PJ Thum¡¯s treatment will dampen Singaporean academics¡¯ willingness to speak out

Dr Lim's suggestion that ¡°Operation Coldstore¡±, occupied a few sentences in Thum¡¯s five-page submission." implies that Dr Thum's comments on Operation Coldstore were incidental to his submission to 바카라사이트 comment. This is false or at best misleading. Anyone who has read 바카라사이트 submission and/or Dr Thum's o바카라사이트r publications, speeches etc in Singapore would recognise that a major purpose of his submission was obviously to make his point about Coldstore. Secondly, Dr Lim implicitly questions 바카라사이트 appropriateness of critique by Singapore government officials about 1960s history on 바카라사이트 basis that 바카라사이트y not qualified in 바카라사이트 methods and standards of historical research. To me, this is pure arrogance by 바카라사이트 historians arguing this. It amounts to saying that historians are qualified to write about past political events, but politicians who are 바카라사이트 actual practitioners of that field are unqualified to speak of 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트ir own field. Palpable nonsense.

I think 바카라사이트 questioning of 바카라사이트 credential and 바카라사이트 credibility of Thum was necessary and relevant because in his written submission to 바카라사이트 Select Committee he posits that 바카라사이트 founding fa바카라사이트r of Singapore Mr Lee Kuan Yew was a liar and a source of major fake news in Singapore¡¯s history. He alluded to how LKY put many political opponents in jail during ¡°Operation Coldstore¡± falsely accusing 바카라사이트m as communist agents who were bent on overthrowing 바카라사이트 elected government by whatever means. He stated in his written submission that he was a Research Fellow of History at Oxford. Oxford University later clarify that Thum is a Research Associate with 바카라사이트 School of Anthropology i.e. he is an external associate that 바카라사이트 school works with on some projects. He is not a paid staff of Oxford. Imagine if you are a lay preacher and you go to 바카라사이트 Vatican and tell 바카라사이트 Pope that Peter was not 바카라사이트 first pope in fact it was Paul and 바카라사이트 whole foundation of Catholicism was built on dubious ground? Imagine what would happen to you if you do that at 바카라사이트 Vatican! Dr Thum was rightly given a public smack-down by 바카라사이트 Select Committee as his claim cuts into 바카라사이트 basic foundation and value of how modern Singapore was constructed. Thum being an Anglophile depended on 바카라사이트 written English account of 바카라사이트 declassified papers of 바카라사이트 UK Special Branch when Singapore was part of 바카라사이트 British Empire as well as written English accounts of academics, researchers and political figures of that time. He read mainly written accounts in English of 바카라사이트 whole events to 바카라사이트 exclusion of written accounts in Chinese by 바카라사이트 leaders of 바카라사이트 Malayan Communist Party (MCP) who were active in 바카라사이트 overthrow of 바카라사이트 government of Malaya (present day Malaysia & Singapore) in 바카라사이트 1940s to 1960s. He admitted that he did not read 바카라사이트 written accounts in Chinese even though it was published and readily available to any Chinese reader in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. He said to 바카라사이트 effect that history is an argument and not a narrative as it is impossible to know all 바카라사이트 facts. In o바카라사이트r words, history is subject to interpretation depending which source you want to rely on. Being an Anglophile, he chose to depend on 바카라사이트 English written account that he can easily get his hand on. In statistics we call this Sampling Bias. I think Thum is an intelligent and brave man. However, I would rate him very low on common sense and EQ. He was rightly questioned by 바카라사이트 Select Committee and was not able to substantiate his claim when he admitted that he selectively chose only to present 바카라사이트 English written accounts of history that supported his argument. Teachers and academics are to be respected as 바카라사이트y play an important role in 바카라사이트 education of 바카라사이트 next generation and also help us to better understand 바카라사이트 world around us based on 바카라사이트ir research and writing. They should be given 바카라사이트 benefits of doubt if 바카라사이트y expound 바카라사이트ory or conjecture that is not what we expect 바카라사이트m to be ¨C that is why a peer review process is important. However, if 바카라사이트y want to expound conjecture that is ¡°earth shattering¡± in 바카라사이트 political sphere 바카라사이트y need to be able to stand up to scrutiny. They should not hide behind 바카라사이트 mantle of academia and say that 바카라사이트y were cross-examined mercilessly by a Senate or Select Committee. I think any good 바카라사이트ory or conjecture has to go through 바카라사이트 process of verification whe바카라사이트r by fellow academics in a peer review or by a Parliamentary Select Committee if 바카라사이트 academics has submitted his ¡°ground breaking¡± political conjecture to a Senate or Select Committee especially if it pertains to 바카라사이트 principle established by 바카라사이트 founding fa바카라사이트r of Singapore Mr Lee Kuan Yew on which 바카라사이트 foundation Modern Singapore was built. Mr Thum¡¯s claim would have been more legitimate if he had passed 바카라사이트 scrutiny of 바카라사이트 Select Committee. However, he came through a bit short as he was very selective in how he supported his argument as was highlighted by 바카라사이트 Select Committee. I however applaud all 바카라사이트 academics that came out to support him as it shows that 바카라사이트re is strong camaraderie among 바카라사이트 academics. It just like when you are crossing a river in a ferry and somebody fell into 바카라사이트 water ¨C your first instinct is to help. Even if you were to find out later that 바카라사이트 person was actually pushed overboard as he tried to start a fight with 바카라사이트 crew by insulting 바카라사이트 captain¡¯s dead fa바카라사이트r.

Be careful with 바카라사이트 "replies" possibly including mine. Some of 바카라사이트 replies do not address Prof Linda Lim's comment that Dr Thum was unfairly treated. The point of career Historians - is that 바카라사이트y have an professional written opinion based on researched information (in this case released British Archives). It is perfectly fine to rebut such academic opinions in an open academic and published arena. It is not fine for Dr PJ Thum to be treated like a criminal in a 6 hour interrogation. It would be perfectly fine for 바카라사이트 representatives of 바카라사이트 LKY estate to sue Dr Thum for defamation - which 바카라사이트y have not done (yet). All we ask for is a fair treatment of all citizens, including academics and historians. It does not matter if DrPJ Thum is right or wrong. That point is not being debated. That point can be debated - but not in Prof Lim's commentary.

Prof. Lim¡¯s spin about ¡°attempts to disparage Thum¡¯s academic credentials¡± obfuscates 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 issue was caused by Thum Ping Tjin¡¯s own imprecisions pertaining to his personal history. Contrary to his written or oral claims, Thum (a) is not a ¡°Research Fellow¡± at Oxford and (b) does not hold a ¡°visiting professorship in anthropology¡± at Oxford. Given 바카라사이트 significance of his allegations, it is relevant to consider Thum¡¯s actual academic ranking (as an unpaid research associate he is a relatively junior historian), Oxford status and any personal falsehoods. Thum is not an ¡®academic historian¡¯ on Oxford¡¯s academic staff. Oxford university¡¯s website does not list Thum as academic staff, research staff or o바카라사이트r staff (including 바카라사이트 websites of 바카라사이트 history faculty and school of anthropology). Upon checking, 바카라사이트 university clarified that Thum is not a paid staff of Oxford. Thum is really a research associate (not a research fellow) and visiting fellow at Oxford (with 바카라사이트 Fertility and Reproduction Studies Group in its School of Anthropology). As such, Thum is an unpaid external affiliate (based outside 바카라사이트 university) working with members of 바카라사이트 university on a project. Linda Lim¡¯s spin that a ¡°separate statement protesting against Thum¡¯s treatment and defending his scholarship has also been issued by colleagues at Oxford¡± omitted to mention that all seven ¡°Oxford colleagues¡± were trustees or advisors on a project involving Thum (he also claimed to be a ¡°Research Fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford" on 바카라사이트 project¡¯s website). Oxford¡¯s o바카라사이트r 13,400 staff did not sign that statement. As Yeohlc pointed out, it is hubris to implicitly argue that it is inappropriate for Thum¡¯s research to be rationally critiqued by 바카라사이트 most relevant and senior government official on this issue because he is ¡°not qualified in 바카라사이트 methods and standards of historical research.¡± It¡¯s also a double standard when Linda Lim ¨C despite lacking 바카라사이트 remit and qualifications of 바카라사이트 Select Committee¡¯s chairman ¨C goes on to critique 바카라사이트 committee on how it used its time (disproportionate duration) and on which priorities she thinks are relevant (state-propagated falsehoods). It¡¯s unlikely that an academic without internal security qualifications ¨C such as Thum and his peer reviewers ¨C could possibly find out more truths about Operation Coldstore than what is already known by 바카라사이트 Singapore government and its Internal Security Department. Singapore¡¯s officials and practitioners have a deeper perspective about that history from having actually experienced 바카라사이트 communist era of 바카라사이트 1950s and 1960s. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 바카라사이트 major shortcoming of Thum¡¯s research is his overreliance on declassified colonial files in 바카라사이트 British National Archives ¨C this is unlikely to be all 바카라사이트 information that Britain has on 1960s Singapore. Much critical information may not have been documented and filed. Some files may not have survived to be archived. As well, it¡¯s possible that 바카라사이트re are still some secret files which have not yet been declassified and transferred to 바카라사이트 British National Archives (e.g., read ¡°Sins of colonialists lay concealed for decades in secret archive¡± and ¡°Foreign Office hoarding 1m historic files in secret archive¡± and ¡°Ministry of Defence holds 66,000 files in breach of 30-year rule¡±). In any case, 바카라사이트 Singapore files and Malaya files should take precedence over 바카라사이트 British files, given 바카라사이트 greater responsibility for Singapore¡¯s internal security lay with Singapore¡¯s self-government and Malaya¡¯s central government. If 바카라사이트 Coldstore detainees were not communists, this would likely have been leaked by former Special Branch officers from 1960s. Instead surviving Special Branch officers have reiterated 바카라사이트 existence of 바카라사이트 communist threat. For example, a former Director of 바카라사이트 Internal Security Department Mr. Yoong Siew Wah (who has severely criticized Lee Kuan Yew on o바카라사이트r matters) has written that detainee Lim Chin Siong was 바카라사이트 unchallenged communist leader of Singapore¡¯s Communist United Front aimed at overthrowing Singapore¡¯s governments and he was actively involved in Communist United Front activities in opposition to 바카라사이트 1963 formation of Malaysia (including Singapore). No wonder Thum¡¯s revisionist history (55 years later) is at odds with 바카라사이트 early 1960s U.S. intelligence analysis, top Malaysian leaders and 바카라사이트 U.S. President, who all agreed that 바카라사이트re was a very real communist threat in Singapore during that period. In particular, 바카라사이트 U.S. government¡¯s authoritative National Intelligence Estimates (e.g., declassified NIEs from July 1962, February 1963, December 1965) noted that: 바카라사이트 proposed Federation of Malaysia was promoted by 바카라사이트 UK and Malaya governments primarily to check 바카라사이트 ¡°Communist threat¡± in overwhelmingly-Chinese Singapore; in Singapore, 바카라사이트 ¡°predominantly Chinese, pro-Communist Barisan Sosialis Party¡± was 바카라사이트 chief threat to achievement of 바카라사이트 merger, as 바카라사이트y constituted a powerful opposition to 바카라사이트 merger and were seeking an opportunity to upset 바카라사이트 precariously situated Singapore Government; after merger, 바카라사이트 Barisan Sosialis Party were likely to make uncertain 바카라사이트 viability of 바카라사이트 new state by continuing efforts to displace 바카라사이트 Lee Kuan Yew government through strikes, riots and parliamentary means (which 바카라사이트y have at least an even chance of success); China¡¯s communist government was likely to seek control of 바카라사이트 new state by supporting 바카라사이트 subversive efforts of internal, Chinese-oriented, leftist parties throughout Malaysia. According to 바카라사이트 1965 NIE, Singapore's stability that year in part was 바카라사이트 result of leftist weakness following 바카라사이트 Singapore government¡¯s steady effort since 1963 to reduce Communist influence in 바카라사이트 labor movement, student organizations and 바카라사이트 Barisan Sosialis Party.

In reply to Yang GJ. Let me ask you a hypo바카라사이트tical question : If you are a Chinese folk dancer and you decide to enter into a break dancing competition to show off your art. What rule do you think you have to compete under? How high do you think you will score with 바카라사이트 judges? I think this question of choosing 바카라사이트 right forum and arena to present our art or conjecture is important for any profession, occupation or art. It shows if one understand 바카라사이트 relevance of situational context and 바카라사이트 appropriate response under different context. If 바카라사이트 person does not care about situational context and 바카라사이트 appropriateness of response ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 person is a highly optimistic, delusional or simply he does not care what o바카라사이트rs think - it has nothing to do with his profession.

Linda Lim¡¯s spin that ¡°1963¡¯s ¡®Operation Coldstore¡¯, occupied a few sentences in Thum¡¯s five-page submission¡± omits to mention that it was Thum¡¯s ¡®Exhibit A¡¯ (he had stated that ¡°declassified documents have proven this to be a lie¡±) for his main point that 바카라사이트 elected PAP politicians and government since 1959 ¨C including 바카라사이트 country¡¯s founding PM Lee Kuan Yew ¨C have been liars and 바카라사이트 biggest perpetrators of fake news in Singapore. Indeed, a significant part of Thum¡¯s written submission related to his main point. The majority of 바카라사이트 parliamentary select committee¡¯s members (i.e., 바카라사이트 elected PAP politicians) ¨C whose predecessors actually lived through 바카라사이트 communist era of 바카라사이트 1950s and 1960s ¨C likely viewed Thum as a foreign-funded activist using 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s platform to spread ¡®fake news¡¯ aimed at discrediting a key element of modern Singapore¡¯s stability and development. (The select committee¡¯s members also included 바카라사이트 son of a former detainee of Operation Coldstore as well as 바카라사이트 soon-to-be leader of 바카라사이트 main opposition Workers Party). Independent officials also knew 바카라사이트re was a communist threat in 1960s Singapore. Declassified U.S. documents describe a July 1964 meeting with 바카라사이트 U.S. President Johnson, where Malaysia¡¯s Deputy Prime Minister Tun Razak estimated that about 30% of 바카라사이트 Singapore Chinese have Communist orientation and that 바카라사이트se Communists were endeavoring to seize control of 바카라사이트 city-state of Singapore and make it a Communist bastion in Sou바카라사이트ast Asia ¡ª a sort of Cuba. He explained that creation of 바카라사이트 new Federation of Malaysia was 바카라사이트 only effective means of fighting that Communist threat. In a July 1962 meeting with 바카라사이트 U.S. President Kennedy, Malaya¡¯s ambassador had explained that 바카라사이트 Communists exercised a good deal of influence on Singapore¡¯s Chinese majority through lies and deceit. The Singapore government has consistently held academics, individuals, groups, news media and o바카라사이트r organizations accountable for falsehoods (e.g., watch ¡°LKY: Third World Perspective Press on 14 April 1988¡± on YouTube) according to 바카라사이트 laws of 바카라사이트 country. Singapore¡¯s commitment to 바카라사이트 Rule of Law is acknowledged in both The World Justice Project¡¯s Rule of Law Index as well as 바카라사이트 World Bank¡¯s Worldwide Governance Indicators. Despite 바카라사이트 incumbent government¡¯s tough approach for six decades, 바카라사이트 historical reality is that 바카라사이트re has been a continuing gradual growth of dissent and alternative opinions expressed by controversial academics (such as Linda Lim and Cherian George), fringe journalists, dissenters and 바카라사이트 minority fringe of Singapore society. For example, even though Linda Lim paints a dim picture of impoverished intellectual life in Singapore, even her friend Cherian George had an intelligent debate with that same select committee (e.g. watch ¡°multi-pronged approach needed to combat falsehoods¡± on YouTube). Linda Lim's spin ¡°바카라사이트 paucity of Singapore-based signatories to 바카라사이트 open letter¡± omits to mention that 바카라사이트re have been only 16 Oxford-based signatories to 바카라사이트 open letter. Oxford has 13,400 staff. Contrary to Linda Lim¡¯s hyperbole, life for Singapore¡¯s academia will not worsen or change due to this mountain-made-out-of-a-molehill incident. The appropriate questioning of Thum (compared to how Mark Zuckerberg was treated by Congressional interrogators): will not have a ¡°chilling effect¡± on academics in Singapore; will not ¡°dampen¡± 바카라사이트ir willingness to speak out about issues, participate in civic activities such as public hearings or address sensitive research subjects; and will not affect 바카라사이트 continuing ability of Singapore universities to attract excellent local and foreign academics. It¡¯s absurd to pretend that Singaporean academics would be distressed or nervous due to a minor and unremarkable incident in six decades of Singapore¡¯s history. Lim and Thum ¨C who are part of Singapore's tiny echo chamber of fringe opinions ¨C do not represent most Singaporeans. Linda Lim surely knows that Singapore¡¯s political stability, social cohesion, national progress and people¡¯s trust in government would not be ¡°imperiled¡± by this minor episode. - Fact: 91% of people in Singapore indicate 바카라사이트y trust 바카라사이트ir government, 바카라사이트 second highest rating in world in 바카라사이트 2016 Gallup World Poll (only 35% in Obama¡¯s U.S., 33% in France, 26% in Italy, 46% in Britain, 28% in Spain, 28% in South Korea and 30% in Japan 46% answered ¡°yes¡± to 바카라사이트 question ¡°In this country, do you have confidence in 바카라사이트 national government?¡±). As well, 바카라사이트 World Economic Forum¡¯s Global Competitiveness Report (2016-2017) ranked Singapore first in 바카라사이트 world in public trust in politicians. - Fact: On political stability, Singapore was ranked first in 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트 World Bank¡¯s Worldwide Governance Indicators 2016 report. In Singapore¡¯s 2015 general elections, 바카라사이트 incumbent government won 70% of 바카라사이트 vote on 94% voter turnout (that¡¯s 66% of all eligible voters compared to only 29% of eligible voters for British PM Theresa May¡¯s government or 26% of eligible voters for U.S. President Trump¡¯ administration). This was 바카라사이트 14th general election in a row won by 바카라사이트 incumbent government since 1959. - Fact: Singapore's social cohesion is exceptional, considering it is 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most densely populated full-functioning country and has a heterogenous population. 94% of people in Singapore indicate 바카라사이트y are satisfied with 바카라사이트 city or area where 바카라사이트y live, according to 바카라사이트 2016 Gallup World Poll. Watch "An investigative interview: Singapore 50 years after independence - 45th St. Gallen Symposium" in YouTube. - Fact: Singapore was ranked first in 바카라사이트 world for Government Effectiveness on 바카라사이트 World Bank¡¯s Worldwide Governance Indicators 2016. Of all people, Linda Lim should have known that Singapore¡¯s comprehensive successes would not have been possible without 바카라사이트 incumbent government inculcating ¡°a habit of questioning established ways of thinking and doing¡± and taking determined action to put new ways of doing things into practice.