Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the Prime Minister of Singapore, is an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore. Accordingly, he is a member of the Singapore Academy of Law.

 

He was born on September 16th, 1923 and had his early education at the Telok Kurau English School and thereafter, at Raffles Institution. After completing his basic education, he enrolled at Raffles College for his tertiary studies. Like many of his day, his studies were interrupted by the Japanese Occupation which left a deep and lasting impression on him and shaped his attitudes towards self-reliance for Singapore as a nation and the basic tenets of our nationhood.

Immediately after the war, Mr Lee proceeded to England to read law. He gained admission to Cambridge University where he chalked up a brilliant academic record, scoring a double first with a Star of Distinction in Part II of the Law Tripos. It was during this time that he began to take an active interest in politics; joining the Cambridge University Labour Club in 1946 and participating in various organisations concerned with the political affairs of Singapore and the then British Malaya.

 

Mr Lee was called to the English Bar in June 1950 by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple.

On Mr Lee’s return to Singapore and after admission as an advocate and solicitor here, and the Federation of Malaya, he practised law between 1951 and 1959, first as a member of an established firm of solicitors and, subsequently, as a partner in his own firm. His practice covered not only Singapore but also the then Federation of Malaya and British Borneo. He was renowned as an outstanding lawyer and a negotiator. During this time, his name appeared frequently in the law reports, recording his appearances in cases which contributed to the development of the law here and in Malaya.

 

Throughout this period, Mr Lee never faltered in his interest in politics and service of the people. In 1954 he founded the People’s Action Party and became its Secretary-General. In April 1955, he contested and won the seat of Tanjong Pagar in the then Legislative Assembly. In his law practice, during this time, he was particularly renowned for his representation of the interests of the trade unions.

 

In 1959, the People’s Action Partly won the mandate of the people and formed the first popularly-elected Government of Singapore and Mr Lee Kuan Yew became Singapore’s first Prime Minister. On that occasion, the Malayan Law Journal noted as follows:

"His accepting the Premiership is a personal sacrifice of his lucrative practice to serve the people and the state. We are confident of his ability and we are sure he will acquit himself with distinction in his high office. We wish him every success in his monumental task."

Mr Lee Kuan Yew has served as Prime Minister from 1959 to the present day. And he has done so with great ability and distinction.

 

Mr Lee’s achievements are too well known to require recitation in these proceedings. To grasp what he has achieved domestically, one need only look around Singapore and compare it with Singapore of the late 50s. Internationally, Mr Lee is a much respected elder statesman whose views and opinions on matters and events political and economic are very much sought after. He is a much acclaimed international statesman whose stature in international forums has been affirmed time and time again.

 

Despite the many and grave tasks which constantly demand his attention as Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew has always maintained a deep interest in the legal profession in Singapore and in the developments of the law. As Prime Minister he has always been concerned that the legal profession maintain high standards of conduct, integrity, learning and competence. He is also concerned over matters affecting the Judiciary, seeking always to ensure that only persons with the highest integrity and ability in the law are appointed to the High Court.

It is this interest and concern over the law and the legal profession which led Mr Lee to lend his unqualified support to the establishment of the Singapore Academy of Law. I think it true to add that without his support, the generous and comfortable amenities which we as members of the Academy presently enjoy would not have been made available to us.

 

Had Mr Lee Kuan Yew not been Prime Minister, he would today be a very successful lawyer and a leader of the legal profession. The personal sacrifice which he has made to take on the heavy responsibilities of political leadership for so long a period of time is immense.

 

In recognition of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s achievements, many foreign governments, universities and professional bodies have conferred honours upon him. His own College Fitzwilliam, Cambridge, elected him a Fellow in 1969. He is an Honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple.

 

The honour that is bestowed upon Mr Lee Kuan Yew today is but a small acknowledgement of his services to the nation and to the legal profession, in particular. It is this association with the profession that makes today’s proceedings so felicitous an occasion for us members of the Academy, for not only are we honouring Mr Lee Kuan Yew, he has also done us the honour of formally declaring open the Academy of Law.

 

Mr President, may I now call upon you to confer the Fellowship of the Academy of Law on Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore, Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court and the most distinguished member of our Academy.