Lee Kuan Yew (LKY) for those who may not be aware is the one who is credited for transforming Singapore from a developing third world country into a developed first world country within a single generation. He was prime minister from 1959 to 1990. Here I refer to various sources about this man in my effort to demonstrate to @Field Marshal that tone at the top matters a lot.
Lee Kuan Yew was familiar with the corrupt practices prevailing in the previous government. He was convinced that corruption would deter economic progress in the country. He decided to start with a clean slate. In the 1959 election, the Peoples’ Action Party (PAP) campaigned against the Government’s corrupt practices. This resonated well with the voters. After the elections his team turned up in all-white as a promise to the people that their leaders will not stand for corruption and will be “whiter than white”. This tradition continues till today in PAP. Remember how Kibaki's corruption message resonated well with Kenyans in 2002?
After assuming office as first Prime Minister LKY moved Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) to the Prime Minister’s Office. The Director of CPIB reported directly to LKY. Remember John Githongo, the Permanent Secretary for Governance and Ethics had an office at statehouse and was reporting directly to Kibaki?
In a speech LKY said “We also amended the law to put the burden of proof on the defendant or accused if he/she had more assets than his income as reported in his income tax returns, from his employment or business could have given him. He has to disprove the presumption of guilt that they were gained by corrupt means.” How many leaders in Kenya declare their wealth? How many Kenyans steal and register their property under their children and relatives in order to escape from public scrutiny?
On the strategy used, Lee Kuan Yew has this to say, “We made sure from the day we took office that every dollar in revenue would be properly accounted for and would reach the beneficiaries at the grass roots as one dollar, without being siphoned off along the way. So, from the very beginning, we gave special attention to the areas where discretionary powers had been exploited for personal gain and sharpened the instruments that could prevent, detect, or deter such practices.” Also “…we decided to concentrate on the big takers in the higher echelons and directed the CPIB (Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau) on our priorities.
For smaller fish we set out to simplify procedures and remove discretion by having clear published guidelines, even doing away with the need for permits or approvals in less important areas.”
In a speech to Solicitors society, this is what LKY said.. "The previous government was living it up. They knew they were not going to last for long, so they lived and travelled as best as they could,. Enjoyed it while the going was good. We wanted to trim the cost of government, so we ran a very spartan government. No wastage, no lavish entertainment, no big offices. We set the tone, the example they followed. They responded to it".
LKY stand out as a champion of anti-corruption because he transformed Singapore from very corrupt state to one of the cleanest in the world.
Lee Kuan Yew was familiar with the corrupt practices prevailing in the previous government. He was convinced that corruption would deter economic progress in the country. He decided to start with a clean slate. In the 1959 election, the Peoples’ Action Party (PAP) campaigned against the Government’s corrupt practices. This resonated well with the voters. After the elections his team turned up in all-white as a promise to the people that their leaders will not stand for corruption and will be “whiter than white”. This tradition continues till today in PAP. Remember how Kibaki's corruption message resonated well with Kenyans in 2002?
After assuming office as first Prime Minister LKY moved Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) to the Prime Minister’s Office. The Director of CPIB reported directly to LKY. Remember John Githongo, the Permanent Secretary for Governance and Ethics had an office at statehouse and was reporting directly to Kibaki?
In a speech LKY said “We also amended the law to put the burden of proof on the defendant or accused if he/she had more assets than his income as reported in his income tax returns, from his employment or business could have given him. He has to disprove the presumption of guilt that they were gained by corrupt means.” How many leaders in Kenya declare their wealth? How many Kenyans steal and register their property under their children and relatives in order to escape from public scrutiny?
On the strategy used, Lee Kuan Yew has this to say, “We made sure from the day we took office that every dollar in revenue would be properly accounted for and would reach the beneficiaries at the grass roots as one dollar, without being siphoned off along the way. So, from the very beginning, we gave special attention to the areas where discretionary powers had been exploited for personal gain and sharpened the instruments that could prevent, detect, or deter such practices.” Also “…we decided to concentrate on the big takers in the higher echelons and directed the CPIB (Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau) on our priorities.
For smaller fish we set out to simplify procedures and remove discretion by having clear published guidelines, even doing away with the need for permits or approvals in less important areas.”
In a speech to Solicitors society, this is what LKY said.. "The previous government was living it up. They knew they were not going to last for long, so they lived and travelled as best as they could,. Enjoyed it while the going was good. We wanted to trim the cost of government, so we ran a very spartan government. No wastage, no lavish entertainment, no big offices. We set the tone, the example they followed. They responded to it".
LKY stand out as a champion of anti-corruption because he transformed Singapore from very corrupt state to one of the cleanest in the world.
