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The History of Singapore

The History of Singapore

The History of Singapore

A weekly Education podcast
 1 person rated this podcast
The History of Singapore

The History of Singapore

The History of Singapore

Episodes
The History of Singapore

The History of Singapore

The History of Singapore

A weekly Education podcast
 1 person rated this podcast
Rate Podcast

Episodes of The History of Singapore

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In this episode - the final episode of season 1 -, PJ Thum takes listener questions. Questions include comparisons of Singapore/Federation and Hong Kong/China; on British attitudes to the Barisan and whether Selkirk broke his promise at the Ede
After years of long drawn out sound and fury and violence, the final conspiracy for separation was conducted in absolute secrecy, between a tiny group of people, and in a massive rush. In this episode, PJ Thum narrates the final secret rush to
As late as October 1964, separation was still unthinkable. But from November 1964 onwards, the situation slowly deteriorated. The road to separation was long and there were many opportunities to stop or turn back, but they were not taken. In th
Singapore has never had a race riot - so why do we call the riots of 1964 “race” riots? In this episode, PJ Thum explains how the elections of 1963 and 1964, the starkly divergent political circumstances north and south of the causeway, and mos
The mutual antipathy between Federation and Singapore ministers nearly sank merger before it happened, and ensured that Malaysia would be birthed into a poisoned atmosphere. In this episode, PJ Thum details how both sides grew increasingly host
It is just barely an exaggeration to say that Lee Kuan Yew’s primary reason to pursue merger was to defeat Lim Chin Siong; as a result of this, the lives of millions of people in four different territories would be changed forever. But who is L
The British, Federation, and PAP leaders agreed that Singapore’s political opposition would be arrested, despite the lack of evidence of any wrongdoing, before merger took place. But the issues of who to arrest, when to arrest them, and most of
The British, Federation of Malaya, and PAP leaders agreed to a merger of the Federation and Singapore. But Tunku Abdul Rahman demanded that Singapore’s political opposition be arrested before merger, while Lee Kuan Yew demanded they be arrested
Needing to negotiate a form and structure for merger that satisfied both the Federation government and the people of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew ended up producing a compromise that gave away Singaporean sovereignty and politically quarantined Sing
Lord Selkirk, UK Commissioner to Singapore, hosted James Puthucheary, Lim Chin Siong, Fong Swee Suan, and S. Woodhull at his official residence for tea at 4.30pm on 18 July 1961 - an event that become known in Singapore as the “Eden Hall Tea Pa
As the Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman led a stable right-wing coalition. As leader of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), he wanted to ensure its continued electoral dominance. So why would the Tunku
The desire of the overwhelming majority of Singapore’s people was the reunification of both parts of Malaya, known as “merger”. Why was merger so important to Singapore’s people? Why did they identify as Malayan? Why was it so intimately bound
At the end of the People’s Action Party’s first year in power in May 1960, they were widely popular and riding high. One year later, they were absolutely crushed in a crucial by-election, which party leader Lee Kuan Yew had declared to be a ref
What is the nature of colonialism? What does it mean to be a colonised country? What does it mean to behave in a colonial manner? Can we be both part of an independent country and yet still be oppressed like a colonial one? These questions woul
The PAP won the 1959 general election, but now their leaders had to govern Singapore. They would find this to be much harder than anticipated. They churned out legislation with the twin goals of creating an ideal socialist state in Singapore an
Singapore's 140th year was arguably its greatest. For the first time, all of Singapore was under the control of a fully elected, locally responsible government. A popular left-wing party won the election, and proceeded to launch its self-procla
One of the most pressing issues facing Singapore in the 1950s was the severe shortage of housing for its rapidly growing population. But imposing a solution on the population of Singapore would have drastic consequences for the identity and cul
Who are the voters of Singapore and what do they want? This is the question that every Singapore politician faces. And this question was particularly apropos in 1957, with an election imminent in which Singaporeans would be fully enfranchised f
The PAP left-wing and its mass base were furious with Lee Kuan Yew’s right-wing adventurism and selfishness. A confrontation with the Lee Kuan Yew faction over the heart and soul of the PAP became inevitable. But with the PAP in pole position t
In honour of Pink Dot (on 4 June 2016), PJ Thum sits down with Dr Jun Zubillaga-Pow, a cultural historian whose research focuses on the artistic and sexual expressions of Singapore's Malay community in twentieth-century Singapore, to discuss LG
Working with the British and Lee Kuan Yew, Lim Yew Hock had successfully crushed the left-wing anticolonial movement. But this was strictly temporary. Eventually an election would have to be called, and the left-wing would be able to contest th
By 1956, Singapore's left-wing anti-colonial movement had grown into a coherent multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic movement, that threatened the moral right of British rule in Singapore. The British, Labour Front President Lim Yew Hock, and PAP Sec
The most dramatic impact of David Marshall's tenure of Chief Minister was that independence suddenly seemed imminent. The British would be leaving soon - but who would assume power afterwards? Marshall's resignation kicked off a deadly race for
At the end of 1955, Chief Minister David Marshall’s popularity was at an all-time high. Five months and seven days later, after a failure to win independence at the Constitutional Talks with the British in London, he resigned. What happened? I
"f you read English-language sources, David Marshall appears naive, weak, and irresponsible as Chief Minister. If you read Chinese-language sources, Marshall appears as courageous, principled hero, fighting on behalf of the downtrodden and oppr
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