Lim Yew Hock
Encyclopedia
Lim Yew Hock later renamed Haji Omar Lim Yew Hock, was Singapore’s second Chief Minister from 1956 to 1959. He is known for suppressing the communist movements and leading the all-party delegation that won internal self-government for Singapore.
In 1956, the first Chief Minister David Marshall
resigned after failing to gain full independence from British rule. Lim, then Minister for Labour and Welfare, became the Chief Minister and headed a new coalition government.
He began to suppress the anti-colonial activists and communists. He banished two Chung Cheng High School
teachers and dissolved the Chinese Middle School Students' Union.
When the Chinese Middle School riots broke out in October 1956, Lim decided to take aggressive steps to stop the violence. With the support of the British Governor and Commissioner of Police, troops with tear gas and helicopters were brought in to end the riots. Many key pro-communist union
leaders in the People's Action Party
(PAP), including Lim Chin Siong
, were detained under the Public Security Act.
With his strong measures against the unrests, the British gained more confidence in the local government's handling of internal security. Lim led an all-party delegation to negotiate with the British in a series of Merdeka
talks in the 1956 to 1958, and successfully won Singapore a new constitution granting internal self rule.
He dissolved the Labour Front and formed the Singapore People's Alliance
. However, his tough measures also ultimately led to his political downfall. It alienated a large portion of the Chinese-speaking electorate and this enabled the PAP to win the 1959 general election
and form a new government of Singapore
. The other reason for his political downfall was that Christmas Island
was administered by Singapore at that time. However, it was transferred to Australia in 1957, and that incident made Lim Yew Hock unpopular.
However, he retained his seat in the Legislative Assembly by winning at Cairnhill instead of re-running at Havelock, beating incumbent David Marshall
, the seat which he held on till 1963.
In 1964 Lim was appointed Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia, based in Canberra
. In June 1966, he went missing from Canberra. A massive police search was unsuccessful in locating him. His wife and daughters went on national television to plead for his safe return, and the then Malysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, made a personal appeal from Kuala Lumpur and sent Malaysia's chief of protocol, Enche Abdul Rahman Jallal, to Sydney to help in the search. It was discovered that Lim had flown from Canberra to Sydney
under the name "Hawk". It was also revealed that he had an ongoing association with a 19-year-old Kings Cross
stripper, Sandra Nelson. Initially she too could not be located, but later said she had had no idea where Lim had been. Then, just as mysteriously as he had disappeared, Lim turned up after being missing for ten days. A passing stranger had discovered him ill, wandering on a Sydney street, and took him in. Apparently the stranger was not aware of Lim’s identity for nine days, and had not even made the connection from the nationwide media coverage of his disappearance. The stranger drove him to Canberra to return him to the High Commission. The stranger’s identity was never revealed.
In later years Lim became a Muslim
and adopted the name of Haji Omar Lim Yew Hock. He died in Saudi Arabia
on 30 November 1984 and was buried in Mecca
, Saudi Arabia
.
In 1956, the first Chief Minister David Marshall
David Saul Marshall
David Saul Marshall was the leader of the Singapore Labour Front and became the first Chief Minister of Singapore in 1955....
resigned after failing to gain full independence from British rule. Lim, then Minister for Labour and Welfare, became the Chief Minister and headed a new coalition government.
He began to suppress the anti-colonial activists and communists. He banished two Chung Cheng High School
Chung Cheng High School
Chung Cheng High School is a Special Assistance Plan secondary school in Singapore. It was opened in 1939 at Kim Yam Road by Aw Boon Haw and other businessmen...
teachers and dissolved the Chinese Middle School Students' Union.
When the Chinese Middle School riots broke out in October 1956, Lim decided to take aggressive steps to stop the violence. With the support of the British Governor and Commissioner of Police, troops with tear gas and helicopters were brought in to end the riots. Many key pro-communist union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leaders in the People's Action Party
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959....
(PAP), including Lim Chin Siong
Lim Chin Siong
Lim Chin Siong was an influential leftwing politician and trade union leader in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s.-Early life:Born in Telok Ayer Street, Lim studied first in Johor, before entering Singapore’s Catholic High School and Chinese High School in 1949 and 1950 respectively...
, were detained under the Public Security Act.
With his strong measures against the unrests, the British gained more confidence in the local government's handling of internal security. Lim led an all-party delegation to negotiate with the British in a series of Merdeka
Merdeka
Merdeka is a word in the Indonesian and Malay language meaning Independent or freedom. It is derived from the Sanskrit Maharddhika meaning "rich, prosperous and powerful". In the Malay archipelago, this term had acquired the meaning of a freed slave...
talks in the 1956 to 1958, and successfully won Singapore a new constitution granting internal self rule.
He dissolved the Labour Front and formed the Singapore People's Alliance
Singapore People's Alliance
The Singapore People's Alliance was a political party in Singapore founded in 1959 that was drawn from the abandoned political party Labour Front and has never won any seats in the Parliament of Singapore...
. However, his tough measures also ultimately led to his political downfall. It alienated a large portion of the Chinese-speaking electorate and this enabled the PAP to win the 1959 general election
Singapore general election, 1959
The 1959 Singapore legislative assembly general election was a general election held in Singapore on 30 May 1959 to choose the members of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore...
and form a new government of Singapore
Government of Singapore
The Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to mean the Executive branch of government, which is made up of the President and the Cabinet of Singapore. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check...
. The other reason for his political downfall was that Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
was administered by Singapore at that time. However, it was transferred to Australia in 1957, and that incident made Lim Yew Hock unpopular.
However, he retained his seat in the Legislative Assembly by winning at Cairnhill instead of re-running at Havelock, beating incumbent David Marshall
David Saul Marshall
David Saul Marshall was the leader of the Singapore Labour Front and became the first Chief Minister of Singapore in 1955....
, the seat which he held on till 1963.
In 1964 Lim was appointed Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia, based in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. In June 1966, he went missing from Canberra. A massive police search was unsuccessful in locating him. His wife and daughters went on national television to plead for his safe return, and the then Malysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, made a personal appeal from Kuala Lumpur and sent Malaysia's chief of protocol, Enche Abdul Rahman Jallal, to Sydney to help in the search. It was discovered that Lim had flown from Canberra to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
under the name "Hawk". It was also revealed that he had an ongoing association with a 19-year-old Kings Cross
Kings Cross, New South Wales
Kings Cross is an inner-city locality of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 2 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
stripper, Sandra Nelson. Initially she too could not be located, but later said she had had no idea where Lim had been. Then, just as mysteriously as he had disappeared, Lim turned up after being missing for ten days. A passing stranger had discovered him ill, wandering on a Sydney street, and took him in. Apparently the stranger was not aware of Lim’s identity for nine days, and had not even made the connection from the nationwide media coverage of his disappearance. The stranger drove him to Canberra to return him to the High Commission. The stranger’s identity was never revealed.
In later years Lim became a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and adopted the name of Haji Omar Lim Yew Hock. He died in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
on 30 November 1984 and was buried in Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.