Early Days of SG. Is LKY given too much credit???

[Char_Azn]

I've been doing a bit of reading recently about our own history. More specifically, the fight for independence. More specifically these few key events that were often associated with LKY and PAP:

• Self-Governance
• Operation Coldstore
• Merger with Malaysia
• Independence

It seem to me that LKY is often given too much credit or made to be more gutsy then he really is

Let's look first at Self-Governance first.
It has nothing to do with LKY and PAP. It's simple enough, the first person to fight for this was David Marshal. He sort of came to an agreement with the British but it fell apart because the British were unwilling to turn over internal security

Next contender was Lim Yew Hock, he thrashed the "pro-commies" to convince the Brits that we can achieve self rule and he got what he wanted. The Brits will still be in charge of foreign affairs, Military and partially in charge of internal security. We will be in charge of everything else.

So where does LKY and PAP figure in all this. Nowhere!!!! They were just the opposition party and were not even elected until a year later

Operation Coldstore
Why is this important? It basically ensured that PAP still remained in power. However was it really planned out by LKY? Did he really have the brains and the balls to do something like that. It doesn't really seem so from what I've read. 2 main points here
1)Internal Security which were in charge of the entire operation was still partially under British control
2)Reports as well as first hand accounts frequently points to the fact that it was Tungku Abdul Rahman who wanted the arrest.

On Point 1, I don't even think I need to discuss this since its a fact

The operation, authorised by the Internal Security Council which comprised representatives from the British Colonial, Malaysian Federal and Singapore governments,

Point 2 would be more interesting:

It's often suggested that Tungku Abdul Rahman was the one who wanted to get rid of the communist elements in SG before he would agree to the merger. This is not hard to believe since, Malaysia had just fought a long bitter war with Communist insurgents and he probably didn't want to go through that again

Lim Chin Siong and gang are communist? This is debatable, however it didn't help them that they were ones who organize the Hock Lee Bus Riots and Chinese Middle School Riots. The same pple who Lim Yew Hock violently crackdown on to convince the British to grant self rule. They may not be communist but being seen as leaders of these events certainly doesn't help their reputation

Merger with Malaysia
This LKY can claim credit, he wanted the merger with Malaysia and he got it. However,
1)He wanted the merger because he loss his balls and thought we couldn't survive as a nation
2)He was led by the nose by Tungku Abdul Rahman to go through with Operation Coldstore for the merger
3)A national referendum was held for the merger but the choices for the mergers were, as follows:
a)We merge with Malaysia
b)We merge with Malaysia
c)We merge with Malaysia

Independence
Do we even have to talk about this? LKY said it himself, he sent Goh Keng Swee to KL to convince the Tungku not to kick us out. Goh Keng Swee did otherwise and here we are

So where does this lead us?
Self-Governance
It has nothing to do with LKY

Operation Coldstore
LKY was part of the plan but he wasn't the one with the balls and brains to go through with it

Merger with Malaysia
LKY loss his balls and thought we can't make it without MY

Independence
Had little to do with LKY

In conclusion, most of you give him too much credit

Some reference links here
Self Governance

Operation Coldstore

Merger Referendum

 

[halsey02]

Yes, Lee Kuan yew is given too much credit, without the old guards who worked tirelessly ,unselfishly with deep moral values; SINgapore would not be, what she is today. Do not forget the generation before Independence; the common man; who worked by their BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, built SINgapore. Many 'leaves have fallen,' 'many trees have also fallen' along the way.Lee Kuan Yew, alone would not have built our country.