Foreign man gets Lee Kuan Yew tattoo on neck… reactions online are mixed

SINGAPORE: A foreigner has raised eyebrows after getting a tattoo of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s face right in the centre of his neck.

Even the tattoo artist was surprised when the man asked for the tattoo and explained that Singapore is where he was able to build a better future for his family.

Sharing a photo of his work, the tattoo artist Jerome Lee wrote, “Kumar walked into @firsttattoostudio Asking to get a tattoo of LKY on his neck. To which the only appropriate response is “Huh?”

“As the conversation flowed, turns out that Kumar came from a life of poverty and one that was riddled with tragedies. Singapore was the first place he could build a life for himself and his family. This tattoo was done to commemorate his journey.”

While most of the comments on Instagram were positive, commenters elsewhere on the Internet were not so kind. Some said that while they appreciate Kumar’s feelings for Singapore, they could not understand why he would get a tattoo of the late elder statesman instead of an emblem of the nation like the Singapore flag.

Others questioned why he chose to get the tattoo on his neck, calling it an odd choice.

One netizen felt, “Sibei wayang sia. Good for him, he was able to build a better life, but seriously?”

Another commenter wrote, “Then tattoo the Singapore flag, then. Not the man’s face. “Such cult-ish vibes.

Some also remembered the appeal against hero-worship the late Dr Lee Wei Ling had made a decade ago. In response to events organised to commemorate her father’s first death anniversary in 2016, Mr Lee’s only daughter, Dr Lee Wei Ling, said he would have “cringed at the hero worship.”

In a Facebook post, she added, “…in looking at acts of commemoration in general, I would ask how the time, effort and resources used to prepare these would benefit Singapore and Singaporeans.”

Asserting that “Papa was dead set against a personality cult and any hint of cronyism,” Dr Lee said: “Papa’s focus never wavered. What he did was all for the welfare of the nation and its people. Yes, it is good that we remember history. But it would be even better if we honour Lee Kuan Yew by working for the well-being of Singapore and Singaporeans.

“Any veneration could have the opposite effect and lead future generations of Singaporeans to think that my father’s actions were motivated by his desire for fame or the creation of a dynasty. He strove hard and determinedly in life to advance Singapore, not for his place in history or leaving a great legacy.

“He is a rare politician and leader, who did what he had to do with no thought of any gain for himself.”