Operation
Malaya had a strong anti-communist policy. During the Malayan Emergency, Malaya managed to contain communist influence. However, the communists had substantial influence in Singapore. Fearing a communist resurgency, the Malayan Prime Minister Tengku Abdul Rahman insisted that Singapore round up all pro-communists before the merger occurred. Despite Lee Kuan Yew's initial objection, the British and the Malayans cast the decisive ballots at the Internal Security Council to launch the operation.
Those arrested were detained under the Prevention of Public Security Order (PPSO). They were alleged to be involved in subversive activities aiming to establish a "Communist Cuba" in Singapore. The arrestees include
- Lim Chin Siong, secretary-general, Barisan Sosialis
- S Woodhull, vice-chairman, Barisan Sosialis
- Fong Swee Suan, secretary-general SATU and executive committee member, Barisan Sosialis
- James Puthucheary,
- Dominic Puthucheary, committee member SATU and Barisan Sosialis; vice-president Singapore General Employees' Union
- Said Zahari, former editor of Utusan Melayu
- Tan Teck Wah, president Singapore General Employees' Union; vice-president, SATU
- A Wahab Shah, chairman, Party Rakyat
- Lim Hock Siew
- Poh Soo Kai
Read more about this topic: Operation Coldstore
Famous quotes containing the word operation:
“You may read any quantity of books, and you may almost as ignorant as you were at starting, if you don’t have, at the back of your minds, the change for words in definite images which can only be acquired through the operation of your observing faculties on the phenomena of nature.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)