The following lists events that happened during 1961 in Singapore.
| Table | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 |
| Births | 59930 | 58977 | 59530 |
| Deaths | 10027 | 10178 | 10138 |
Source:[1]
Incumbents
Events
February
- 20 February – The Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKNS) is formed as a branch of UMNO. It later split following independence.[2]
April
- 29 April – A by-election is held after Ong Eng Guan resigned from his seat following expulsion from the People's Action Party (PAP). As two other candidates were disqualified, it is a contest between Ong and PAP's Jek Yuen Thong, which Ong regained his seat.[3]
May
July
- 15 July – A by-election is held after assemblyman Baharuddin bin Ariff died a few months earlier. The People's Action Party lost this by-election; the second in a row, with David Marshall from the Workers' Party winning the Anson seat.[7]
- 25 July – The Singapore Trade Union Congress (STUC) splits, caused by an ideological split in the People's Action Party.[8][9]
- 26 July – Shell opens Singapore's first oil refinery at Pulau Bukom.[10]
August
- 1 August – The Economic Development Board is formed to create opportunities for Singapore businesses.[11]
- 12 August – The National Iron and Steel Mills (present-day NatSteel) is formed to develop Singapore's steel industry.[12][13]
- 13 August – Barisan Sosialis is registered as an opposition party, which dissolved and merged with the Workers' Party in 1988.[14]
- 16 August – The Singapore Association of Trade Unions (SATU) is formed after STUC's split earlier in July. The union is declared illegal in 1963 after conducting activities that threatened Singapore's national security.[15][16]
September
- 6 September – The National Trades Union Congress is formed to represent workers.[17][18]
- 13 September – 9 October – Lee Kuan Yew delivered a series of 12 radio talks in English, Mandarin and Malay to campaign for a merger with Malaysia. This also includes exposing the Communists' real ideology and reason for opposing the merger.[19]
- 16–17 September – The first Singapore Grand Prix is held at Thomson Road.[20]
October
- 15 October – The Sang Nila Utama Secondary School is officially opened, making it Singapore's first Malay-medium secondary school. By 1968, it started to offer English-medium lessons.[21]
December
- 11–16 December – Singapore took part in the 2nd South East Asian Peninsular Games. It clinched the fifth place, accumulating a total of 28 medals.
Date unknown
- The State Development Plan 1961–1964 is published. It aims to improve conditions in Singapore, during a time of high unemployment.[22]
- Queenstown New Town is being built and expanded to cater for a growing population. This comes after slow progress under the previous Singapore Improvement Trust.[23]
Births
- 23 January – Mas Selamat Kastari – Known for 2008 escape.[24]
- 25 January – Vivian Balakrishnan – Minister for Foreign Affairs.
- 4 February – Edmund Chen – Former actor. Married with Xiang Yun, also born in 1961.
- 12 February – Chen Jin Lang – Former singer. (d. 2006)
- 14 July – Heng Chee How – Politician.
- 16 August – Lui Tuck Yew – Former politician.
- 27 October – Xiang Yun – Actress. Married with Edmund Chen.
- 1 November – Heng Swee Keat – Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore.
- Desmond Sim – Playwright, poet, writer, painter.[25]
- Isabella Loh – Chairperson of Singapore Environment Council.[26]
- Kelly Tang – Composer.[27]
- Ovidia Yu – Novelist, playwright.[28]
Deaths
- 30 January – Goh Hood Keng – First Straits Chinese to be ordained Methodist minister (b. 1888).[29]
- 21 April – Baharuddin bin Ariff, MP (b. 1933).[30]
- 12 August – Tan Kah Kee, businessman, philanthropist (b. 1874).[31]
See also
References
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