New Book 'Raffles Renounced' Challenges Colonial Narratives in Singapore History

Edited by Alfian Sa'at, Faris Joraimi, and Sai Siew Min, the 2021 book 'Raffles Renounced: Towards a Merdeka History' challenges the official historical accounts of Singapore, particularly the government's 2019 bicentennial commemoration of Stamford Raffles's colonial arrival. It promotes the concept of 'merdeka history,' which translates to 'freedom' in Malay, linking Singapore's history with regional anticolonial movements. The volume includes Azhar Ibrahim's insights on Malay literature and Hong Lysa's examination of 'merdeka' during the 1950s and 60s. Additionally, it incorporates content from Alfian Sa'at's 2019 play 'Merdeka' and Tim Hannigan's 2012 critique of Raffles. The editors advocate for a shift from colonial narratives to Singapore's pre-colonial past and propose the removal of Raffles statues, highlighting ongoing neocolonial issues in policy and migrant labor treatment.