MM Lee Kuan Yew: "A for Austria"

Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, the 'builder' of Singapore's success, renown genius statesman has always been a man with taste and foresight which helped in developing Singapore from a 'kampung' into a first world country.

Despite his 84 years he's still being invited from governments, financial institution, universities, etc. all over the world to seek his views and thoughts on economics and politics in our region.

MM Lee set the foundation for tiny ( 650 km2; 4 Million people) Singapore's thriving economy in a most competitive world of competition for capital, technology and markets.

Singapore recently finished No.2, behind Hong Kong, for the 14th straight year in a ranking of the world's freest economies in business and labour freedom (Published by 'The Wall Street Journal and American conservative think-tank 'The Heritage Foundation').

Speaking at an anniversary dinner of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies last week about how Singapore should develop in the next ten years MM Lee mentioned Austria (especially Vienna with his heritage, culture, arts and nature) and Italy as an example what it should aspire to become.

These remarks make us proud again of being Austrians living in Singapore. Our small country is hardly mentioned from its positive side in this region mostly if some things went wrong, although we have so many things to be proud of and we are famous for. It's not only the Hollywood movie "Sound of Music" or Arnold Schwarzenegger Austria can offer.

We got a good economy, quite a few successful inventions, good education system, culture, art, great homegrown food from our still intact nature and a most beautiful countryside with gorgeous mountain ranges and lakes.

Thank you MM Lee for making the small Austrian colony in Singapore feel proud and remind us of our beautiful country.

Our secret anthem which says it all is: "I am from Austria" by our famous singer/writer Rainhard Fendrich. Go visit Erich's Wuerstelstand and ask for it. He will be more than happy to play it for you.