Singaporeans divided on whether building or institutions should be renamed after Mr Lee Kuan Yew
There has been much discussion over how the country should honour Mr Lee Kuan Yew following his death last month.
A petition to rename Changi Airport after Mr Lee has garnered more than 12,000 signatures.
MPs Dr Lily Neo and Mr Ang Wei Neng suggested in Parliament on Monday (April 13) that the Government consider renaming Changi Airport or other significant buildings or institutions after him.
The New Paper conducted an online poll on what Singaporeans thought about these suggestions.
About 400 TNP readers responded and 42 per cent of them did not want a building or institution to be renamed after Mr Lee.
Of those who thought it was a good idea, a majority (114) people chose the airport. Opinion was largely divided among the other suggestions such as Gardens by the Bay, Botanic Gardens, Tanjong Pagar Community Centre and the Kallang Theatre.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had stressed that Mr Lee wished to be remembered for his ideals rather than his monuments at Monday's parliament session.
PM Lee said: "It was not monuments but ideals that were his chief concern, the ideals upon which he built Singapore: multi-racialism, equality, meritocracy, integrity and the rule of law. He hoped these ideas would endure beyond him. We can pay no greater tribute to Mr Lee than to uphold the principles upon which he built this country."
Some Singaporeans agreed with PM Lee.
One reader said: "His name is already a monument in itself. Physical structures decay and collapse, but the name of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his story will go on in history."
Another said: "Because the man himself didn't want it. We should respect his decision."
Renaming a building after him is redundant, another reader added. "I am sure we do not need to rename a building after Mr Lee to show our gratitude to him."
Facebook user Slim Shaa commented: "Dear MPs, please don't request for unnecessary things such as this. We already have Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Police at NUS. Enough... I bet many of us prefer that he will always be remembered as a great man, a person, instead of as another building."
But others were more adamant that renaming the airport is the right decision.
One reader said: "For his dedication and successful contributions, Mr. LKY deserves to be highly honoured. His is not just a name Singaporeans hold in high esteem, but one cherished and honoured by many around the globe. If at all any building or institution should be named to commemorate our founding father, our airport is the most appropriate. Not only in respect for it being the result of his initiative, like him in many ways, the airport is very well recognised around the world, having won over 480 awards."
Another reader said: "Mr Lee has earned worldwide recognition by leading Singapore from a third world country to a first world country that we can be proud of. Also Changi Airport has earned worldwide recognition throughout the years. Hence I think it's compatible for each other, and continue to let our descendents know our founding fathers through Mr Lee."
Related report: MPs ask for buildings or institutions to be named after Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
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