Secret Internal Party Conflicts that affect Citizens
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The newly exposed memoirs of the publicly disgraced China's Prime Minister Zhao Ziyang has revealed the events that led to the military crackdown of the peaceful protests led by university students, and known as the 1989 TianAnMen Incident.
Could the memoirs - from the other leading lights of Singapore Politics - have revealed and offered to Singaporeans new details of the murky political history that has been shamelessly monopolized and manipulated by the current publicly promoted version as espoused by only ONE person and his PARTY ?
Singapore has seen the memoirs of the late President Devan C Nair, and also the late Secretary-General Lee Siew Choh of the Barisan Nasional being "suppressed" on their passing.
The PAP leadership had sent representatives to speak to the surviving members of the respective families to abort the publication of the respective memoirs that were purposefully written by both persons to provide their perspectives as a counter to the many claims made by the PAP Leadership - and in particular to respond to MM LKY.
With historical records released from the archives of the British Colonial Government - fresh details have already contradicted the historical accounts published and publicly propagated by the present PAP Leadership.
There will be new historical details to be learnt from the perspective of those who were at the frontline of the political tussles, and involved in the daily events that transpired - and which this PAP Government seem so desperate to suppress.
There are lessons to be learnt from the events in China:
Secret Internal Leadership Conflicts behind Tian Ann Men - now revealed has contradicted the official version of the events that transpired.
Chinese reformer reveals secret memoirs of purged leaderBeijing - A former top aide to purged Chinese Communist Party leader Zhao Ziyang on Thursday said he had released memoirs that Zhao recorded secretly on tape during years of house arrest.
Bao Tong, Zhao's former secretary, told the German Press Agency dpa that he provided tapes that were transcribed and translated into English for the new book Prisoner of the State: The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang.
Bao said the tapes recorded by Zhao were given to him by three former government ministers after Zhao's death in 2005.
'When I got these materials, I quickly decided to publish them and also decided to publish them in an English version first,' Bao said.
'If the English version is accepted by the international community, the Chinese authorities can no longer stop it (from circulating),' he said.
If the circulation of the memoirs was limited, 'Zhao Ziyang's hard work would be wasted', Bao added.
'So I needed to be very careful and prudent to deliver his message safely to the whole world,' he said.
Zhao's family were unaware of the tapes and the plans by US publishers Simon and Schuster to release them next week as Zhao's memoirs, Bao said.
'Those tapes belong to the 1.4 billion Chinese people and also belong to the international community,' he said.
'It has nothing to do with his family members,' he said.
The content of the tapes is substantially different from that of an earlier book published in Chinese as Zhao Ziyang: Captive Conversations, Bao said.
Publication of the sensitive book, in which Zhao supports open, multi-party democracy and media freedom, comes weeks before the 20th anniversary of a military crackdown on a democracy movement.
The preface to the earlier book said the collection of conversations revealed the 'depth and breadth of Zhao's reflections' and 'the fierce power struggle and divergence of policies within the top echelon' of the Communist Party during the 1980s.
Zhao was purged from his post of party general secretary in 1989 after opposing the use of force to stop the democracy protests.
He spent the rest of his life under house arrest until his death in 2005.
Bao, who was sentenced to seven years in prison in 1992, has regularly echoed Zhao's views that Chinese leaders should allow democratic elections and freedom of expression.
The 1989 protests ended when troops with tanks and live ammunition moved through Beijing overnight on June 3-4, 1989, reportedly killing hundreds of unarmed civilians who allegedly blocked their route.
Demonstrators had urged the government to end corruption and allow democracy and other political and social rights.
Party leaders continue to reject calls for an investigation into the 1989 crackdown.
They have also prevented activists from holding public events to mark anniversaries of Zhao's death.
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Unker, let me ask you a question,
"Do you think Singapore can withstand a protest such as tiananman case"?
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Unker, let me ask you a question,
"Do you think Singapore can withstand a protest such as tiananman case"?
For your information - Singapore had survived events that were worst than Tiananmen - which was peaceful protest that were made bloody by the Chinese Military sent in by the Chinese Government - both controlled by the Communist Party of China that were afraid of public protest that make the Citizens feel empowered.
Singapore survived the destruction from the invasion and occupation of the Japanese in World War 2.
Singapore also survived the destruction and non-peaceful Hock Lee Bus riot in 1962.
Singapore survived again from the mad mayhem of the May 13 racial riots in 1963.
Do you think Singapore cannot have peaceful protests that are non-destructive until a desperate and reckless Government act out of self-interest ?
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Originally posted by Atobe:
For your information - Singapore had survived events that were worst than Tiananmen - which was peaceful protest that were made bloody by the Chinese Military sent in by the Chinese Government - both controlled by the Communist Party of China that were afraid of public protest that make the Citizens feel empowered.
Singapore survived the destruction from the invasion and occupation of the Japanese in World War 2.
Singapore also survived the destruction and non-peaceful Hock Lee Bus riot in 1962.
Singapore survived again from the mad mayhem of the May 13 racial riots in 1963.
Do you think Singapore cannot have peaceful protests that are non-destructive until a desperate and reckless Government act out of self-interest ?
Well Prof,
The question should be, "Can singaporean stage a protest" even a peaceful one. You and I should know the "yes man/madam" attitude of Singaporeans, of course you can argue that it is the govt who brainwashed Singaporeans into this mode. But frankly speaking, abt 70% of singaporeans take the bait of the govt and stress in return for peacefulness, harmony, work and education and most importantly a place to bring up a family. That is the mentality of Singapoeans today, unlike the old days, peoples needed to struggles and were less educated to understand what violences would lead to, so they dun mind going into protest because no protest also die, got protest may not die so fast. There was simply less jobs, lots of parties were at stake including the commie party.
Of course, i understand that every nation in it infant stage will have to go thru wars, protest and finally a true leader emerge, and to repeat that, you need another revolution. Peaceful or not is another issue, the issue is base on what ground are people willing to sacrifice their harmony and peaceful society with work and education. It a high to price to pay Prof.
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Singapore has seen the memoirs of the late President Devan C Nair, and also the late Secretary-General Lee Siew Choh of the Barisan Nasional being "suppressed" on their passing.
The memoirs of Devan Nair and Lee Siew Choh should be published for Singaporeans to know the other side of history.
After Lee Kuan Yew is dead, I hope that the memoirs can be published.
Now what we know of the political struggles in 1950s-60s is PAP propaganda.
There are many lies and cover ups in that propagandist history.
This must be corrected.
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"Do you think Singapore can withstand a protest such as tiananman case"?
Survive in what sense longinchjohn?
Maria Hertogh riots
1954 National Service Riots
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954
Hock Lee bus riots
Chinese middle schools riots
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chines
1964 race riots in Singapore
1969 Race Riots of Singapore
In 1955 Lim had been elected as Singapore's youngest parliamentarian. However, a year later, after widespread riots involving industrial workers and Chinese school students, he was arrested and imprisoned on charges of being one of the leaders of the "communist united front" alleged to have been behind the riots.
Lim's own reputation was a further casualty to the riots' mayhem and bloodshed, and he was detained without trial. He denied charges that he was a communist, charges which remain unsubstantiated until today.
In a startling and revisionist essay, Dr Greg Poulgrain of Griffiths University observes that the British Governor of Singapore and his Chief Secretary in their reports to London had admitted that the police could find no evidence to establish that Lim was a communist.
Poulgrain claims it was actually Singapore's then Chief Minister, Lim Yew Hock, who had deliberately "provoked" the bus and other industrial workers and Chinese middle students to riot in 1956 in order to have Lim Chin Siong arrested.
Lim Yew Hock's own admission to responsibility for the riot appears in an official report to the British Government which Poulgrain found in the Colonial Office records in London which are now open to researchers.http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=977
Enche' Chia Thye Poh: The Prime Minister has spoken about the communal riots in Singapore. He says that the Indonesians and the Communists caused it.
We are from Singapore and we know that this is just to cover up the real culprits.
The Prime Minister of Singapore is telling, in Europe, that the UMNO politicians have caused it. The UMNO in Singapore says that the P.A.P. has caused it.
We who are in Singapore know that the communal riots were the work of the UMNO and the P.A.P. who were indulging in a bitter fight for power.
All this nonsense about the Indonesians and the Communists causing these riots is just to hide the truth that the main culprits belong to the ruling parties.
SOME HONOURABLE MEMBERS : Nonsense! Lies
Enche' Chia Thye Poh : We challenge the Government to have a public enquiry into this. When the riots started . . . . -
"Can singaporean stage a protest" even a peaceful one.
See:
http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/12
And also:
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Enche' Chia Thye Poh: The Prime Minister has spoken about the communal riots in Singapore. He says that the Indonesians and the Communists caused it.
We are from Singapore and we know that this is just to cover up the real culprits.
The Prime Minister of Singapore is telling, in Europe, that the UMNO politicians have caused it. The UMNO in Singapore says that the P.A.P. has caused it.
We who are in Singapore know that the communal riots were the work of the UMNO and the P.A.P. who were indulging in a bitter fight for power.
All this nonsense about the Indonesians and the Communists causing these riots is just to hide the truth that the main culprits belong to the ruling parties.
SOME HONOURABLE MEMBERS : Nonsense! Lies
Enche' Chia Thye Poh : We challenge the Government to have a public enquiry into this. When the riots started . . . .So does this means that Chia Thye Poh was already a politician elected into parliament before he was arrested? I mean how does the above conversation came about?
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As a member of the Barisan Sosialis he was elected member of Parliament for Jurong Constituency in 1963, being nominated as the candidate in replacement of a colleague who had been arrested by the government of Singapore.Concurrent with his holding of parliamentary office, he worked as a university physics professor.
He was banned permanently from entering Malaysia in the wake of a political speech he delivered to the Perak division of the Labour Party of Malaysia on 24 April 1966.
In July 1966, he was convicted for publishing a "seditious article" in the Barisan's Chinese-language newspaper. In the same month, he was arrested with 25 others and charged with unlawful assembly for his participation in a demonstration against United States involvement in the conflict in Vietnam that resulted in open confrontation with police. It has been noted that he was active among peace campaigners calling for an end to the U.S. bombing of Indochina during the Vietnam War in the 1960s.
In early October 1966, he and eight other Barisan Sosialis MPs boycotted the Parliament over the decision by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) to split from Malaysia.This was part of the Barisan's strategy to protest "undemocratic acts" of the Government, by carrying their struggle against the PAP outside of Parliament. He declared that the means of the struggle would be "street demonstrations, protest meetings, strikes".
On 8 October 1966, he led an illegal protest march of 30 supporters to Parliament House and handed a letter to the Clerk of the House demanding a general election be held under eight named conditions, with the release of all political detainees and the revocation of all "undemocratic" laws.
On 29 October 1966, he and 22 other Barisan Sosialis leaders were arrested pursuant to powers afforded by the Internal Security Act.The official statement released by the Government alleged that Barisan's attempt to arouse a mass struggle outside of parliament was prejudicial to the stability of Singapore. The round of arrests was the second one conducted by the government, including those occurring as part of Operation Coldstore in 1963. Chia was specifically detained for his role in organising and leading the 8 October street procession...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C
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Concurrent with his holding of parliamentary office, he worked as a university physics professor.
Thank for your info, Ah Chia.
But hold a second, I remember reading a book about Chia Thye Poh. The book said that Chia was about to embark on a medical undergraduate degree before he was arrested for communists activities.
So which is right?
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The book said that Chia was about to embark on a medical undergraduate degree before he was arrested for communists activities.
Yes, all those political opponents of PAP will be labelled communist and liquidated.
'Marxist Conspiracy' annniversay remembered
http://www.singapore-window.org/sw02/020521fs.htm
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Well Prof,
The question should be, "Can singaporean stage a protest" even a peaceful one. You and I should know the "yes man/madam" attitude of Singaporeans, of course you can argue that it is the govt who brainwashed Singaporeans into this mode. But frankly speaking, abt 70% of singaporeans take the bait of the govt and stress in return for peacefulness, harmony, work and education and most importantly a place to bring up a family. That is the mentality of Singapoeans today, unlike the old days, peoples needed to struggles and were less educated to understand what violences would lead to, so they dun mind going into protest because no protest also die, got protest may not die so fast. There was simply less jobs, lots of parties were at stake including the commie party.
Are you asking a question if Singaporeans can organize one, or if the PAP Government will allow one to surface ?
Over the years, Singaporeans have the guts and the ability to organize peaceful protests, but it has been the nervous PAP Government that prevented any to be held unless such protests are organized by PAP Members to serve their own political agenda.
Singaporeans can stage peaceful protests - if and when this Government allow Singaporeans to exercise the Right in Political Expression to have peaceful protest.
So far, this Government is worried about Singaporean's being empowered by the Rights to such Political Expressions - as can be seen in the pre-emptive intervention of several protests in the past.
In the mid-1980s, Singaporean car owners had attempted to organise a protest drive to the continuous costs aimed at car owners and were supposed to gather at the Changi Airport Carpark and drive in a convoy along the ECP.
The Police got wind of this and organised a team of Traffic Police, ISD and Riot Police to question the passengers in every car going towards the predetermined assembly point at Changi Airport car park.
There was no intention to have a protest march - walking on the roads.
It was supposed to be a group of cars driving in single line convoy with no intention to block traffic or be a nuisance to other traffic.
Yet, the nervous PAP Government mobilised the Police Force and recorded all the particulars of everyone that had no business to be at the Airport.
In the late 1980s, there was also the planned protests by the NUS Students Union that was to be conducted as part of the annual public display of the creativity of tertiary students. Somehow, the ISD officers heard of the plans and began to make a higher profile appearance amongst the students preparing the mobile float exhibition.
It ended with nothing too provocative being part of the mobile float arrangements
Of course, i understand that every nation in it infant stage will have to go thru wars, protest and finally a true leader emerge, and to repeat that, you need another revolution. Peaceful or not is another issue, the issue is base on what ground are people willing to sacrifice their harmony and peaceful society with work and education. It a high to price to pay Prof.
Does every nation in its infant stage have to go through wars ?
Switzerland has been in relative peace throughout its history of neutrality, and had gone through two major wars in the European Continent.
There are many countries on earth that has been largely unscathed by any kind of wars throughout its history - and these include most countries in South America, most island nations in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.
Unfortunately, while there were exemplary Chinese, Malay and Indian Nationalists that emerged in the struggles of World War 2 against the Japanese Occupation - with names such as Lim Bo Seng, Elizabeth Choy, and Lieutenant Adnan - our MM LKY played a survival game to become a Japanese interpreter and President Nathan was said to be recruited into the Japanese secret police that ruled Singapore with ruthless and merciless iron hands.
Lim Bo Seng led a team of saboteurs to attack Japanese military targets in Malaya and Singapore and was captured, tortured and killed during interrogation.
Elizabeth Choy was similarly arrested under suspicion for spying for the British, and was similarly tortured by the Japanese Kempetai.
Lt Adnan led a platoon of Malay Regiment in defense of the Pasir Panjang Ridge, and died in combat.
The price paid by these heroes against foreign invaders is the ultimate price paid for the freedom of a nation that was yet to be born.
What price should we pay for the freedom of a nation that is already born but has been kidnapped by those who have learnt the art of terrorizing Citizens from those whom they had served as collaborators during WW-2 ?
At least, the Japanese Kempetai will put you out of misery, but this modern age tormentors have the filthy scheme of taunting and toying those whom they imprisoned under false charges, and make examples for the other citizens to fall in line.
After more then 50 years of political development, and with the political education put forward by the exemplary conduct of those in the Alternative Political Parties - such as the late Chia Thye Poh, Lim Chin Siong, Dr Lee Siew Choh, Francis Seow, Tang Liang Hong, JBJ, and CSJ - the Singaporeans of today has begun to stir from their deep slumber.
LKY's strategy - of "dulling the brain by filling the stomach" - has begun to lose effect as Singaporeans are asked to make more and more sacrifices with every economic downturn that return every 7 to 10 years.
Can harmony and peace provide Singaporeans with jobs in a recession ?
In every economic downturn the rich gets richer with the financial breaks, even as the lower and middle income Singaporeans that form the bulk of the population are expected to shoulder the bigger burden of the economic slowdown - can peace and harmony help to find food to feed the family and cash to pay the ever increasing cost of living ?
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Originally posted by 4sg:
Thank for your info, Ah Chia.
But hold a second, I remember reading a book about Chia Thye Poh. The book said that Chia was about to embark on a medical undergraduate degree before he was arrested for communists activities.
So which is right?
Do you seriously believe that Chia Thye Poh is a Communist ?
After 32 years of being incarcerated, even the ISD had to release Chia without him having to sign any document that declare himself to be no longer a Communist, or to declare his past political mistakes, nor to declare that he will give up the armed overthrow of the elected government of Singapore.
Comparing Chia's release to what was extracted from the "political virgins" who were accused by LKY to be Marxist conspirators in the Catholic Church - it is surprising that Chia was given his freedom without any written disassociation to what he was originally charged for and detained.
This is more surprising when the charges were made by LKY against Chia, and used as a primary reason for Chia's infamous incarceration for 32 years.
The following was researched and posted earlier in this Speaker's Corner in the other thread - 19 February 2009 - 08.57PM:
‘Political Dwarfs like Mr Lee Kuan Yew : Chia Thye Poh”
MM LKY had outlasted the Communists and Marxists empires and dictators, which even resulted in the leaders of Communist China sending political study groups to visit Singapore - to learn how LKY and his PAP has been able to maintain its ONE Party status for so long.
‘Was Lim Chin Siong really a Communist ?’
Sadly, as far as LKY is concerned everyone and anyone - who will challenge him is a Communist - except for himself.
It is interesting to note that all official historical records kept in the archives of the British Colonial Office had shown that Lim Chin Siong was not a Communist.
He was a Nationalist and an anti-Colonialist - as it was common in the 1950s, which led him to be investigated and cleared by the British Special Branch.
Only the schemer in LKY had attempted to use the British Colonial Government and the Special Branch to have Lim Chin Siong arrested, while LKY can keep his image of respectability when facing Lim Chin Siong - whom LKY had introduced as the Future Prime Minister of Singapore.
‘Political History of Singapore – 1950s ’
In his memoirs, Lee wrote that "Lim Chin Siong wanted to eliminate the Internal Security Council because he knew that…if it ordered the arrest and detention of the communist leaders, the Singapore government could not be held responsible and be stigmatized a colonial stooge."
What the Minister Mentor did not say, but what Harper reveals in his chapter, is shockingly contradictory: "In mid-1961, therefore, to seek a way out, Lee suggested to the British that his government should order the release of all [the remaining] detainees, but then have that order countermanded in the ISC by Britain and Malaya."
Such a craven act was even rebuffed by the British. The acting Commissioner, Philip Moore, stated that the British should not be "party to a device for deliberate misrepresentation of responsibility for continuing detentions in order to help the PAP government remain in power." (emphasis added)
Moore suggested that the best solution would be "to release all the detainees forthwith." Lee, however, "was unwilling to present the left with such a victory."
In a most damning indictment, Moore said that Lee "has lived a lie about the detainees for too long, giving the Party the impression that he was pressing for their release while, in fact, agreeing in the ISC that they should remain in detention."
And if one thought that Lee Kuan Yew could not sink any lower, he did.He turned to his saviours and warned that should he lose in an upcoming by-election, he would call for a general election, which he fully expected to lose.
This was because he was facing defections in the Legislative Assembly on his refusal to release the remaining detainees. And should he lose the elections, he warned the colonial masters, David Marshall, Ong Eng Guan and Lim Chin Siong would form the next government.
This, he calculated, would be so distasteful to the British that it would rally them to his side.
He presented the scheme at a dinner with Commissioner Lord Selkirk, Philip Moore (Selkirk's deputy), and Goh Keng Swee:Lee would order the release of the prisoners, the British would stop it through the ISC, and he would then announce a referendum on merger with Malaya (the story behind merger is explained below).
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It seems that this Lee Kuan Yew is really a political coward.
Only know how to label opponents communists and arrest them, don't dare to compete in free and fair elections with them.
This type of ruler I despise.
I look down on him for being a political coward.
Pui.
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Our Secretary- General, Mr Lim Chin Siong, is in Changi and political dwarfs like Mr Lee Kuan Yew can strut around and talk big only when giants like Mr Lim Chin Siong are kept out of the political arena (interruption). - Chia Thye Poh
Shame on you Lee Kuan Yew.
Want to suppress Singapore history somemore and talk big.
Pui.
Fucking political coward.
Besides lose billions in GIC, arrest people and talk rubbish what else can he do I wonder.
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Haha if any of your dares to say what you post in here to MM Lee's face i clap for you. Tmr i check the 10pm news for updates.
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http://pothepanda.xanga.com/700999200/singapore-leslie-nelson-police-comedy-continues/
http://pothepanda.xanga.com/699871897/officialstatements-in-police-report-over-pothepanda-limkopi-case/
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Lee Siew Choh
By Tien, Mui Mun written on 2003-01-06
National Library Board SingaporeComments on article: InfopediaTalk
Lee Siew Choh (Dr) (b. 1 November 1917, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya - d. 18 July 2002, Singapore), a Cantonese, a former Barisan Sosialis leader, the first Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NMP) and a vocal opposition leader who set the record for holding the longest speech in Parliament at seven hours and thirteen minutes opposing the proposed merger with Malaysia. He is also best remembered for leading the Barisan Members of Parliament to boycott the first Parliamentary session in 1965.
Early life
In 1934 , after graduating from Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur, Lee came to Singapore to study medicine at King Edward VII College of Medicine. Upon graduating in 1942, he joined Kandang Kerbau (KK) Hospital as a doctor. A volunteer nurse whom he met at the hospital became his wife a year later when they married during the Japanese occupation. He was sent to work as a medical officer for two years at the Thai-Burmese border where prisoners of war were building the Death Railway for the Japanese. In 1947, he set up his own medical practice, the International Dispensary, at Hill Street.
Political career
PAP member
Being an anti-colonialist and with the persuasion of Dr Goh Keng Swee, Lee joined the People's Action Party (PAP) in 1958. In 1959, he was elected as Legislative Assemblyman for Queenstown. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Home Affairs Ministry the following year.
Opposition leader
In 1961, he left the People's Action Party due to differences over the proposed merger with Malaysia and formed the Barisan Sosialis as its founding chairman on 13 August 1961. He is well-known for his record-breaking speech of seven and half hours spread over two days in 1961, in which he argued over the merger issue with Malaysia.
In 1963, he was detained for allegedly participating in the City Hall Riots. In the 1963 election, his party won 13 seats although he lost his Rochor seat. After the separation from Malaysia in 1965, he and 13 of his party members boycotted the first parliamentary session and later resigned. Again, his party refused to participate in the 1968 election signalling their unhappiness over the PAP-led government.
When Barisan merged with the Workers' Party in 1988, he stood as a Worker's Party candidate in the Eunos GRC. He lost but became the first Non-Constituency MP when he garnered the largest number of votes among the losers.
He retired from politics in 1993. Lee succumbed to lung cancer after suffering for three years and passed away on 18 July 2002 at the age of 84. His memoirs remain unpublished.
Timeline
1942 : Doctor, Kandang Kerbau Hospital.
1947 : Set up his own medical practice, International Dispensary at Hill Street.
1959 : Joined People's Action Party.
1960 : Legislative Assemblyman for Queenstown.
1 Nov 1960 - 20 Jul 1961 : Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for Home Affairs.
13 Aug 1961 : Left the People's Action Party and form the Barisan Sosialis as the Founding Chairman.
1963 : Won 13 out of the 51 seats in the 1963 General Elections.
1965 : Led the Barisan Members of Parliament to boycott the first Parliamentary session.
1966 : Resigned from Parliament.
1988 : Merged Barisan with Workers' Party and contested as Workers' Party candidate in the General Election. He lost by a margin of 1,279 votes in the Eunos Group Representation Constituency (GRC).
1989 - 1991 : Appointed as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament for polling the highest votes among the losers at the 1988 General Election.
1993 : Resigned from Workers' Party.
Family
Father: Lee Fook Chuen, a Chinese school teacher.
Mother: Yim Kam.
Wife: Kathleen Fam Yin Oi , a retired teacher and sister of Fraser and Neave, Chairman Michael Fam.
Sons: Lee Yew Chung, a doctor; Lee Yew Keong, a dental surgeon.
Daughter: Lee Yu Lian, a lawyer. -
A memoir from someone caught in the dark politics of Singapore.
Dark Clouds at Dawn: A Political Memoir , by Said Zahari, is important for several reasons: it provides a rare insight into the interferences in the editorial direction of Utusan Melayu, the leading pan-Malayan Malay newspaper, by UMNO — the United Malays National Organization — the principal partner in the Alliance government, which precipitated the unprecedented but consequential Utusan Melayu strike action not so much over pay or conditions of work but over those interferences, and its acquisition by UMNO to become the mouthpiece of the UMNO-MCA Alliance government. In the result, Said Zahari, a Singapore citizen, was banished to Singapore.
He also describes the roles inter se of Utusan Melayu’s several senior personnel, including that of its owner, Yusuf Ishak, who became the first local head of an independent Singapore, and his relations with A. Samad Ismail, the legendary pan-Malaysian journalist and nationalist, Othman Wok, a senior journalist who later became Singapore minister for social affairs, and a host of Malaysian political luminaries.
It focuses on his own arrest in Operation Cold Store, his long travails in detention, and his friendship with Chin Siong, among other detainees.
In a press conference at the 1971 Helsinki International Press Institute conference, Lee — to a question asked by a journalist — spun a convoluted tale of Said Zahari’s arrest and detention: that he was not arrested because of his journalistic work but as a communist - eight years into his detention, he was suddenly branded a communist.
Said Zahari exposes Lee’s position when he told Lord Goodman, Master of University College, Oxford, inquiring on behalf of International P.E.N., over his continued imprisonment that [his] detention was being maintained “only because you have — it is asserted — refused to renounce violence as a political instrument.” It was a wholly inaccurate assertion — a ploy which Lee repeatedly uses to deflect international criticisms of his arbitrary actions.
These books are written for an audience familiar with the personalities and the locales mentioned. The interchanging use of abbreviations, titles, names and nicknames can be confusing for readers approaching this subject cold. Both books have no indexes, and the latter, in particular, would have greatly benefitted with a glossary of names and designations of the dramatis personae, the political parties and organizations. But there is no excuse for misspelling the names of well-known persons, of which James Michener, the American novelist, is one example.
These are important books with a tale to tell which would have benefited from a stricter editorial pen and keener proof-readings. Be that as it may, these books cannot be neglected by any serious students of Singapore and Southeast Asia. They are published by Insan, Kuala Lumpur.