I felt so touch when I hear what MM Lee recounted the former Indonesian presiden Suharto's contribution to Indonesia.
Mr Lee said:"There are very few people of his age and my age who can remember the past. If they remember the past, they will kow that in the 1960's , Indonesia was in very dire economic difficulties, mired in hyperinflation.
In 1965, he acted decisively. He saved Indonesia from further going down that slippery road. From 1967, when he became president, right up to 1997, the economy grew and Indonesia was on the point of taking off.
The Fact this had failed to happen should not be blamed on Mr Suharto. Recalling tumultuous events of 1997, Bank Indonesia had interest rates too high then, so companies borrowed in US dollars for low interest rates.
And then when confidence was lost after the Thai baht crisis, people wanted to pull their money out, and the whole thing collapsed.
It was not his fault. Yes, there was corruption. Yes, he gave favours to his family and his friends. But there was real growth, real progress.
Indonesia were lucky to have had Mr Suharto, a general, at the helm, and drew comparisons with Myanmar. Both countries experienced mulitary coups in the 1960s - Indonesia in 1965 and Myanmar in 1962 - and were subsequently led by generals.
But while Mr Suharto had picked a team of competent administrations, including a very good team of competent administrators, including a very good team of economists, to build up Indonesia, Myanmar's General Ne Win "did it his own way" and looked to socialism.
If Suharto had been like Nu Win or like the president generals, Indonesia would be like Burma. But it is not. Ten years after the financial crisis, the economy is steadying, growth rate is returning. (Burma is the former name of Myanmar)
Just compare Indonesia to Burma, Look, same time, 1962 Ne Win, 1965 Suharto, both well -endowed and rich countries. Well, you compare. Who is better off? Who deserves to be honoured? What is a few billion dollars lost in bad excesses? He built hundred of billions of dollars worth of assets."
Mr Lee stressed that much credit should go to Mr Suharto for what he had done for Indonesia and the region. "He gave Indonesia progress and development. He educated the population. He built roads and infrastructure. And from Sukarno's Konfrontasi and other foreign policy excesses, he stabilised international relations.
Mr Suharto cooperated with Asean, allowing for the emergence of a stable South-east Asia today. The younger generation, both in Indonesia and the world, do not remember where Indonesia started from. I do. That is why I came here to visit him," said the Minister Montor.
"I want to pay this tribut to him, and I came here. It is sad to see a very old friend, with whom I worked closely over the last 30 years, not really getting the honours that he deserves."
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