Chew Swee Kee

Chew Swee Kee (Chinese: 周瑞麒; pinyin: Zhōu Ruìqí; 15 May 1918 – December 1985) was a Singaporean politician. A member of Singapore-based political party Labour Front, Chew served as Minister of Education from 1955 to around 1959.

Honourable Minister

Chew Swee Kee
1st Minister of Education
In office
6 April 1955 – February 1959
Chief MinisterDavid Marshall
Lim Yew Hock
Preceded byNewly Created
Succeeded byLim Yew Hock
Personal details
Born(1918-05-15)15 May 1918
Gopeng, Malaya
DiedDecember 1985 (Age 67)
Singapore
NationalitySingaporean
Political partyLabour Front (1954-1959)
Alma materChung Wah Chinese School
Anglo-Chinese School
ProfessionPolitician

Early life

Chew was born 15 May 1918, in Gopeng, Malaya. He attended Chung Wah Chinese School and Anglo-Chinese School.[1]

Career

Chew was a member of the Labour Front, a Singapore-based political party.[1] He was given the role of Minister of Education following the victory of the Labour Front in the 1955 Legislative Elections.[1] He was also acting Chief Minister[2] and chairman of the All-Party Committee of the Singapore Legislative Assembly.[3] Returning from Hong Kong, where he had travelled to in 1956 for professional reasons, he became the Labour Front's president in around 1957.[1] He later joined the Singapore People's Alliance.[4] In February 1959, Chew was accused of corruption[1] by the People's Action Party.[5] The claim has it that Chew accepted around $700,000[4] to $800,000 from an unrevealed donor[6] in New York City[4] as a "political gift".[7] Chew promptly stepped down from his post[6] on 4 March 1959.[5] The incident is credited for causing the Singapore People's Alliance's downfall.[6]

Personal life

Chew became a Singapore citizen in November 1957.[8] He was married[9] and had four daughters and one son. While on holiday, it was reported that he got robbed of his trousers.[10] He headed the Ipoh ACS Alumni Association from 1962 to 1964.[11] Chew owned a tin mine located in Ipoh, Malaysia, which he purchased for $350,000.[12]

Death

Chew died in December 1985. The cause of death was myocardial infarction.[1]

References
  1. Corfield, Justin (2010). Historical Dictionary of Singapore. Scarecrow Press. pp. 55–. ISBN 9780810873872.
  2. "X-Ray Club". The Straits Times. April 15, 1956. pp. 11–.
  3. Hong, Lysa; Huang, Jianli (2008). The Scripting of a National History: Singapore and Its Pasts. NUS Press. pp. 256–. ISBN 9789971694333.
  4. Wong, Kan Seng (May 22, 2000). "2nd Reading Speech by Minister for Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng". Ministry of Home Affairs. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  5. Quah, Jon S.T. (2011). Curbing Corruption in Asian Countries: An Impossible Dream?. Emerald. pp. 218–. ISBN 9780857248206.
  6. Lee 2008, p. 153.
  7. Fernandez, George J. (1992). Successful Singapore: A Tiny Nation's Saga from Founder to Accomplisher. SSMB. pp. 191–. ISBN 9789971981815.
  8. "Chew Takes the Oath of Allegiance As He Becomes Colony Citizen". The Straits Times. November 7, 1957. p. 1.
  9. "Untitled article". The Singapore Free Press. April 14, 1956. p. 3.
  10. "Chew Swee Kee Reports Loss of Trousers". The Straits Times. December 30, 1959. pp. 9–.
  11. "The Roll of Presidents". The Ipoh ACS Alumni Association. Archived from the original on August 12, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  12. de Cruz, Gerald (1993). Rojak Rebel: Memoirs of a Singapore Maverick. Times Books International. ISBN 9789812044037.

Bibliography
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