Lee Kuan Yew says he stands corrected over remarks on Malay-Muslims in Singapore

SINGAPORE, March 8 (Bernama) -- Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said he stands corrected on how well-integrated Malay-Muslims are in Singapore.

The Straits Times reported Tuesday that, in a statement issued late last night, he referred to comments he made in the new book Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going, and the reactions that followed.

"Hard Truths was a book based on 32 hours of interviews over a period of two years," he said.

"I made this one comment on the Muslims integrating with other communities probably two or three years ago. Ministers and MPs, both Malay and non-Malay, have since told me that Singapore Malays have indeed made special efforts to integrate with the other communities, especially since 9/11, and that my call is out of date.

"I stand corrected. I hope that this trend will continue in the
future," Lee said.

The book, based on interviews Lee gave to a team of seven journalists from The Straits Times, was published by Straits Times Press and launched on Jan
21.

When asked what Muslims could do to integrate, the report said that Lee replied: "Be less strict on Islamic observances and say,'Okay, I'll eat with you.'"

When assessing the state of multiracialism in Singapore, he said: I have to
speak candidly to be of value, but I do not want to offend the Muslim
community."

The report quoted Lee as saying: "I think we were progressing very nicely until the surge of Islam came, and if you asked me for my observations, the other communities have easier integration - friends, inter-marriages and so on -
than Muslims."