Singaporeans mock junior minister’s ‘nonsense’ advice on how to throw away drink packet with Lee Kuan Yew’s image
- Netizens are ridiculing a minister for suggesting ‘appropriate, responsible’ disposal of a drink packet featuring the late founder’s image
- Lee Kuan Yew’s memorialisation remains a subject of debate in Singapore, but he is said to have vehemently opposed having a personality cult around him
That announcement sparked accusations that the drinks maker was capitalising on the reverence with which many Singaporeans view the late Lee, known commonly by his initials “LKY”, to boost the brand’s identity.
Yeo’s rejected the claim, saying the move was aimed at “educating young Singaporeans who may not be aware of the elder statesman’s contributions to the Asian financial hub’s development”.
It added there was no commercial motive behind the campaign as it did not involve the firm’s regular brand colours and labelling.
But MP Poh Li San was not convinced with that explanation.
The lawmaker from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) asked Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan in parliament if Yeo’s marketing drive had breached the codes on using Lee’s name and image as defined by his department.
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In response, Tan said that Yeo’s had sought advice from the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) to ensure its product push adhered to the conditions laid out by the government.
“MCCY assessed that the use of Mr Lee’s image on the commemorative drinks packet was respectful, because the intent was to highlight Mr Lee’s contribution to the transformation of Singapore into a green city,” Tan said.
Poh also asked the minister if MCCY had taken any steps to ensure “no undue disrespect” to Lee, as the drink packages would be ending up in rubbish bins, local broadcaster CNA reported.
Tan urged residents to discard the cartons in an “appropriate and responsible manner”, eliciting ridicule online, where some wondered if Singapore’s parliamentarians had nothing else to discuss and wanted clarity on the minister’s suggestion.
“Yea, the appropriate place is in the trash, bro. That’s why the issue was raised. Not because the public don’t know where the empty drink packets should go,” said a Reddit user.
Others called Yeo’s decision “cringe” and proposed ideas, including cutting out the image before throwing away the packet or keeping it as a collectible.
Wrote another: “Distasteful and very much disrespectful, given that Lee wanted no part in such nonsense; not in life, and most certainly not in death.”
A user said the matter was not such a big deal, given Lee’s esteemed status in the island nation, but lamented the current government and younger fourth-generation, or “4G”, leaders piggybacking on the PAP stalwart’s reputation instead of earning their own stripes.
The manner in which Lee should be memorialised remains a subject of debate in the Southeast Asian city state. Lee died at age 91 after a political career that spanned six decades – including 31 years as Singapore’s first prime minister.
The late political patriarch is said to have been vehemently opposed to having a personality cult growing around him.
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He also opposed plans for monuments in his name after his death, and expressed a desire to have his family bungalow demolished after his death or kept as a closed residence for family and descendants.
Recent efforts by the current government to commemorate his legacy, such as a new S$10 coin to mark his 100th birth anniversary, have faced criticism by Singaporeans who feel the elder Lee’s wishes were not being abided by.
