An Unexpected Journey: Path to the PresidencyHere Singapore's President S.R. Nathan tells his own story, taking the reader back with him to his childhood, to modest beginnings and life as a runaway in Singapore and Malaya, and then the experience of renewed hope during the Japanese occupation. After a belated and limited university education, as well as a short spell as a social worker dealing with seafarers, he witnessed from inside the Labour Reserch Unit the birth of Singapore's modern trade union movement. Shortly after Singapore achieved full independence, he joined the staff of the newly established Ministry of Foreign Affairs, retiring - as he thought - as Permanent Secretary. However, he did not retire. After being asked to run the Straits Times newspaper for a time, he served as High Commissioner in Malaysia and Ambassador in the United States. Few people have packed so much into a life. And then, at an age when most people are well beyond the end of their working lives, he was elected President of Singapore, in which role he has won the hearts of many people in Singapore and abroad. |
Common terms and phrases
administration aircraft ambassador American arrived ASEAN asked Batu Pahat became British called Cambodia Cheong China Chinese colleagues communist conference contacts countries defence delegation Devan Nair developments diplomatic Dr Goh Dr Mahathir economic embassy felt foreign minister friends Goh Chok Tong head hijackers Indian Indonesia industrial issue Istana Japan Japanese Johore Bahru journalists Khmer Rouge knew Kokubu Kuala Lumpur labour later leaders leadership learnt Lee Kuan Yew Malay Malaya Malaysia meeting military Minister Lee Kuan ministry MPAJA Muar National needed newspaper NTUC officers organisation party permanent secretary Peter Lim police political president prime minister Prime Minister Lee pro-communist problems Rajaratnam relations Road role seamen senior ships Singapore Singapore’s Tee Tua Ba Thailand told took trade union UMNO Vietnam wanted workers