It is timely to look back at a key moment in the country’s birth, specifically that of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew tearing up as he sought to explain at a press conference on the afternoon of Aug 9, 1965, Singapore’s separation from Malaysia.Both the current Primary 4 and Secondary 2 social studies textbooks feature photos of Mr Lee announcing the separation, with the secondary textbook describing him as “emotional”.
In January 1965, Mr Lee expressed in a previously confidential memorandum to the Cabinet that then Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman had informed Singapore’s then Finance Minister Goh Keng Swee in December 1964 “of his desire to have Singapore ‘hive off’ from Malaysia”. After the strife and differences during the merger period, leaders from both sides realised that the best approach forward was to separate and still cooperate and collaborate.
Mr Lee clarified in his memoirs: “I had let down many people in Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak. They had responded to our call of a Malaysian Malaysia.”. “Why? I have kept asking myself this since Sunday morning when I was told of the decision to carve up Malaysia,” he wrote.Despite the disappointment, he ended his letter on a positive note: “I wish all will go well with you yet.”
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: straits_times - 🏆 5. / 69 Read more »
Source: STForeignDesk - 🏆 4. / 71 Read more »
Source: straits_times - 🏆 5. / 69 Read more »
Source: TODAYonline - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »
Source: IndependentSG - 🏆 9. / 63 Read more »