S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar

S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar PDF Author: Irene Ng
Publisher: ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
ISBN: 9815104659
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 824

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Book Description
S. Rajaratnam, one of Singapore’s core founding fathers and its first Foreign Minister, was a man of ideas, ideals and action. In engaging prose, Irene Ng, bestselling author of the first volume of Rajaratnam’s biography, The Singapore Lion, reveals—as never before—how Rajaratnam changed the course of his country’s history, often by the sheer force of his ideas and will. The second volume, The Lion’s Roar, begins with his struggles during Singapore’s traumatic years in Malaysia from 1963 to 1965. Informed by decades of research, numerous interviews, and access to Mr. Rajaratnam’s private and government papers, the book gives new insight into his personality and priorities as he was confronted with Singapore’s sudden independence, which left the island exposed to all the calamities of a vulnerable state. The book relates in fine narrative and analytical detail the evolution of Singapore’s foundational ideals and values as well as its foreign policy principles and strategies. Through its pages, we follow him as he transformed Singapore’s relations with its neighbours, co-founded ASEAN, and rallied the regional grouping to oppose the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia. We look over his shoulder as he drafted what would become Singapore’s National Pledge. We witness his political skills as labour minister as he steered through the most far-reaching labour reform in the nation’s history and laid the foundation for Singapore’s unique cooperative model of tripartism. And we experience Rajaratnam’s final years, when he faced the end of his life with the same courage that he brought to every battle he ever fought. More than merely the definitive biography of Rajaratnam, the book is also a story about the human condition; about what individuals, given genius, courage and willpower, can achieve beyond what most thought is possible, and what people and nations will endure if they have inspirational and moral leadership.

S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar

S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar PDF Author: Irene Ng
Publisher: ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
ISBN: 9815104659
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 824

Get Book Here

Book Description
S. Rajaratnam, one of Singapore’s core founding fathers and its first Foreign Minister, was a man of ideas, ideals and action. In engaging prose, Irene Ng, bestselling author of the first volume of Rajaratnam’s biography, The Singapore Lion, reveals—as never before—how Rajaratnam changed the course of his country’s history, often by the sheer force of his ideas and will. The second volume, The Lion’s Roar, begins with his struggles during Singapore’s traumatic years in Malaysia from 1963 to 1965. Informed by decades of research, numerous interviews, and access to Mr. Rajaratnam’s private and government papers, the book gives new insight into his personality and priorities as he was confronted with Singapore’s sudden independence, which left the island exposed to all the calamities of a vulnerable state. The book relates in fine narrative and analytical detail the evolution of Singapore’s foundational ideals and values as well as its foreign policy principles and strategies. Through its pages, we follow him as he transformed Singapore’s relations with its neighbours, co-founded ASEAN, and rallied the regional grouping to oppose the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia. We look over his shoulder as he drafted what would become Singapore’s National Pledge. We witness his political skills as labour minister as he steered through the most far-reaching labour reform in the nation’s history and laid the foundation for Singapore’s unique cooperative model of tripartism. And we experience Rajaratnam’s final years, when he faced the end of his life with the same courage that he brought to every battle he ever fought. More than merely the definitive biography of Rajaratnam, the book is also a story about the human condition; about what individuals, given genius, courage and willpower, can achieve beyond what most thought is possible, and what people and nations will endure if they have inspirational and moral leadership.

S. Rajaratnam, the Authorised Biography

S. Rajaratnam, the Authorised Biography PDF Author: Irene Ng
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789815203288
Category : Cabinet officers
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description


S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two

S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two PDF Author: Irene Ng
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789815104646
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
S. Rajaratnam, one of Singapore's core founding fathers and its first Foreign Minister, was a man of ideas, ideals and action. In engaging prose, Irene Ng, bestselling author of the first volume of Rajaratnam's biography, The Singapore Lion, reveals-as never before-how Rajaratnam changed the course of his country's history, often by the sheer force of his ideas and will. The second volume, The Lion's Roar, begins with his struggles during Singapore's traumatic years in Malaysia from 1963 to 1965. Informed by decades of research, numerous interviews, and access to Mr. Rajaratnam's private and government papers, the book gives new insight into his personality and priorities as he was confronted with Singapore's sudden independence, which left the island exposed to all the calamities of a vulnerable state. The book relates in fine narrative and analytical detail the evolution of Singapore's foundational ideals and values as well as its foreign policy principles and strategies. Through its pages, we follow him as he transformed Singapore's relations with its neighbours, co-founded ASEAN, and rallied the regional grouping to oppose the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia. We look over his shoulder as he drafted what would become Singapore's National Pledge. We witness his political skills as labour minister as he steered through the most far-reaching labour reform in the nation's history and laid the foundation for Singapore's unique cooperative model of tripartism. And we experience Rajaratnam's final years, when he faced the end of his life with the same courage that he brought to every battle he ever fought. More than merely the definitive biography of Rajaratnam, the book is also a story about the human condition; about what individuals, given genius, courage and willpower, can achieve beyond what most thought is possible, and what people and nations will endure if they have inspirational and moral leadership.

The Singapore Lion

The Singapore Lion PDF Author: Irene Ng
Publisher: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
ISBN: 981427951X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 625

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Book Description
"Irene Ng has written a book that gives a comprehensive portrayal of Mr Rajaratnam - one of Singapore's outstanding leaders who played a crucial part in the momentous and crisis-ridden transition to iindependence. This is a book about the man and his wisdom. One would fail to appreciate him until one reads this absorbing book and reflects on the acuity and breadth of his insights and his wisdom." - S. R. Nathan, President of Singapore "In the course of a thirty-three year career in diplomacy, I met many great leaders. Having done so, I can confidently assert that S. Rajaratnam was one of the greatest leaders I met. Sadly, few in Singapore understand how great Rajaratnam was. This well-researched comprehensive volume by Irene Ng therefore fills a real need. Both Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans will benefit a lot from reading it." - Kishore Mahbubani, Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore "Rajaratnam is one of the founding fathers of modern Singapore. He was Singapore's first and longest serving foreign minister. He was a rebel and a revolutionary. He was an intellectual and a man of action. In this wonderful book, Irene Ng tells the story of this remarkable leader of Singapore. I found the book both enjoyable and insightful." - Tommy Koh, Ambassador-At-Large, Singapore

A Prince in a Republic

A Prince in a Republic PDF Author: John Monfries
Publisher: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
ISBN: 9814519383
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 420

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Book Description
Hamengku Buwono IX, the late Sultan of Yogyakarta Special Province, is revered by Indonesians as one of the great founders of the modern Indonesian state. He leaves a positive but in some ways ambiguous legacy in political terms. His most conspicuous achievement was the survival of hereditary Yogyakartan kingship, and he provided rare stability and continuity in Indonesia’s highly fractured modern history. Under the New Order, Hamengku Buwono also helped to launch the Indonesian economy on a much stronger growth path. Although remembered as the epitome of “political decency”, he faded from power and influence as Vice President in the 1970s, and the repressive and anti-democratic features of Suharto’s New Order seemed to contradict much of what Hamengku Buwono originally stood for. This biography seeks to explain his political standpoint, motivations, and achievements, and set his career in the context of his times.

Steering a Middle Course

Steering a Middle Course PDF Author: Sarwono Kusumaatmadja
Publisher: ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
ISBN: 981488166X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 280

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Book Description
Born with motor impairment, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja grew up with low self-esteem. Yet, within this awkward, shy boy lay a steely resolve to overcome his weaknesses. It was this same resolve that propelled him to study at high school in the United Kingdom, thousands of miles from his native land. Navigating life on his own in the UK forged Sarwono into an independent and resilient individual; one who never flinched in the face of challenges, but also one who never wanted to play the hero either. His unique character and integrity acted like a magnet for opportunities back home in Indonesia. He was chosen to be Chairman of the University Student Council of the Bandung Institute of Technology even though he did not campaign for it. And when he made it into the national parliament, it was at the behest of the military. He then became Secretary General of Golkar, the country’s ruling party, without having to pull any strings. In taking on all the opportunities that came his way, Sarwono remained true to himself, which later meant saying no to President Soeharto when the latter tried to recruit him to be part of his inner circle.

As Empires Fell

As Empires Fell PDF Author: Ooi Kee Beng
Publisher: ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
ISBN: 9814881457
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 236

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Book Description
To understand how independence was gained for a politically complex country such as Malaysia, and how its structure took form requires familiarity with the key players involved. More importantly, only by locating these actors within the changing socio-political context in which they specifically lived does their influence both before and after the birth of the country become clear. Having written potent biographies about Malaysian and Singapore leaders such as Ismail Abdul Rahman, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia who died in 1973, Goh Keng Swee, the economic architect and one of the founding fathers of the Republic of Singapore, and Lim Kit Siang, the unwavering opposition leader of Malaysia, Ooi Kee Beng now tells the story of Lee Hau-Shik, based on the latter’s extensive private papers housed at ISEAS Library, Singapore. Born in Hong Kong to a highly prominent family at a time when the Qing Dynasty was falling, Hau-Shik received degrees in Law and Economics in Cambridge and became a successful tin miner in British Malaya and an influential member of Kuala Lumpur’s colonial society. After the Second World War, his influence in elite circles in China, Britain and Malaya allowed him to play a key role in the gaining of independence for Malaysia. He was one of the founders of the Malayan Chinese Association, and served as the country’s first Minister of Finance. "Ooi Kee Beng’s new book on H.S. Lee provides a remarkable picture of an “unlikely politician” who made major contributions to the formation of the early Malayan state. It adds another dimension of study to the formidable task of nation building in a multi-communal society and is an excellent follow-up to his widely praised study of Tun Ismail as the 'reluctant politician'." -- Wang Gungwu, National University of Singapore "Set against the global turbulence that marks the birth of modern Malaysia, Ooi Kee Beng has given us a compelling account of Sir Henry Lee Hau Shik’s personal life and political career, his role in the move to independence and the indelible imprint he left on the country’s history. In highlighting and contextualizing H.S. Lee’s own papers, As Empires Fell should be read by all those interested in how Malaysia came to be." -- Barbara Watson Andaya, University of Hawai‘i

Navigating Differences

Navigating Differences PDF Author: Terence Chong
Publisher: ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
ISBN: 9814881619
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 3

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Book Description
Ethnic and religious differences, a widening socio-economic divide, tension between foreigners and locals. These are some of the contemporary challenges to integration in Singapore. How we navigate them will determine the type of society we become. This book gathers the best social scientists in Singapore to examine issues of ethnicity, religion, class, and culture in order to understand the many different fault lines that run across the multicultural city-state. These essays are written in an engaging manner and are designed to present the authors’ expertise to a wider audience.

Against All Odds

Against All Odds PDF Author: Barry Desker
Publisher: ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
ISBN: 9814762504
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 36

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Book Description
Vietnam's invasion and occupation of Cambodia on 25 December 1978 shattered the peace in Southeast Asia. The geo-political fabric of the region could have changed forever if nothing was done to oppose the invasion. Leading the charge was tiny Singapore, with her diplomats spearheading the thrust. Singapore could not do it alone, but had to have the support of like-minded nations from the region and beyond. Many sceptics, both within and outside Singapore, were convinced that Singapore's efforts would fail, as a tiny state could not possibly exert on the regional and global stage the kind of influence needed for the task. The Cambodia issue changed all that. Singapore and her diplomats, by their conviction and doggedness, took the lead in galvanizing international and regional support to thwart the occupation of Cambodia as a fait accompli by Vietnam. This paper tells the inside story of how Singapore's diplomats lobbied for ASEAN's interests in various international fora at a critical time in the region's history. The lessons learnt are still relevant today.

Heritage as Aid and Diplomacy in Asia

Heritage as Aid and Diplomacy in Asia PDF Author: Philippe Peycam
Publisher: ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
ISBN: 9814881163
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 355

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Book Description
Drawing from eleven rich case studies in Asia, this book is the first to explore how heritage is used as aid and diplomacy by various agencies to produce knowledge, power, values and geopolitics in the global heritage regime. It represents an interdisciplinary endeavour to feature a diversity of situations where cultural heritage is invoked or promoted to serve interests or visions that supposedly transcend local or national paradigms. This collection of articles thus not only considers processes of “UNESCO-ization” of heritage (or their equivalents when conducted by other international or national actors) by exploring the diplomatic and developmentalist politics of heritage-making at play and its transformational impact on societies. It also describes how local and outside states often collude with international mechanisms to further their interests at the expense of local communities and of citizens’ rights. Heritage as Aid and Diplomacy in Asia explores the following questions: Under the current international heritage regime, what are the mechanisms of—and the manipulations that take place within—ideological, political and cultural transmissions? What is heritage diplomacy and how can we conceptualize it? How do the complicated history and colonial past of Asia constitute the current practices of heritage diplomacy and shape heritage discourse in Asia? How do international organizations, nation-states, NGOs, heritage brokers and experts contribute to the history of the global heritage discourse? How has the flow of global knowledge been transferred and transformed? And how does the global hierarchy of cultural values function?