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★ 1964 Racial Riots

Date: Thursday, October 8, 2009 | Time: 9:36 PM

Singapore went through racial riots between Malays and Chinese over two five-day periods beginning on 21 July and 2 September 1964. These riots, the worst and most prolonged in Singapore's history, erupted after Singapore merged with Malaysia. There were 22 people dead and 461 injured.

Events
When Singapore merged with Malaysia, many among the Malay minority expected that they would also benefit from the special rights for Malays enshrined in the 1957 Federation of Malaya Constitution. There was deep resentment when it became clear that this was not possible and would never be agreed upon by any government of Singapore.

19 July 1964 - More than 1,000 Malay non-political leaders from different organisations met Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the Prime Minister of Singapore and Encik Othman Wok, the Minister for Social Affairs to clarify this issue.

At the meeting, Mr Lee promised that while effort would be made by the government to train Malays for top positions in competition with the non-Malays, the government would not allow a quota system for jobs nor special licences and land reservations for Malays. He insisted that all Singaporean citizens had equal rights, regardless of their race.

Meanwhile, more than reported 25,000 Muslims in Singapore would participate in a giant rally at the Padang the next day to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.

20 July 1964 - In response to Mr Lee, the Singapore UMNO Action Committee called on him to use his time in controlling the secret society menace instead of splitting up the Malay community. Committee leader claimed that that meeting was an insult to the Malays. He counter-charged that Mr Lee was trying to break the harmony and peace between Malays and Chinese.

21 July 1964 - Rioting broke out on the eve of the massive celebrations for Prophet Muhammad's birthday when a protest demonstration by Malays rose from a verbal war of taunts and insults with Chinese bystanders. The violence which continued for five days, left 22 people dead and over 400 injured. Curfew hours were brought in to restore law and order.

2 September 1964 - Racial tensions sparked once again when a Malay trishaw rider was stabbed to death at night. Rioting erupted and continued for another five days with 12 people killed, 100 injured and over 1,200 people arrested for rioting and breaking curfew. The curfew was then lifted on 11 September when the situation was finally controlled.

Significance and Consequences
The racial riots were, by far, the worst and most prolonged in Singapore's history. A number of factors contributed to the violence:
1) Enforcing the police of Confrontation with the newly merged country, some Indonesian activists infiltrated into Singapore in order to arouse the religious fervour of the Malays.
2) Chinese Secret Society gangs took the opportunity to create more violence and disturbance
3) Inflammatory reportings which provoked and disturbed racial emotions

Therefore, the Deputy Premier Dr Toh Chin Chye suggested a legislation which was introduced to prohibit newspapers from publishing anything which would incite communal strife.
Both leaders of the Governments of Singapore and Malaysia gave firm assurances that the population "has a place under the Malaysian sun and all will be looked after without discrimination."

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