Lee, lanced and lampooned

Former Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew was never known for his sense of humour, so there's a fair chance he would strongly dislike this new cartoon book lampooning his dictatorial years in office.

But that doesn't mean the rest of us can't enjoy a few good belly laughs at his expense. Indeed, surely all men - and women - of influence deserve exactly that.

This book was devised by Rodney King, a West Australian author who lived and worked in Singapore for more than a decade and knows the city-state well.

King is probably persona non grata in Singapore now, having written a 500-page tome that exposed some of the lesser-known truths of the supposedly dynamic economic "miracle" of Southeast Asia. "The Singapore Miracle, Myth and Reality" was published in 2006 and updated and reprinted in 2008.

But this latest work should ensure that King is closely monitored if he ever dares to return - and if the Singaporeans allow him back in. After all, Lee's son Lee Hsien Loong is now prime minister and also features in this comic creation.

King says Lee Kuan Yew has managed to escape serious ridicule because few local cartoonists dared to mock him if they wanted to keep their jobs, avoid bankruptcy or stay out of jail.

"Lee's intolerance of ridicule and his vindictive and litigious nature ensures that," he says.

"One Singaporean cartoonist who discovered this was Morgan Chua. In 1971 he felt compelled to suddenly leave Singapore for Hong Kong after producing a cartoon in the Singapore Herald that displeased Lee and his People's Action Party (PAP) government.

"Morgan showed Lee on a tank threatening to crush a baby, symbolising the Herald. At the time Lee's government was threatening the newspaper because of its critical line on PAP policies."

Lee's readiness to sue publications that upset him inhibits even major foreign periodicals. Time, Newsweek, The Economist and the Asian Wall Street Journal were among magazines and papers forced into large "damages" pay-outs after offending the sensibilities of the Lee dynasty, King says.

But like all political leaders who wield power, Lee is a tempting subject for satire, King says. "The more arrogant, pompous, self-important, hypocritical and ruthless they are, the greater the comic possibilities. And Lee Kuan Yew would score well on all these traits."

These are sentiments that Stephff, The Nation's cartoonist, would surely echo. Thaksin Shinawatra continues to generate a mountain of superb material for our much-loved French caricaturist. However, even the emotional and sometimes petulant Thaksin wouldn't be silly enough to retaliate against local cartoonists, who flay him to this day.

The sketches in this mock-up on Singapore are drawn by Greg Smith, the cartoonist for the Sunday Times in Perth, who has done a terrific job, giving a wonderful "silly" edge to the world-renowned strongman. This is Lee Kuan Yew the bumbler, childish, furious and even a bit "hands-on" with the ladies.

The sad - or even pathetic - part about this book is that no outlet was prepared to sell it in either Singapore or Malaysia, according to King, who ended up having to publish it himself and get it printed in Hong Kong.

Even there, the printer wouldn't risk putting the company name or symbol on the book - which has cartoons that are innocuous by Western standards and similar to those enjoyed by millions in Thailand every day - presumably because he feared his firm might suffer in future dealings with Singapore.

And while there are signs the city-state is lightening up socially - opening big casinos and allowing bars more liberal hours - questions obviously remain about the extent of freedom that Singaporeans enjoy.

This book is long overdue and will be enjoyed by all who know the Lion City - and the legendary "Lew Kuan Yew Yew Yew".