Toh Chin Chye

Florence Yeapp Sui Phek

​

​

(m. 1962;died 2004)​

Toh Chin Chye DUNU
杜进才
Minister for Health
In office 2 June 1975 –5 January 1981
Children	Toh Ai Chu (adopted) (died 2009)
Alma mater	Raffles College University of London National Institute for Medical Research

In this Chinese name, the family name is Toh .

Toh Chin Chye DUNU (Chinese :杜进才; pinyin :Dù Jìncái; 10 December 1921 – 3 February 2012) was a Singaporean statesman and academic who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1968. Toh is widely recognised as one of the founding fathers of Singapore. He was also one of the founders of the People's Action Party (PAP), which has governed the country continuously since independence.

Toh was a prominent member of the country's first generation of political leaders after Singapore became independent in 1965. He had served as Deputy Prime Minister between 1959 and 1968, Minister for Science and Technology between 1968 and 1975, and Minister for Health between 1975 and 1981.

He had also served as Chairman of the People's Action Party between 1954 and 1981, Leader of the House between 1959 and 1968, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Singapore (now the National University of Singapore) between 1968 and 1975.

After Toh had resigned from the Cabinet in 1981, he continued to serve as a Member of Parliament (MP) on the backbenches.

Early life and career

Toh attended St George's Institution in Taiping, and Anglo-Chinese School in Ipoh before graduating from Raffles College (now the National University of Singapore) in 1946 with a diploma in science. ^[3]

He went on to further his studies at the University of London and received a PhD in physiology from the National Institute for Medical Research in 1953. ^[4]

Toh began his career as an academic where he was a reader in physiology at the University of Singapore (now the National University of Singapore) between 1958 and 1964. He served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Singapore ^[5] while serving as Minister for Science and Technology between 1968 and 1975 concurrently. ^[4]

Political career

"Once you are in the front edge of administration, there'll be barbs and arrows. Don't expect roses. I never expected roses." ^[6]

Toh became politically active during his time as a university student in London, when he served as Chairman of the Malayan Forum, an anti-colonial group for students from Malaya and Singapore where they meet regularly for discussions and debates on the future of the Malayan region.

Toh was among the founding members of the People's Action Party (PAP) and served as the party's chairman from its formation in 1954 to 1981, however during a short period in 1957, the leftists in the party, who dominated the common membership in 1957, took over the party leadership. ^[7]

The founding members were subsequently restored when many of the leftist leaders were arrested by Chief Minister Lim Yew Hock in his anti-communist crackdown, allowing for the restoration of the original "basement group" of Toh, Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Keng Swee, et al. to the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC). Following this, Toh implemented a cadre system to prevent from the newcomer "ordinary members", including leftist sympathisers, from having undue influence over the membership of the CEC. Toh was also a key member of Lee Kuan Yew's faction in their fight against their rivals within the party.

Toh contested in Rochor as a PAP candidate during the 1959 general election and won.

Following the PAP's victory at the 1959 general election, the members of the party's CEC voted to decide whether Lee, as the party's Secretary-General, or the party's Treasurer, Ong Eng Guan, who served as Mayor of the City Council between 1957 and 1959, should take up the newly-created office of Prime Minister. The vote was tied, and Toh, as the party's Chairman, used his casting vote in favour of Lee. ^[8]

Toh was a tenacious fighter in the battle against the Barisan Sosialis, a communist party formed by defunct members from the PAP. He managed to defeat Barisan Chairman Lee Siew Choh by a mere 89 votes in the 1963 general election, his narrowest electoral victory.

Toh held several Cabinet portfolios prior and subsequent independence of Singapore, including Deputy Prime Minister between 1959 and 1968, Minister for Science and Technology between 1968 and 1975 and Minister for Health between 1975 and 1981. He also served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Singapore between 1968 and 1975. His stint at the university drew mixed reactions from staff and students. While his role to reorient the university's focus to suit the fledgling nation's needs was applauded, he was perceived as authoritarian, when he clamped down on student demonstrations and political activities.

Toh stepped down from the Cabinet and as the party's Chairman in 1981. He served a further two parliamentary terms as a vocal backbencher, during which time he criticised his own party on a regular basis. He retired from Parliament at the 1988 general election. ^[9]

Personal life

False accusation

In 1996, a front-page article in Singaporean tabloid The New Paper claimed that Toh had killed a pedestrian in a hit-and-run accident while driving drunk. The actual perpetrator was a different man also called Toh Chin Chye, one of nine people sharing the name in Singapore. The reporter who filed the story was fired, with two newsroom editors demoted, and the paper paid Toh $300,000 in damages. ^[10]

Retirement

Toh spent his last years away from the public eye. The Straits Times featured Toh twice, in 2005 and 2006 respectively, once on 2 May 2005, where he was seen being assisted by two men and a walking stick as he walked to pay his last respects to former President Wee Kim Wee. In February 2006, Toh was featured in The Straits Times again, paying his last respects to the late former Deputy Prime Minister S. Rajaratnam at his home in Chancery Lane. ^[11]

Death and legacy

Toh died in his sleep at his home in Greenview Crescent, Bukit Timah on 3 February 2012 at 9:30am Singapore Standard Time (UTC+08:00). He was 90 years of age. ^[12] He is survived by his son-in-law and four grandchildren aged 4 to 15. ^[13] He was given a private funeral according to his wishes on 7 February 2012 at the Mandai Crematorium. ^[14] As a mark of respect for his contributions to Singapore, his coffin was draped in the national flag and borne on a ceremonial gun carriage to the crematorium. State flags at all Government buildings were flown at half-mast on the day of his funeral.

Contributions

Toh was generally considered one of the founding fathers of Singapore that came along with Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee and S. Rajaratnam, for helping to lead Singapore during the nation's formative years.

Majulah Singapura was chosen by Toh as the national anthem of Singapore. In 1959, he headed the team that designed the coat of arms and state flag of Singapore. ^[3]

Honours

Toh was conferred the Order of Nila Utama (First Class) in 1990. ^[3]

References

1. Poh, Soo Kai (16 February 2012). "On Dr Toh Chin Chye". singaporerebel.blogspot.sg. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
2. "PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DEWAN RA'AYAT (HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES) OFFICIAL REPORT" (PDF). Dewan Rakyat . Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
3. Benson Ang (February 2012). "Dr Toh Chin Chye:1921–2012 VIP With Simple Taste". The New Paper . Singapore. pp. 4, 6.
4. "Toh Chin Chye". National University of Singapore. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
5. "Toh Chin Chye". National University of Singapore. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
6. "Dr Toh Chin Chye". Today . Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
7. National Library Board, Singapore. "Toh Chin Chye". Infopedia. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
8. "Remembering Dr Toh Chin Chye". Channel NewsAsia. 3 February 2012. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
9. Tien, Jenny. "Toh Chin Chye". National Library Board. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
10. "Excerpts from veteran Singapore editor PN Balji's new book". 15 June 2019.
11. "Photo Essays: Toh Chin Chye (1921–2012)". Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
12. "Remembering Dr Toh Chin Chye". Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
13. "Former deputy PM & PAP founding member Toh Chin Chye dies". Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
14. "Tributes pour in at Dr Toh's funeral". Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.

Political offices
Preceded by None, New post	Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore 5 June 1965 – 2 August 1968	Succeeded by Goh Keng Swee
Preceded by Yong Nyuk Lin	Minister for Health 2 June 1975 – 5 January 1981	Succeeded by Howe Yoon Chong
Party political offices
New political party	Chairman of the People's Action Party 1954 – 1981	Succeeded by Ong Teng Cheong
Academic offices
Preceded by Lim Tay Boh	Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Singapore 1968 – 1975	Succeeded by Kwan Sai Kheong