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Answer:
The
extract gives a very true picture of Mr. Lee. His government is a
clean one. The hand of the law come hard (sic) on those who
commit offences or resort to corrupt practices. His hard work is
evident in all sectors. We are enjoying a trouble free life
because of his hard work...The leaders have set a good example
and have passed on all their good qualities to the people of
Singapore...I fully agree that all the peace, stability and
security that the people of Singapore are enjoying today are the
result of our hard working, honest and sincere Prime Minister and
his team.
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Lim
Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew: Online discussion
10
Jul 07
Introduction
Part
I: Our man
Part
II: Get him!
Part
III: The end of Lim
Online
discussion
Part
IV (final): What they teach in school
In case
you're wondering what they're teaching our kids in school about
Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP, take a look at this.
One
textbook for GCE O-level students and approved by the Ministry of
Education started off thus:
"There was always a
significant Chinese-educated faction within the party that held a
different political view. From its founding, this faction was led
by Lim Chin Siong, who adopted violent strategies through riots
and street demonstrations. As this division developed, it split
the party into two wings: the non-communist wing led by Lee Kuan
Yew and the communist wing led by Lim Chin Siong."
Describing
Lee as someone who "championed the causes of ordinary people
and gained their trust and respect," the book goes on to
enumerate some of Lee Kuan Yew's political activities that
brought him to prominence.
One such activity was Lee's
cooperation with the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) who wanted to
work with the PAP "because Lee Kuan Yew was reliable and his
name inspired confidence."
The textbook also teaches
that the constitutional talks in 1955 happened because as "major
leaders such as David Marshall and Lee Kuan Yew both demand[ed]
self-government (and merger with the Federation of Malaysia), the
British were forced to increase the speed of reforms."
But
the British, apparently, found David Marshall to be a "weak
and indecisive
leader" and were thus "reluctant to
grant self-government to such a leader." This, the text
says, was the reason why the London talks in 1955 were
unsuccessful.
Then there was the crackdown on the PAP's
leftwing in 1957 after Lim Chin Siong's faction won the
leadership of the PAP. The book left us with no doubt that "The
communist success in this party election…was achieved with
some deception."
As a result Lee Kuan Yew and five
of his closest supporters resigned from the executive offices of
the PAP "in disgust" which meant that "the PAP, a
legal party, was now captured by the illegal communists."
The
text adds that this was "the classic strategy that the
communists called the ‘united front'" and that "this
incident explained why the PAP leadership regarded election as
serious business even till today."
Following the
resignation of David Marshall, negotiations with the British to
grant self-government went much smoother because, with Lim Yew
Hock as Chief Minister, prospects of reaching an agreement on how
to "deal with the threats posed by the communists" were
much better.
There was no mention of Operation
Coldstore.
And the correct answer is…
Another
book, a self-study revision programme for Secondary 2 students
"based on the New Syllabus by Ministry of Education",
compiled a series of study notes and questions. Correct answers
were provided at the back of the book.
Some of the
multiple-choice questions went like this:
I. The
______________ in the PAP supported the Communists.
(1)
radicals
(2) liberals
(3) proposers
(4) proponents.
Answer: (1) radicals
II. Which statement
about the man in the picture is incorrect? [Picture of LKY]
(1)
He was the one who wrote the Singapore's national Pledge.
(2)
He was Prime Minister of Singapore from 1959-1990.
(3) He
changed Singapore from a third world country into a first world
state.
(4) In 1956, he stood as a PAP candidate in Tanjong
Pagar Constituency.
Answer: (1) He was the one who
wrote the Singapore's national Pledge.
III. The party
symbol of the PAP is __________.
Answer:
(c)
IV. The PAP had a _________ plan for Singapore
and it was an honest party.
Answer:
comprehensive
What is your opinion about Lee Kuan
Yew?
Students were also asked to read extracts and
then answer questions.
Extract A:
"And we
needed somebody like Lee Kuan Yew, who can be strong and firm
when needed to be, to get things done. I think Singapore was
fortunate to have men like Kuan Yew and Goh Keng Swee at the helm
in 1965 to do what was needed. It was Lee Kuan yew's' [sic]
characteristic [sic] – when you accept to do a job, do it
well – or else don't' [sic] accept the position if you are
incapable of doing it."
Question 1:
In
your opinion, to what extent is the above write up true of Lee
Kuan Yew correct (sic)? (5 marks)
Answer:
I
feel the above extract is very true. He was Singapore's first
Prime Minister. He held that post from 1959-1990. He is widely
acclaimed by Singaporeans and people world over as the architect
of Singapore. He is responsible for transforming Singapore into a
modern city. He made Singapore stable and secure. He saw
Singapore through the years of merger and separation. He fully
understood the challenges a small independent nation would face.
Singapore had no natural resources. Singapore had limited land.
The only asset Singapore had was its people.
To make an
island with any constraints prosper must have been a challenge to
him. His philosophy was if you take on the job, you have to do it
well without any excuses or "ifs" and "but".
If you feel you cannot handle a particular job, then don't take
it.
The Singapore after the Japanese occupation, the
Singapore after its separation from Malaysia was one full of
problems, full of challenges. He, as Prime Minister, at the helm
of the government, was worried but not negative in his thinking.
He knew Singapore had to survive as an independent nation and he
was determined to make Singapore succeed.
It is true that
we needed someone of Lee Kuan Yew's calibre to steer Singapore at
that time. It is also true that Singapore and the people of
Singapore were fortunate to have him at the head. What we are
enjoying today, all the comforts, high standards of public
health, education, housing, transport and communications are all
the results of the dedicated, untiring, unselfish work of Lee
Kuan Yew and his team of leaders.
Question 2:
Enumerate some of the qualities of Lee Kuan Yew that you can
infer from the passage. (3 marks)
Answer:
Strong
character. Firm when one has to be firm. A man with a vision. An
optimist. An untiring worker. Determined and dedicated. One who
is not daunted by problems or challenges. One who executes
whatever job he takes well (sic). One who sets a goal and works
towards that goal.
Extract B:
"Indeed,
the traits by which Singaporeans are known today are the very
same ones that characterize Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Like the man, the
country and its people are known for being pragmatic,
law-abiding, hard-working and fond of a clean, clinical
environment be it in business rules or physical
landscape."
Question 1:
What traits of Mr
Lee are mentioned in this extract?
Answer: He is
pragmatic, law-abiding, hard-working, corruption-free (clean). He
is a man of integrity.
Question 2:
What is your
opinion of the above extract?
Answer:
The
extract gives a very true picture of Mr. Lee. His government is a
clean one. The hand of the law come hard (sic) on those who
commit offences or resort to corrupt practices. His hard work is
evident in all sectors. We are enjoying a trouble free life
because of his hard work. Singapore is clean and green city
(sic). The honest leaders have succeeded in attracting foreign
investors to invest their money in Singapore. What is more than
all these is:- The leaders have set a good example and have
passed on all their good qualities to the people of Singapore.
Most Singaporeans are hard working, law abiding and honest in
their dealings - be it business or personal commitments. I fully
agree that all the peace, stability and security that the people
of Singapore are enjoying today are the result of our hard
working, honest and sincere Prime Minister and his team.
Online
discussion:
If you have other examples of what they
are teaching in history lessons, please post them on the online
forum: www.singaporedemocrat.org/SDPforum/
and let's start a compilation.
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