I have read Lee Kuan Yew’s book from third world to first world, I am yet to find a page where talks about building malls and churches. But he has mentioned education, public healthcare, investment in industry, keeping consumption expenditure down. The fundamentals must be respected.
I’m noticing a lot of foreigners who seem to not understand why we’d risk hundreds of lives, spend millions of dollars, and sacrifice several aircraft to rescue one guy. And the reason they don’t understand is also the reason people can’t be made American by a piece of paper.