MOSCOW: Tiny city state Singapore may be a direct contrast to sprawling Russia, but when asked by Russian journalists how their country could achieve Singapore's economic miracle, Asia's elder statesman Lee Kuan Yew obliged.
He said that the key to Singapore's transformation has been how it is connected with the world - through technology, education and investment.
Mr Lee, however, added that his experience of running a small, densely-populated island could not be compared with the task of transforming Russia.
The Minister Mentor is on a seven-day visit to Russia that includes St Petersberg, Tatarstan and Moscow.
"I think you are a legendary figure," said Moscow mayor Yuri Luzkov as he opened his meeting with Minister Mentor Lee.
Mr Lee is well known in Russia as the "father of Singapore's economic miracle".
And during his meeting with Russian journalists, one of the first questions asked was: how could Russia achieve the economic miracle that Singapore has enjoyed?
MM Lee replied: "If you watch China, their biggest transformation is not in spending more on weaponry or buildings or roads but education.
"So they've understood that we succeeded because not only we had all this access, we educated our people who were then able, with this training and knowledge, to use this technology and the capital. That's what Russia can do - the Singapore-Hong Kong-Taiwan example."
MM Lee has often stated that Singapore's only natural resources are its people and their strong work ethic.
Mr Lee also gave his views on fighting corruption, which remains a serious problem in Russia.
Recently, Transparency International said Russia was one of the most corrupt in the world.
Mr Lee said that as long as the leaders remain upright and clean, there is a chance to clean up the system.
But once the leaders are tainted and corrupt, then it will be almost impossible to clean up the system.
This is because the subordinates would say, 'Look, the boss is doing it, we are stupid not to do it'.
"The office boy says, let's take this paper and pencils and sell them on the black market. That's hopeless," said Mr Lee.
Aside from meeting the Moscow mayor and sharing his experience with the Russian press, Minister Mentor Lee also attended the International Advisory Board Meeting of Skolkovo Moscow School of Management.
The school, often called by the Russian media as the best business school in Moscow, started last September with the support of 14 top Russian businessmen, including Russia's richest man Roman Abramovich.
Mr Lee has completed his visit to Moscow.
His next stop is the city of Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, where he will meet local officials, visit the Elabuga Economic Zone - where Singapore has an advisory role - and even attend an ice-hockey game.
