Singapores battle for merger revisited poh soo kai, guest contributor 03 dec, 2014. Banned video of dr lim hock siew by dr wong wee nam i first met him at the wake of the late dr lee siew choh in july 2002. Dr lim hock siew, imprisoned for almost twenty years, refused to sign a statement renouncing violence in 1975. The university socialist club and the politics of postwar malaya and singapore the university socialist. In official accounts, the operation was a security. Fellow detainee lim hock siew said mr lim was a leftist who fought for the exploited and against the british, but broke with mr lee because he felt the terms of merger with malaya were unfair. This is not a question of pride but one of principle. Of course martyn had to comply with the mda who required him to take it down. Operation coldstore, sometimes spelled operation cold store, was the code name for a covert security operation carried out in singapore on 2 february 1963 which led to the arrest of 1 people, who were detained without trial under the preservation of public service security ordinance psso. Now 80years old, dr lim hock siew, sits quietly, his wife by his side, as members of the singapore democratic party sdp and guests pays tribute to him. With the dearth of genuine leaders of caliber, i was greatly encouraged when someone told me about dr. Ip addresses are not logged in this forum so theres no point asking. Picture from yahoo singapore 6 june singapore think centre. Befriend a thousand books, and have the spine to stand by your beliefs 1.
Of late, i have been wondering about the greatness of some leaders to remind myself that all is not lost in the brave pursuit for a renewed, revived and reformed malaysia. Lim also sued book publisher editions didier millet, the national library board, peter lim and tien wah press in 2011 over a news item in a book, chronicle of singapore. The prominent founding members of the barisan were dr lee siew choh and lim chin siong. Lim made his first postdetention speech in singapore during a book launch. Dr lim was detained without trial for 19 years, from 1963 to 1982, under the internal security act. The peoples hero 2514 dr lim hock siews speech at the. Young singaporeans reading history and the politics of age.
It became the biggest opposition party in singapore. Collectively these contributions exude two potent themes. The passing of dr lim hock siew the online citizen. Singapores oldest political association, joins fellow singaporeans in mourning the loss of one of singapores pioneering political activists dr lim hock siew. Friends, relatives, dr lim hock siew, my fellow former isa detainees, a very good afternoon to all of you. Martyn see complies with mdas order but video goes viral the singapore government has banned martyn sees video recording of a speech by dr lim hock siew during the launch of the book the fajar generation in november 2009. The video includes an introductory speech by dr lim hock siew, himself a former political prisoner detained without trial for 20 years under the. Some years back, in november 2009, dr lim hock siew, who had all along kept a very low profile, gave what was probably his only public speech in his entire life at the launch of a book, the fajar generation. Singapores battle for merger revisited new mandala. I would also like to thank all my friends who have worked so hard to organise this event for me. Transcript of dr lim hock siew s speech on the isa. Chong ton sin, koh kay yew, tan jing quee, dr lim hock siew, dr poh soo kai and r. If he is a young person who grew up with the staple of pap history books.
Before the book s official launch, filmmaker martyn see posted an entry on his blog, responding to a preliminary news report on the book. Dr lim hock siew is currently 78 years and is a retired physician. It was formed on 29 july 1961 and officially registered on august 1961 by leftwing members of the peoples action party pap who had been expelled from the pap. Filmmaker martyn see, who recorded a banned video of lim s first public speech text below at a book launch in 2009, said lim was one of singapores greatest patriots. Though the exact cause of his death is yet unknown, yahoo. Singapore understands that lim had been ill in recent years, and had not seen many of his friends. This video recording of a speech by dr lim hock siew, singapores. Nanyang university was established in singapore during 19531980. But then what are we to make of the 36,557 views on youtube alone of dr lim hock siew s sad, moving and quietly stirring speech about his long detention at the launch of fajar generation. As dr poh recollects, after the fajar trial, mr lee would invite him to his house at 38 oxley. For some reason, the authorities decided to ban the video.
The banned video of dr lim can be viewed here on vimeo. Singapore government bans martyn sees film expolitical. Chee siok chins blog political activist from singapore. Lim spoke about his unlawful 19year detention without. Revisiting operation coldstore if only singaporeans.
The singapore government has banned this video online since late last year, with the ban set to take effect from 14 july 2010 see article appended below film dr lim hock siew prohibited from july 14. He was speaking for the first time publicly since 1982 release. He retorted that it was like asking him to announce. Dr lim hock siews speech at the launch of the fajar generation.
The peoples hero 2514 dr lim hock siews speech at the launch. The university socialist club and the contest for malaya. This is the documentary entitled dr lim hock siew, made by singaporean filmmaker martyn see, which has been banned in singapore. Dr lim hock siew, singapores second longestheld political prisoner after chia thye poh, passed away monday evening from illness at the age of 81, according to his friends. Lim hock siew and poh soo kai amongst others who served longer periods under detention in either singapore or malaysia than rajakumar. Dr poh soo kai, mr lim chin siong and dr lim hock siew, assistant. On 14th of nov 2009, lim made his first postdetention speech in singapore during a book launch. Said zahari, a former anticolonialist newspaper editor, launches the chinese edition of his autobiography the long nightmare my 17 years as a political prisoner at the southern college in johor, malaysia on 1st july 2007. The leftist hole in history books if only singaporeans. Dr lim was singapores secondlongest serving political prisoner, having been detained under. In a puzzling move, the ministery of information, communication and the arts has decided to ban local filmmaker martyn sees footage on a speech given by dr. So to send a trade delegation to russia or to invite a russian delegation was. In remembrance of these people, many who were detained under the internal security act isa, here are their life stories, and of what happened after they were finally released from prison.
Watch this video of a speech delivered at the book launch by dr lim hock siew, singapores secondlongest held political prisoner. Watch dr lim hock siews speech at the launch of the book fajar generation. Datuk seri zainuddin maidin launching the book dalam ribuan mimpi. Lim hock siew, in which he recounted his experience as a political prisoner for over 20 years during a book launch last year. That was 20 years after he was released from an almost 20year detention. The video includes an introductory speech by dr lim hock siew. Friends, relatives, dr lim hock siew, my fellow former isa detainees, a very good afternoon to. The original campus is now occupied by nanyang technological university. The four books the fajar generation, comet in our sky. The leftist hole in history books to not tell all sides of the story is to do the young a disservice. On the day of my release, i was advised by a very senior isd officer that on release i. After his release from detention, lim worked at the rakyat clinic. The fajar generation tells the hitherto neglected story of a remarkable group of men and women who advanced a radical agenda of anticolonialism, democracy. He was stored away for 20 years and then led a quiet life for the next 28 years.
This week singapore lost a piece of its history when dr lim hock siew, a founding member of the peoples action party died of renal kidney failure. If we all rise together, even the pap cannot put us. Dr lim hock siew, 21 feb 1931 4 june 2012, detained without trial for almost 20 years in 1963. Lim hock siew s speech that was put up by martyn see on youtube.
Yet when he made his speech at a book launch, he created enough anxiety for the video to be banned. From left dr beatrice chen wife of dr lim hock siew, mrs lim poh geok wife of prof arthur lim, mrs doris poh wife of dr poh soo chuan, dr poh soo chuan brother of poh soo kai, dr arthur lim, and mr lim chin joo brother of lim chin siong at the coffin of former political detainee lim hock siew, who has died aged 81, at the wake on june 5, 2012. Dr lim hock siew 21 february 1931 4 june 2012 i am not interested in saving. New pap book neglects founding members detained for 19 years. Now, which authoritarian regime would want to have its dirty little secrets blown opened in a book. He also paid tribute to several other leftist student and political leaders, including his brother chin siong, the late lim hock siew and soon loh boon. A section of the book includes material written by his brother. Dr lim hock siew a founding member of the ruling peoples action party, lim was accused of being a communist and was arrested without trial in 1963, and had his detention prolonged by the then prime minister lee kuan yew until his release in 1982.
The day coincided with the arrival of us president barack obama in singapore for the apec summit. During this time, we managed to get some books autographed by them while at the same point, ask them a few questions. It consists of a recording of dr lim hock siew, a local. Rajakumar, on the contrary, left an indelible mark at every phase of his eventful life. Lim hock siew, singapores second longestheld political prisoner after chia thye poh, passed away monday evening from illness at the age of 81, according to his friends. Born in 1931, incarcerated in 1963 and released in 1981. My detention is completely unjustifiable and i will not lift a single finger to help lee kuan yew to justify the unjustifiable. Dr lim hock siew 21 february 1931 4 june 2012 i am not interested in saving lee kuan yews face. In responding to martyns queries, the authors, well. Private film screening is where i invite my friends to come to my place and watch. Lim hock siew was a singaporean politician, political prisoner and medical doctor. Dr lim hock siew may or may not be a sage but he must be a remarkable man. Dr lim hock siew s speech at the launch of the fajar generation.