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The following lists events that happened during 1968 in Singapore.

Incumbents

  • President: Yusof Ishak
  • Prime Minister: Lee Kuan Yew

Events

January

  • 17 January – Britain announces its intention to withdraw its armed forces from Singapore by 1971.
  • 30 January – The Ellenborough Market is destroyed in a fire, causing S$253,000 in damages and affecting about 1000 hawkers and stall-holders. The market is demolished a few years later.

April

  • 13 April – The PAP wins the 1968 General Election.

May

  • 1 May – The Hindu Endowments Board is formed.
  • 23 May – Singapore Pools is formed as a state-owned lottery firm to combat triads and illegal syndicates.

June

  • 1 June – Jurong Town Corporation is formed to develop Singapore's industries, taking over this role from the Economic Development Board.
  • 7 June – Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) is established as a think-tank to research on trends and politics in Southeast Asia and beyond.

July

  • 1 July – The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (known as MUIS) is established.

September

  • 1 September -
  • The Development Bank of Singapore (now DBS) commences operations.
  • Keppel Shipyard is established to take over PSA's ship-repair and shipbuilding services.
  • The Singapore Air Defence Command is formed.
  • 17 September – The first A&W store opens at MSA Building, making it Singapore's first fast food restaurant. This went on until 2003, when A&W decided to leave Singapore. It made a return in 2019 to Jewel Changi Airport.

October

  • 1 October – The Keep Singapore Clean campaign is launched.
  • 17 October – The two marines were hanged for their roles in the MacDonald House bombing.

November

  • 5 November – Intraco Ltd is formed to promote Singapore goods overseas.

December

  • 17 December – Sembawang Shipyard was handed back to Singapore.
  • 30 December – Neptune Orient Lines is formed as Singapore's national shipping line.

Births

  • 10 January – Zoe Tay, actress.
  • 8 June – Teo Ser Luck, former politician.
  • 16 June – Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, politician.
  • 8 July – Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information.
  • 14 July – Michael Palmer, 6th Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore.
  • 8 August – Ng Chee Meng, Former Minister in Prime Minister's Office.
  • 10 August – Kumar, comedian.
  • 16 October – Mark Lee, comedian.
  • 27 December – Lim Wee Kiak, politician and ophthalmologist.

Dates unknown

  • Lau Siew Mei, writer.
  • Benjamin Pwee, politician, business development strategist and consultant.

Deaths

  • 19 July – Emily Sadka, historian (b. 1920).
  • 9 August – Lee Poh Neo, daughter of famous Straits Chinese businessman and philanthropist Lee Choon Guan (b. 1901).
  • 8 September – Haji Hashim, founder of Singapore's first Malay bookshop, Haji Hashim Bookstore (b. 1900).
  • 6 October – Goh Tong Liang, former Progressive Party legislative assemblyman for Bukit Panjang Constituency (b. 1894).
  • 27 October – Sir George Oehlers, 1st Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore (b. 1908).
  • 2 November – Richard Lim Chuan Hoe, barrister and former Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore (b. 1904).
  • 7 November – A. J. Braga, 1st Minister for Health and former Labour Front legislative assemblyman for Katong Constituency (b. 1900).
  • 6 December – Lim Keng Lian, tea merchant and Chinese community leader (b. 1893).

References