Our James

Today, 25 August 2022, is the centenary of James’ birth. As I look back on his life, I am reminded of the time when he was released from prison following the PAP election victory  of May 1959, and the wave of euphoria across Singapore that change was coming, a time of great expectation.  In a sense this was a period of foundational history, a template to guide and shape the new democratic state. … Read more...Prologue To James’ Centenary Year

The period following the Second World War was one of heightened political tensions as the Cold War divided international politics into two power blocs - left and right, communist and "the free world". In the Far East and Southeast Asia, nationalism was on the rise against a backdrop of economic and political instability. Countries that had been under Japanese occupation seemed more vulnerable to communist influence than ever before. … Read more...The Cold War And Singapore Politics Before 1959

Today, the second of February, we mark the 60th anniversary of Operation Coldstore, when 113 persons were arrested in Singapore under the repressive Preservation of Public Security Ordinance and jailed without legal recourse for an unspecified period of time. At that time and, indeed, since then, there has been a tendency for historians, political analysts and … Read more...The Continuing Relevance Of Operation Coldstore