Up Close with Lee Kuan Yew

Insights from colleagues and friends

Up Close with Lee Kuan Yew gathers some of the vivid memories of 37 people who have worked or interacted closely with Lee Kuan Yew in some way or other, from when he was at Raffles College in 1941 right up to his demise in 2015. Among these are his 13 Principal Private Secretaries and Special Assistants, and Mdm Yeong Yoon Ying, his Press Secretary of over 20 years. The others include former President S.R. Nathan, Puan Noor Aishah who is the widow of President Yusof Ishak, former Chief Justice Yong Pung How, and friends such as Robert Kuok from his Raffles College days. This book captures an unvarnished look at what it was like to interact with the serious and no nonsense Mr Lee, both at work and outside of work. “He questioned me in a rather harsh tone and said I was very bold to be complaining about my chairman whom he knew was well respected. He told me in a raised voice that I could lose my job for what I had done. …I replied that having written to him, I was prepared for the consequences. He glared at me. I didn’t know what to expect next. I expected the worst. Then, he broke into laughter.’’Peter Seah, Chairman, DBS BankContributing AuthorsRobert Kuok • Yong Pung How • Othman Wok • Puan Noor Aishah • S.R. Nathan • J.Y. Pillay • Lim Chin Beng • Wee Cho Yaw • Chn’g Jit Koon • Sidek Saniff • Philip Yeo • Jennie Chua • Liew Mun Leong • Lim Siong Guan • Jagjeet Singh • Ng Kok Song • Lam Chuan Leong • Bilahari Kausikan • Stephen Lee • Li Ka-shing • Tan Guong Ching • Dr S. Vasoo • Moses Lee • Ho Meng Kit • Yatiman Yusof • Yeong Yoon Ying • Alan Chan • Peter Seah • Heng Swee Keat • Leo Yip • Andrew Tan • Peter Tan • Cheng Wai Keung • Lee Seow Hiang • Chee Hong Tat • Anthony Tan • Lim Teck Kiat