In two different "live" Channel NewsAsia studio interviews, SMU Behavioural Sciences Institute Director Professor David Chan spoke about the impact and legacy of Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
In the first interview, Professor Chan explained the nationally shared emotions and the grieving process that is accompanied by a deep sense of gratitude to Mr Lee for transforming Singapore. He also shared how Mr Lee's interest in psychology has led to the development of psychology in Singapore, including his focus on issues of talent selection and whether behaviours are inborn or can be changed which have implications for policy.
In the second interview, Professor Chan explained why there is an outpouring of emotions from people of diverse demographics and political ideologies, including people who do not agree with all of Mr Lee's policies. He noted it is important to have inter-generational transfer of knowledge of what Mr Lee did and what happened in Singapore. He elaborated on how Mr Lee has put in place the core values of meritocracy, multi-racialism, incorruptibility and self-reliance. He described Mr Lee as a pragmatic, principled and adaptive leader, and shared how we can learn from Mr Lee's intellectual honesty and courage to change one's position in the light of clear evidence.