13 - Taking Power

Summary

For the historic 1959 election campaign, Raja helped to provide the conceptual framework for the ideas in the PAP manifesto. From his 10 years as a journalist writing strident columns, he had thought his way through most issues and knew how to carve through a dozen arguments at a time and present policy solutions in his polemical way.

He worked closely with Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee and Toh Chin Chye to finalise the ideas. Goh was a brusque, hard-nosed man who would emerge as Singapore's economic architect and chief mandarin. Toh, the party chairman since 1954, was a sharp political analyst with a good grasp of organisational details. In shaping the manifesto, Lee was pragmatic and realistic, keenly aware that, if the PAP was elected, it would have to implement what it promised.

Lee listened to the views from the trusted few and had occasion to change his mind as a result. Raja had seen this happen many times. But once Lee was convinced of a certain position, he would ram it through. Raja would say of the original team later: “Lee Kuan Yew was really the leader. He's number one. So he was leading the group as a whole. Keng Swee was more of the civil servant, and I, the ideas man.”

Raja had little problem with Lee's firm leadership style; at core, he believed that Singapore, particularly at that transfiguring moment, needed a dominant leader, a strong man standing at the pinnacle to confront the forces of history, just like Nehru did in India. Raja also more than appreciated the need for the PAP to speak in one coherent voice. He had long been sickened by politicians who ducked and dithered, who quarrelled among themselves, and operated without clear policies and principles. He resolved that the PAP would be different.

Raja was not a natural follower who submitted to authority easily or gave his allegiance lightly, but he saw in Lee an exceptional leader who shared his deep convictions and his vision for Singapore. He found a ready ear in Lee, who relied heavily on him for ideas on strategy and policy. Since their collaboration with the postal strike in 1952, he had developed a close relationship with Lee; it was one of mutual respect.