Many bought the book because of the spin that the book is a distillation of MM’s wisdom. Now six weeks after its publication, MM has said “I stand corrected” on one Hard Truth: how the Malays have integrated better than he said they had.
SPH, can get refund?
MM now seems dismissive of the book, what with his statement to the media that the book was based on 32 interviews over a period of two years and that the comment on Muslims integrating with other communities was made probably two or three years ago.
What other Hard Truths he will “stand corrected on”? Genetics? FT policy? Defence? High ministerial salaries? How can S’poreans be assured that facts on the ground have not changed on other Hard Truths for MM to “stand corrected”?
There was misrepresentation when it was spun that the book represented MM’s “Summing Up” of his experiences. So a refund is only fair.
Seriously, the problem with the book was that it was edited in such a way that the Hard Truths come across as a package. One has to accept them as a package, not pick and choose among them. So if one Hard Truth is wrong, it follows that the entire structure totters,if not, collapses. Bit like the holy scripture of any religion. One error and the sacred text is rubbish.
It’s sad because there are pearls of wisdom in the book, like the tolerance of gays, why S’pore should not be too trusting of its neighbours, the importance of honest government, and the acceptance that S’pore, the nation, is a work-in-progress.
Time for a new revised edition? An edition that will correct MM’s view of Malays, confirm that he hasn’t recanted on other Hard Truths, and make clear that one can accept some HTs without buying into the entire package, or vice versa. I’m sure that this would be more in-line with MM’s tots on the matter. A Malay MP from NTUC assures us of “his humility”.
And rather than a refund for HT, the original, buyers can trade in their copies for the revised version. The less copies circulating of HT, the original, the better for everyone, especially that Malay lady who, it seems did not correct MM when she had the opportunity to do so. Wonder what her bruddder, the Malay and Water minister thinks of his sis?
I guess the editor excluded her, the deputy editor, when he said the ST team was fearless in challenging MM.
Thoughts of a Cynical Investor 
How about Fajar Generation, Marxist Conspirators, Operation Cold Store and so on, and so on ……………………. Do they also STAND CORRECTED?
His next book – “I Stand Corrected” Ha Ha
You are quite right.
He has discredited his own book by this admission.
If he his view o this matter of the Malay Singaporeans
is not up to date, there is every possibility that other
similarly ‘dated’ comments exist in the book.
It is galling to think that the book is touted as ‘truths’
when in fact the content may be really the views HELD
by ONE man who is well past his prime and by his own admission has NOT been up to speed on important issues.
I hope someone would do the needful by CONTESTING EVERY
‘truth’ for validity and put an update to those that are obviously NO longer the ‘truth’.
Intellectual INTEGRITY dictates that NO ONE can do and say as he likes, esp. when he has such a huge tendency to influence his followers.
FOR NOW WE CAN ALL TRULY SAY THAT ‘HARD TRUTHS’ IS NOT THE GOSPEL TRUTH IT WAS MADE OUT TO BE BY THE BOOK PUBLISHER AND VENDOR.