Lim Chin Siong, the man who was nearly our PM - Part 2

Abstracted part of it from the book,

Biographical Background:

1933 - Born on 28/02 at Telok Ayer St, Singapore

1936 - Family moved to Johore

1939 - Entered Pei Chun Pri Sch, Pontian

1942 - School closed due to Japanese invasion

1945 - Resumed school after Japanese surrender

1949 - Enrolled at Catholic High School, Singapore

1950 - Transferred to Chinese High School, Singapore

1951 - Detained for questioning in Aug & Oct in connection with examinations boycott; subsequently expelled from school. Worked as part-time teacher and attended English evening classes.

1953 - Became paid secretary, Changi Bus Workers Union, and subsequently Spinning Workers Union

1954 - Elected Secretary to Singapore Factory and Shop Workers Union. May 13: Demonstrations by Chinese Middle Schools against national conscriptions; students charged with unlawful assembly and rioting. Aug: 8 members of Editorial Board of Fajar charged with sediton. Nov 21: PAP launched

1955 - Apr 2: Lim Chin Siong was elected Assemblyman for Bukit Timah. May 12: Hock Lee Bus Workers strike led to riots

1956 - Mar 19: Mass Rally demanding Merdeka held in conjunction with visiting Parliamentary delegation from UK. Apr: LKY and Lim represented PAP for London Constitutional Talks. The talks failed and David Marshall resigned as Chief Minister, replaced by Lim Yew Hock. Sep 18 to Oct 26: Island wide rioting, police mounted mass arests, including Lim Chin Siong

1957 - Aug 21: Police mounted new wave of mass arrests, including 6 newly appointed CEC members of the PAP. Dec 22: PAP won City Council elections; Ong Eng Guan became Mayor

1959 - PAP won 43 out of 51 seats in GE, LKY became Prime Minister. Jun 4: 8 leading left wing leaders in PAP including Lim Chin Siong released from prison. Lim Chin Siong, Fong Swee Suan and S. Woodhull were appointed Political Secretaries

1961 - Apr: Ong Eng Guan defeated PAP candidate in Hong Lim by-election. May 27: Tunku Rahman proposed 'closer assocation' between Malaya, Singapore and the Borneo states of Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei. Jul 1: PAP lost Anson by election to David Marshall. Lim Chin Siong, Fong Swee Suan, S. Woodhull, Lee Siew Choh expelled from PAP. Aug: Lim called for intensification of anti-colonial struggle to achieve full internal self government. Sep 17: Mass Rally to inaugurate formation of Barisan Sosialis. Oct 3: Inaugural elections: Dr Lee Siew Choh became Chairman, Lim CHin Siong as SG

1962 - Sep 1: National Referendum on Merger; 25.7% cast blank votes

1963 - Feb 2: Lim together with more than 111 leaders and activists under Operation Coldstore. Oct: Mass arrests following PAP victory in GE

1964 - Racial riots in Singapore

1965 - Aug 9: Singapore separated from Federation of Malaysia

1969 - May 13: Racial riots in Malaysia. Jul 28: Lim suffered depressions, released and went on exile to London

1970 - Married Wong Chui Wan in London; followed by birth of 2 sons, Ziyi in 1973 and Zi Kuan in 1977

1975 - Nov: Lim Teng Geok (Chin Siong's father) died in Hong Kong, Chin Siong returned for funeral rites in Pontian

1979 - Lim returned with family to Singapore

1980 - Suffered heart attack whilst on tour in China, admitted to hospital for 20 days

1981 - Underwent coronary bypass surgery, Sydney

1995 - Jul 9: Mother, Ang Sai Neo died in KL

1996 - Feb 5: Died of heart attack in Singapore