Lee Kuan Yew hospitalised for "chest infection"

[Xisiqomelir]

AFP via the Goog

Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew in hospital

(AFP) – September 29, 2010

SINGAPORE — Modern Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew, was hospitalised late Wednesday for treatment of a chest infection, local media reported.

Broadcaster Channel NewsAsia said the 87-year-old elder statesman was supposed to attend the wake of Balaji Sadasivan, a senior government minister who died on Monday, but was admitted to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) instead.

"Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew was planning to attend Dr Balaji's wake this evening, but the doctors at SGH have just admitted him for treatment of a chest infection," said the brief statement from Lee's press secretary posted on the broadcaster's website http://www.channelnewsasia.com.

Lee served as Singapore's first prime minister and is credited for transforming the city-state from a third world port to one of Asia's wealthiest nations in just a little over 30 years.

He stepped down in 1990 but continues to play an influential advisory role in government.

He holds the special title minister mentor in the cabinet of his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

In an interview with the New York Times in early September, Lee Kuan Yew said he was feeling the effects of growing old but has learned to come to terms with ageing.

"I mean I can feel the gradual decline of energy and vitality and I mean generally every year when you know you are not on the same level as last year. But that is life," he told the US newspaper.

He said he keeps fit by swimming, cycling and meditation through yoga.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.

Translation for anyone who needs it: "Chest infection" = pneumonia.

painrack, I've always meant to ask you, so I might as well: On the balance, do you think LKY has helped or harmed SG?

ray, you can join me in poppin' bottles in tha ice, like a blizzard!

[PainRack]

Translation for anyone who needs it: "Chest infection" = pneumonia.

painrack, I've always meant to ask you, so I might as well: On the balance, do you think LKY has helped or harmed SG?

1. why does the word chest infection needs translation?

2. The second question really needs context on what you mean by help or harm don't you? I'm personally leaning on the side that policies, needs and requirements change and that what was needed and useful in the past has changed now. Lee Kuan Yew has always stated that there is a need for such change, rejuevenation in such politics, but he has been unable to avoid staying in the frontlines and tweaking with local affairs, this when his perspective is outdated and simply no longer useful.

A good example would be the recent "pledge is only aspiration" bullcrap that was thrown about recently.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

The fucker simply can't let go of power, and keeps having to be the PAP's fireman, and at least a good portion of the population still worships him.

If he goes, good riddance. But will things change for the better? Nope.

[Xisiqomelir]

Translation for anyone who needs it: "Chest infection" = pneumonia.

painrack, I've always meant to ask you, so I might as well: On the balance, do you think LKY has helped or harmed SG?

1. why does the word chest infection needs translation?

The Straits Times may wish to be coy, but I wish to be explicit.

2. The second question really needs context on what you mean by help or harm don't you? I'm personally leaning on the side that policies, needs and requirements change and that what was needed and useful in the past has changed now. Lee Kuan Yew has always stated that there is a need for such change, rejuevenation in such politics, but he has been unable to avoid staying in the frontlines and tweaking with local affairs, this when his perspective is outdated and simply no longer useful.

A good example would be the recent "pledge is only aspiration" bullcrap that was thrown about recently.

Excellent example. Personally, no amount of material wealth justifies any of the confirmed atrocities (Thia Chye Poh, Lim Chin Siong, Devan Nair, Francis Seow, even poor old goofball Chee Soon Juan), and certainly none of the rumoured ones (the kampong arson, betrayal of the Chinese resistance to the kempeitai, forcible sterilizations etc).

New question: How long do you see LHL surviving after Daddy eats it? The view of most of my fellow members of the diaspora is that he is utterly ineffectual and weak, and that the long-hidden fracture inside the PAP is going to erupt almost immediately after LKY is gone. I hear that Teo Chee Hean heads the most powerful faction. Does that sound like a reasonable forecast?

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

New question: How long do you see LHL surviving after Daddy eats it? The view of most of my fellow members of the diaspora is that he is utterly ineffectual and weak, and that the long-hidden fracture inside the PAP is going to erupt almost immediately after LKY is gone. I hear that Teo Chee Hean heads the most powerful faction. Does that sound like a reasonable forecast?

I wouldn't underestimate LHL. The guy has I hear a fairly sharp mind, among civil servants. How he fairs among the PAP rank and file I'm not sure.

There is the Goh Chok Tong factor, and he probably remains fairly influential, and many of the PAP backed him when he came to power.

[PainRack]

The Straits Times may wish to be coy, but I wish to be explicit.

I still not getting it... but meh.

Excellent example. Personally, no amount of material wealth justifies any of the confirmed atrocities (Thia Chye Poh, Lim Chin Siong, Devan Nair, Francis Seow, even poor old goofball Chee Soon Juan), and certainly none of the rumoured ones (the kampong arson, betrayal of the Chinese resistance to the kempeitai, forcible sterilizations etc).

Oh please. Not with the whole Devan Nair bit again......... much less Francis Seow.
How the fuck is Francis Seow selling out to the Americans not valid grounds for political theatre? Its not as if we DON"T know the Americans were rooting around in SEA and Australia at that time, much less the whole Europe satellite intercepts.

Fuck. Australia themselves batted us for screwing around on their homesoil back in the nineties......

The real "atrocities" is as always his alliance with the Communists and subsequent abandonment/betrayl of the left-wing movement back in the 50s,60s and seventies. Labour union supporter. heh.

New question: How long do you see LHL surviving after Daddy eats it? The view of most of my fellow members of the diaspora is that he is utterly ineffectual and weak, and that the long-hidden fracture inside the PAP is going to erupt almost immediately after LKY is gone. I hear that Teo Chee Hean heads the most powerful faction. Does that sound like a reasonable forecast?

That's actually an interesting question. The whole George Yeo/Goh Chok Tong drama of the nineties may once again resurface. However, I personally don't think Teo will be leading any anti LHL faction, given that his political career has been nurtured by the Lee clan.

If anything, the current break as seen by Tan Kah Lian is more interesting. if the traditional union/supporting infrastructure now developed an opposition leader......

[Andrew J.]

The Straits Times may wish to be coy, but I wish to be explicit.

I still not getting it... but meh.

euphemism
eu·phe·mism
   /ˈyufəˌmɪzəm/ Show Spelled[yoo-fuh-miz-uhm]
–noun
1.
the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.
2.
the expression so substituted: “To pass away” is a euphemism for “to die.”

Here, "chest infection" is the mild, indirect or vague expression and "pneumonia" is the offensive, harsh, or blunt one.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

euphemism
eu·phe·mism
   /ˈyufəˌmɪzəm/ Show Spelled[yoo-fuh-miz-uhm]
–noun
1.
the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.
2.
the expression so substituted: “To pass away” is a euphemism for “to die.”

Here, "chest infection" is the mild, indirect or vague expression and "pneumonia" is the offensive, harsh, or blunt one.

Well, we are talking about a newspaper with low quality of language control, but is hopelessly political.

[PainRack]

the expression so substituted: “To pass away” is a euphemism for “to die.”

Here, "chest infection" is the mild, indirect or vague expression and "pneumonia" is the offensive, harsh, or blunt one.

Pneumonia is also technical jargon which may or may not be what LKY is suffering. Chest infection as a layman term also covers URTI, LRTI,Bronchitis and pleurisy.

[PainRack]

And the wife passed on.

SINGAPORE : Madam Kwa Geok Choo - the wife of Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, and mother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has died on Saturday.

Mrs Lee Kuan Yew, age 89, passed away peacefully at home at 5.40 pm.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said the wake is held at Sri Temasek, official residence of the Prime Minister located within the Istana grounds, from October 4-5.

Visitors who wish to pay their last respects may do so on October 4-5 from 10am to 5pm.

Members of the public may call 6835 6614 for any queries.

A private funeral will take place on October 6 at Mandai Crematorium.

The family requests that no obituaries and no wreaths or flowers to be sent.

All donations will go to the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) Health Research Endowment Fund.

Madam Kwa was one of 8 children.

An outstanding student at Methodist Girls' School, she also topped the 1936 Senior Cambridge Examination for the whole of Malaya and Singapore.

At Raffles Institution, she caught the attention of a young Lee Kuan Yew when she gave him unexpectedly stiff competition for a Queen's Scholarship.

But academic rivalry aside, he knew he had found his equal, and his soul mate.

Their relationship grew through the years of Japanese Occupation, and by September 1944, love had blossomed.

When World War II ended, Mr Lee left to study law in England in 1946. But he was miserable until she joined him at Cambridge University a year later.

The two married secretly on 23 December 1947.

She had just turned 27, and he was 24.

Mrs Lee said: "You can't explain these things ... He had tremendous aplomb, self-confidence, very jaunty, he was a handsome young man."

When they returned to Singapore in 1950, they tied the knot again, this time with their parents' full knowledge.

When Mr Lee got more involved in politics and became Singapore's Prime Minister in 1959, it was Mrs Lee and his younger brother, Lee Kim Yew, who built up and expanded Lee & Lee - the law firm all 3 had set up in 1955.

Mr Lee once said his great advantage was that he had a wife who could be a sole breadwinner and bring the children up.

That was his, quote, "insurance policy," which allowed him to play the role he did in Singapore's history.

In October 2003 - Mrs Lee suffered a stroke while on a visit to London.

Fortunately, she made a swift recovery and was again seen in public at her husband's side at community events, and on official trips overseas.

And she was there when Lee Hsien Loong was sworn in as Singapore's third Prime Minister.

Although she had shied away from a high profile, her contributions to Singapore had been most significant, and pivotal to its history.

"If she weren't an influence, supposing I had married somebody else, I might have become a different person, not that I would be a different person, but the things that I would have been able to do, the kind of backdrop I would have had, family, support, would have been different," said MM Lee. - CNA /ls

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/ ... 39/1/.html

[AniThyng]

Be that as it may, I couldn't help but be amused that Dr. M also got a chest infection...

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?fi ... sec=nation

Dr M warded in Australia for chest infection

MELBOURNE: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is undergoing treatment at a hospital here for a chest infection.

His special officer Sufi Yusof confirmed that the former prime minister was admitted to Epworth Hospital on Friday night. He is being warded at the general ward for antibiotics treatment and physiotherapy.

“Dr Mahathir’s condition is stable and he has been advised to rest. He is expected to be admitted for observation for a few days,” said Sufi.

Dr Mahathir, 85, arrived here several days ago accompanied by his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali to address a seminar on human development organised by the Australia Melbourne Umno Club at the University of Melbourne, scheduled for yesterday.

He was to share his opinion and ideas on the topic “Are We Ready for 1Malaysia: Does Race Still Play A Part?”

At the start of the seminar, the emcee announced that Dr Mahathir was unable to attend the event and that the former premier was disappointed that he was unable to do so.

Dr Mahathir, who stepped down as prime minister in 2003, asked International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Moha­med to address the seminar on his behalf.

The former prime minister underwent coronary bypass surgery at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital in January 1989 and a similar operation at the National Heart Institute in September 2007.

Back home, hundreds of people responded to a posting on Dr Mahathir’s Facebook page on his hospital admission, wishing him a speedy recovery.

“We pray that Tun will recover fast. Tun is the best,” one of the messages read.

The post stated that Dr Mahathir was admitted for cough and flu.

“Doctors plan to keep him there for observation for a few days,” it read.

Dr Mahathir’s son, Datuk Mukhriz who is the Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister, left for Melbourne yesterday. — Bernama

[PainRack]

Be that as it may, I couldn't help but be amused that Dr. M also got a chest infection...

The Old Guard of leaders are passing on...... Its going to be an end to an era alright.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

They would both be excellent soul mates where ever they go.