Living in a Time of Deception

A Book Launch Event organised by School of Oriental & African Studies.

Abstract

Living in a Time of Deception is a study of Singapore history from the post-war period to 1965. Dr. Poh Soo Kai describes the book as a historical memoir. He was part of Singapore’s agitation against colonial rule and remains one of the most respected former political prisoners in Singapore.

While the establishment’s account of Singapore’s history maintains that the battle was one between the communists and non-communists, Dr. Poh firmly puts anti-colonialism, nationalism and socialism as the forces that drove the young men and women who were his contemporaries. He also delves into how being imprisoned without trial, potentially indefinitely without any recourse, leaves none of them unscathed.

The People’s Action Party, Singapore’s only ruling party to date continues to justify the mass arrests and imprisonment of the most able left-wing leaders as security measures against communist subversion.