, the country is the priority)

According to Chan, the late Lee always posed two questions whenever he met his grassroots advisers:

1. How are the residents doing?
2. What's happening around the world and how is it going to impact Singapore?

"In his mind, it was always about the welfare and the well-being of Singaporeans," said Chan. "It is always about how the larger forces happening around the world are going to impact our lives and livelihood."

2. 务实处事，公正无私 (Pragmatism over ideology, fair-mindedness over personal interests)

Chan said that Lee didn't take an ideological approach towards solving problems.

"All he wanted to know was: Is this going to work? And is this going to work well for Singaporeans?

Even if it was his idea, if times change, if circumstances change, and if we need to change, he would be the first one to say, 'Let's change.'

It was never about dogma. It was about constantly looking for a better solution...so that we could take care of Singapore and Singaporeans better."

Chan also highlighted Lee's impartiality and fair-mindedness:

"He would never put himself above the law, and he would never allow anybody to be above the law."

3. 无处可见，无所不在 (Invisible anywhere but present everywhere)

Even without any monuments to Lee, the impact of his legacy can be felt everywhere you look, said Chan.

"The constant pursuit of excellence, the constant pursuit of service to our people, can never be encapsulated by any monument or any building.

The set of ethos that he has left us, meritocracy, multi-racialism, and incorruptibility are also nothing that can be put on a sign board or a monument.

Instead, it is a set of values that each and every one of us will carry us throughout our lives, in Singapore and beyond."

 Top images: Joshua Lee, NAS.