KNN someone should ask ccs whether this incident was true KNN
From: "truth"
Subject: Dhana slapping incident
After getting his free ticket into PAP ministerialship, LHL was appointed
a second Minister of Finance (understudy to Richard Hu, the Minister in
charge of the ministry). Richard Hu's office was on the 43th floor (if I
remembered it correctly) of the Treasure Building off Shenton Way and LHL
had his office a few floors below.
During that period, the "inner" cabinet used to have pre-meetings before
the actual cabinet meetings where LKY would be present. It was at one of
these pre-meetings that the slapping incident occurred. LHL had earlier gone
to Richard Hu's office to request for a certain file, and when told by RH's
secretary that her boss was not around, LHL demanded the file and took it
with him without first obtaining verbal clearance from RH.
Later that afternoon when they were at the pre-meeting, RH chided LHL for
his behaviour, that he was not showing respect to senior members of the
cabinet. Present in the meeting was RH, LHL, Dhanabalan, Dr Tony Tan, Yeo
Ning Hong, and Deputy PM Goh Chok Tong. LHL brushed off RH's criticism, to
which Dr Tony Tan was the first to come to RH's assistance, telling LHL to
be more courteous in his behaviour. Dhanabalan then joined in the fracas and
agreed with TT. It was at this point LHL lost his cool and told Dhana off
with some racist remarks (about him being Indian marrying a Chinese or
something to that effect). With sentiments riding high, Dhana countered by
saying that LHL's own sister also married an Indian, to which LHL reached
across the table and slapped Dhana shouting "Leave my family affairs out of
this".
Dhana, TT and Yeo Ning Hong, then walked out of the meeting. It was at
this point that GCT, hitherto a quiet spectator in the heated dispute, stood
up and told LHL to stand down and that he would refer the incident to his
father. The 3 ministers were then recalled into the meeting. TT and Yeo Ning
Hing returned, but Dhana did not.
After GCT had reported the matter to LKY, the old man then forced his son
to apologise not only to Dhana but the other senior ministers as well. All 3
mentioned ministers who left the meeting tendered their resignation to LKY
(RH ate humble pie, continuing as if nothing happened). The old man
persuaded all the 3 disenchanted ministers to re-consider their decision.
Both TT and Yeo Ning Hong then agreed to rescind their resignation and
continue their services, with the condition that LKY reign in his wild card
son. Dhana told LKY that he could not continue but that he would stay on
until the next general elections, upon which he would not be contesting.
Subsequently a few years later Yeo Ning Hong stepped down, and a while
later so did TT.
