I have been spared such a devastating experience. Ten years hence, barring the unexpected, I hope I shall have cause for a celebration dinner. For it will be satisfying to know that what my colleagues and I are trying to do in the next few years will not have been in vain. I would like to be able to sit back, if only for the day I become a grand senior, to survey a thriving Singapore, with a younger prime minister and his Cabinet well established, in a relationship of trust and confidence with the people of Singapore, and on top of the many problems that come with high growth and rapid change.
The past 24 years were not preordained. Nor is the future. There will be unexpected problems ahead, as there were in the past. They have to be met, grappled with, and resolved. For only a people who are willing to face up to their problems and are prepared to work with their leaders to meet unexpected hardships with courage and resolution deserve to thrive and to prosper. In responding to the toast, may I express the hope that Singaporeans will be such a people.
Bibliography
Bloodworth, Dennis. The Tiger and the Trojan Horse. Singapore: Times Books International, 1986 (Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2005).
Drysdale, John. Singapore: Struggle for Success. Singapore: Times Books International, 1984 (Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2009).
Josey, Alex. Lee Kuan Yew, The Crucial Years. Singapore: Times Books International, 1980 (Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2012).
Turnbull, C.M. A History of Singapore: 1819–1975. Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1977.
You Poh Seng and Lim Chong Yah (editors). Singapore: Twenty-five Years of Development. Singapore: Lianhe Zaobao, 1984.
Photographs
Photographs reproduced in this book other than those listed below come from Mrs Lee Kuan Yew’s family album, the Straits Times archives and the National Archives of Singapore. We are grateful to the following suppliers of the remaining photographs.
Agence France Presse: page 206
Associated Press: page 214
Bangkok Post: page 58
Camera Press: page 20
First Photo: page 118
George Gascon: jacket and pages 2, 6, 8, 17, 130, 226 and 228
Paul Popper Photo: page 96 (Bloodhound)
Reuter: pages 124, 160
Index
Abdul Rahman, Tunku, 35, 57, 69, 71–3, 75, 77–80, 279, 280–3, 289, 290, 291, 305, 306, 307, 309, 338, 363, 366, 445
Abdul Razak, Tun, 35, 65, 75, 80, 256
Ahmad bin Said, 296
Ahmad Ibrahim, 157, 272
Alliance Party, Malaysia, 75, 76, 79, 80, 288, 290, 303
Anti-British League, 45, 270, 272
Aquino, Corazon, 149, 372
Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), 354, 374, 441, 447
Asian Socialist Conference, 387
Asian Wall Street Journal, 217, 221, 328, 438, 441–3
Asiaweek, 443
Australia, 292, 301, 307, 312, 372, 373, 391, 393
Baker, Maurice, 256
Bandaranaike, Solomon, 131
Bangladesh, 113, 123
Bani, S.T., 270
Barisan Sosialis, 57, 60, 70, 72, 139, 167, 304, 334, 364
Bell Curve hypothesis, 153, 154, 157
Berita Harian, 296
Bhutto, Benazir, 379
Britain:
1950 elections, 32
Conservative Party, 253–5, 301, 379
defence of Malaysia, 292, 301
duping the communists, 56–7, 273–4, 277
earnings from British Malaya, 253, 255
education policy in the colonies, 347
education, 166, 349–50, 393
emigration of doctors, 141, 348
Labour Party, 14, 15, 32, 33, 107, 154, 161, 253–5, 258, 301, 307, 379
legal system, 208, 411–12, 420
military bases in Singapore, 67, 96, 107, 110, 111, 347, 369, 446
Pacific War, 21, 22, 28
political system, 140–1, 147, 372–3, 376, 379, 381, 383, 384
postwar policy, 33, 34, 261–2, 279–80, 283, 289, 314
training of communists, 43, 58
welfare state, 160–1, 359–60, 369, 391
British Broadcasting Corporation, 201, 202, 217, 219, 221, 222, 369, 438–9
Buddhists, 174, 177, 190, 397
Burma, 28, 131, 137, 177, 257, 259, 279, 318, 365, 366, 382, 397, see also Myanmar
Byrne, K.M., 35, 45, 157, 270, 317, 319
Cambodia, 177, 353, 397, 446
Cambridge University, 30, 31, 131, 256
Catholic High School, 241, 395
Catholics, 172, 190
Central Provident Fund (CPF), 120, 121, 141, 189, 341, 356, 357, 385–6, 408
Ceylon, 91, 131, 173, 177, 255, 257, 259, 318, 338, 365, 397, 426, 427, see also Sri Lanka
Ceylonese, 127, 181, 316, 371, 399, 429
Chan Chiaw Thor, 47, 49, 277
Chang Yuen Tong, 54
Cheo Chai Chen, 146
Chia Ek Tian, 50
Chiam See Tong, 146
Chiang Hai Ding, 242
China, 108, 147, 167, 174, 177, 180, 233, 271, 272, 319, 336, 353, 375, 379, 381–2, 390, 391, 393, 396, 409, 426, 439
and Southeast Asian communists, 59–62
Tiananmen Square incident, 125–6, 244
Chinese community, 22–3, 27, 33–4, 47, 55, 65, 68, 71, 73, 75–6, 79–80, 82–3, 127, 129, 133–4, 143–4, 165, 172–3, 180–2, 184, 190–1, 213, 215, 257–9, 260–1, 263, 272, 276–8, 281–3, 285–9, 290, 294, 299, 300, 306–7, 311, 316, 366, 371, 398–402, 405, 407, 428, 429, 440
Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), 165
Chinese High School, 46, 47, 49, 51, 277, 395
Chinese middle schools, 43, 45, 50, 52, 59, 73, 266, 271, 324, 335
Chinese-educated, the, 37, 45, 47, 56, 68, 271, 277–8, 390, 436, 441
Chua Jim Neo, 23, 25, 27
Chung Cheng High School, 51, 277, 395
Clinton, Bill, 193, 244
Cojuangco, Eduardo, 148, 378
communism, 13, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 41–7, 49–63
infiltration of organisations, 43, 59, 110, 271
radio talks on, 266–78
Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), 33, 35, 54, 259
constitutions:
Britain, 89, 337
France, 89, 337, 373
Malaysia, 287, 288, 290–1, 297, 299, 303, 366
People’s Constitution, 33
Philippines, 149, 372
Rendell Constitution, 36
Singapore, 143, 384
United States, 149, 372, 376
Criminal Law Temporary Provisions Ordinance, 412, 415, 416
democracy, views on preconditions for, 377
Democratic Party, 37, 47
Deng Xiaoping, 125, 126, 244
Development Bank of Singapore, 119
Djamour, Judith, 181, 400–1
Eastern Sun, 215, 218, 433
Eber, John, 44, 45, 269, 270
Economic Development Board, 233, 340, 353
Economist, The, 221
Egypt, 218, 363
English-educated, the, 34, 35, 45, 47, 62, 63, 68, 270, 282, 429
role of the returned student, 256–62, 271
Eu Chooi Yip, 236
Eurasian Association, 165
Eurasians, 127, 181, 184, 261, 281, 316, 371, 399, 429, 440
Fabians, British, 154, 159
Fang Chuang Pi, 54, 236, 237
Far Eastern Economic Review, 441–2
Fay, Michael, 193–5
Federation of Malaya Agreement, 33
Fisher, George, 233
Fong Swee Suan, 45, 47, 50, 53, 62, 70, 110, 271, 273, 274, 277
France, 22, 140, 160, 173, 315–16, 373, 376–7
Galbraith, John Kenneth, 211, 425, 435
Gandhi, Mahatma, 34, 174, 262, 363
Germany, 140, 173, 181, 372, 373, 379, 393
Ghana, 121, 131, 347
Goh Boon Toh, 50
&nbs
p; Goh Chew Chua, 36, 49
Goh Chok Tong, 126, 241–4, 332, 333, 334, 335, 341
Goh Keng Swee, 35, 45, 63, 80, 90, 96, 97, 105, 157, 236, 237, 239, 256, 270, 303, 308, 317, 319, 325, 330, 333, 339–41
Harun bin Haji Idris, 296
Hawke, Bob, 332
Hayek, Frederick, 159, 161
Herrnstein, Richard, 153, 157
Ho Chi Minh, 12, 257
Hoalim Senior, Philip, 27
Hon Sui Sen, 90, 157, 242, 340
Hongkong, 21, 108, 113, 134, 188, 316, 332, 375, 405, 406, 409, 428, 436, 441, 446
Huntington, Samuel, 150
India, 113, 123, 136, 141, 173, 233, 255, 257, 259, 276, 318, 348, 362, 363–4, 367, 368, 388, 393, 427, 439
Indian community, 47, 68, 82, 213, 260–1, 263, 272, 276, 281–2, 285–6, 289–90, 302–3, 311, 316, 371, 398–9, 407, 409, 429, 440
Indo-China, 22, 255, 257, 354
Indonesia, 22, 113, 173, 254, 257, 259, 262, 279, 286, 307, 318, 366, 428, 439
Confrontation, 57, 67, 289, 291, 300, 308, 369, 416
International Press Institute, Helsinki, 214, 425
Ismail Abdul Rahim, 293
Israel, 97, 107
Italy, 139, 173, 364, 379
Jaafar Albar, 298, 307
Jamaica, 361
Japan, 108, 111, 119, 122, 173, 177, 181, 205, 230, 332, 374, 379, 384, 396, 409
economic planning, 348
media, 219
Pacific War, 21–2
work culture, 171, 173–4, 355, 359, 360–1
Japanese Occupation, 13, 14, 21–2, 23, 27–9, 31, 41, 163, 173, 241, 267, 338
Kempeitai, 14, 22, 28, 29, 42
Jek Yeun Thong, 307
Jews, 172
Jeyaretnam, J.B., 146
Jurong Industrial Estate, 106, 107
Kennedy, Ludovic, 202, 369–71, 419–24
Khaw Kai Boh, 237
Kim Dae Jung, 151
Ko Liem Nio, 23
Kohl, Helmut, 140–1
Kwa Geok Choo, 30, 233, 234–5, 238, 240
Labour Front, 36, 37, 44, 47, 49, 51, 269, 275, 278
languages:
Chinese, 29, 47, 128, 133, 134, 324, 404, 407, 434, 439, 441
English, 22, 76, 133, 134, 324–30, 338, 403–4, 426–7, 434, 439–41
Japanese, 403–4
Malay, 76, 134, 285–7, 297, 301–3, 324, 404, 407, 429, 439, 441
Tamil, 437, 439, 441
Laycock & Ong, 35, 44, 234
Lee Bok Boon, 23
Lee Chin Koon, 23, 24, 27, 236
Lee Hoon Leong, 23
Lee Hsien Loong, 240, 241, 246, 335
Lee Hsien Yang, 240, 241
Lee Kuan Yew:
childhood, 14, 26, 27, 187, 189
comparing Labour and Conservatives in Britain, 253–5
education, 14, 26–7, 30–1, 100
legal adviser to trade unions, 35, 44
on British policy in Malaya and Singapore, 67–8
on capitalism, 16, 129, 388, 391
on challenging media critics, 221–2, 443
on character, 97, 99
on Chinese dialect groups, 172–3
on colonialism, 263–4
on communism, 37, 41–2, 45–6, 49, 52–5, 58–63, 129, 234, 388, 446
on core values, 188, 407–10
on corruption, 196, 418, 422
on cultural traits of ethnic groups, 171–7, 179, 181, 183–4, 396–7, 398–402
on decision-making, 96
on democracy, 16, 128–51, 283, 318, 362, 365–83
on democratic socialism, 129–30, 387–9
on determination, 16, 229, 231
on economic development, 109–23
on education, 235, 236, 393–5, 404–5, 408–9
on equality, 112, 117, 153–9, 166, 167, 175, 185, 187, 312, 343–4, 393–4
on happiness, 246
on his children, 236, 240, 241
on his role as senior minister, 244–5
on how he gets ideas, 230
on idealism, 231
on incentives, 158, 164, 196
on keeping fit, 228
on language issues, 81, 83, 403–5
on leadership, 16, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99, 101, 103, 126, 127, 131, 133–7, 166, 229, 231, 313–16, 362–4, 394
on learning languages, 22, 29, 326, 327–8
on Lim Chin Siong, 46
on marriage and procreation, 169, 172
on merger with Malaysia, 69–73
on meritocracy, 16, 101, 119, 155, 166, 315, 393–4
on ministers’ salaries, 103, 235, 331–42
on moral education, 404–5
on parliamentary opposition, 144–6
on political and criminal detainees, 202–3, 207, 412–13, 415–16, 420
on popularity polls, 229
on press manipulation, 215, 423
on productivity, 120, 158, 355–61, 388
on reading, 231, 233
on religion, 245, 404, 407
on self-discipline, 234
on Singapore’s expulsion from Malaysia, 80–2
on social discipline, 364
on socialism, 15, 16, 158, 387–8
on succession, 90, 93, 101, 103, 105, 241–4, 331, 335, 418, 446
on the family network, 163
on the importance of discussions, 233
on the influence of language on culture, 403
on the ingredients for a successful nation, 315
on the jury system, 201, 208
on the role of the media, 212–15, 217–19, 425–43
on US system of government, 89
on vote entitlement, 140–3, 384–6
on wealth, 235–6
on welfarism, 159–61, 390–2
on choosing Tanjong Pagar constituency, 36
on work culture, 171, 173–4, 176, 352–4
on workers’ welfare, 359–60
on written English, 100, 324–30
Lee Siew Choh, 57, 167, 390, 391–2
Lee Wei Ling, 240
Li Peng, 125
Lim, Arthur, 27, 236
Lim Boon Heng, 173
Lim, Catherine, 126
Lim Chin Siong, 36, 45, 46, 49, 50, 53, 56, 57, 62, 70, 110, 270, 271, 273, 274, 275, 276
Lim Chuan Ho, Richard, 27, 236
Lim Hng Kiang, 173
Lim Hock Siew, 62
Lim Kean Chye, 44, 269
Lim Kim San, 157, 237, 241, 334–5
Lim, William, 236
Lim Yew Hock, 37, 47, 51, 56, 70, 91, 196, 277
Ling How Doong, 146
Loh Poon Lip, 27
Loh, Robert, 27
Low Thia Khiang, 146, 337
MacDonald, Malcolm, 279
Machinda, Sarawak, 79
Mahathir bin Mohamad, 242, 299–300
Malay community, 33, 47, 58, 65, 68, 76–80, 82, 127, 133, 143–4, 163, 165, 181, 183–4, 191, 201, 213, 240, 257–61, 272, 276, 281–2, 285–9, 290–1, 294–6, 299, 300, 302–4, 307, 311, 316, 366, 371, 398–402, 407, 428, 429, 439, 440
Malay special rights, 33, 68, 76–8, 183, 184, 282, 285– 9, 294–5, 299, 303, 402
Malaya:
Chinese-Malay relations in postwar Malaya, 258–61
ethnic composition, 68, 282
nationalist movement, 258
Pacific War, 21, 22, 27
pan-Malayan movement, 35, 261
rulers of postwar Malaya, 256–7
Malayan Chinese Association (MCA), 75, 299, 302
Malayan Communist Party (MCP), 37, 43, 202, 236, 255, 266–8, 270–2, 282, 314, 319, 420, 421, 430, 439
Malayan Democratic Union (MDU), 33, 44
Malayan Forum, London, 14, 34, 35, 39, 256
Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA), 31, 40–2, 43
Malayan Union, 33, 67, 68
Malaysia, 90, 113, 128, 181, 314, 340, 341, 439
communist opposition to merger, 70, 276, 281, 283
d
efence of, 292, 300–1
disputes between Singapore and the federal government, 73–80, 285–304
elections (1964), 75, 294
ethnic composition, 282
merger, arguments for and against, 68–9, 71, 279–84
merger referendum (1962), 56, 57, 61, 70, 72
Singapore’s separation, 13, 65, 80, 108, 110, 285, 290, 305–6, 310
Malaysian Mirror, 292
Malaysian Solidarity Convention, 74, 79, 81, 297, 304
Mao Zedong, 12, 42, 63, 95, 180, 368
Marcos, Ferdinand, 149, 235–6, 439
Marcos, Imelda, 148, 378
Marshall, David, 36, 47, 48, 49, 54, 56, 91
Mendaki, 165, 184
Mohamed Liaquat Ali Khan, 257
Mountbatten, Louis, 41, 338
Murdoch, Rupert, 219
Murray, Charles, 153, 157
Muslims, 180, 190, 201, 213, 374, 419–20, 429, 433, 440–1
Myanmar, 108, 233, see also Burma
Nair, Devan, 36, 47, 49, 50, 60, 70, 239, 270, 277, 307, 360, 362, 445
Nanyang Siang Pau, 215, 218, 433
Nanyang University, 73, 278, 326, 335
Nasser, Gamel Abdel, 107, 137
nation: definitions, 373–4
National Service, 118, 133, 265, 316, 352
National Solidarity Party, 337
Nawaz Sharif, 379
Ne Win, 137
Nehru, Pandit Jawaharlal, 12, 34, 136, 137, 257, 262, 276, 362–3, 365, 367, 368
New Nation, 218, 433
New Zealand, 292, 301, 312, 372, 373, 384
Newspaper and Printing Presses Act, 1974, 215
Nixon, Richard, 208, 211, 244, 425, 434–5
North Borneo (Sabah), 69, 282, 445
North Korea, 167, 174, 390
Oei Tiong Ham, 23
Ong Eng Guan, 71, 157, 334–5
Ong Pang Boon, 98, 157
Ong Teng Cheong, 193
Othman Wok, 312
Pakistan, 91, 123, 131, 141, 148, 173, 255, 257, 259, 318, 348, 365, 366, 378–9
Pakistanis, 429, 440
Pan-Malayan Council for Joint Action (PMCJA), 33
Pan-Malayan Islamic Party (PMIP), 73
Panyarachun, Anand, 377
Parkinson, Bryan, 183, 399–401
PAS party, Malaysia, 297
People’s Action Party (PAP):
1955 elections, 47, 49, 263–5
defection of assemblymen, 57
disputes with Malaysian federal government, 73–80
election issues, 128, 359, 371
inauguration, 47
policy on merger with Malaysia, 55, 69–72
political principles, 112, 343–6
Lee Kuan Yew: The Man and His Ideas Page 62
