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Allowing Local Politician Participation 1948

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Allowing Local Politician Participation 1948

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This was the first ever election held in Singapore as the British was attempting to win the locals support. This election was a step towards democracy. However, the participation among the people was very low. Many recent immigrants were not allowed to vote as they were not born in Britain or in the British colonies. Hence only 14 000 people turned up and 22 000 people were registered to vote.

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Some possible developments in Singapore that led up to the riot was when Justice Browns verdict on 2 December 1950 upset members of the Muslim community. As they viewed it as being directed against the Islamic law of marriage. On 9 December 1950, these developments caused radical Muslim activists to form the 'Nadra Action Committee', taking up a position at the Padang area and chanted, shouted slogans and threw stones and beat the passing cars with sticks. This riot lasted a duration of 3 days.

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The Rendel Commission's task was to review how local people could play a more active role in the government. It was formed in July. The commission submitted its report in 1954, recommending limited self-government for Singapore. This meant the people would be able to elect locals to control certain areas of government. The six local ministers would be given control over education, health, housing , and trade and industry. However, the three British ministers would control the important areas deemed by the British government.

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In preparation for self-government, Singapore passed the National Service Ordinance in 1953, requiring all males aged between 18 and 20 to register for National Service by May 1954. Many students feared that their studies would be disrupted, so they protested by going on hunger strikes, singing songs, and holding their own lessons on 22 May. This heightened tensions, prompting the British government to postpone the registration to manage the situation. The riot then proceeded for 5 days.

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The external development of David Marshall leading the Labour front party to victory against the other parties during the 1955 election but failing to put an end to the dispute between the Bus company and the Singapore Bus workers Union (SBWU) during the Hock lee bus riots and hence causing the two parties to not come to an agreement which could be a reason for the Hock Lee Bus strikers growth.

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While David Marshall was trying to solve the dispute, the strike grew bigger and employees of other companies joined in to protest against the treatment of their fellow workers. In summary, David Marshall winning the election and not making bigger use of his role by helping the two bus companies solve their dispute completely is the reason for the Hock Lee Bus Riots growth of strike. This hock lee bus riot lasted a total of 19 days. 4 deaths were recorded and 31 were injured.

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The First Merdeka talks did not go well. After the Hock Lee Bus Riots, the British doubted the LF government's ability to deal with the communist threat. They wanted a strong and stable government in Singapore to protect British economy and defense interests and keep it from being communist.

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Lim Yew Hock understood that British were concerned about the communist threat in Singapore. So, his government needed to show its ability to control the communists. In September 1956, his government banned the Singapore Chinese Middle School Students Union (SCMSSU) because of its supposed communist activities. In response, around 5,000 students took over their schools and demanded re-registration of the SCMSSU.xaq2. This riot lasted a total of 5 days.