1964 Race Riots
Encyclopedia
The 1964 Race Riots were a series of riot
s that took place in Singapore
during two separate periods in July and September between Chinese
and Malay
groups. The first incident occurred on 21 July during a Malay procession that marked Prophet Muhammad's birthday. In total, the violence killed 36 people and injured another 556. About 3,000 people were arrested. The riots are also known as the Prophet Muhammad Birthday Riots, 1964 Racial Riots, and 1964 Sino-Malay Riots. At that time, Singapore was a state in the Federation of Malaysia.
to celebrate the Muslim prophet Muhammad
's birthday. After the speeches, the procession went on to Geylang. Along the way, a policeman asked a group that was dispersed to rejoin the main procession. Instead of obeying the orders, the group attacked the policeman.
The riots were reported to have started at about 5:00 p.m. between Kallang
and Geylang Serai. The government declared a curfew
at 9.30 p.m. to restore order, but in the first day of rioting, four people were killed and 178 injured.
After the curfew was lifted at 6 a.m. the next morning, the conflict grew even more tense, and another curfew was imposed – it was only lifted for short periods to allow people to buy food. The curfew was not completely lifted until 2 August, 11 days after the start of the riots.
After the riots, goodwill committees were set up made up of community leaders from the various racial groups. The main job of these leaders was to help restore peace and harmony between the Malays and ethnic Chinese by addressing the concerns of the residents. About 23 people were killed and 450 people were injured during the July riots. There was significant damage to property and vehicles.
The government arrested about 3,000 people, including 600 secret society members and 256 people charged with possession of dangerous weapons. The rest were arrested for violating the curfew.
n and Communist
provocateurs
.
On the other hand, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
and several foreign observers attributed the riots to agitation by Syed Jaafar Albar
and other elements of the ultra-nationalist faction in United Malays National Organization (UMNO). According to the Australian Deputy High Commissioner, W. B. Pritchett:
The riots occurred during the period when the People's Action Party
(PAP) and UMNO relations were severely strained after the PAP challenged the UMNO in the March 1964 Malaysia federal election
. PAP ran on the campaign slogan of Malaysian Malaysia
. In addition, analysts suggested the participation of Chinese secret societies
in the riots increased the level of violence.
, Joo Chiat
and Siglap
, and the government again imposed a curfew. In this incident, 13 people were killed and 106 people were injured. With the presence of troops and imposition of curfews, these tensions eventually eased after a few days. Nearly 500 people were arrested.
Both Malaysia and Singapore have attributed the September riots to Indonesian provocateurs. It was the Konfrontasi period and 30 Indonesian paratroopers had landed in Labis
, Johor on 2 September.
another 10% (census 1971).
During the riots, the government made numerous arrests under the Internal Security Act
(ISA), for those involved in subversion
and rioters who were members of secret societies. This helped to contain the violence, especially during the September riots. Both Singapore and Malaysia use the ISA to counter potential threats of communism or racial and religious violence.
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
s that took place in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
during two separate periods in July and September between Chinese
Chinese in Singapore
Chinese Singaporeans are people of Chinese ethnicity who hold Singaporean nationality. As of 2010, Chinese Singaporeans constitute 74.1% of Singapore's resident population, or approximately three out of four Singaporeans, making them the largest ethnic group in Singapore...
and Malay
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
groups. The first incident occurred on 21 July during a Malay procession that marked Prophet Muhammad's birthday. In total, the violence killed 36 people and injured another 556. About 3,000 people were arrested. The riots are also known as the Prophet Muhammad Birthday Riots, 1964 Racial Riots, and 1964 Sino-Malay Riots. At that time, Singapore was a state in the Federation of Malaysia.
July riots
On 21 July 1964, about 25,000 Malays gathered at the Padang, SingaporePadang, Singapore
The Padang is an open field located within the Downtown Core of the Central Area in Singapore, at the heart of Singapore's central business district. It was formerly known as the Padang Cricket Ground...
to celebrate the Muslim prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
's birthday. After the speeches, the procession went on to Geylang. Along the way, a policeman asked a group that was dispersed to rejoin the main procession. Instead of obeying the orders, the group attacked the policeman.
The riots were reported to have started at about 5:00 p.m. between Kallang
Kallang
Kallang is an urban planning area and a subdivision located in the southeastern part of Singapore.It is probably best known for being the location of the Singapore Indoor Stadium & the old National Stadium, as well as the new Singapore Sports Hub...
and Geylang Serai. The government declared a curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
at 9.30 p.m. to restore order, but in the first day of rioting, four people were killed and 178 injured.
After the curfew was lifted at 6 a.m. the next morning, the conflict grew even more tense, and another curfew was imposed – it was only lifted for short periods to allow people to buy food. The curfew was not completely lifted until 2 August, 11 days after the start of the riots.
After the riots, goodwill committees were set up made up of community leaders from the various racial groups. The main job of these leaders was to help restore peace and harmony between the Malays and ethnic Chinese by addressing the concerns of the residents. About 23 people were killed and 450 people were injured during the July riots. There was significant damage to property and vehicles.
The government arrested about 3,000 people, including 600 secret society members and 256 people charged with possession of dangerous weapons. The rest were arrested for violating the curfew.
Causes
Different reasons have been cited for the riots. Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak blamed ethnic IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n and Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
provocateurs
Agent provocateur
Traditionally, an agent provocateur is a person employed by the police or other entity to act undercover to entice or provoke another person to commit an illegal act...
.
On the other hand, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
and several foreign observers attributed the riots to agitation by Syed Jaafar Albar
Syed Jaafar Albar
Tan Sri Syed Jaafar bin Hassan Albar was a Malaysian politician. His staunch defense of his political party, the United Malays National Organisation — which leads the governing Barisan Nasional coalition — led to him being given the moniker "Lion of UMNO"...
and other elements of the ultra-nationalist faction in United Malays National Organization (UMNO). According to the Australian Deputy High Commissioner, W. B. Pritchett:
"...there can be no doubt that UMNO was solely responsible for the riots. Its members ran the communal campaign or allowed it to happen."
The riots occurred during the period when 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) and UMNO relations were severely strained after the PAP challenged the UMNO in the March 1964 Malaysia federal election
Malaysian general election, 1964
General elections were held in Malaysia on 25 April 1964. The result was a victory for the Alliance Party, which won 89 of the 104 seats. Voter turnout was 78.9%.The result also contributed towards the eventual expulsion of Singapore from Malaysia...
. PAP ran on the campaign slogan of Malaysian Malaysia
Malaysian Malaysia
The phrase "Malaysian Malaysia" was originally used in the early 1960s as the rallying motto of the Malaysian Solidarity Council, a confederation of political parties formed to oppose Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia...
. In addition, analysts suggested the participation of Chinese secret societies
Secret societies in Singapore
Secret societies in Singapore are generally Chinese in origin. They have been largely eradicated as a security issue in the city state. However many smaller groups remain today which attempt to mimic societies of the past...
in the riots increased the level of violence.
- The Malaysia Racial RiotsMay 13 IncidentThe 13 May Incident is a term for the Sino-Malay sectarian violences in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia, which began on 13 May 1969...
, based mostly in Kuala LumpurKuala LumpurKuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, occurred five years later on 13 May 1969, also following an election, one in which racial tensions were fed.
September riots
A second race riot occurred just two months after the first on 3 September. This time, a Malay trishaw-rider was found murdered in the Geylang Serai neighborhood. His attackers were believed to be a group of ethnic Chinese. The race riot ensued in the neighbourhoods of GeylangGeylang
Geylang is a neighbourhood in the city-state of Singapore east of the Central Area, Singapore's central business district. It is located to the east of the Singapore River, an area that locals have associated, from the days of Sir Stamford Raffles, as a Malay kampong opposite facing two islands...
, Joo Chiat
Joo Chiat
Joo Chiat is a residential conservation area in the eastern part of Singapore, and is located between Geylang Serai and Marine Parade Road. Joo Chiat Road is the main road in the area with rows of shophouses for residential and commercial purposes.-History:...
and Siglap
Siglap
Siglap is a neighbourhood in the eastern part of Singapore established in 1955, consisting primarily of low-rise residential properties. It is part of the Bedok Planning Area, an urban planning zone under the Urban Redevelopment Authority...
, and the government again imposed a curfew. In this incident, 13 people were killed and 106 people were injured. With the presence of troops and imposition of curfews, these tensions eventually eased after a few days. Nearly 500 people were arrested.
Both Malaysia and Singapore have attributed the September riots to Indonesian provocateurs. It was the Konfrontasi period and 30 Indonesian paratroopers had landed in Labis
Labis
Labis is the second largest town in the district of Segamat, Johor, Malaysia, with a population of about 20,000 people. It has a large Chinese community. Labis is an agricultural town whose main export is rubber...
, Johor on 2 September.
Aftermath
Leaders in Malaysia and Singapore were surprised by the rapid escalation of racial violence and both sides made frequent appeals for calm. The riots exposed serious racial tension. The fear of further violence contributed to Central Government's decision to expel Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965, when both sides were unable to resolve their disputes. Three-quarters of Singapore's population was of Chinese descent. In contrast, the rest of Malaysia had a majority of Malays, who lived in mostly rural areas, with ethnic Chinese comprising about 37% of the population and ethnic IndiansNon-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin
A Non-Resident Indian is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country, a person of Indian origin who is born outside India, or a person of Indian origin who resides permanently outside India. Other terms with the same meaning are overseas Indian and expatriate Indian...
another 10% (census 1971).
During the riots, the government made numerous arrests under the Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Singapore)
The Internal Security Act of Singapore is a law that allows the Singapore government to investigate security threats like international terrorism, foreign subversion, espionage and acts of violence or hatred using race or religion...
(ISA), for those involved in subversion
Subversion (politics)
Subversion refers to an attempt to transform the established social order, its structures of power, authority, and hierarchy; examples of such structures include the State. In this context, a "subversive" is sometimes called a "traitor" with respect to the government in-power. A subversive is...
and rioters who were members of secret societies. This helped to contain the violence, especially during the September riots. Both Singapore and Malaysia use the ISA to counter potential threats of communism or racial and religious violence.