Why Konfrontasi?

[Edited, 1/4/2022]

If you search "Why did Konfrontasi happened?" you will get some "official" answers.

If you are like me, you would be dissatisfied with the answers. 

Officially, this is Singapore's sanitised history:

Konfrontasi (or Confrontation, 1963–1966) was Indonesia’s response to the formation of the Federation of Malaysia, arising from the British decolonisation process in Southeast Asia. Konfrontasi involved armed incursions, bomb attacks and other subversive acts aimed at destabilising the states that were to be included in the Federation, namely, Singapore, Malaya, Sarawak, Brunei and North Borneo (now known as Sabah).
When the concept of Malaysia was first mooted publicly by Malayan Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman in May 1961, the Indonesian government initially did not raise any objections. It began to express opposition to the Malaysia proposal shortly after the Brunei Revolt of December 1962.

You may be satisfied with the above. Or you might dig deeper. Like what were the basis of Indonesian objection or opposition to the formation of the Federation? Further along, you read:

Indonesia criticised the Malaysia plan as a British “neo-colonialist project” and a threat to their country’s security. 

Which is diplomat-speak for "because I don't like!"

Chinese in Singapore: How they got here

 This video "How Colonial Singapore got to be so Chinese" narrates the arrival of the Chinese in Colonial Singapore.

The Fall of Singapore (in video) - Feb 1942.

 When others have done better research and work than me, I put their works here for those interested.

Here are two videos, on the Fall of Singapore, and the Surrender of Singapore

The Fall of Singapore:

Churchill wanted "no thought of surrender until protracted fighting among the ruins of Singapore City" (at 2:18 of the video), which is kinda callous. And would have taken a horrendous toll on Singapore and the residents.

Child Psychiatry's 50th anniversary

[In Singapore. Children have been having psychiatric problems since time immemorial. It was just that nobody cared!]

This year, 2020, is the 50th year of the Child Guidance Clinic, in Singapore.

It started in 1970 with the first formal and separate set up of a Child Guidance Clinic. 

Though from the newspaper reports, it seemed like it had been in the plans for some time.

As early as September 1954, there was talk of a Child Guidance Clinic to be opened "late next year" (i.e. 1955). This was sort of a follow-up story to the news from a year before (1953) on the same topic.

But Singapore had more important things to worry about then (the 1950s), like getting self-government from the British, and presumably the Brits were occupied with either trying to help Singapore be self-governing (or prevent it?).

Also, communists insurgents.

So in 1966, there was still talk about how Singapore could really use a Child Guidance Clinic. Because one had not been set up.

Singapore - The accidental country

 I found this video covering the events of Singapore's independence, from a foreign history (or geography) "student".

He speaks a little fast, but he gets his points across. And not being Singaporean, his understanding (or interest) in the specifics was not too "cheem". And he was more concerned with borders, than with history.

Secret documents reveal extent of negotiations for Separation

Edmund Lim

22 Dec 2015

A nondescript exhibit at the National Museum has the potential to reshape Singapore's national history narrative. Singapore leaders were actively involved in negotiations leading to the exit from Malaysia, newly released documents highlight.

Museums play an important role in a nation's history. They serve as repositories of national history, preserving and showcasing artefacts and documents central to our shared understanding of the past, so that we can better understand our present.

[This is nothing new. The information in the "newly released" documents has been publicised before, and if there is anything new, it is simply the "documentary proof" provided by these original documents.]

Curators and public educators in charge of museums and their exhibitions also play a key role in shaping our sense of the past, and hence our sense of self, and our shared national identity.

William Farquhar

My history teacher in Secondary school declared that the proper pronunciation of "Farquhar" was "Far-kwa".

I was even then a sceptical person, and I was immediately suspicious of this out of the blue declaration.

What other pronunciation is there for "Farquhar"? That would be scandalous for teenage boys to utter?

A suggestion came to mind immediately.