The passing away of Singapore's first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew reminds us of the success of a world-renowned politician, and makes us reflect on the present situation of Hong Kong.
Unlike Singapore, Hong Kong's stability and prosperity are now threatened by increasingly violent public protests. Police officers have been bullied and beaten by rowdy protesters. Law enforcers, whose duty it is to protect citizens' well-being, have become the victims of hooligans. What has become of social justice in Hong Kong?
Protesting legislators, who ignored regulations in the Legco chamber, set a bad example. This spreads like a virus to other sectors of society and upsets social stability. The people involved in these activities cause problems for shop owners, tourists and ordinary citizens. Has the violation of law and order become part of everyday life in the city? Surely politicians should put public interests before their political agendas?
Hong Kong is a great international city. Yet today, we see our core values fast disappearing. Freedom has been abused to fulfil people's selfish vested interests.
Democracy has been hijacked to achieve the objectives of political parties. Important principles are usurped and the rule of law - the cornerstone of our city - suffers.
While complex socio-political problems cannot be easily solved, we can learn from Singapore's successful administration.