http://singaporerebel.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-pap-book-neglects-founding-members.html
"It
was a no-holds-barred report", gloats Richard Lim, one of three
senior journalists who were commissioned to write the history of
the People's Action Party in a new book entitled Men In White, The
Untold Story of Singapore's Ruling Party.
The untold story of S'pore's ruling party
Making of Men In White
In the above reports, the Straits Times goes to great lengths to
depict the book as a definitive and objective account of PAP's
history, supported by interviews with its opponents - including
former communists now exiled in Thailand and leftists (a
catch-all byword for staunch anti-colonialists) who had left
the PAP to form the breakaway Barisan Sosialis.
But remarkably, the two full page report mentions not a single
whiff of Operation Coldstore, the infamous 1963 mass arrests that
decimated the entire leadership of the political opposition to the
PAP.
Another glaring omission was how the writers failed to contact two
founding PAP members, Dr Poh Soo Kai and Dr Lim Hock Siew, who were
arrested under Operation Coldstore and detained without trial for
periods of up to 19 years. Along with Said Zahari, Lee Tse Tong and
Ho Piao, both of them were Singapore's longest-held political
prisoners after Chia Thye Poh.
THREE
BARISAN SOSIALIS LEADERS DR LEE SIEW CHOH (EXTREME RIGHT), MR S
WOODHULL (SECOND FROM RIGHT) AND DR LIM HOCK SIEW (FOURHT FROM
LEFT) REPRESENTED COUNCIL OF JOINT ACTION AT UNITED NATIONS RETURN
FROM NEW YORK, LIM CHIN SIONG is THIRD FROM RIGHT
(10/08/1962 )
Dr Lim Hock Siew was a
founding member of the PAP. But like many of his anti-colonialist
colleagues of the PAP, Lim broke away from the PAP and formed the
opposition Barisan
Sosialis in 1961. On 2nd February 1963, he was arrested and
detained under Operation Coldstore. Even after Singapore's
independence in 1965, Lim continued to be detained under the
Internal Security Act by Lee Kuan Yew's government. On 6th of
September 1982, he was finally released, capping a 19 years 8
months incarceration - making him Singapore's longest-held
political prisoner after Chia Thye Poh. Dr Lim has confirmed with
me that he was never contacted by the writers of Men In White. He
is now 78 years old and continues to operate his clinic on
Balestier Road.
Dr Poh Soo Kai and Dr Lim
Hock Siew in the front row during the launch of Our Thoughts Are
Free in March this year.
In a rare press statement released in 1972, nine years into his
incarceration, Dr Lim Hock Siew recalled an interrogation session
with the ISD where the jailers attempted to strike a "bargain" with
the prisoner..
Dr Lim Hock Siew Speaks from
Singapore Prison (Date - 18.3.1972)
(through his legal
adviser)
(Released by Dr Beatrice Chia, wife of Dr Lim Hock Siew)
I and hundreds of others were arbitrarily arrested on the 2nd of
February, 1963. Many are still in prison. Ever since that day, we
were, and are, unjustly and arbitrarily detained in prison without
any kind of trial whatsoever for over 9 years. We have gone through
various kinds of persecution, struggles, hardships and difficulties
during this very long period of over nine years of detention in
prison. Recently an unusual development took place. On the 13th of
January, 1972, I was taken to the Headquarters of the Special
Branch at Robinson Road where I was detained for 40 days together
with my brother, Lim Hock Koon.
Two high-ranking special branch agents of the P.A.P. regime
indicated to me that if I were to issue a public statement of
repentance, I would be released. They told me that 9 years had
passed since the date of my arrest and that it was time that my
case be settled. They admitted that 9 years was a long time. I told
them that it was pointless to remind me of this long period.
A week after my transfer to the Special Branch Headquarters, the
same two high-ranking employees spelt out the conditions of my
release. They demanded from me two things. They are as
follows: -
(1) That I make an oral statement of my past political activities,
that is to say, "A security statement." This was meant for the
Special Branch records only, and not meant for publication.
(2) That I must issue a public statement consisting of two points :
-
(a) That I am prepared to give up politics and devote to medical
practice thereafter.
(b) That I must express support for the Parliamentary democratic
system.
I shall now recall and recapitulate the conversation that took
place between me and the same two high-ranking Special Branch
agents during my detention at the Special Branch
Headquarters.
Special Branch - You need not have to condemn the
Barisan Sosialis or any person. We admit that it is unjust to
detain you so long. 9 years is a long time in a person's life; we
are anxious to settle your case.
Dr Lim Hock Siew - My case will be settled
immediately if I am released unconditionally. I was not asked at
the time of my arrest whether I ought to be arrested. Release me
unconditionally and my case is settled.
Special Branch - The key is in your hands. It is
for you to open the door.
Dr Lim Hock Siew - To say that the key is in my
hands is the inverted logic of gangsters in which white is black
and black is white. The victim is painted as the culprit and the
culprit is made to look innocent. Four Gurkha soldiers were brought
to my house to arrest me. I did not ask or seek arrest or the
prolonged detention for over 9 years in prison without trial.
Special Branch - You must concede something so
that Lee Kuan Yew would be in a position to explain to the public
why you had been detained so long. Mr Lee Kuan Yew must also
preserve his face. If you were to be released unconditionally, he
will lose face.
Dr Lim Hock Siew - I am not interested in saving
Lee Kuan Yew's face. This is not a question of pride but one of
principle. My detention is completely unjustifiable and I will not
lift a single finger to help Lee Kuan Yew to justify the
unjustifiable. In the light of what you say, is it not very clear
that I have lost my freedom all these long and bitter years just to
save Lee Kuan Yew's face? Therefore the P.A.P. regime's allegation
that I am a security risk is a sham cover and a facade to detain me
unjustifiably for over 9 years.
My stand on the Making of a Secret Oral Security Statement
for the records of the Special Branch
I cannot and will not make any statement to condemn my past
political activities. My past political activities were absolutely
legitimate and proper. Whatever I had done or said was in the
interest of and in the service of the masses of our people and of
our country. Even an accused person need not say anything to
incriminate or to condemn himself. Why should I who am arbitrarily
detained without any kind of trial for over 9 years be coerced to
act as an agent to the Special Branch by making a secret deal
behind the backs of the masses? I resolutely reject this demand.
Furthermore, I have not the slightest obligation to account my past
political activities to Lee Kuan Yew.
A. My Stand on the Demand of Making a Public
Statement
I completely reject in principle the issuing of any public
statement as a condition of my release. This is a form of public
repentance. History has completely vindicated my position. I was
arrested for opposing merger with "Malaysia" because I held the
view that "Malaysia" was a British sponsored neo-colonialist
product and the creation of "Malaysia", far from uniting our people
and our country, would cause greater dis-unity and dissension among
our people. I believe that the formation of Malaysia would be a
step backward and not forward in our struggle for national
unity.
I have nothing to repent, to recant or to reform. If anything I
have become more reinforced in my convictions, more reaffirmed in
my views and more resolute to serve the people of Malaya fully and
whole-heartedly. I have nothing to concede to Lee Kuan Yew. By
right, he should make a public repentance to me and not I to
him.
B. My Stand on the Demand that I must give up Politics in
Exchange for my Release
I hold the view that these two demands are self-contradictory,
because if there is democracy, I need not give up politics. The
fact that I had been detained for over 9 years in order to coerce
me to give up politics is proof enough that there is no
parliamentary democracy. The question of taking part on politics is
a fundamental right of the people.
An indirect offer was made to me to leave Singapore for further
studies. I have replied to the P.A.P. regime that if I had to leave
the country at any time, it must be on my own free volition and not
under coercion by the P.A.P regime.
The above was published with permission from Dr Lim Hock Siew.
Dr Lim is currently penning his
memoirs.
Dr Lim's speech at the launch of Said Zahari's book in Johor Bahru
can be viewed here.
Dr Lim is featured in a 10 minute video tribute to Lim Chin Siong
which can be viewed at the Singapore History Museum.
Zahari's 17 Years
remains gazetted as a prohibited film. Any possession constitutes a
criminal offence.
The Straits Times is a publication of the Singapore Press Holdings,
who commissioned the book.
Thanks to Isrizal for finding the above press release.
