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Why was the year of 1947 significant in the history of Singapore?

Why was the year of 1947 significant in the history of Singapore? It was known as ‘The Year of Strikes’ as more than 300 strikes took place and it involved about 70,000 people.

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Why was the year of 1947 significant in the history of Singapore?

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  1. Why was the year of 1947 significant in the history of Singapore? • It was known as ‘The Year of Strikes’ as more than 300 strikes took place and it involved about 70,000 people.

  2. Name the order given by the British government that forced males aged between 18 to 20 to register for National Service. • The order was called the National Service Ordinance.

  3. How did the local people perceive the British after the Japanese Occupation? • The local people no longer perceived the British superior to the other ethnic groups.

  4. What had caused the poor turnout of people in the 1948 election? • Voting was not compulsory and many people were not eligible to vote because they were not born in Singapore.

  5. List two areas of government which were monitored by the British ministers after the 1955 election(Pg 146!). • Law/External Defense/External Affairs/Finance/Internal security.

  6. What was our journey to self-government like? There was a time when people said That Singapore won't make it, but we did There was a time when troubles seemed too much For us to take, but we did We built a nation, strong and free, reaching out together For peace and harmony We are Singapore (1987)

  7. David Marshall Born: March 12, 1908 Died Nov 12, 1995 Leader of Singapore Labour Front set up in 1954. An eloquent and gifted lawyer. Verbally criticised British for their unfair treatment of Asians. He stirred up people’s feelings against the British, improved working conditions of the workers, introduced equal treatment of all schools and importance of bilingual education.

  8. Lim Yew Hock Born: 1914, in Singapore. Died: 1984. He won a four-year scholarship to study in London but his plans were dashed when his father died. He worked as a stenographer with Cold Storage until 1947, except for the war years when he sold charcoal for a living.

  9. Q1.) What was the name of the political party led by David Marshall and what did they want for Singapore? • Labour Front. They wanted Singapore to govern itself.

  10. 2.) What did David Marshall do to form a government when it did not garner enough seats in the 1955 election? • David Marshall formed a coalition government with the Alliance Party which won 3 seats

  11. Q3.) How did the British respond to David Marshall? The British did not show respect to David Marshall. They treated him as a figurehead. A figurehead refers to a leader who had little authority or influence.

  12. Q4.) What challenges did David Marshall encounter as Chief Minister from 1955-56? • Regular strikes instigated by the Malayan Communist Party. • DM requested the Governor for more power for his government to control all internal matters of government as well as areas of government controlled by the British. • In 1956, Marshall led a delegation to London to negotiate for internal self-government, the First Merdeka Talks. He had threatened the British that he would resign if the British did not agree to his request.

  13. 1.) Who were involved in the Hock Lee Bus Riots? • The workers from the Singapore Bus Workers’ Union (SBWU) and Hock Lee Employees’ Union.

  14. 2.) Why did the Hock Lee Bus riots take place? a.) What were the workers demanding for? • The Hock Lee Bus Amalgamated Bus Company was a small company. The workers of this company came from the Singapore Bus Workers’ Union (SBWU) and Hock Lee Employees’ Union. • In April, the workers from the Singapore Bus Workers’ Union (SBWU) went on Communist-instigated strikes to demand for better pay and working conditions.

  15. b.)What happened to the workers who were on strike? • 229 workers were sacked by the Hock Lee Bus Company. • In response to the company’s action, the workers gathered at the bus deport at Alexandra Road to block the gates so that the buses could not leave the depot. • The police were called in to end the strikes. The workers threw stones at the police and the police used their batons to disperse the crowd. As a result, 15 people were injured. • The students from the Chinese schools came in lorries bringing food and sang and danced to show support for the workers.

  16. c.) How did David Marshall react to the strikes? • David Marshall tried to settle the dispute by forming a Commission of Inquiry. • Unfortunately, both sides failed to reach an agreement and the strikes continued.

  17. d.) What happened as the strikes continued? • As the strikes continued, more bus workers from six other companies joined in. The police used fire hoses to control the workers and students. • On 12 May 1955, the strike became a riot when the workers started to attack the police with bricks, stones and bottles. This day was hence known as ‘Black Thursday’. • The riot was finally put down on 14 May 1955. The riot had killed 4 people and injured 31 people. • At the end of the riot, the workers who had been sacked by the company got their job back.

  18. 3.)What was the impact of these riots? a.)Why were the British not willing to grant permission to David Marshall for internal self-government during the First Merdeka Talks in 1965? • The British lost confidence in DM’s administration, as he was not willing to make any arrest and imprison the Communists that were involved in this riot. • The British government felt that David Marshall could not protect the British interests.They were worried that the Communists would control Singapore eventually. • When DM led a delegation to London to request for full internal self-government in 1956, which was the First Merdeka Talks, the British was reluctant to grant permission to his request and the talks failed

  19. b.)What happened to David Marshall after the First Merdeka Talks failed? When the talks failed, David Marshall kept his promise by resigning from the post of Chief Minister in 1956.

  20. In summary: 1955-1956: • Marshall’s relations with the British government was not amicable • Hock Lee Bus Riots – Marshall government was deemed as not able to suppress Communists. • 1stMerdeka Talks in 1956 failed and Marshall resigns. Lim Yew Hock replaces him.

  21. Key Terms • Coalition government –a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. • Figurehead – a leader with little authority or influence. • Singapore Bus Workers’ Union and Hock Lee Employees’ Union • Black Thursday : 12 May 1955 – 14 May 1955. • First Merdeka Talks in 1956 : what happened, and why it failed.

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