http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2008/yax-943.htm
J B Jeyaretnam: The iconography begins
In its immediate commentary following the death of opposition leader Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam on 30 September 2008, the Straits Times wrote: "Yet, the old warhorse refused to believe that he was
irrelevant to Singaporeans." [1]
In the days following, the actions and words of both the newspaper and its political masters demonstrated they didn't believe themselves. Over and over again, one saw attempts to downgrade the man and his passing. Yet the fact that such attempts were necessary belied the
newspaper's own assertion that he meant little.
A candlelight memorial for J B Jeyaretnam was held at Hong Lim Green
on 4 October 2008.
Leader writer Chua Lee Hoong opined: "With the benefit of hindsight, it could even be said that it was Mr Jeyaretnam's highly combative style that led the PAP government to develop an aversion to confrontational politics, Westminster-style." [2] It's a rather strange assessment. Just ask the Barisan Socialis, Singapore' s main opposition party in the 1960s, who were crushed by a liberal use of the Internal Security Act. Or ask any leader of independent trade unions and publishers of newspapers of that era. Blaming Jeyaretnam for the PAP's habit of crushing its opponents is far-fetched to say the least. And again, the very laying of (false) blame contradicted
the claim that he was irrelevant, for if he was so pivotal in making our politics the way it is, then he can't be irrelevant, can he?
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong were even more artless. In their condolence messages, released to the media, they came across as self-serving, taking the opportunity to burnish their own reputations, painting themselves as principled and
magnanimous.
PAP leaders never wanted their fight with Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam to affect his two sons, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said yesterday.
In their condolence messages, they referred to a letter that the late opposition politician's elder son Kenneth had written to then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in 1993.
He wrote to Mr Goh to say that he had found employers in Singapore reluctant to offer him a job.
Mr Goh replied with a letter that could be shown to prospective employers.
In it, Mr Goh stressed that the Government did not hold anything against Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam and urged employers to evaluate him on his own merits.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Goh said: 'As prime minister, I did not allow the PAP's fight with Mr Jeyaretnam to affect his sons' place in society.
-- Straits Times, 1 October 2008, JBJ's fight with
PAP did not affect his sons: PM Lee, SM Goh
What that has to do with expressing sympathy escapes me. They then went on to accuse Jeyaretnam of wanting to destroy the People's Action Party (PAP), oblivious to the fact that in the public's eye, it's been the other way around. Everybody sees it as the PAP who has been
obsessive about persecuting Jeyaretnam, through the last 27 years.
J B Jeyaretnam: The iconography begins
In its immediate commentary following the death of opposition leader Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam on 30 September 2008, the Straits Times wrote: "Yet, the old warhorse refused to believe that he was
irrelevant to Singaporeans." [1]
In the days following, the actions and words of both the newspaper and its political masters demonstrated they didn't believe themselves. Over and over again, one saw attempts to downgrade the man and his passing. Yet the fact that such attempts were necessary belied the
newspaper's own assertion that he meant little.
A candlelight memorial for J B Jeyaretnam was held at Hong Lim Green
on 4 October 2008.
Leader writer Chua Lee Hoong opined: "With the benefit of hindsight, it could even be said that it was Mr Jeyaretnam's highly combative style that led the PAP government to develop an aversion to confrontational politics, Westminster-style." [2] It's a rather strange assessment. Just ask the Barisan Socialis, Singapore' s main opposition party in the 1960s, who were crushed by a liberal use of the Internal Security Act. Or ask any leader of independent trade unions and publishers of newspapers of that era. Blaming Jeyaretnam for the PAP's habit of crushing its opponents is far-fetched to say the least. And again, the very laying of (false) blame contradicted
the claim that he was irrelevant, for if he was so pivotal in making our politics the way it is, then he can't be irrelevant, can he?
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong were even more artless. In their condolence messages, released to the media, they came across as self-serving, taking the opportunity to burnish their own reputations, painting themselves as principled and
magnanimous.
PAP leaders never wanted their fight with Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam to affect his two sons, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said yesterday.
In their condolence messages, they referred to a letter that the late opposition politician's elder son Kenneth had written to then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in 1993.
He wrote to Mr Goh to say that he had found employers in Singapore reluctant to offer him a job.
Mr Goh replied with a letter that could be shown to prospective employers.
In it, Mr Goh stressed that the Government did not hold anything against Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam and urged employers to evaluate him on his own merits.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Goh said: 'As prime minister, I did not allow the PAP's fight with Mr Jeyaretnam to affect his sons' place in society.
-- Straits Times, 1 October 2008, JBJ's fight with
PAP did not affect his sons: PM Lee, SM Goh
What that has to do with expressing sympathy escapes me. They then went on to accuse Jeyaretnam of wanting to destroy the People's Action Party (PAP), oblivious to the fact that in the public's eye, it's been the other way around. Everybody sees it as the PAP who has been
obsessive about persecuting Jeyaretnam, through the last 27 years.
