Barisan Sosialis
Encyclopedia
The Barisan Sosialis is a former Singaporean left-wing political party formed in 1961, by left-wing members of the People's Action Party
(PAP) and led by Dr Lee Siew Choh
and Lim Chin Siong
.
. The key event leading to the breakup was the motion of confidence of the government in which 13 PAP assemblymen crossed party lines and abstained from voting. Together with six prominent left-leaning leaders from trade unions, the breakaway members established this new party. At the time of inception, it had popular support rivalling or even superseding that of the PAP. 35 of the 51 branches of PAP and 19 of its 23 organising secretaries went to the Barisan Sosialis.
front and attacked vehemently as being a radical
pro-Communist group. The PAP, however, were also shocked by the split- these sentiments were emphasised when PAP member Goh Keng Swee
commented on the schism (which, at the time, he clearly believed would end the PAP's dominance) in an interview with Dennis Bloodworth :
Nevertheless, many Barisan Sosialis members did have (to varying extents) admiration and belief in the leftist ideals of Communism as well as Socialism
due to the influence of Communist China. This communist orientation was used by the PAP to damage their reputation and viability in the Singaporean context.
joined the Malaysian Federation, the anti-Communist Malaysian government (UMNO) would be much harsher (on communists) than the existing Singapore government- this was, in fact, to the benefit of the PAP's anti-communist intents as a whole. In the referendum
deciding the merger, none of three options provided for voting were against merger. The Barisan Sosialis called on its supporters to cast blank votes in protest, in which roughly 25% did. However, this attempt was circumvented by the PAP, which proceeded to count all blank votes as a vote for a loosely federal
autonomous position for Singapore within Malaysia. Besides that, Barisan Sosialis also felt that the terms of Singapore's membership in the Malaysian Federation were not fair to Singaporean citizens. According to a clause of the White Paper of 1962, Singapore-born citizens (residents of Singapore) would be granted automatic citizenship in the Malaysian Federation but would have to apply for other documents (for example passports, certificates) by themselves.
by the ISD
. Despite that, in the 1963 state elections, the Barisan Sosialis won 13 out of 51 seats, becoming the second largest as well as the leading opposition party. Barisan Sosialis as a party was unsatisfied with the result, however, as victory had been expected. Additionally, partly because of a split in the opposition votes, only 14 seats were won in total (including one from the United People's Party) despite earning 53% of popular support. After the elections, in a series of 'anti-Communist' and 'anti-subversion' activities, the Internal Security Department would continue to arrest members of the Barisan Sosialis, including MPs. One famous example is Chia Thye Poh
, an MP who was imprisoned without trial in 1965 and only released in 1998 as one of the longest-serving political prisoners in the world. Even then, his current conditions of release effectively bar him from participating in any politically-related activities. Chia was consistently labelled as a Communist by the PAP, which supports their claims with testimonies from 2 ex-members of the underground Malayan Communist Party
. Chia, however, has maintained throughout his imprisonment and afterwards that he is a prisoner of conscience
.
In an election rally in 1980, party chairman Dr Lee Siew Choh
apologised to the voters for Barisan Sosialis's actions in 1966. In 1988, the Barisan Sosialis was officially dissolved and its members, led by Dr Lee Siew Choh
, joined the Workers' Party of Singapore
.
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 led by Dr Lee Siew Choh
Lee Siew Choh
Dr. Lee Siew Choh was a politician and medical doctor from Singapore. Initially a member of the People's Action Party , he became a leader of the breakaway Barisan Sosialis in 1961...
and 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...
.
Formation
The party was formed when the leftist members of the PAP were dismissed by then party leader Lee Kuan YewLee 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...
. The key event leading to the breakup was the motion of confidence of the government in which 13 PAP assemblymen crossed party lines and abstained from voting. Together with six prominent left-leaning leaders from trade unions, the breakaway members established this new party. At the time of inception, it had popular support rivalling or even superseding that of the PAP. 35 of the 51 branches of PAP and 19 of its 23 organising secretaries went to the Barisan Sosialis.
Key Developments
The leftist Barisan Sosialis was slammed by the PAP as a CommunistCommunism
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...
front and attacked vehemently as being a radical
Extremism
Extremism is any ideology or political act far outside the perceived political center of a society; or otherwise claimed to violate common moral standards...
pro-Communist group. The PAP, however, were also shocked by the split- these sentiments were emphasised when PAP member Goh Keng Swee
Goh Keng Swee
Goh Keng Swee was the second Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 1973 and 1984, and a Member of Parliament for the Kreta Ayer constituency for a quarter of a century. Born in Malacca in the Straits Settlements into a Peranakan family, he came to Singapore at the age of two years...
commented on the schism (which, at the time, he clearly believed would end the PAP's dominance) in an interview with Dennis Bloodworth :
- “…what shook us was not that we had lost the fight to the Communists but it was done with such contemptuous ease: one flick of the hand, and we were down on the floor”.
Nevertheless, many Barisan Sosialis members did have (to varying extents) admiration and belief in the leftist ideals of Communism as well as Socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
due to the influence of Communist China. This communist orientation was used by the PAP to damage their reputation and viability in the Singaporean context.
Merger Issue
Barisan Sosialis disagreed with the 1962 planned merger to form Malaysia, for two solid main reasons. To begin with, it was believed that if SingaporeSingapore
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...
joined the Malaysian Federation, the anti-Communist Malaysian government (UMNO) would be much harsher (on communists) than the existing Singapore government- this was, in fact, to the benefit of the PAP's anti-communist intents as a whole. In the referendum
Singapore national referendum, 1962
The Singapore national referendum of 1962, or also commonly referred to as the Merger Referendum of Singapore was the first and only referendum to date held in Singapore on September 1, 1962. It called for people to vote on the terms of merger with Malaysia...
deciding the merger, none of three options provided for voting were against merger. The Barisan Sosialis called on its supporters to cast blank votes in protest, in which roughly 25% did. However, this attempt was circumvented by the PAP, which proceeded to count all blank votes as a vote for a loosely federal
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
autonomous position for Singapore within Malaysia. Besides that, Barisan Sosialis also felt that the terms of Singapore's membership in the Malaysian Federation were not fair to Singaporean citizens. According to a clause of the White Paper of 1962, Singapore-born citizens (residents of Singapore) would be granted automatic citizenship in the Malaysian Federation but would have to apply for other documents (for example passports, certificates) by themselves.
Operation Cold Store and the 1963 Election
In February 1963, many members of Barisan Sosialis were arrested during the enactment of Operation ColdstoreOperation Coldstore
Operation Coldstore was a security operation launched in Singapore on 2 February 1963 in which at least 111 anti-government left-wing activists were arrested and detained, including key members of the opposition political party Barisan Sosialis...
by the ISD
Internal Security Department
The Internal Security Department is a domestic intelligence agency of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Singapore. It was formerly part of the Ministry of Interior and Defence until it was split on 11 August 1970...
. Despite that, in the 1963 state elections, the Barisan Sosialis won 13 out of 51 seats, becoming the second largest as well as the leading opposition party. Barisan Sosialis as a party was unsatisfied with the result, however, as victory had been expected. Additionally, partly because of a split in the opposition votes, only 14 seats were won in total (including one from the United People's Party) despite earning 53% of popular support. After the elections, in a series of 'anti-Communist' and 'anti-subversion' activities, the Internal Security Department would continue to arrest members of the Barisan Sosialis, including MPs. One famous example is Chia Thye Poh
Chia Thye Poh
Chia Thye Poh was the longest-serving political prisoner in the history of Singapore and perhaps the longest-serving prisoner of conscience of the 20th century, if not one of its longest-serving political prisoners....
, an MP who was imprisoned without trial in 1965 and only released in 1998 as one of the longest-serving political prisoners in the world. Even then, his current conditions of release effectively bar him from participating in any politically-related activities. Chia was consistently labelled as a Communist by the PAP, which supports their claims with testimonies from 2 ex-members of the underground Malayan Communist Party
Malayan Communist Party
The Malayan Communist Party , officially known as the Communist Party of Malaya , was founded in 1930 and laid down its arms in 1989. It is most famous for its role in the Malayan Emergency.-Formation:...
. Chia, however, has maintained throughout his imprisonment and afterwards that he is a prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
.
Decline
After Singapore's independence from Malaysia, the party's members of parliament began resigning one by one in 1966. Though the Barisan Sosialis' official position was to 'take the fight to the streets', its morale was already eroding due to its failure to stop the merger. In the by-elections for these vacant seats, the PAP had a clean sweep. Calls for blank ballots by the Barisan Sosialis went unheeded. By 1968, there were no opposition members of parliament and it was 13 years before an opposition party won a single seat during the Anson by-election of 1981.In an election rally in 1980, party chairman Dr Lee Siew Choh
Lee Siew Choh
Dr. Lee Siew Choh was a politician and medical doctor from Singapore. Initially a member of the People's Action Party , he became a leader of the breakaway Barisan Sosialis in 1961...
apologised to the voters for Barisan Sosialis's actions in 1966. In 1988, the Barisan Sosialis was officially dissolved and its members, led by Dr Lee Siew Choh
Lee Siew Choh
Dr. Lee Siew Choh was a politician and medical doctor from Singapore. Initially a member of the People's Action Party , he became a leader of the breakaway Barisan Sosialis in 1961...
, joined the Workers' Party of Singapore
Workers' Party of Singapore
The Workers' Party of Singapore is a centre-left opposition political party in Singapore. The party currently has six elected seats in Parliament, with the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Muhamad Faisal Manap and Pritam Singh serving as Members of...
.