Photos: AFP, MyanmarDaily.net
Despite arriving in Singapore for the first time almost unnoticed amidst the F1 excitement, Myanmar’s icon for democracy Aung San Suu Kyi still managed to make a strong impact on residents of the Republic.
She was scheduled to make the keynote address at the second Singapore Summit conference and meet with the Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Grace Fu during her five-day visit, but the Nobel Peace Prize winner has also ended up speaking to almost 6,000 Myanmar nationals working and living in Singapore, as well as about 600 students from the Singapore Management University (SMU).
At the Resorts World Convention Centre on Sept. 22, Suu Kyi reportedly urged the Myanmar community to return to their home country not when conditions have become favourable for them, but before. She was also said to have quoted “remembering the poor” and “encouraging business investments in the country” as two ways the community can contribute even if they don’t plan to return.
On the same day of the session organised by the Myanmar Club Singapore, Suu Kyi also delivered a memorable speech to the students of SMU.
According to Today, one of the lessons understood by the audience on that day was that leaders should be prepared to be unpopular. One of the world’s most influential political leaders, Suu Kyi also expressed that to be a good leader, one has to “respect the people truly, not pretend to respect them”.
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Myanmar’s celebrated leader rubs shoulders with PM Lee Hsien Loong at the F1
Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to leave for Yangon on Sept. 24.
