The Singapore Bicentennial: a Celebration or an Inquisition?
Bronze statue of Stamford Raffles outside Victoria Theatre Singapore, January 2019. People reading this might think I'm suffering from colonial hangover and yearn for the return of empire and its excesses especially against the native peoples. No, absolutely not. I just have issues with the verbal diarrhoea directed at Raffles at this time of so called bicentennial celebration of his founding of modern Singapore. I'm only speaking for the dead, those who have no voice to answer the barrage of accusations directed at them. Whichever side you're on, I ask for your indulgence to read without prejudice. In this bicentennial year of the founding of Singapore by Thomas Stamford Raffles , forces envious of his immense contribution to the rise of this city state would be out to steal the thunder from him, perhaps even photoshop him out of the popular narrative. Through a process of spins, character assassination, misinformation and disinformation, the myth makers will focu