Introduction -
Much has been talked about the riots in Singapore’s history. In schools, we learned that these riots were race based. In particular, the Malay race was portrayed as the antagonist. I have always felt that the there was a tinge of racism, perhaps even “Malay-phobia” that is embedded as subtle message in those “historical facts” taught in schools.
As time went by, I realised that there were as many “Chinese instigated” riots, if not more, as “Malay instigated” ones. So it really isn’t an understatement that citizens have gone through brainwashing.
Why must we always perpetually be reminded of the “race riots” (read as “instigated by the Malays around us” - according to LKY and his PAPpy followers), so that we will always fear our Malay neighbours surrounding us?
Or is this just a figment of imagination in LKY's racist mind, so he could keep playing the race card on us till today?
List of Riots in Singapore -
Let's take a look at the riots that occurred in Singapore. Here they are, in chronological order.
1. 1950 - Maria Hertogh Riots
2. 1954 - National Service Riots
3. 1955 - Hock Lee Bus Riots
4. 1956 - Chinese Middle School Riots
5. 1964 - 1964 Race Riots
6. 1969 - 1969 Race Riots
I am not putting up links because there are different versions of what happened, how they happened and why they happened. As such, I do not wish to show favour for one particular version over another. I would instead put up the central dispute of the issue and the parties involved in the rioting.
1. Maria Hertogh Riots -
Dispute - The court in Singapore ruled that Maria Hertogh be returned to her Catholic biological parents, after she was raised a Muslim girl.
Parties who rioted - Muslims (mainly Malays and some Indians) against the government and the Catholic/Christian/European community.
2. 1954 - National Service Riots
Dispute - Brit govt makes it compulsory to serve NS for those aged 18 to 20. Young Singaporeans were not willing to serve a foreign govt.
Parties who rioted - Chinese school students against the British govt.
3. 1955 - Hock Lee Bus Riots
Dispute - This was a labour riot. Workers rioted against poor working conditions set by bus companies. It is also recorded by many that the Hock Lee Bus riot was politically motivated against the pro-Brit government.
Parties who rioted - Bus workers, joined by Chinese school students against bus companies.
4. 1956 - Chinese Middle School Riots -
This is actually not just one riot, but a series of riots.
Dispute - Lim Yew Hock, Chief Minister, de-registered and banned two pro-communist organisations.
Parties who rioted - Chinese students against the pro-Brit govt of Singapore. The students gathered and assembled at Chung Cheng High School and Chinese High School.
5. 1964 - 1964 Race Riots
Dispute - A breakaway group from the main (Muslim) procession was told by the police to rejoin the main party. The group attacked a policeman which sparked a free for all riot.
Parties who rioted - Malays and Chinese against each other.
6. 1969 - 1969 Race Riots
Dispute - This riot was not even started in Singapore. It was started in Malaysia and the issue was their General Elections. The tense situation had a spillover effect on Singapore.
Parties who rioted - Malays and Chinese against each other.
Let's look at the figures -
So are the riots always about race and always about how the "Malays are out to get the Chinese", as what LKY and PAPpy always try to make us believe?
Here is a tabulation based on race.
Eurasians involved - one case only (Maria Hertogh)
Malays involved - three cases (Maria Hertogh, 1964, 1969)
Chinese involved - five cases (NS riots, Chinese Mid Sch, Hock Lee, 1964, 1969).
Here is a tabulation based on issues.
On governance - four (Maria Hertogh, NS riots, Hock Lee, Chinese Mid Sch)
On labour issues - one (Hock Lee)
On race - two (1964, 1969)
Race riots totalled only 2 out of the 6 major riots, and the Malays were involved in a total of 3 out of 6 of the major riots.
The Chinese were involved in both the race riots, and were also involved in a total of 5 out of 6 major riots Singapore has ever had in our history.
On top of that, the Malays were involved in rioting against the government only once (Maria Hertogh), while the Chinese rioted against the government on three occasions (NS Riots, Hock Lee, Chinese Mid Sch).
Yet, LKY and the PAPpies keep telling us that the riots are all about race riots, implicating the Malays are to be blamed?
Other relevant points -
It was told to us by the PAPpies that the 1964 riots was a race riot instigated by parties from the North. The Northerners have their own version. They claim it was instigated internally to pressure Tunku to repeal the Bumi Policy.
In a documentary aired by Discovery Channel a few years ago, we have another view to this incident. Singapore was then part of Malaysia. Malaysia was seen as a threat to Indonesia and Philippines due to their "expansionist plan" when they merged Sabah, Sawarak and Singapore into their Federation.
Because of the merger, Indonesia and Malaysia were at loggerheads. Singapore, being part of Malaysia, was also targetted by Indonesia.
This was the Confrontation Period. The dispute was between one Malay country (Indonesia) against another Malay country (Malaysia).
However, due to the racist mindset of LKY, he rewrote history and this period of tension of what should be seen as a dispute between two Malay countries, evolved to something that was not even an issue to start with - ie "a sea of Malays around us, against us".
As such, it even seems doubtful that the 1964 race riots was strictly a race riot where we had Malays and Chinese fighting each other. It could have been:
1. An internally instigated riot (by a govt agent), to pressure Tunku to repeal the Bumi Policy.
2. A riot instigated by agents from the South, to teach the North a lesson, for what it claims the North had an "expansionist plan".
That about leaves only one riot in Singapore that is truly based on race - The 1969 Race Riots. And that too, the only confirmed race-based riot did not originate from Singapore!
Conclusion -
LKY has long been a racist and has always played the race card. He knows of no other way.
It is sad that he keeps harping that "the Malays in the north and south are out to get us", when what we should really look at is the peace and harmony we have worked for ourselves.
The consistent play of race, in particular the "race riots" which tends to have the implication on Malays, have always been part of the school history's syllabus.
But as you can see for yourselves, there are more "Chinese" riots than "Malay" ones. It looks like the Malays are taking all the flak, when the Chinese are the more "guilty" ones.
Putting it crudely and candidly, when LKY farts, you Malays have to smell it. Sorry for that crude joke, but that is really what this Race Riot Issue conjured by Old Man is all about, isn't it? It stinks, doesn't it?
In view of his latest statement on the Malays/Muslims that they have to be "less strict" in their religion, I feel that LKY is only trying to revive the "good old days", where he was PM and used the race card to rule.
Singaporeans should stop believing his lies before he dies.
http://wherebearsroamfree.blogspot.com/2011/01/history-of-riots-in-singapore-lkys.html