Major events of this period

The Straits Times, May 13, 1955 Excerpt from report A round-the-clock pitched battle between Singapore police and 2,000 rioting students, strikers and hooligans was still being fought in the streets of Alexandra Road and Tiong Bahru early this morning. A Volunteer Special Constable, Andrew Toeh Bok Lan, was beaten to death by the rioters; Chong Lon Chong (16), a student at the Chin Kang School, Bukit Pasoh Road, died in hospital after police in a radio car opened fire on a mob attacking them; and eight other people are in the General Hospital seriously injured following yesterday's wave of violence. A wave of strikes, involving about 40,000 workers will be called in the next few days. They threaten to paralyse road and air transport, and other industries. Delegates from unions ... called the strikes at a midnight neeting "in protest against the police use of force on the Hock Lee workers." ... The resolution finally adopted considered "that the Chief Minister has rendered a great disservice to the trade union movement by suggesting that sinister agencies are behind the dispute between the Hock Lee Bus Company and its employees." ... Any stone thrown, any bus damaged, any policeman injured, is a grievous blow to the S.B.W.U. (Singapore Bus Workers' Union). - Lee Kuan Yew, secretary of the People's Action Party We express our deep distress at the violence used against the buses of the Hock Lee Bus Company and the police. - Fong Swee Suan, general secretary of the S.B.W.U. Next Previous Moses' start page Leslie's start page Chee Beng's start page Nura's start page Copyright © 1998 Singapore Press Holdings. All Rights Reserved.