Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew was known as a formidable character so it won’t surprise many to learn that he had very specific needs – especially when it came to travel.
In an Instagram post, historian and activist PJ Thum shared a snap of a document from the National Archives of some of the former prime minister’s peculiar preferences. The document from 1979 is a letter from the Singapore High Commission to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding the arrangements for a visit Lee was making to London at the time and shows a summary of the then minister’s specific ‘likes and dislikes’.
From room demands and food preferences, we get a glimpse into how Lee liked to travel in the 70s. He prefers hotels with a park nearby or a pool, fresh beer, naps after lunch and a cheeky late-night cup of Milo. He’s just like us, right? Well, not so much.
Lee also requested hard (underlined in the document for emphasis) beds in his room and that the room’s temperature be between 20 to 22.2°C, In terms of F&B, he likes onion soup (without the onions) and he sometimes takes a vodka tonic and boiled water with salt as a pre-dinner drink. We also learn that the dude really loves his French beans. Interesting.
It’s good to see that he keeps to his roots and is all about #supportlocal with his fish of choice being ikan kurau (also known as threadfin fish) and his H20 of choice being Seletaris water. A quick search shows that Seletaris is water bottled from Singapore’s only hot spring – what is now known as Sembawang Hot Springs.
Thum wrote in his post, “I wonder if they were able to follow these instructions, and if they even knew what ikan kurau is or how to get some in 1970s London?” Valid question.
You can also request to read the document from the National Archives on your own.
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