The kind of news the Government loves best: successful foreign people saying nice things about Singapore, and nodding sagely while Lee tells them why they are inferior. CNA, with video:

“Singapore is a real example of a country that has transformed herself from a third world country to a first world country in my own lifetime. All in, an environment of peace and harmony in a multicultural world, thanks of course to a cadre of aspirational and value-based leadership which has indeed led by example,” said Mr Murthy.

Mr Lee said: “There are limitations in the Indian constitutional system and the Indian political system that prevents it from going at high speed.

“I did not realise it until we engaged India closely. Since then we have realised that whatever the political leadership may want to do, it must go through a very complex system at the centre, and then even a more complex system in the various states. …

“So Indians will go at a tempo which is decided by their constitution, by their ethnic mix, by their voting patterns and the resulting coalition governments, which makes for very difficult decision making.”