The rulers of former British colonies have been spared the embarrassment
of building grandiose monuments to house their offices;
they simply occupy the ones that the British built. So it is with Singapore.
Lee Kuan Yew is unlike any politician I have met. There were no
smiles, no jokes, no bonhomie. He looked straight at me-he has an
inexpressive face but an intense gaze-shook hands and motioned
toward one of the room's pale blue leather sofas (I had already been
told by his press secretary on which one to sit). After 3o awkward seconds,
I realized that there would be no small talk. I pressed the record
button on my machine.