The Last Fools: The Eight Immortals of Lee Kuan Yew

As Lee Kuan Yew and his Old Guard founding leaders attempted to shape an improbable nation from a tropical island with no hinterland, they depended on this elite collection of bureaucrats to turn their ideas into icons. The chosen octet not only built the world’s best airport, the best seaport, and the best airline, but also designed a housing, healthcare, infrastructure, security, leadership, and financial system that rivalled the best in the world.

Yet as Third World transformed into the First through the sheer creativity and grit of these men, the Eight Immortals faded from public memory, slowly forgotten by a young nation racing into the future. Some of their names adorn libraries, institutions, and scholarships, but few in Singapore would be able to recall the achievements of George Bogaars, Andrew Chew, Hon Sui Sen, Howe Yoon Chong, Lee Ek Tieng, Ngiam Tong Dow, J. Y. Pillay, and Sim Kee Boon.

Peh Shing Huei is a Singapore Literature Prize-winning author of several No. 1 bestsellers including Tall Order: The Goh Chok Tong Story Volume 1 and Neither Civil Nor Servant: The Philip Yeo Story. He is a founding partner of content consultancy The Nutgraf, and former news editor and China bureau chief at The Straits Times.

Size: 130mm x 227mm