What is truth? The production of historical knowledge in Singapore on the 1950s and 1960s

Abstract

Notions of truth and objectivity are closely linked to the study of history. It is to the past where we hope to gain answers to the present and build signposts for the future. In Singapore, the production of historical knowledge is largely held sway by the People’s Action Party (PAP). The ruling governmental body has espoused a singular, objective narrative of our past taking the form of the Singapore Story. However, as this paper hopes to show, any narrative form is hardly one that is wholly objective. Particularly of note in the Singapore Story is the framing of the figure of Lim Chin Siong, who played a crucial role in the anti-colonial struggle of Singapore. Looking at the production of historical knowledge in Singapore on the 1950s and 1960s, this paper examines how the framing of discourses and the creation of historical narratives have resulted in the perception of Lim Chin Siong in the public consciousness and what that says about the search for truth in the study of history.