Men in White: A History of Singapore's People's Action Party (Two Volumes)

★ Written by a senior journalist from Singapore's Straits Times, this book uses over hundreds of interviews conducted across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, China and even the National Archives of Singapore as important historical materials. It has been highly recommended by all sectors and became a best-seller on the history of the establishment of Singapore's ruling party and its governance. ★ Recommended by Lee Kuan Yew (Singapore's founding Prime Minister), Lee Hsien Loong (Singapore's current Prime Minister), Othman Wok (one of Singapore's founding fathers), Fang Yongshuang (former left-wing trade union leader and one of the founders of the People's Action Party), Lim Chin Joo (former left-wing activist and Lim Chin Siong's brother), Liu Pode (former member of the Socialist Front who left the People's Action Party in 1961), and others

The People's Action Party of Singapore was founded in 1954 and has been in power since 1959, a period spanning over sixty years. Despite being a dominant party, the PAP remains highly respected both in Singapore and abroad, its achievements in governance continue to be recognized, and its political model continues to be valued and emulated by all sectors.

"Men in White: A History of Singapore's People's Action Party in Power" is divided into two volumes, with a total of three parts. The book sorts out the important moments of the People's Action Party's rule, such as the causes and consequences of its internal ideological differences, its response when it was at a crossroads on the eve of Singapore's independence, and its rectification of party management, compilation of governance principles, and handling of generational handovers after independence, providing an important context for the origin and development of Singapore's political model.

"The Men in White" is written by veteran journalists from Singapore's Straits Times. The three authors conducted approximately 300 interviews across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and China, drawing on hundreds of recordings from the National Archives of Singapore. The book is remarkably comprehensive. As a result, the book's key historical figures, despite past disagreements, unanimously recommend it. This is a must-read for those studying the Singaporean political model.

Sonny Yap
Senior writer for The Straits Times. He entered the journalism industry in 1971 as a reporter for the New National Midday Newspaper, later becoming a features writer and features editor until the small midday newspaper closed in 1982. After joining The Straits Times, he held various positions before becoming Assistant Director of the Political Department and a columnist in 1990.

Richard Lim
Editor of The Sunday Times, he has been in journalism for 34 years. In 1990, he launched The Straits Times' Lifestyle section, which featured arts and entertainment reviews. He served as editor for 12 years. For several years, he was also the Sunday Times' night editor. In 2002, he published the book "Got Singapore," a collection of his fortnightly columns.

Leong Weng Kam
Senior writer for The Straits Times. He was a bilingual correspondent for The Straits Times from 1977 to 1980, a news correspondent from 1981 to 1992, and a lifestyle correspondent from 1993 to 1997. He has also written for the China and Politics sections. He holds a bachelor's degree in Chinese language and literature from Beijing Normal University, China, a master's degree in Asia-Pacific studies from the University of Leeds, UK, and a master's degree in contemporary Chinese studies from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Volume 1

New Preface by the Author of the Traditional Chinese Edition…………………………………………14
Preface……………………………………………………………… 16
Preface…………………………………………………………………… 20
Introduction to the Chinese Edition…………………………………………………… 24
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………… 26
Introduction………………………………………………………… 28

Author of the first volume: Yip Tim-po, Leung Wing-kam

Introduction: Chen Xinrong—a person highly regarded by Lee Kuan Yew…………………… 38

1. Malaya Forum and Spark………………………………………… 46
Lawyer Lee Kuan Yew and the Trade Unions …………………………………… 62
38 San Ou Si Li Road - The Birthplace of the People's Action Party …………… 78
The Battle of the Four Malayalams 95
A Stormy Night in Singapore Under the Five-Work Tide………………………………112
6. Left-wing forces within the People’s Action Party……………………………………130
Seven Pan Iron Men—A British spy within the People’s Action Party? ………… 147
8. The People’s Action Party came to power…………………………………… 164
The Crossroads of the Development of the People’s Action Party 180
10. “Further to the Left” — The Aspirations of the People’s Action Party ……………… 198
Eleven Crucial Votes - PAP Prime Minister Candidate... 215
Twelve Constitutional Negotiations—Merger with Malaya? ………………………… 233
13. Revitalizing the Singapore Trades Union Congress: The PAP Government’s Early Years 250
The Merger of Singapore and Malaysia: Singapore’s First Referendum ……………… 265
1963 General Election, Barisan Sosialis, Operation Coldstore ………… 281
16. The People’s Action Party suffered a severe electoral defeat …………………… 296
Seventeen Malay heroes who rewrote history……………………………… 313
The Separation of Singapore and Malaysia: A New Chapter in the Singapore Story……………… 331
19. “It is fate” – Barisan Sosialis boycotts Parliament…………………… 341
Postscript: Looking back at the struggle between the People’s Action Party and the Barisan Sosialis……………… 360

Volume 2

The second part is written by Lin Yaohui

21984 – Turning Point……………………………………10
21 Singapore’s Founding Era…………………………………… 25
22. Inner-Party Rectification and the New Party Constitution………………………………42
23rd People’s Action Party’s Generation Change Plan………………………… 55
24. Goh Chok Tong as the new successor……………………………… 72
25 Marxism and Singapore…………………………………… 87
26. 1990 - The Beginning of the New Prime Minister Era ………… 102
27. 1991—After the Election ………………………… 116
Goh Chok Tong between Twenty-Eight Liang Li……………………………………130
29 HDB Flats Renovation Project……………………………………144
Thirty-four years later—Lee Hsien Loong becomes Prime Minister……………… 157
31. 2004—Fiftieth Anniversary of the Founding of the Party……………… 172
32. 2006 General Election………………………………………… 185

Authors of the third volume: Yip Tim-po, Lam Yiu-fai, Leung Wing-kam

33 From Caucasians to White People……………………………… 200
34 Searching for the Fourth Prime Minister…………………………………… 221
35 Lee Kuan Yew: “You and I are equal”…………………… 241
36. Singapore’s Ways of Sharing Wealth……………………………… 268
Can the PAP survive after Lee Kuan Yew? ……………… 289
Illustrations………………………………………………………… 317
Postscript………………………………………………………… 349

Sources………………………………………………………… 356