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Monday, 16 August 2010

T J S George recounted in his book Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore that the Tunku was more surprised than he was moved when he saw LKY in tears over the break-up.
Singapore Democrats

Now that the festivities for the National Day is over, it may be an appropriate time to re-visit, in a more sober manner, the matter of how Singapore gained its independence four-and-a-half decades ago.

Singaporeans, young and old, have been told that it was Malaysia who had kicked us out of the federation in 1965 after the late Tunku Abdul Rahman, then prime minister of Malaysia, felt it was no longer viable – even dangerous – for Singapore to remain as part of the country.

A young and teary eyed Lee Kuan Yew who was then prime minister of Singapore (his title itself seemed out of place as it was difficult to see how one country could have two prime ministers) mourned the expulsion: "For me it is a moment of anguish. All my life... my whole adult life...I have believed in merger..."

There have been some revelations since that fateful day that raise questions about some long-held notions about the split.

Author T J S George, for example, recounted in his book Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore published in 1974 that the Tunku was more surprised than he was moved when he saw Mr Lee in tears over the break-up. The Tungku said: "I don't know why Mr Lee acted like that...he was quite pleased about [the split]."

Mr George added that Mr Lee had gone to Kuala Lumpur himself to see the Malaysian prime minister about Singapore's stormy relations with its neighbour. A day later, he called some of his cabinet colleagues (the late) S Rajaratnam, then Minister for Culture, and Dr Toh Chin Chye, former deputy prime minister and the founding chairman of the PAP.

Mr Lee had called for them to meet him in Kuala Lumpur. The author writes that Mr Lee arranged it so that his two ministers did not travel together. The question is why. Unless Mr Lee did not want them to anticipate the development and to discuss the matter?

Whatever it was, Dr Toh was, just like the Tungku, befuddled when he saw Mr Lee's anguished TV reaction to the split: "I don't know why he was crying."

Dr Toh, other than Mr Lee, is the sole survivor of the meeting in Kuala Lumpur. He is privy to all the goings-on when the decision was made for Singapore and Malaysia to go separate ways. If anyone knows what's going on, it is him.

But the former deputy prime minister isn't talking and will probably carry the secret to his grave. Dr Toh had a falling out with Mr Lee Kuan Yew in the 1980s and was relegated to to the backbench. In fact Dr Toh had subsequently thrown his support behind Mr Francis Seow when the former solicitor-general contested as an opposition candidate in the 1988 elections.

More recently, The Online Citizen reported that Mr Lee had warned the press not to print pictures of him smiling when he made the announcement of the separation.

That's an odd threat. Why would Mr Lee be afraid of being photographed smiling if he was sorrowful?

Most recently at Dr Goh Keng Swee's funeral, the Minister Mentor revealed that it was Goh who had carried out negotiations with Malaysia and that it was Goh who had made the decision to take Singapore out of the federation.

But Goh was not the prime minister. How is it that he became the one to conduct the negotations leading to the separation? A journalist asked why Mr Lee revealed this piece of information only when Goh was dead (see here).

Clearly the story that Malaysia kicked Singapore out of the union and the role Mr Lee played in it is a lot more complex than what we have been told thus far. Questions abound but, unfortunately, answers are not forthcoming.

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Comments (12)

Mon 16 Aug 2010 7:16 PM | | litotes

"History is written by the winners"-Alex Haley

The PAP has, by destroying all other forms of story, slowly gained monopoly over the national narrative since the inception of this nation.

Be skeptical of everything the national broadsheet prints as well as history textbooks. Lacking in any journalistic integrity, most of what they spout is propaganda.

Tue 17 Aug 2010 6:14 AM | g_e - Liar, pants, fire.

Many Singaporeans have learned to take MM's words with an Everest-sized mountain of salt ever since the coming of the Internet lifted his carefully constructed veil of 50 years. Now there is no denying history and the truth when photos, videos and scanned documentary evidence is for the taking at a click of a mouse.

He's been shown to be economical with the truth time and again, the non-existent letters of praise and congratulations from Transparency Int'l, the IBA and the claim of a massive gas contract being but the latest in a litany of inconvenient truths. When caught with his trousers down and unable to use coercion to silence critics, he falls back on the old "They're out to get us" cop-out, shamelessly equating 'us' with 'Singapore' or pleads overwork for the momentary lapse in speaking plainly.

Does anyone seriously believe that Dr Goh Keng Swee, a mere deputy PM, could override the collective will of Lee Kuan Yew and his whole cabinet? One li'l ol' minister rammed through the decision to split from Malaysia?

Would this be the same kindly Lee Kuan Yew that brooked no argument from his fellow ministers over the wording of the referendum to join Malaysia, a Hobson's choice if ever there was one? The one who eased all the old guard but himself out of office under the guise of 'renewal'?

Tue 17 Aug 2010 8:57 AM | Tan Tai Wei

With these doubts having been raised, and the more serious ones raised by recently released declassified London documents (with more stlll remaining classified), government cannot remain silent about them and yet appeal for the people's "trust", as a crucial aspect of our "democracy that works".

For, as psychologists say, there are many sorts of silences. And this silence seems to shout very loud.

Those fed on the official, LKY memoirs' version of history include all our innocent younger Ministers and MPs. They, of all of us, are or should feel in dire need to be reassured of the integrity of that which they presumably have dedicated their lives to.

Tue 17 Aug 2010 12:38 PM | stevewu77 - Truth, History and Legacy

Even suppression, the scale of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, is no match for the Internet (although it still takes time), much less the increasing incompetent PAP propaganda machinery.

The truth has a way of deconstructing carefully erected legacy. No one, Lee Kuan Yew included, will be able to escape the scrutiny of history.

Tue 17 Aug 2010 1:11 PM | litotes

Needless to say, I await the day where our history textbooks print the fact that this nation, under the rule of an authoritarian despot, degenerated into a total perversion of democracy.

Essentially, everything that has been promised was betrayed.

Wed 18 Aug 2010 12:36 AM | tewniaseng

What is the real reason this man wanted a merger with Malaya? Wanted to be PM of M'sia? Or he miscalculated the move

Wed 18 Aug 2010 5:15 AM | Muhammad Shamin - Our "Father of Independence"

A "Father of Independence" crying in despair and humiliation over the "independence" that he won for his people is is an insult to the people.

Thu 19 Aug 2010 4:04 PM | reservist_cpl - This is actually good

Isn't anybody actually happy about this?

Frankly, I am, notwithstanding my Opposition views.

I'm glad LKY doesn't want a merger no. 2; it was briefly discussed in the MSM a few years past.

Are you not proud that we are an independent city state? After all, we oppose because we believe the government is not doing what is best for OUR country.

Fri 20 Aug 2010 12:43 AM | ericgo - plain stupidity

simple, its was plain stupidity of the Pm Malaysia(which was the central goverment of the federation of malaysia) than to allow such indepedence to happen.No nations at present in this world would have allow it to happen.

Fri 20 Aug 2010 8:31 AM | quantum

tewniaseng: The merger may be needed again if SDP should win the general election.

Sun 22 Aug 2010 7:17 PM | 123 - to reservist_cpl

so what do you would you think is compatible to this democratic nation that you like to purpose then?