Operation Coldstore
[5] This restricted and regulated environment was replicated in Singapore which facilitated the execution of Operation Coldstore in 1963 under the provisions of the Preservation of Public Security Ordinance (PPSO).As a result, the emergence of left-wing movements which were largely led by Chinese students and workers became perceived to be detrimental to British interests in Singapore and Malaya.[3] In the 1959 Singapore General Elections, the People's Action Party (PAP) led by Lee Kuan Yew contested and emerged victorious by winning 43 out of 51 constituencies.[7] Such sentiments were also evident in the Malayan government and it feared that a weakened PAP would become replaced by the radical Chinese left-wing groups and pose a threat to neighbouring Malaya which was predominantly Malay.[1] On 27 May 1961, following the PAP's defeats in the two by-elections, Malayan Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman announced that, "sooner or later Malaya, Singapore and the Borneo territories should work together for close political and economic cooperation.[5] The Earl of Selkirk disagreed with the report's recommendations by highlighting that "the Singapore Special Branch have virtually failed to identify directly any communist threats during the last three years" and opined that "Lee Kuan Yew is quite clearly attracted by the prospect of wiping out his main political opposition before the next general elections".[1] Colonial records reveal that in a conversation with Moore, that Lee Kuan Yew had described the rebellion as a "heaven-sent opportunity" to legitimise the arrests of Lim Chin Siong and left-wing groups.[1] While the meeting of Lim Chin Siong and Azahari reinforced the Singapore Special Branch's belief in an imminent communist subversion,[1] the Earl of Selkirk still had his reservations about making the arrests."[5] In January 1963, the Tunku was alarmed when Lee Kuan Yew continued to expand the arrest list to include "some members of Marshall's and Ong's parties" despite "protestations of Singapore Special Branch."[5] The Internal Security Council report stated that those arrested were "hard core organisers and their collaborators of the Communist conspiracy in Singapore believed that the armed struggle remains a weapon to be employed whenever the opportunity arises.At a press conference on 4 February 1963, Lee Kuan Yew claimed that the "open front communist organisations were ready to mount violent agitation to coincide with events outside Singapore" which could also "endangered the security of Malaysia.On 22 April 1963, four Barisan Sosialis leaders, along with Lee Siew Choh, demonstrated against Operation Coldstore at the Prime Minister's Office but were later apprehended and "charged with abetment to overawe the government by force".[1] In addition, in late May 1963, the British investigating team of Members of Parliament from the Labour Party, which included Fenner Brockway, questioned the manner in which the detainees were treated.[1] In addition, Tan Jing Quee mentions that "the two main pillars of the left-wing movement in Singapore, the Barisan Sosialis and SATU, were decapitated," following Operation Coldstore.[11] Operation Coldstore also set off the May Day rally in Farrer Park which was popularly supported by 39 left-wing unions and amassed a crowd of approximately 10,000 people.The rally was accompanied by a call by ST Bani, the president of SATU, who "urged that a general election be held in Singapore under United Nations auspices".[5] In the end, the People's Action Party won the 1963 general elections and Singapore merged with Malaya, Sarawak and North Borneo to form Malaysia on 16 September 1963.[13] Chin Peng, then the secretary-general of the Communist Party of Malaya said in his memoirs, "Contrary to countless allegations made over the years by Singapore leaders, academics and the Western Press, we never controlled Barisan Socialists (sic)", but also wrote, "Operation Cold Store shattered our underground network throughout the island.[14] Scholars have likewise been split on the issue, with prominent historian Thum Ping Tjin arguing that the PAP had utilised the operation for political capital.
Cold War in AsiaOperationalSingaporeLee Kuan YewInternal Security CouncilSingapore Special BranchSingapore Police ForcePolice Field ForceHistory of SingaporeEarly historySrivijayaTemasekLong Ya MenBan ZuKingdom of SingapuraMalacca SultanateJohor SultanateFoundingStraits SettlementsJapanese OccupationFall of SingaporeSook ChingDouble Tenth incidentPost-war periodMaria Hertogh riotsAnti-National Service RiotsInternal self-governmentHock Lee bus riotsSingapore Glass Factory strikesPulau Senang prison riotsMerger with MalaysiaSingaporean referendumRace riots in SingaporeMacDonald House bombingRepublic of SingaporeASEAN Declaration1969 race riots of SingaporeLaju incidentOperation SpectrumEmbassies attack plotBus drivers' strikeLittle India riot2018 North Korea–United States Singapore SummitCOVID-19 pandemicTimelineMilitarycode nameanti-communistinternally self-governing stateBritish EmpireBritish governmentSingaporean governmentMalayan Federal governmentBarisan SosialisCommunist Party of MalayaMalayan Emergency1959 Singapore General ElectionsPeople's Action PartyHong Lim by-electionAnson by-electionOng Eng GuanDavid MarshallLim Chin Siong1963 General ElectionTunku Abdul RahmanEarl of SelkirkGeofroy ToryKuala LumpurPhilip MoorePekingMoscowA. M. AzahariBruneiHarold MacmillanAhmad BoestamanCameron HighlandsSelkirkBrunei rebellionGoh Keng Sweethe TunkuBritish High Commissioner in Kuala LumpurChinese New YearMalayan Communist PartyS. RajaratnamSandrasegaran WoodhullFong Swee SuanJames PuthuchearyPoh Soo KaiLim Hock SiewSaid ZahariUtusan MelayuLinda ChenLee Siew ChohNanyang UniversityUniversity of MalayaAmnesty InternationalLondonLabour PartyFenner Brockway1963 general electionsNational University of SingaporeChin PengThum Ping TjinTan Tai YongSingaporean Internal Security ActMalaysian Internal Security ActThe Straits TimesNewspaperSGCommunism in MalaysiaMalayan campaignAnti-Japanese resistance movementFourteen Days' WarVietnam WarIndonesia–Malaysia confrontationSarawakMalaysia (1968-1989)ThailandMalayan EmergencyBackground & causesBriggs PlanNew villageSpecial Operations Volunteer ForceSouthern RhodesiaAustraliaNew ZealandSungai Siput incident