National University of Singapore Press
Impressions of the Goh Chok Tong Years in Singapore
9789971693961
Distributed for National University of Singapore Press
Impressions of the Goh Chok Tong Years in Singapore
Singapore experienced substantial changes during the 14-year tenure of the country's second Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong (1990-2004). Coming after a long period of growth and stability, the period brought to office a new generation of political leaders who faced the task of sustaining and building upon the policies of their predecessors. There were social and cultural initiatives and significant challenges to the economy arising from the Asian crisis of 1998 and the SARS outbreak in 2003. This volume examines the changes that took place during the Goh premiership and assesses its legacy. The 45 essays in the volume review a range of issues from domestic politics and foreign policy to economic development, society, culture, the arts and media.
579 pages | 7 x 10 | © 2009
Asian Studies: Southeast Asia and Australia
Political Science: Public Policy, Urban Politics
Table of Contents
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Contributors
Goh Gallery
Introduction: A Refined Singapore
Bridget Welsh, James U.H. Chin, Arun Mahizhnan and Tan Tarn How
Part I: Domestic Politics
1 Succeeding Charisma
Janadas Devan
2 A Journalist’s Note on a Quiet Rebel
P.N. Balji
3 Re-Imagining the Nation: Goh Chok Tong’s Singapore
Asad-ul Iqbal Latif
4 Public Administration: Change in Style and Continuity in Policy
Jon S.T. Quah
5 Goh’s Consensus Politics of Authoritarian Rule
Garry Rodan
6 Electoral Battles and Innovations: Recovering Lost Ground
James U.H. Chin
7 Constructing a “Constructive” Opposition
Hussin Mutalib
8 Pruning the Banyan Tree? Civil Society in Goh’s Singapore
Gillian Koh
9 Negotiating Boundaries: OB Markers and the Law
K.S. Rajah
Part II: Foreign Relations and Defence Policy
10 Forging New Frontiers: Goh Chok Tong’s Foreign Policy Legacy
Tommy Koh
11 Goh Chok Tong the Multilateralist
Alan Chong
12 Connecting the Dot: Singapore in ASEAN
N. Ganesan
13 Confronting the Weight of History: Singapore and Key Neighbours
Joseph and Chinyong Liow
14 Shooting Rapids in a Canoe: Singapore and Great Powers
Kuik Cheng-Chwee
15 Goh to America: Mirrored Contradictory Images
Bridget Welsh
16 Maturing the Singapore Armed Forces: From Poisonous Shrimp to Dolphin
Bernard Fook Weng Loo
17 Hardening National Secuirty: Emergency of an Agile Scorpion
Zachary Abuza
Part III: Economics and Policy Challenges
18 Transforming the Engines of Growth
Manu Bhaskaran
19 The Economist Prime Minister
Lee Soo Ann
20 Spreading the Benefits of Growth and Managing Inequality
Shandre Mugan Thangavelu
21 Educating the Next Generation
S. Gopinathan
22 Prescribing New Economic Medicine for Healthcare
Phua Kai Hong
23 Bolstering Population Growth: From Babies to Immigrants
Yap Mui Teng
24 Reshaping Urban Space: From a Tropical to Global City
Ooi Giok Ling
25 Moving from Survival to Sustainability in the Environment
Karyn Wang
Part IV: Society
26 Navigating Transnationalism: Immigration and Reconfigured Ethnicity
Eric C. Thompson and Zhang Juan
27 Sailing a Steady Ship: Goh’s Multiculturalism
Norman Vasu
28 Chinese-Singaporean Identity: Subtle Change Amidst Continuity
Eugene K.B. Tan
29 Dilemma and Anguish of the Chinese-Educated
Huang Jianli
30 A New Dawn in PAP-Malay Relations?
Lily Zubaidah Rahim
31 Winning Over the Malay Community: Politics of Engagement
Yang Razali Kassim
32 The Man Who Nurtured Indians and Started the India Fever
A. Mani
33 Women in the Goh Era: Chartering Empowerment?
Constance Singam
34 Soft Exterior, Hard Core: Policies towards Gays
Alex Au
35 Networked Society in an Intelligent Island: Laying the Foundation
Arun Mahizhnan
Part V: Culture
36 To the Market: Cultural Policy Amidst Contestation
Tan Tarn How
37 Liberalising Culture
Chua Beng Huat
38 No News Here: Media Subordination
Cherian George
39 Curious Connections: TalkingCock.com and PM Goh
Yen Yen Joyceln Woo and Colin Yong Ping Goh
40 Singapore Sports: Heyday, Hollowness and New Heights
Godfrey Robert
41 Broadening Horizons: Emergence of Contemporary Art in Singapore
Eugene Tan
42 Redefining the National Museum: New Reflections on Heritage
Kwa Chong Guan
43 Reviving Singapore Cinema: New Perspectives
Jan Uhde and Yvonne Ng Uhde
44 Missed Opportunities for a Humane Style: Singapore Architecture
Tay Kheng Soon
Bibliography
Index
Preface
Acknowledgments
Contributors
Goh Gallery
Introduction: A Refined Singapore
Bridget Welsh, James U.H. Chin, Arun Mahizhnan and Tan Tarn How
Part I: Domestic Politics
1 Succeeding Charisma
Janadas Devan
2 A Journalist’s Note on a Quiet Rebel
P.N. Balji
3 Re-Imagining the Nation: Goh Chok Tong’s Singapore
Asad-ul Iqbal Latif
4 Public Administration: Change in Style and Continuity in Policy
Jon S.T. Quah
5 Goh’s Consensus Politics of Authoritarian Rule
Garry Rodan
6 Electoral Battles and Innovations: Recovering Lost Ground
James U.H. Chin
7 Constructing a “Constructive” Opposition
Hussin Mutalib
8 Pruning the Banyan Tree? Civil Society in Goh’s Singapore
Gillian Koh
9 Negotiating Boundaries: OB Markers and the Law
K.S. Rajah
Part II: Foreign Relations and Defence Policy
10 Forging New Frontiers: Goh Chok Tong’s Foreign Policy Legacy
Tommy Koh
11 Goh Chok Tong the Multilateralist
Alan Chong
12 Connecting the Dot: Singapore in ASEAN
N. Ganesan
13 Confronting the Weight of History: Singapore and Key Neighbours
Joseph and Chinyong Liow
14 Shooting Rapids in a Canoe: Singapore and Great Powers
Kuik Cheng-Chwee
15 Goh to America: Mirrored Contradictory Images
Bridget Welsh
16 Maturing the Singapore Armed Forces: From Poisonous Shrimp to Dolphin
Bernard Fook Weng Loo
17 Hardening National Secuirty: Emergency of an Agile Scorpion
Zachary Abuza
Part III: Economics and Policy Challenges
18 Transforming the Engines of Growth
Manu Bhaskaran
19 The Economist Prime Minister
Lee Soo Ann
20 Spreading the Benefits of Growth and Managing Inequality
Shandre Mugan Thangavelu
21 Educating the Next Generation
S. Gopinathan
22 Prescribing New Economic Medicine for Healthcare
Phua Kai Hong
23 Bolstering Population Growth: From Babies to Immigrants
Yap Mui Teng
24 Reshaping Urban Space: From a Tropical to Global City
Ooi Giok Ling
25 Moving from Survival to Sustainability in the Environment
Karyn Wang
Part IV: Society
26 Navigating Transnationalism: Immigration and Reconfigured Ethnicity
Eric C. Thompson and Zhang Juan
27 Sailing a Steady Ship: Goh’s Multiculturalism
Norman Vasu
28 Chinese-Singaporean Identity: Subtle Change Amidst Continuity
Eugene K.B. Tan
29 Dilemma and Anguish of the Chinese-Educated
Huang Jianli
30 A New Dawn in PAP-Malay Relations?
Lily Zubaidah Rahim
31 Winning Over the Malay Community: Politics of Engagement
Yang Razali Kassim
32 The Man Who Nurtured Indians and Started the India Fever
A. Mani
33 Women in the Goh Era: Chartering Empowerment?
Constance Singam
34 Soft Exterior, Hard Core: Policies towards Gays
Alex Au
35 Networked Society in an Intelligent Island: Laying the Foundation
Arun Mahizhnan
Part V: Culture
36 To the Market: Cultural Policy Amidst Contestation
Tan Tarn How
37 Liberalising Culture
Chua Beng Huat
38 No News Here: Media Subordination
Cherian George
39 Curious Connections: TalkingCock.com and PM Goh
Yen Yen Joyceln Woo and Colin Yong Ping Goh
40 Singapore Sports: Heyday, Hollowness and New Heights
Godfrey Robert
41 Broadening Horizons: Emergence of Contemporary Art in Singapore
Eugene Tan
42 Redefining the National Museum: New Reflections on Heritage
Kwa Chong Guan
43 Reviving Singapore Cinema: New Perspectives
Jan Uhde and Yvonne Ng Uhde
44 Missed Opportunities for a Humane Style: Singapore Architecture
Tay Kheng Soon
Bibliography
Index