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| Toh was founder Chairman of the People's Action Party in 1954 |
Toh Chin Chye tells it different. Lee Kuan Yew, in his frustration with Malay rights, was becoming more and more anti-Malay in his speeches, particularly when he was abroad. All this was duly reported by Reuters and Cablenews and reached the ears of the Malaysian Government. Of course Kuala Lumpur reacted badly, some of the things he said were really insulting. He called them "Mad Mullahs" and all that.
It was Toh's turn to be frustrated. He told Melanie Chew, ("Leaders of Singapore", Resource Press (1996), page 97):
"He was crying,I don't understand him at all. On one hand, he worked so hard for merger. Having gotten the cupful, he shattered it. And then cried over it."
Lee held two successive conferences, and in both of which he cried. When he learnt from the press secretary, Lee Wei Ching (no relation), another was being scheduled, Toh had had enough. "You ought to tell the Prime Minister to go to Changi and take a rest. Call the press conference off! Another crying bout, and the people of Singapore will think the government is on its knees."
When asked if Lee was in a very emotional state because he felt he had made a blunder, Toh would only say, "You have to interview him on that. I cannot answer for him."
Chew's bulky volume is a good read, and contains interviews with every Singapore personality who had a hand in our nation building. Devan Nair, Goh Keng Swee, Lim Kim San, Rajaratnam, Ong Pang Boon, Lim Chin Siong, Lee Siew Choh, they are all included. With the significant exception of one Lee Kuan Yew. As they say, dead men tell no tales. Just don't expect the hard truth from the state controlled media.
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The dead man may not be telling any more tales but he had put in place mouthpieces that will continue telling them, just as you said. Apart from calling them mad mullahs. he got personal with UMNO Youth chief, Syed Jaffar Alabar, calling him a bald headed youth. Years later one could call PAP Youth, Tan Soo Koon that of course but would have been condemned by these self-righteous incumbents. LKY conducted a campaign against the central government through his Malaysian Malaysia campaigns, held at the demolished National Theatre. Donation tins were used to collect funds for this purpose. His colleague Rajaratnam who ran the Ministry of Culture put out the weekly, the Monitor, running pieces that criticised and ridiculed the central government and its leaders. It is surprise that none of the available histories made not mention of these poison pieces. No wonder even the ever patient and forgiving Tungku had enough and kicked us out of Malaysia leading to those crocodile tears.
ReplyDeleteAt this time Singaporeans should have some gratitude for the magnanimous Tungku that he did not arrest LKY and incarcerate him for a decade or more like LKY did to his own opponents. Our history might have been tragically different. I think LKY himself knew he screwed up badly and that fuelled his determination that Singapore cannot fail. God moves in mysterious ways indeed.
Delete"As they say, dead men tell no tales."
ReplyDeleteGood grief !!
How many books have the man written already?
His Old Guard have been respectful by minimizing their version of history.
Tunku said Lee was pleased about separation.
ReplyDeleteLee even told the press not to photograph him when he was smiling.
The truth is out there.
ReplyDelete"Is this an open, or is this a closed society? Is it a society where men can preach ideas – novel, unorthodox, heresies, to established churches and established governments – where there is a constant contest for men’s hearts and minds on the basis of what is right, of what is just, of what is in the national interests, or is it a closed society where the mass media – the newspapers, the journals, publications, TV, radio… are fed with a constant drone of sycophantic support for a particular orthodox political philosophy? I am talking of the principle of the open society, the open debate, ideas, not intimidation, persuasion not coercion…”
ReplyDeleteSo what do you think is LKY's final word on the questions he raised so eloquently in 1964.
Dead men tell no tales, neither do we want to speak ill of the dead. But is it right to milk his death for all it's worth? Then again, what do you expect of the state controlled media, right?
ReplyDeleteWas he a hero or a zero? The real version of the Merger and Separation is a blemish on his Legacy. That's why they are trying so hard to push their version, more so with election just round the corner. As they say, history is written by the winners, and a lie or half-truth repeated often enough becomes the truth.
Seriously, people. With all due resoect, all the radio stations are paying tributes since yesterday. Do they hv to overdo till this extend ? R we in N K ?
ReplyDeleteYah...
ReplyDeleteDying only once in 50 years.. opps!.. not dying but 'resting'.
Lets move on!
When he was in opposition, he must have broken all the laws then. When he later gained power, he amended these laws to suit himself.
ReplyDeleteThat must be the most selfish self-serving political leader in this world!
Aye in agreement!
DeleteDay 2 of non-stop bombardment of hagiography. 5 more days to go. Haiz....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wsj.com/articles/melanie-kirkpatrick-lee-kuan-yew-vs-the-news-1427064934
ReplyDeleteHe lived till a ride old age of 91. What more can one ask for? If I can live till 91 you can come to my wake and the whiskey and food will be on the house!
ReplyDeleteThe non-stop media blitz continues apace, eulogizing the man. Methinks, enough is enough. The Gettysburg Address, one of the greatest speeches in American history, was just over 2 minutes. �������������� ���� ������ �������� ���� ������, says the Bard:
ReplyDelete�������� ���������������� ���� �������� ����������.
My liege, and madam, to expostulate
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night night, and time is time,
�������� �������������� ������ ���� ���������� ����������, ������ ������ �������� .
Resend:
DeleteThe non-stop media blitz continues apace, eulogizing the man. Methinks, enough is enough. The Gettysburg Address, one of the greatest speeches in American history, was just over 2 minutes. Brevity is the soul of wit, says the Bard:
This business is well ended.
My liege, and madam, to expostulate
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day and time.
Good god, people give it a rest. Complain all you want now, Mr Lee is gone, whatever you say will not garner you any satisfaction. He won't climb out of his coffin to beg you for youe understanding. Even of he were alive he wouldn't have done so. No matter what you say, he was one of our founding fathers, without him we will not have the Singapore today. The peace and prosperity is the result of him and his team. If you hate him so much please migrate to another country as Singapore does not need ungrateful people like you.
ReplyDeleteIts strange indeed.
DeleteWhen people are are alive... the thanks, the tributes is
absent. Its only when they have departed that tears, accolades pour out.
Say thank you to people whom you want to thank NOW.. they might not die, but who knows We may just drop dead crossing the road.
But this endless milking of LKY's death is truly ad nauseum already.
The man has written many books about himself.. enough... and why in the world should I migrate?
Give me liberty to express my feelings.
For that I must migrate?
bleah
He's not gone yet, he's still occupying expensive real estate at the Istana, which he treats as his private property. He will be gone when his ashes are finally scattered, say in the Kallamg River
DeleteDon't understand why I should be grateful.
ReplyDeleteLKY was paid very well to do his job.
And I'm being very liberal on the definition of doing his job, especially over the last 10 years.
I do my job in the office.
Do you think my boss is grateful?
I pay my taxes as a law abiding citizen.
Do you think PAP government is grateful?
No need to aquabble.
ReplyDeleteHistories of modern men are short, most do not last a few generations.
Once the hustings start, bygones will be bygones, there are many things that need be done for tomorrow, including making corrections to the Wrongs and Mistakes of Yesterday.
Lament not the Mistake of the Dead but make Corrections to them.
Election will be due soon, a new chapter will be written.
patriot
My apology for the Typo Mistake in 'aquabble'.
DeleteIt should be 'squabble'.
patriot
For good or ill.
ReplyDeleteRespect for a fellow human being...whether the respect is render back or not...he has completed his life journey of which many of us also tread...
Salutations and always the Best in the next world/plane of existence...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1cKNcf1mpk
The endless droning of his goodness and greatness on the telly, radio, papers and online everywhere is certainly nauseating.
ReplyDeleteIts as though God has died and doom is approaching.
The endless droning of his goodness and greatness on the telly, radio, papers and online everywhere is certainly nauseating.
ReplyDeleteIts as though God has died and doom is approaching. Please remember we're still not going to be allowed to withdraw our CPF at 55 as our parents and grandparents were.
curry 7 shoes
ReplyDeletegolden goose sale
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