Singapore Prime Minister slams ‘wokeness’ as ‘burdensome’ lifestyle

Sky News host Caleb Bond has reacted to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's criticism of the woke movement.
Lee Hsien Loong has criticised the ‘woke’ movement that has overtaken much of the West and its institutions.
“You are super-sensitive about other people’s issues, and you become hypersensitive when other people, somehow others say things or mention things or refer to you without the respect, which you or your super-subgroup feel you are entitled to,” Mr Lee said in a CNA interview.
“Life becomes very burdensome”.

[@Evensteven69]

He is right. The wokeness is why so many of us in the west are suffering from poor mental health

[@87togabito]

It’s a sad state of affairs when it’s hard to tell if a comment was made in satire or complete earnesty

[@kramrollin69]

@@markentwist Shirley, you cant be serious? Mental health Caused the problem!.

[@Justsaying-cg2nz]

China is the biggest woke why LHL didn’t mention? Because he got no gut!!!

[@joetrump2983]

Saying this while his govt quietly promoting feminazis, woke green agendas. This is the kind of politician with double faced that sly news love to fell in love with

[@prettynerd4779]

What is wokeness? So should non blacks say the N word? Should police be able to put a knee on someones neck.. Where is the line drawn and who draws it.. Should companies be able to pass over qualified minority candidates for an unqualified white one... Should Nepotism be allowed in acadamia and schools? Asia is one of the most classist societies and they have the worlds highest suicide rate but we should imitate them? You say the West has poor mental health, look at the stats of Singapore, Japan, Korea and then cry about western mental health. Our happiness index is MUCH and I mean MUCH higher.

[@goosecouple]

Lee Kuan Yew will not allow crap in Singapore.

[@martinepstein3332]

That's for the tollets

[@creditelectric]

@@martinepstein3332 Yes amazing, Lee Kuan Yew is spoken of by the goose as if he is still living with 64 likes, it is one of the more repressive countries held up as a shining beacon with commentary such as he's right, he's spot on etc.Dangerous is a more apt description.

[@creditelectric]

You & the 64 fans have no idea. Lee Kuan Yew has been dead for quite a few years.

[@creditelectric]

Lee Kuan Yew, dead for some years now.

[@peted3637]

@@creditelectric How much time have you spent there?

[@saltyjo7514]

That is why Singapore is successful. No nonsense approach.

[@nikkicherry6559]

No freedom of speech in Singapore

[@jessieang5604]

There can never be absolute freedom of speech as long as legal systems and boundaries exist.

[@Tringapore-Singapore]

@@nikkicherry6559Cry about it

[@magina88]

@@nikkicherry6559 meanwhile in US: freedom of speech but you have to use OUR pronouns

[@khaosmue2114]

Singapore is successful. Singaporeans are not.

[@patnevin4478]

Play this interview in every school please let common sense return

[@MrEarthstephen]

As a Singaporean , I fully agree with our former PM. Thank God we have political leaders who dare to stand against woke culture

[@gragonrule]

Former?

[@reborn84]

​@gragonrule he just retired as PM few days ago and Lawrence Wong has been newly appointed.

[@sharonhyde7735]

He is spot on!

[@brunoheggli2888]

Hes wrong!

[@aaronaaron6569]

​@@brunoheggli2888he's right🎉🎉

[@Tringapore-Singapore]

@@brunoheggli2888I’m honestly tired with people like you looking at your own reflection in the mirror

[@brunoheggli2888]

​@@Tringapore-SingaporeWrong!

[@Tringapore-Singapore]

@@brunoheggli2888 Cry about it

[@TheSarah730]

He’s right!

[@onlythaclonessir2525]

yes I am right ( old people just like me now )

[@rainiceskates185]

Proud to be able to live in a country that has this type of leader❤🎉 Thank God

[@bennytheasian]

I have been too Singapore twice. And I love it. Every country should take Singapore example.

[@altowood9724]

Mr Lee is very wise. Much respect to him.

[@MandySam13]

I love Singapore. Been there many times, have friends from there. Amazing people, amazing culture. Very beautiful clean and ordered. Very diverse as well.

[@JohnnyJohnJon83]

Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, weak men create hard times

[@mrgod5139]

yea prof ur correct..half.

[@truthful3777]

Rightly spoken. 😅

[@Sh0wx]

Its a rotation cycle

[@evelynn7827]

Spot on

[@saint777a]

Be responsible if you are going to report as a journalist. No hand cutting for spitting chew gum. NONSENSE. No canning either for such mild offence. NONSENSE. Once you make foolish remarks, rest of your reporting gets distracted and you lose credibility. Proud Singaporean.

[@ahnana833]

Report this video as misinformation

[@evelynn7827]

They shoot off their mouth without fact check. Insult to journalism

[@rmglabog]

Western journalism

[@rodneysteele2627]

I love Singapore this is Singapore commonsense My mentor in business was there former elder statesman lee kwan yu What you do in your private life is private. You can do what you want to do and be what you want to be But outside you cannot force other people to play along Go Singapore we need a lot of new leaders in the west like this singaporian leader

[@matcole1975]

Singapore is a great place to live

[@micahiah2]

Sorry, but please do more research before you make comments like cutting off hands. It gives a very wrong impression about Singapore. We are more civilized and have more common sense than you know.

[@lukek1949]

Sense the tone of voice. It was meant as a joke.

[@danieltan2270]

You get a fine....

[@alanharrison573]

Islam cuts of hands. And heads. Labors friend. Get it right.

[@urbanus3546]

@@lukek1949 Incredibly stupid and hurtful joke, but you wouldn't know 'cos you're a bogan.

[@goodness_graciousme]

​@alanharrison573 NOOOOOO it's not sunni Muslim

[@andrewwee9112]

I wish the hosts have better knowledge about Singapore, instead of giving a caricature of Singapore culture with crude description about caning and chewing gum! “Little knowledge is great danger”. Please learn more.

[@ElianaBenador]

Great example. Long live the Singapore’s Prime Minister 🦢

[@sherwinclarencego1933]

HARD TRUTH... Thank you Mr. Prime Minister for that.

[@fishloh97]

Haha..don't be silly 😂..we don't cut your hand off or cane you for spitting gum. Just a fine. We can't buy chewing gum here anyway ... however we can get them from across the Causeway in Johor Bahru. Btw I am thankful Singapore is hard on crime for Scripture says ‭Ecclesiastes 8:11 NLT‬ When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.

[@Hollyucinogen]

It isn't a crime to dead-name or misgender someone, genius. North Korea is literally surrounded in a barbed wire fence, and people in the West are whining about pronouns??? Get over it, seriously. 😒 If being dead-named or misgendered is enough to send you into an emotional crisis, then it means that YOU are weak. Other people shouldn't have to change their lives just to make yours slighly easier.

[@celestemc46]

this is so true and this is what we are seeing in many countries happening.

[@audreychoong7323]

No, they (Singapore) do not cut your hand ! Don’t be silly !

[@MightBeThatLola]

This only shows how wrong news can be misleading.

[@jessieang5604]

This is really crap. How do we get people to understand that chewing a small amount of gum in Singapore is not illegal? Only the import and sale of gum is. SIGH.

[@Jayalen]

Relax. its a joke

[@jessieang5604]

@Jayalen Perhaps, but still a misleading joke spoken on state TV. Don't you know that there are tons of very gullible people out there? 😅

[@TeohLieongChuan]

as said earlier more dumb and dumber aussies

[@PeterGlen-s9z]

Common sense is as rare as people like him today. A person to be listend to by the western worlds leaders.

[@Activ80]

Singapore has compulsory armed forces service for their young citizens, maybe this is where they learn discipline, ethics & a sense of nationality.

[@captratty2167]

In Singapore I think discipline and ethics are handed down by parents to their children. Schools reinforce these values and add good education within a merit based culture. Then compulsory national service adds the sense of national pride, and reinforces discipline etc. Australians could learn from this, but we refuse to entertain national service. Even our military leaders don’t endorse the idea, probably because they see the quality of the spoiled, poorly educated children they would have to work with.

[@solaris5655]

They also build strong bonds and lifelong friendship with other races. It is natural for Chinese kids to not play with Malay kids, and Malay kids not play with Indian kids. But once they go into compulsory National Service at 18 years old, the "grinder" takes in all skin colours: yellow, brown, black, white and out comes all green - one united people. They shower together, eat together, sleep together, suffer together. Within two years, they turn from mothers' boys into men.

[@jmatt4life]

I agree 100%!!!

[@crystal8537]

Yes proud to have him as my country's minister 🇸🇬🇸🇬 I am anti wokeness as a gen Z myself dis concept is so stupid

[@celestemc46]

Wow! good to hear this from a gen Z. I hope many more will really think and evaluate things properly before getting on to the latest bandwagon. Our world will be a better place.

[@Funkst3R]

Majulah Singapura!

[@fainadobrenko6483]

Love it. Been to Singapore multiple times. Walked around with young children at any time of day or night in ANY area. Safe. Respectful. Clean. And you won't see a more racially diverse mixture of people anywhere in the world.

[@JL_hahaha0303]

What Singapore is over 70% Chinese ethnicity 😂

[@syrupybrandy2788]

@@JL_hahaha0303 That's just the Singapore citizens. Foreigners comprise half the population; and they come from many different parts of the world.

[@JL_hahaha0303]

@@syrupybrandy2788 most of the ‘foreigners’ are from Malaysia, among them many are also ethnic Chinese and more Malay, then you have a small percentage of Indians, and small percentage of everything else. Not saying it’s not diverse, but saying it the most diverse is a bit far fetch

[@KAMENRAIDAWINK]

@@JL_hahaha0303malaysian malays are allowed to work in singapore ? I have never seen any.

[@JL_hahaha0303]

@@KAMENRAIDAWINK why can’t they?

[@HiddenHammock]

You cannot buy chewing gum unless it’s like a Nicorette gum. It’s a $500 fine for littering, $10,000 fine for open flame or fire on a train, vaping is illegal. Singapore is so safe you can just walk around doesn’t matter what time of the night. Please be careful what you say about Singapore they deserve nothing but respect and are a fantastic multicultural country

[@Jayalen]

Singaporean here. If those 'Marg Bar America' idiots come to our country and chant 'Marg Bar Singapore', expect a bloodbath We don't tolerate hate speech here

[@donaldpang]

Quite appaling how these people are so shallow and ignorant. Chewing gum in Singapore is not illegal, selling of chewing gum is. You can buy a pack of gum in Australia and chew it in front a policeman and you are fine.

[@gregmcgrath2099]

Your ignorance didn’t allow you to listen properly. They never said chewing gum was illegal. They said spitting your gum out on the pavement😂🤦🏽‍♂️

[@donaldpang]

@@gregmcgrath2099 you must be a white Aussie 😂

[@FoodBondings]

😂 We don’t cane ppl for chewing gums. There are reasons why laws are created differently in every country. Here in Sg, Ppl used to chew gums and stick them on public properties or litter them on the grounds. This caused more time, efforts and tax payers money to get those sticky gums removed and to replace the vandalised public properties. Thankfully our leaders banned such item. No country is perfect or has the most ideal laws and policies We are happy the way our country is run. The rules and fines are there as good reminders to everyone including foreigners who come to live or visit Sg. If you are a civilised person, these rules shouldnt be a bother at all.

[@w_k773]

In Singapore we don't take 'proper pronouns' craps...

[@sheikmuhammad3894]

Indeed.

[@evelynn7827]

Some foreign company are introducing it via their HR

[@cnaz8709]

He is 100% right.Hope the new PM of SG, Mr Wong will have the same mindset against deadly woeness. He does have a tendency to be a bit of a people please, I hear an MP (born in Malaysia, now a Singaporean) was encouraging the LGBTQ++++ community to keep raising their voices. We do not want another movement like the one in the campuses in America.

[@HG-kn3hb]

In an interview sometime ago, he already made mentioned no more LGBT issues to deal with during his watch after the repealing of 377A. So LGBT community can stop wasting time making noise and just go on with their private lives. Give them an inch, they want a yard. Just be thankful you can do it without 377A at the back of your mind. I have no problem with individuals who are LGBT but it is the movement.

[@stevensteccato3530]

At least somebody’s getting it, right

[@Slumbert]

Yup, wokofatigue

[@Martin_Priesthood]

🤣😂

[@rsashimi7810]

Uttering nonsense about Singapore's strict law by ignorant foreigners. Throwing chewed gum on the ground is called littering. That will get you a hefty fine only. Caning is only reserved for heinous and violent crime like sexual assault, armed robbery, drug consumption, etc. And NO, Singapore does not cut off hands or limbs. You got confused with Saudi Arabia or other strict Islamic countries.

[@tonycelau]

Well said Mr LEE 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@sheripoole489]

That is great news! I would love to visit there. A quality Prime Minister!

[@meloon5876]

Pls come Singapore. We would like to have u.

[@captratty2167]

How refreshing, carrying on the good work started by the great Lee Kuan Yew.

[@alanharrison573]

Burdensome, unnecessary and dishonest!

[@creditelectric]

That is a very apt description of Singapore.

[@tippersimracing6070]

@@creditelectric have you been to Singapore?

[@creditelectric]

@@tippersimracing6070 Yes.

[@tippersimracing6070]

@@creditelectric so how come you think like that and most people have a completely different viewpoint on Singapore? Where most people see their society as ordered and envious of what the west should be like

[@creditelectric]

@@tippersimracing6070 What every where should be like, you mean be like me. Uniformity & conformity.

[@Ngng-dw1ym]

MAJU LAH SINGAPORE. 🇸🇬❤️🇸🇬❤️🇸🇬❤️

[@garrymyagui339]

A real leader!

[@Shinefoodshine]

“Cut your hand off”… hahha omg is the news anchor high??? 😂 please note, there is NO hand cutting in Singapore. Singaporean here to testify

[@Ngng-dw1ym]

WE WILL MISS YOU OLWAYS Lee hsien Loong PM MR ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@englianconnietan1931]

Mr. Lee is so correct.He speaks the truth. Woke movement appear to be something just like a bunch of people ,something wrong up there. Instead of going to psychiatrist others join in and now we have more n more such people. They should learn to be normal people. They should be helped to be normal people. Enough of this craziness.

[@BobvanT]

Great country ! wish i had the means to live there!

[@AlanFitness-t3n]

He is so right. This is great to hear some common sense & a media outlet putting it out there. Thanks Sky News.

[@Buttercookies0]

Don't use the word "slam". That's too strong a word. He is just expressing his own view.

[@J4Sure]

Am hoping we will soon wake up from this nightmare of wokeism.

[@PeterA-r8x]

Sorry to disappoint but it's going to get much worse before it gets better. Most people are still asleep.

[@Kw1161]

The Prime Minister of Singapore is correct…😊…good to see a politician be honest for a change.😂😂😂😂! Have a great day!

[@PeterSoeWynn]

I totally support the Prime Minister of Singapore on this. From fighting discrimination and highhandedness, the people in the West have gone overboard and started to split hairs and they are making themselves hypersensitive and intolerant; while at the same time start to become irritatingly condescending . He (the PM of Singapore) is very right in saying that this "woke" business is causing splits and divisions in the society.

[@daffidkane8350]

The Lees want to solve political problems. Western leaders want to avoid making tough choices. Western leaders need to develop testicular fortitude, something our grandparents had.

[@yangguo17]

These leaders merely wanted the wokeness groups' votes which are unfortunately growing in force in the west.. 😂

[@milroynishantha3216]

Singapore's President My Hero 🙏🇱🇰 Great 🌧🌦🌧

[@leslieleong5522]

very profound and direct response from PM Lee...

[@Ngng-dw1ym]

MY BEST PRESIDENT PM Lee hsien Loong , SINGAPORE FERRY GOOD THE COUNTRY WOW WONDERFUL 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@meloon5876]

Woke is more than just total rubbish. It is pure evil & perverse in disguise ! We, Singaporean love our country, our Mr Lee; man with guts & are godly. U guys are on national TV right, not some youtuber right? Pls yourself a favour, do get your facts right.

[@Asian_J3sus]

The problem is that the people know this already, it just needed a public figure to say it. The sad thing is it came from the someone who has no need to get involved in this stupidity

[@quakespr]

cutting hands for spitting chewy gum is just fake news. For such offences, you are fined a few hundred to thousands of your hard earned money.

[@southernpearl6431]

Only Sky New Australia do not turn off their comment section. 😊

[@kaychan3241]

Wokeness is a joke can’t believe this exists???

[@utarisusanti7200]

Absolutely true!

[@Ghe480]

Here in Spore, some of us do not even understand the meaning of “pronoun”.

[@evelynn7827]

We don't want to know. Keep it in the west

[@exploringwithruz]

Singaporean here and I’m telling u guys do not mess with our law. It’s strict as fuck even I myself feel afraid to disobey it lol

[@jo769]

everyone should follow Singapore's example

[@AlexDP1017]

Omg this is so succinct and articulate on the perception of wokeness!

[@ranuvawinter]

He has my respect

[@johnsontan2062]

the problem with Australia is that it's people are too nice. taking effort not to offend . they also bring in immigrants some obviously culturally do not mix well with the liberal outlooks of the locals. Obviously when these hardened immigrants built up in number they began to exert their norms and hard-line attitude onto the society. That is when conflicts happen, to the detriment of the civil society at large. just look at UK and many parts of Europe.

[@jimw8615]

Aussie are the most racist

[@Hasanaljadid]

Australia is much more multicultural then any European country but Australia seems much better position Then any Western European countries

[@Hasanaljadid]

Don't need to be too Liberal at any Case

[@biancaoverree]

If you're going to say something adverse about anything, make sure you get your facts right. I'm referring to the remark about hand chopping.

[@WilliamAung]

Albo should learn from Lee Hsien Loong instead of copying everything from the US (out of all countries) 😅

[@yangguo17]

Australia is known to most Asians that it is a "lapdog" country of the US, just like UK, Canada, SKorea, Japan & EU etc..

[@raphaelmajere6093]

Go read some facts. U can chew gum in singapore, but you can’t import or sell them. If u spit gum on the ground, it’s littering. And caning is reserved for the most extreme crimes. Come to singapore and see how clean, orderly and crime free the country is.

[@evae.374]

I don't think Sky News Australia has very high standard of journalism - you guys just come across as bogans on telly.

[@Wilson24678]

Let all the "wokeness" stay in the 5 eyes, and see how it goes.

[@jasminearika9219]

No one gets their hand cut off

[@irenewilm8900]

Fantastic , come to Australia please

[@Ngng-dw1ym]

IM FROM INDONESIA THANKS YOU ALL 🙏🙏🙏

[@melissavirk3848]

Yay hip hip hooray that’s my Singapore!

[@lengho6294]

Westerners become busybody

[@Machiavelrous]

The ironic thing is SG itself is a huge safe space for religions. You cannot say things that might offend members of certain religious groups.

[@Jayalen]

Fun fact: A muslim guy was recently arrested for shouting anti-jew statements to a jewish guy here The same would be applied if a Jewish person said anti Muslim stuff to a Muslim We are fair game here

[@masdemon1]

Singapore law focuses on communities and racial harmony above individuals' nonsenses. You are responsible for all the rubbish you spew that hurt peace all Singaporean treasure.....it is common sense which alot of country don't see this.

[@yangguo17]

Freedom of speech comes with a social responsibility especially in Singapore's multi-racial society. We paid a high price for racial riots in the formative years of our nation.

[@jessieang5604]

It's not ironical but simple logic based on pure common sense, and which the majority of Singaporeans have come to accept for the better good of security and public order.

[@Jayalen]

If one of those rainbow folks from America starts saying anti-Christian or anti-white stuff here in SG, we will arrest him. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination regardless of beliefs

[@ykc6754]

They cut your hand off. I died laughing

[@ahnana833]

There is no cane either. With regards to the hand cutting misinformation, you can flag this video as misinformation

[@RickyWatkins-vs9no]

Great !!!!!!!!

[@frostymourne867]

He is right

[@ScrewTikTok]

Totally agree.

[@lamstermania]

Yup, we are a pragmatic lot here in Singapore and we don't take too kindly to nonsense. The rule of law is strong to deter crime and anti-social behavior. We leave caning to the worst crimes like armed robbery, drug pushing, rape, u get the drift. Hoping that the wokeness is another fad that'll peter off sooner than later.

[@fokerfakerfuker]

You want sound leaders in politics? Step 1 : take the arrogant condescending sarcastic tone out of politicians. Argue the facts and not attack the person Step 2 : remove paid lobbyist / funds from the equation

[@Josma432]

Send this to Albanese.

[@yusman727]

To the fella who said Singapore Govt will 'cut off the hands' of one who spits out a chewing gum on a pavement, I must recognize you for your voluminous body of work and expertise in your singular culinary domain - pls kindly share what Are KFC's 11 Herbs and Spices. 🐔

[@williampiel5030]

BTW, in Singapore it’s illegal to “insult” another person’s religion. People get fined or imprisoned for criticism of Islam, for example. All well and good for Lee to criticise the west, but some forms of wokeness are already baked into Singapore law.

[@joshualoh1019]

That is NOT wokeness. This law of promoting religious harmony was already there long before the concept of wokeness was coined. We don't tolerate fluidity of gender where people are DEMANDED of them to acknowledge whatever the crap they want to be identified, be it as a transgender or non-binary or whatever the crap Wokeness in the west likes to define them. Please don't confuse respect with woke toxicity.

[@smkim6103]

Can we just not hire him as the Prime Minister of Australia?

[@testsalv4366]

That proper pronouns thing is treated as bs in Asia. Even Japan and SoKor, allied to US, don't want to take up that much bs.

[@irisliniado5270]

He's right.

[@Jayalen]

0:05 his middle name is pronounced 'See-Ann', not ' Seen'

[@lingth]

Sale of dental gum or nicotine gums, is however permitted.

[@peppergirlrocks]

You know... many many many years ago, I thought, why can't more countries be like Singapore (where I'm from). Why is it always that the Western countries like the U.S and Britain always be the one other countries want to emulate? I don't get it? They're not that great to me. I live here in peace and these democratic countries have social problems that sg have pretty much under control but for some reason we are not the good ones with a 'dictator' for a leader. And now, we have come to this ,😂, Western countries acknowledging that Sg governance actually works and that too much freedom comes with a price.

[@joconnor70]

Bit of a stretch there. Western countries Sky News! 🤣

[@AManavian]

Singapore has been doing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion the right way, for decades! Justin Turdeau should learn what real DEI means.

[@Reformismust]

Do not talk nonsense. PM is right.

[@ptan4120]

The possesion of chewing gum is not illegal. It's only the sale of gum that is banned. It's banned for practical reason - because some people stuck them on train doors. It's not done because the govt wish to be some sort of a nanny.

[@mallikarjunakaveti8908]

“We sitting in the west” - nothing is more east than Australia 🫣

[@lilianteo3229]

Lee Hsien Loong said anything he wanted to but not others! Luckily you spoke good of him. Had it been spoken otherwise in his then "fine" City state, it would have had been burdensome on you! By the way, chewing gum not sold in Singapore. His way to deal with problems when it was difficult to catch for a fine.

[@taz-b5m]

There's no caning for littering, gum or otherwise. It's a fine. Gum was banned from sale and import, not consumption, precisely because they can't punish beyond a fine, yet people couldn't stop spitting it and it's obviously way harder to clean off than most other forms of litter.

[@lbride3738]

That Lee Hsien Loong is a senior wrangler (look it up yourself), who went to politics, and who once spent his leisure time program in C/C++. No jokes.

[@medialcanthus9681]

I had to look it up n sharing: Wrangler (at Cambridge University) a person placed in the first class of the mathematical tripos.

[@medialcanthus9681]

How hard is the Mathematical Tripos? It is regarded as one of the most difficult and intensive mathematics courses in the world. Wow!!!