Search Results - Josey, Alex

Alex Josey

Alexander Arthur Josey (3 April 1910 – 15 October 1986) was a British-Singaporean journalist, political writer and commentator, biographer, and during WWII and the Malayan Emergency, a propagandist. He is best known for his biographies on the former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, as well as: ''Democracy in Singapore: The 1970 By-Elections'', ''Singapore: Its Past, Present and Future'', ''Socialism in Asia'', and ''Trade Unionism in Malaya''.

Born in Poole, UK, Josey was an avid writer from an early age. He was also an avid cyclist, and was a founding member of the Pedal Club and resurrected the Poole Wheelers Cycling Club. He became assistant editor of ''Cycling'' under H. H. England and wrote the 12th edition of the ''Cycling Manual and Year Book''.

During WWII Josey was in charge of psychological warfare in Cairo and Palestine. After the war, he was in charge of psychological warfare against the terrorists during the Malayan Emergency. He was employed by Radio Malaya and later Radio Singapore as a political commentator and Controller of News. He wrote over twenty political novels and wrote many political articles on Singapore and Malaysia for various Singapore and international newspapers and journals. He became a good friend of Lee Kuan Yew who later became the Prime Minister of Singapore. He was the first foreign correspondent to be kicked out of Singapore (then part of Malaysia) by the Malaysian government. He returned to Singapore after its independence from Malaysia and became Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's Press Secretary for 10 years, and biographer and public relations officer. He later became the Publications Manager of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce before being crippled by Parkinson's disease. Although planning to return to England due to the high cost of his medicine, he died aged 76 on 15 October 1986 at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. His ashes are kept at the Singapore Casket, 131 Lavender Street, Singapore. Provided by Wikipedia