Lee Kuan Yew proved that Asians can rule, prosper

As a history buff, please allow me to share my view. The man believed the ends justify the means as expounded by the Italian political philosopher Machiavelli in ‘The Prince’ in the 16th century. His drastic means in exiling his opposition, a former colleague in fighting the Brits, was the first sign of apparent unscrupulousness that was followed by his suppression of trade unions whose political clout put him in as the first leader of the People’s Action Party. He won with a majority of one vote. Just imagine if he lost, would Singapore be in the current shape?
The New York Times put it best: “The nation reflected the man: efficient, unsentimental, incorruptible, inventive, forward-looking and pragmatic”. But it missed out one word: “Machiavellian”. He confessed that he was ideology-free. So long as if he could push his little dot of a country to stability and prosperity, the means in achieving that target would always be “morally” right.
Many Brits then lamented after independence that Singapore would go to the dogs without British and Australian support. Well, gentlemen, you were proven wrong by this one man, who moved the dot from the Third World to be your equal in the First World. As a native Singaporean fully educated through the British system of education, he was more English than some Englishmen and forever grateful to Britain for that. 
Irrespective of some of his faults, I salute him for achieving the impossible and bringing honour and pride to all Asians. May he rest in peace!
Songdej Praditsmanont