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No ‘standard’ version of Singapore’s history, says Grace Fu in rebutting Low

SINGAPORE — The National Heritage Board’s (NHB) approach to presenting the nation’s history is open and objective, and the agency also consults independent parties to evaluate its grants, said Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu on Thursday (April 14).

Guests and members of the public at the National Heritage Board's (NHB) first exhibition under its Resilience Through Heritage series, which focuses on the Hotel New World tragedy in 1986, at Ang Mo Kio Library on June 19, 2012. TODAY file photo

Guests and members of the public at the National Heritage Board's (NHB) first exhibition under its Resilience Through Heritage series, which focuses on the Hotel New World tragedy in 1986, at Ang Mo Kio Library on June 19, 2012. TODAY file photo

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SINGAPORE — The National Heritage Board’s (NHB) approach to presenting the nation’s history is open and objective, and the agency also consults independent parties to evaluate its grants, said Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu on Thursday (April 14).

She was responding to Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Kiang’s call in Parliament on Wednesday to allow for different interpretations of Singapore history, as well as for the setting up of an independent commission to oversee the NHB’s grants.

Mr Low said: “I believe that learning and understanding of Singapore history can contribute to having a stronger national identity and of being Singaporean. This is especially so when young minds in schools are exposed early to the history of Singapore."

“I’m of the view that this can only be achieved if history is presented to encourage students to consider different perspectives and engage in critical thinking. This will also reduce students’ and parents’ perceptions of using history as government propaganda,” he added.

Mr Low, who is also a Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC, pointed to the representations of history in exhibitions curated by the NHB, and said that it is time to move away from “representations of a standard or official history”.

In her response yesterday, made during the debate on her ministry’s budget, Ms Fu noted that the NHB already taps the expertise of independent external panels to evaluate its grants. The panels are made up of representatives from different sectors, including academics and civic society groups.

The NHB also consulted local and international experts on the revamps of heritage institutions and the Singapore history galleries at the National Museum of Singapore.

“In particular, on Singapore history, the National Museum is advised by senior historians from our universities who are acknowledged in their fields,” Ms Fu said.

Pointing out that the NHB’s approach is “an open and consultative one”, she added: “It takes an objective approach in its curation of history and invites visitors to examine different perspectives and engage in critical thinking, rather than impose a ‘standard’ or ‘official’ account of history as Mr Low says.”

Ms Fu pointed to a showcase by Singapore History Gallery, which displays published political material leading up to the 1962 Referendum on Merger.

Besides presenting the Chinese, English and Malay versions of The Battle for Merger by then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, there are  also two alternative political perspectives shown: A booklet written by then-Secretary General of the Liberal Socialist Party Felice Leon-Soh entitled “The Truth Behind Merger?”; and a booklet published by the Barisan Sosialis, “Merger, Phony Merger and Confederation”.

“The above example illustrates how NHB seeks to present curatorial viewpoints based on facts and comprehensive research from multiple available sources. At the same time, NHB welcomes new sources of information and viewpoints that enrich our understanding of our past through different perspectives,” said Ms Fu.

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