British author's book remembers forgotten leaders

History is a touchy subject for some. The truth is that facts are sometimes twisted to serve certain parties' narratives and many who contributed greatly to the birth of their nation end up becoming footnotes.

The history of Malaysia and Singapore is dramatic and colourful but not many have a firm grasp of it. That would explain why history gets easily distorted by those with vested interests. Instead of celebrating our past, it is used to cloud judgment.

Christopher Hale’s ‘A Brief History of Singapore and Malaysia- Multiculturalism and Prosperity: The Shared History of Two Southeast Asian Tigers’ is for those keen on...