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The Polemic

Cultural revolutions, wilting flowers

Cultural revolutions, wilting flowers

Feb. 16 | By Choo Zheng Xi (Editor-At-Large) and KJ We wonder if Rear-Admiral Lui Tuck Yew knows that our city was the subject of a Hollywood film. No, not Ivan Heng’s cameo in Luc Besson’s Fifth Element, but a full Hollywood film shot on scene in Singapore. In...

Unraveling his story

Unraveling his story

Jan. 9 | KJ Dedicated to Khairulanwar Zaini The Fajar Generation has spoken, so has one intrepid historian. There is a growing realization that simply regurgitating our dominant history is inadequate, if not misleading. The dominant history dominated everything...

We, the citizens of no country

We, the citizens of no country

Nov. 2 | KJ >> TOC Columnists Remember when you were a child, you earnestly believed in the tales that adults told? The monsters under your bed that would awaken if you didn’t sleep by nine. The ghastly diseases that would beset you if you didn’t eat...

Fascism that works

Fascism that works

Oct. 23 | KJ He was a leader who held a nation in his thrall. From the excesses of empire and occupation, he arose with a voice so clear it could not but give his people hope, give his people dreams. He arose and gave them such ravishings of riches never before...

Requiem for a dream

Requiem for a dream

Sep. 19 | KJ PM Lee Hsien Loong’s call on young Singaporeans to ‘dare to dream’ is revealing in itself. Against the reality of Singapore, it sounds almost like a taunt: perchance to dream, but only if you dare. I was a schoolteacher for a time. The hours...

The Emperor’s new clothes

The Emperor’s new clothes

May. 28 | KJ In a letter that appeared in the Straits Times forum online (“Whatever the issue, let’s learn to argue well”, 27 May 09), Ms Lisa Li, a GP teacher, made the case for arguing well. She says: “… given that Singapore will always have a diversity...

Disadvantageous Mandarin

Disadvantageous Mandarin

Mar. 19 | A response to MM Lee KJ There is a lot to be said for Singaporean-Chinese, myself included, to be ascribed a ‘mother tongue’ that is not really my mother’s (or for that matter, my father’s), one that we have to learn from scratch, in effect as...

Totally Defensive – Totally Defenseless

Totally Defensive – Totally Defenseless

Feb. 24 | In the previous article “Total Defense – (Total Control)”, KJ posited that Singapore’s doctrine of Total Defense is as much about the defense of Singapore, as it is about state indoctrination for social control. This article continues where it...