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thumb | right | Plaque commemorating the official opening of Masjid Malabar

The following lists events that happened during 1963 in Singapore.

  • Singapore was a 14th State of Malaysia beginning 16 September 1963.

Incumbents

  • Yang di-Pertuan Negara – Yusof Ishak
  • Prime Minister – Lee Kuan Yew

Events

January

  • 6 January – The OG factory is officially opened.
  • 20 January – Confrontation was announced.

February

  • 2 February – Operation Coldstore was mounted to stop communist influence, resulting in 113 people being arrested.
  • 15 February – The first TV station was launched on Channel 5. Regular television transmissions only started from 2 April.

March

  • 13 March – The Civilian War Memorial will be built at Beach Road.

April

  • 22 April – City Hall riot.

May

  • 1 May – The Public Utilities Board is formed to manage electricity, water and gas.
  • 25 May – The Ngee Ann College is officially opened, changing name from Ngee Ann Technical College and finally present-day Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

June

  • 16 June – The first tree in Singapore is planted in Farrer Circus by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, which is a mempat tree.

July

  • 9 July – The 20-point agreement, submitted by North Borneo, was signed by the UK government and representatives of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore in the run-up to the creation of the Federation of Malaysia.
  • 12 July - Pulau Senang prison riot.

August

  • 8 August – The National Theatre is opened.
  • 25 August – A rally was held in City Hall.
  • 28 August – A report to improve education was released.
  • 31 August – Singapore declared its independence from the United Kingdom, with Yusof bin Ishak as the head of state (Yang di-Pertuan Negara) and Lee Kuan Yew as prime minister; sixteen days later, Singapore would join the Federation of Malaysia, but would declare independence again on 9 August 1965. On the same day, the 1963 State Constitution is adopted.

September

  • 7 September – City Developments Limited is formed as a property group.
  • 16 September – Malaysia is formed from Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore.
  • 21 September – The PAP wins the 1963 State Elections, defeating the Barisan Sosialis and UMNO.

November

  • 13 November – The Singapore Association of Trade Unions (SATU) is refused registration for being prejudicial to Singapore's national security, leading to its eventual dissolution.
  • 23 November – Channel 8 is launched as Singapore's second TV channel.

Births

  • 12 April – Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.
  • 16 April – Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Health.
  • 20 September – Ivan Heng, Stage actor, director, founder of W!LD RICE.
  • Koh Buck Song – Writer, journalist.
  • Heng Siok Tian – Art educator.
  • Yang Lina - Actress (d. 2010).

Deaths

  • 14 February – Lim Hak Tai, pioneer artist and art educator (b. 1893).
  • 9 August – E. V. Davies, former Labour Party City Councillor for North Constituency (b. 1892).
  • 18 August – Carl Alexander Gibson-Hill, last British director of Raffles Museum (present day National Museum of Singapore) (b. 1911).
  • 20 October – Hugh Zehnder, lawyer and prominent leader of the Eurasian community (b. 1879).
  • 26 October – Huang Man Shi, art collector (b. 1890).
  • Haji Ambo Sooloh, Malay businessman of Bugis descent (b. 1891).

References