Well, former Singapore President Devan Nair has died in Canada at the age of 82. Frankly speaking, I don’t remember much about his history. I think I studied about him before but he wasn’t exactly anyone’s hero. [Back then, it seemed that the history textbook just portrayed then-Singapore-Prime-Minister Mr. Lee Kuan Yew as the greatest being, next to Winston Churchill.]
*Former Singapore President Devan Nair dies in Canada*
Born in Malaysia, the son of a rubber plantation clerk, Chengara Veetil Devan Nair identified with the working class early on in life.
His first political conviction was Communism, and he joined the Anti-British League, a cover for the Malayan Communist Party.
In 1951, he was detained, but once out of prison, he continued with left wing union activism.
In 1954, Mr Lee Kuan Yew asked Mr Nair to join him so the unions could provide the mass base for a new party.
When the Hock Lee bus riots took place, the British government cracked down on the unions and Mr Nair and his comrades were arrested
Mr Lee persuaded Mr Nair to get all the detainees to commit to a non-communist Malaya, before securing their release.
Mr Nair’s work with the PAP included a stint as the only elected People’s Action Party MP in Malaysia after the merger.
Loyal to those who voted for him, he stayed put after the Separation and formed the Democratic Action Party.
But then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew persuaded him to return to Singapore, to lead the labour movement.
And forming the National Trades Union Congress was to be Mr Nair’s most significant legacy.
Mr Nair made his debut in the Singapore Parliament in 1979 when he won the Anson seat.
His biggest personal decision was in taking up Singapore’s highest public office.
But in March 1985, a drinking problem led to the President’s resignation.
He later migrated to Canada with his wife. – CNA/de
Source: ChannelNewsAsia
Well, just a bit of history lesson.
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