Thanks for the heads up. Will buy and read it to find out the truth.
Kingrant is right, I have been 'PAP-ized' by social studies textbooks.
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MM Lee Still Harbour Ill Will Against Man Who Died 22 Yrs Ago - Forum Letter
- Thread starter SNAblog
- Start date
Kingrant is right, I have been 'PAP-ized' by social studies textbooks.
I have Memoirs Of Lee Kuan Yew : The Singapore Story and From Third World To First, both sitting pretty on my bookshelf. I got them from MPH on a buy-one-get-one-free offer. Nice decoration.
Spot on. LKY was pushing it way too hard and fast, much to tengku's chagrin. Old Man scorned on the Tengku believing that no leader in Malaysia is equal to him. Of cos, cambridge law trained, he was in his element, using all the laws behind him to get that foot in the door, concocting brilliant arguments for PAP to represent MCA. He is definitely intellectually superior and UMNO has no match for his cold logic. But the Tengku was a heart's man, and he wasnt listening to this man raving away and driving relentlessly his attacks against UMNO, even telling the Malays that UMNO was creaming them off while purporting to defend their rights. Of cos, the Malaysian Malays were also scared of PAP's talks about removing special rights and competing on meritocracy. Old man would use every argument in the book to claw at power and as m&d were flung at each other, each time getting more strident, the Tengku knew that racial riots were inevitable if he didnt do something about LKY. There were cries to arrest him under ISA (Maybe they shld have done so - get a taste of his own medicine). The Tengku even told Goh Keng Swee just before the break came, that if Singapore can get LKY to step down and become Malaysia's ambassador to the UN, he would allow two Ministers form Singapore to sit in the Malaysian parliament - GKS and Lim Kim San. But LKY wld take the post only if it was for 2 years, but the tengku did not agree. LKY was smart because two years at the UN, he knew he could create enough PR and image and stature and exposure and cold superior arguments to make a comeback.
I got Men in White and From Third World to First.I have Memoirs Of Lee Kuan Yew : The Singapore Story and From Third World To First, both sitting pretty on my bookshelf. I got them from MPH on a buy-one-get-one-free offer. Nice decoration.
I heard from the old birds that singapore's exit from the federation was deemed a lose-lose situation for both sides right after it happened. The Mudlaysia 50 years ago was very different from the corrupt cesspool it has become today. The racial mix was also more equal before Dr M implemented his nationalist/racist policies.
It that view true?
Reserve them from the NLB.
There are other good books too - by Kevin Tan, Edwin Lee - Singapore the Unexpected nation. Also paths Not taken.
All avail from NLB. Just reserve them.
There are other good books too - by Kevin Tan, Edwin Lee - Singapore the Unexpected nation. Also paths Not taken.
All avail from NLB. Just reserve them.
Read the Fajar Generation
Available at Kino and Select Books.
It makes part of the argument that the "merger" and separation were win-win situations for the Tunku and LKY.
LKY got the FOM govt to arrest all his political oponents in Operation Cold Store and KL got the rich resources of Sabah and Sarawak which LKY failed to take with him from the Malayan Solidarity Conference
Available at Kino and Select Books.
It makes part of the argument that the "merger" and separation were win-win situations for the Tunku and LKY.
LKY got the FOM govt to arrest all his political oponents in Operation Cold Store and KL got the rich resources of Sabah and Sarawak which LKY failed to take with him from the Malayan Solidarity Conference
Had to be lose-lose because right after that, wounds were still raw. Both sides took a long time to recover and even until today, the scars are there - the railway land, water etc.
Do you know that PAP came up with a free paper published unashamedly by the Min of Culture (in those days) called What Others Say? It contained nothing but quotes from Opp parties in malaysia and other pro-Singapore newspapers. Calculated to fan the flames better tham YOG. There was so much hate then. All because one man wanted to become PM Malaysia right after merger.
After tengku died, came Abdul razak, a hawk and another LKY hater; followed by Hussein Onn. then mahathir.
Do you know Mahathir was considered a Malay extremist and was one time exiled from UMNO? He was definitely a match for LKY's chauvinistism. Both dislike but respect each other.
Do you know that PAP came up with a free paper published unashamedly by the Min of Culture (in those days) called What Others Say? It contained nothing but quotes from Opp parties in malaysia and other pro-Singapore newspapers. Calculated to fan the flames better tham YOG. There was so much hate then. All because one man wanted to become PM Malaysia right after merger.
After tengku died, came Abdul razak, a hawk and another LKY hater; followed by Hussein Onn. then mahathir.
Do you know Mahathir was considered a Malay extremist and was one time exiled from UMNO? He was definitely a match for LKY's chauvinistism. Both dislike but respect each other.
I got Men in White and From Third World to First.
Men In White quite recent, no discount offered yet. Wait. Me poor man, can't afford full price. :(
That;s another good read.
Also good point abt win-win seen from that vp. Actually, Old Man was always terrified of the Communists swallowing him up if Singapore did not go into merger. He wanted them jailed and put away but he didnt want to be stuck with the odium of being the one to do it, since he still needed to depend on the communist open front. Even the ISC was constructed in such a way that Malaysia and Singapore had 3 seats and the Brits have one. LKY wld work up issues such that it was always seen that he was outvoted on detention without trial even tho behind he was engineering and marshalling the other two sides to jail his comrades. So Malaysia solved his problem. tengku even knew that after Merger, with Op coldstore already executed, there was little reason to keep Singapore inside Malaysia and little risk of S'pore being swamped by the Communists, as the barisan sosialis was already crippled, if S'pore was expelled.
Also good point abt win-win seen from that vp. Actually, Old Man was always terrified of the Communists swallowing him up if Singapore did not go into merger. He wanted them jailed and put away but he didnt want to be stuck with the odium of being the one to do it, since he still needed to depend on the communist open front. Even the ISC was constructed in such a way that Malaysia and Singapore had 3 seats and the Brits have one. LKY wld work up issues such that it was always seen that he was outvoted on detention without trial even tho behind he was engineering and marshalling the other two sides to jail his comrades. So Malaysia solved his problem. tengku even knew that after Merger, with Op coldstore already executed, there was little reason to keep Singapore inside Malaysia and little risk of S'pore being swamped by the Communists, as the barisan sosialis was already crippled, if S'pore was expelled.
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Definitely our lives in S'pore wld have been better had Malaysia succeeded - the rich hinterland, the markets, the holiday destinations without the custom jams, Ferrari drivers can drive with foot on the pedal without worrying abt falling into the sea (fav Mahathir dig). probably an easier living.
The Tengku also wanted both states to integrate and share power, but he wanted it slowly because to him these things take time. But Old Man was in too much of a hurry. He was all brains no heart - IQ no EQ.
The Tengku also wanted both states to integrate and share power, but he wanted it slowly because to him these things take time. But Old Man was in too much of a hurry. He was all brains no heart - IQ no EQ.
Thanks. I think I am going to be enlightened. But I have heard of LKY hogging the wash basin incident during his ship ride. One of the few negatives I know about him.
I don't have to hear what the old man says to know that tan chew cheng was a enemy of the singapore chinese. All the books that you read and where you get your info is not going to tell you that chew cheng was his nickname in singapore. Want to verify go ask your grandfather lah!
maybe lau lee thought it's now or never, his best and only political opportunity in Malaya has to be those early days.
I thought the same too after reading about that history, why was lky so impatient and headed for a "showdown" with UNMO immediately instead of bidding his time?
Dear King
Malaysian politicians especially dear old Mahartir would always harp on about 1964 and ignore the rather pointed PAP comments about 1963.
Ramseth was correct in the special status for Singapore but in return for a lot more autonomy in many area outside of Defense and Foreign Affairs, Singapore agreed to less representation in the Malaysian Parliament and Senate then it was entitled to.
The initial drive towards a marriage of convienence was driven by a fear of the communist on the part of both LKY and the Tenku in my view. However that soon broken down because of basic inherent differences between Malaysia and Singapore and all that each represented.
Was the Tengku wrong in wanting a differing partner in Singapore ? Was the Tengku wrong in not supporting the PAP in 1963 ? Could they have made it work , both Tengku and LKY or was it better that both tigers went their sperate mountains and it worked out better for both countries overall ?
Locke
Malaysian politicians especially dear old Mahartir would always harp on about 1964 and ignore the rather pointed PAP comments about 1963.
Ramseth was correct in the special status for Singapore but in return for a lot more autonomy in many area outside of Defense and Foreign Affairs, Singapore agreed to less representation in the Malaysian Parliament and Senate then it was entitled to.
The initial drive towards a marriage of convienence was driven by a fear of the communist on the part of both LKY and the Tenku in my view. However that soon broken down because of basic inherent differences between Malaysia and Singapore and all that each represented.
Was the Tengku wrong in wanting a differing partner in Singapore ? Was the Tengku wrong in not supporting the PAP in 1963 ? Could they have made it work , both Tengku and LKY or was it better that both tigers went their sperate mountains and it worked out better for both countries overall ?
Locke
I have Memoirs Of Lee Kuan Yew : The Singapore Story and From Third World To First, both sitting pretty on my bookshelf. I got them from MPH on a buy-one-get-one-free offer. Nice decoration.
If any of your tables legs are lopsided they quite good to hold it up, or use them as door stops, maketh a good conversation piece.
MPH was darn happy....they offloaded some of theie inventories to you...
As Ramseth had said, from 1963 to 1965 until when S'pore was expelled, there was one country with two PMs, and two Heads of state. I didnt think there was any parallel. By 1963, the left wing had been crippled as most of the leaders were in prison. The raison detre for Mereger was completed. A separate Singapore would not harm security considerations for M'sia and the British could always take it back, which LKY feared, because that was certainly an option. You are quite right that it was then or never, before the Alliance consolidated power and kept LKY on a same distance.
LKY drummed up the arguments for a Malaysian Malaysia, where he said not a Malay M'sia, or Chinese M'sia . Of cos, that rankled the Fed Malays a lot and played on the Chinese chauvinism on both sides. Until LKY, MCA had always represented the Chinese, which the Fed Chinese had already settled to a comfortable diet of economic power whilst leaving the Malays the political power. They were not complaining as they knew that the malays were a majority.
Singapore inside the fed now upset the racial balance and moved the union to 40:40:20. That probably upset and scared the MCA in case they started losing Chinese support in malaysia. Of cos, Tan Siew Sin was LKY's nemesis.
So LKY would over-dramatise things, create bogeys, exaggerate and confuse people, and with his charisma and command of English and Malay at that time, he really seemed unstoppable to tengku.
LKY drummed up the arguments for a Malaysian Malaysia, where he said not a Malay M'sia, or Chinese M'sia . Of cos, that rankled the Fed Malays a lot and played on the Chinese chauvinism on both sides. Until LKY, MCA had always represented the Chinese, which the Fed Chinese had already settled to a comfortable diet of economic power whilst leaving the Malays the political power. They were not complaining as they knew that the malays were a majority.
Singapore inside the fed now upset the racial balance and moved the union to 40:40:20. That probably upset and scared the MCA in case they started losing Chinese support in malaysia. Of cos, Tan Siew Sin was LKY's nemesis.
So LKY would over-dramatise things, create bogeys, exaggerate and confuse people, and with his charisma and command of English and Malay at that time, he really seemed unstoppable to tengku.
Looking back at history, it was better to let each Harimaus to have their own gunong....at least if they can not get along, they are roar from where they are...and still maintain peace...:p
LKY really upped the ante as the crisis escalated. Do you know that he even advocated the 3-S, which meant Sabah, sarawak and Singapore coming together into a new kind of entity, that wld have meant breaking up Malaysia.
When tengku summoned the Singapore leaders GKS and Toh to KL, to deliver the separation verdict, LKY was in the Camerons. The Brits and Aussies were almost the last to know of the impending news and actually hastened to work out a compromise which went as far as trying to appease both sides by proposing that Goh and Kim San be let into the KL govt side as Federal Ministers provided that LKY took a hike to UN to become M'sia Ambassador.
It seems LKY was not against the idea but he was clever enough to agree to idea if it was for two years, so he could come back to contest the fed's 1967 GE!!!
When tengku summoned the Singapore leaders GKS and Toh to KL, to deliver the separation verdict, LKY was in the Camerons. The Brits and Aussies were almost the last to know of the impending news and actually hastened to work out a compromise which went as far as trying to appease both sides by proposing that Goh and Kim San be let into the KL govt side as Federal Ministers provided that LKY took a hike to UN to become M'sia Ambassador.
It seems LKY was not against the idea but he was clever enough to agree to idea if it was for two years, so he could come back to contest the fed's 1967 GE!!!
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