“Goh Keng Swee and I had become less and less friendly. One day Keng Swee said to me, ‘I am going to appoint Mayer to the job I was planning for you at the EDB.’ I said ‘Yes, fine””
“That afternoon Harry phoned me and asked me to see him. Harry said ‘ You know I can’t interfere with the ministers.’ Harry was going to move Yong Nyuk Lin to the Harbour Board and would I like to be under the Education Ministry. I said ‘No. My wife works there and it is not proper.'”
Lee Kuan Yew said he would think about it. “A few days later he called and asked whether I would like the Commissioner to the Federation of Malaya. He would have to chat it with the Tunku but there should not be any difficulty.”
“When I consulted my wife she said, ‘I don’t think you should take it. I won’t be happy to go and take the ministers wives shopping in Kuala Lumpur. So if you go, you have to go yourself to the Federation. Anyhow it is quite near.’ So I informed harry that, ‘My wife doesn’t want me to go.'”