My recent post on "Heads and Shoulders Above Us All" received lots of feedback from readers, including Singaporeans and I have made some new friends, one of whom is Mr. P who has given me permission to post his email to me as a blog post because his is a story worth telling.
So here is a letter from Singapore from Mr. P...God bless you Mr. P and dear readers. If you wish to contribute your thoughts/writings, please leave them in the comment box including your email and I will get back to you. Thanks and have a nice day.
Here's Mr. P's very simple but beautiful and inspiring story....
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I was in the midst of all those turmoil when LKY with the English educated fighting the left wing politicians including this elderly,fragile looking gentleman Dr. Lim. He together with his comrades were than not very gentile but fiery and totally committed towards their cause.
I learn at a time when struggling to hold on to a job that pays only $120 per month is real and not the promises of fair wages or strike.The left wing had their agendas and were whipping up the majority Chinese educated population to achieve their goals with violence if necessary.
I saw and lived through all these including the horrifying race riots of 1964 very well aware the 1969 Malaysian race riots was worse.
Today's generation which includes my children had never had it so good.I still live in my 3 room HDB govt. subsidised flat I bought in 1967 for $7,000 which took me almost 15 years to call it my own.
My children with their Uni degrees are faring better and chasing the 5cs but all these came about because of the vision and tenacity of LKY.
Yes, today things are different we have new expats from all over coming in and why not?.My family came in hoping for a better life found it and work hard for it.The same applies to the new migrants, the only difference is that the world has change even China where Dr. Lim and his comrades turn to for inspiration has changed.
They no longer wear grey and shout slogans with little redbooks,but embrace capitalism.
In conclusion,my family came from a fishing village and found peace and contentment in a city not a State where my relatives from Malaysia still jokingly says that the KL international airport with its landmass is bigger than Singapore.
Here we are equal in every sense of the word so long as you work hard for what you deserve and not hope to be given a free ride or lunch.Should you fail which human seldom admits in whatever you endeavor blame not others but yourself and least of all a govt.which gives you ample opportunity based on your merit and capabilities. Though Singaporean today and proud to be one, I still yearn for a re-merger and occasionally comment in Malaysian Insider. After all we were once Malaysians.
Sir/madam, I wish you well and as a Christian/Catholic we are allowed to practice our religion in peace, in order not to be drawn into the Marxist plot Jesus' words "Render to Caesar what is Caesar and to God what is God's" should suffice on where I stand.
Good day!
11 comments to LETTER FROM SINGAPORE
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nick Good evening Sis,
It seem that no one has commented yet on this post Sis. So pls allow me to put in my 2 cent.
MR P's life experience is as you wrote very moving and rightly so. And I suspect there are thousand or maybe hundreds of thousand families with similar experience on both side of the causeway.
From what he wrote Mr P was and still is grateful to Mr LKY for leading S'pore and making S'pore what it is today. And I too have nothing contrary to write about his achievement with regards to S'pore's development (compared to TDM rule, LKY would be light years ahead).
However the issue at hand in your previous post "Head and shoulder" (not a shampoo adverts, ya!) is about the use of ISA.
To me personally, it is VERY wrong (Morally and principally). The justification of using ISA, was and is (for Malaysia) to protect the country against terrorism and communism.
Isn't it ironic that a democratic country uses a law that resemble tyranny and communist oppressive rule to protect it's democracy? Maybe the word "ironic" doesn't impart the contradiction in principle but maybe "ridiculous, absurd, outrageous" is suitable.
Isn't it outrageous that we (a democracy)have to resort to these tyrannic law to remain a democracy?
How are we able to show to the communist people that our type of government (democracy) is better than theirs? Aren't we basically the same with communist tyrannic rule with regard to this law? And we still sought to justify it's use till today. And ISA is the preferred "law" used to suppress dissident when there are so many other laws available!
How can we then with a straight face tells a Chinese national that they have an unjust government? With ISA still in use, we as a nation lost that moral ground and thus in term of humanity and society development are not that dissimilar from a communist nation.
In pursuit of prosperity and freedom, we the majority can't sacrifice the freedom and the voice of the minority. In fact it's the majority's duty to protect the voice and the freedom of the minority even though it is directly opposite our belief and faith. That is the true meaning of democracy, NOT "the end justifies the mean". Usage of that statement only reveal our tyrannic tendencies as a society. And that is truly what worries me as a Malaysian!
May GOD bless us and this nation, Sis.
Hamba.
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Unknown Dear Arthur
Once again, thanks for sharing the historical perspective of how LKY dealt with communism.
We all have to thank Mr. P for allowing me to share his email to me with cyberspace.
It will be interesting if Singaporean readers could share their perspective of what LKY did.
Some readers did point out certain important factors to explain the communist threat in Singapore and Malaysia in the other post called "Heads and Shoulders Above Us All" which I posted a few days ago. I guess those points can help solve the puzzling questions that you raised in your third paragraph.
If I remember correctly, I do have the book you mentioned and I must read it again.
Correct me if I am wrong, especially Singaporean readers - the younger generation view LKY differently from their fathers/forefathers and it will be interesting to know why because such a scenario could actually occur in Malaysia one day.
Thanks for sharing and do take care!
Warmest wishes
mws
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Unknown Dear Nick
I am so sorry for the late publication of comments because it's my son's music exam today and after that, I was at the hospital with a relative who had to undergo a medical check-up.
Like you, I am deeply indebted to Mr P for being gracious enough to share with us his experiences which are definitely most inspiring.
:-) We have the same viewpoint re light years :-).
You have highlighted a very pertinent point about the irony of being regarded as a democratic country while practising this draconian law. Indeed, I do not know how some leaders can be double-faced about their stinking double standards and have the cheek to proclaim that such actions are taken to protect the citizens. Preposterous indeed!
Someone wrote earlier that we see before us an elected tyranny...how tragically true indeed!
And now it is up to the rakyat to restore what the rakyat should rightfully enjoy - a transparent and democratic government!
Take care and thanks for sharing, Nick.
Have a good evening and a great week ahead!
Salam
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Unknown Are we going to see the banter again this time like you have in your previous post. That would be interesting and i look forward towards it. Thanks
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Unknown Dear Calvin
Good evening! Thanks so much for dropping by and sharing your hope which is similar to mine.
I would have loved to counter Arthur's comments on LKY but do not want to be perceived as a blogger bully :-( and hope that some readers would consider the arguments raised, some of which hold water and some which don't.
I believe that lively debates, executed with respect and within the boundaries of decorum, provide a stimulating exchange that can open a whole new vista for us.
What are your views, Calvin? Please feel free to share your views.
Take care and have a lovely evening.
Cheers
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Anonymous It is to be expected that a loyal Singaporean will defend LKS's use of the ISA (Operation Coldstore) in 1963.
From the wiki on the PAP:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Action_Party
"Initially adopting a traditionalist Leninist party organization together with a vanguard cadre from its communist-leaning faction in 1958, the PAP Executive later expelled the leftist faction, bringing the ideological basis of the party into the centre, and later in the 1960s, moving further to the right.
The party is deeply suspicious of communist political ideologies, despite a brief joint alliance with the communists against colonialism in Singapore during the party's early years. It has since considered itself a social democratic party, though in recent decades it has moved towards neoliberal and free-market economy reforms.
In 1976 the PAP resigned from the Socialist International after the Dutch Labour Party had proposed to expel the party.
In February 2007 The Straits Times reported that PAP's "new media" committee, chaired by Ng Eng Hen, had initiated an effort to counter critics on the internet. It has members posting anonymously at internet forums and blogs to rebut anti-establishment views."
The transformation of the PAP over the years from a leftist to centre, right and neoliberal ideology is chameleon-like indeed and LKY is obviously involved in this.
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Unknown Dear Anonymous @ 1.30 am,
From what you and some readers have shared, it appears that the political situation in Singapore is not as simple as what I used to think.
I suppose the iron hand of LKY is more subtle and veiled unlike the situation in Malaysia.
Another difference is the level of knowledge and the concept of justice which would be stronger in Singapore. I have yet to do a comparison of blogging in both countries and if there are latent differences. Yet, I would think that a lot of dissatisfaction of Singaporeans would be largely veiled or latent. It will be quite interesting this time to see how and where the situation will develop in time to come.
Thanks for leaving with us many thought-provoking ideas.
Take care and have a good rest,
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Anonymous Dear MWS,
Fundamental change in the political structure of Malaysia could trigger the same in Singapore.
There is no visibility and Singapore is worried.
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Unknown Dear Anonymous @ 3.19 a.m.
Good morning to you. Thanks for your powerful and thought-provoking comment.
Personally, I believe it is easier to change the political structure of Singapore than that of Malaysia.
At the same time, if at all such change happens first in Singapore, anything could happen after that if the wind of change blows in her neighbour's garden.
Just my two cents worth....
Take care and have a nice day.
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Anonymous The account given by Mr.P is certainly something which is very difficult to counter. It had the right mix of emotional thugging and appropriate slurs to give it the necessary emotional appeal to defend all LKY had done.
His suggestion that Barisan Socialist would resort to violence and was responsible for the violence of that time made his accounting a wee bit disingenious.
We must not forget that singapore had a psychological defence unit that had refined the art of psychological black ops. Victims such as martyn see and one other I could not remember the name and others more openly maligned and tarnished through such black psych ops is a reflection of the man who believed that his reputation should be guarded and defended at all cost. Dr. Chee's made a clear distinction to him between the character of a person and his reputation when he questioned LKY on the stand. It was for the first time in LKY's life that he had no reply to Dr.Chee.
Some years ago while having lunch an elderly gentleman came and sat beside me and we started up a conversation. He told me it was LKY who had got him a flat and he had worked with him for many years in the union during singapore's troubled times. He told me how LKy had "destroyed" almost everyone who seem to disagree or seemed to be more intelligent than him. Initially a few intelligent fellow tried to give suggestions that seem contrary to what he wanted but over time many realised that these "intelligent people" were sidelined by his "behind the scene" artful manipulation.
If one were to look at martyn see's history one get to really see the real man behind the reputation that he had carefully and meticulously crafted out by crafty means.
This elderly gentleman advised me not to offend LKY and if I do I would be severely punished.
The advice was stranged as I was a nobody without any affiliations - political or religious. Now I am getting paranoid ;-)
Barisan socialist did say that they will take their cause to the streets but no where did they advocated violence. LKY in so many pictures had also taken to the streets in protest over the malaysian malaysia. To argue that LKY's involvement with the communist was a convenient alliance and he had since moved from left to the center and to the right would be apologising for the man who basically has no character and at every step of the way destroyed his opponents by manipulating events and the perceptions of the people.
A Arthur Dear MWS, thank you for publishing this illuminating letter.
In the book "Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew, From Third World To First, The Singapore Story: 1965 - 2000", there is a chapter on how LKY dealt with communism.
The then Barisan Sosialis Chairman, Dr Lee Siew Choh, announced in December 1965 (he was not even an MP then as he lost his seat in 1963 election) that his party would abandon constitutional politics and take the battle to the streets. DLSC was trying to imitate the Red Guards of the Cultural Revolution, which was fermenting in China, where he ordered his Barisan members to mount demonstrations at hawker centers and night bazaars where they carried banners, placards and clashed with police.
Such madness and civil disturbances should not be happening in a tiny and fragile island like Singapore for her to survive. Two Barisan MPs subsequently quit and BS began to split apart. From then on PAP had unchallenged dominance for the next 30 years.
In the above book, LKY mentioned the various uphill tasks that his MP team faced. From without a hinterland to unfriendly neighbors, from many tongues to one language, from creating a fair society and not a welfare one, from the communist threat to the Commonwealth Club and all the growing pains and tribulations of a nascent country, he described clearly his visions, his goals and how he went about to achieve them with this team.
The older generation who have lived through those troubled times will remember LKY, the picture of him sweeping the streets to keep Singapore clean, his campaign in Tanjong Pagar,he talking in the rain for 1 hour because the crowd refused to go. Some younger generation will only attribute Singapore as a 'fine' city, with so many fines and so little freedom. But I suspected that these are little angst of some teenagers and middle age group who were looking out for expressions, and are not really angry at the government policies of Singapore, per se. In their hearts, they love Singapore.
To those younger Singapore generations who have not read the above book, I exhort you to buy one, own it and read it not once but several times for you to really understand what went on during those period when Singapore became independent.
The book is dedicated to all his old guard compatriots who built up Singapore for what she is today: Goh Keng Swee, S Rajaratnam,
Hon Sui Sen, Lim Kim San, Eddie Barker, Toh Chin Chye, Ong Pang Boon and Othman Wok.