Singapore’s reputation as a “nanny state” — where the sale of chewing gum is banned and persistent litterbugs can be fined up to S$10,000 (US$7,000) — is one of the more notorious legacies of Lee Kuan Yew, who has died aged 91.
It struck at the heart of the founder of modern Singapore’s vision for a society where collective responsibility came above the instincts of the individual, for the greater good.
Mr Lee justified his government’s intrusiveness on its citizen’s private lives by saying it was necessary for social cohesion. But this paternalistic approach to governing chafes with many in the population who have grown tired of being told how to live their lives.