Toh Chin Chye

Toh Chin Chye (simplified Chinese: 杜进才; traditional Chinese: 杜進才; pinyin: Dù Jìncái; born December 10, 1921) is a prominent first generation political leader in Singapore.

Political Career

Toh’s political career begun during his days in London where he was actively involved in the Malayan Forum, a forum which many Malayan nationals like future Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Tun Abdul Razak meet for discussions and debate on the future of Malaya.

He was among the founder members with the PAP and was chairperson from its formation in 1954 to 1981, save for a brief period in 1957 when leftists took over the Party leadership. Toh was elected as a PAP member for Rochor in the 1959 general elections.

Toh was a key member of Lee’s faction in their fight against their rivals within the party. One example was in the aftermath of PAP’s victory in the 1959 elections, there was a contest between Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore's only mayor Ong Eng Guan for the premiership. Ultimately, it was Toh’s vote that swung the fight in Lee’s favour. Toh was again the tenacious fighter in the fight against the Barisan Sosialis party, a splinter group from the PAP. He managed to beat Barisan Chairman Lee Siew Choh by a mere 89 votes in the 1963 elections, his narrowest electoral victory.

Toh held several cabinet portfolios including Deputy Prime Minister (1959 to 1968), Minister for Science and Technology (from 1968 to 1975) and Minister for Health (from 1975 to 1981). He was also University of Singapore’s vice-chancellor from 1968 to 1975. His stint at the university drew mixed reactions from staff and students alike. While his role to reorient the university’s focus to suit the fledging nation’s needs was applauded, he was also perceived as authoritarian especially when he clamped down on student demonstrations and political activities.

Toh stepped down from the cabinet and party chairmanship in 1981. He served out his final two terms as a vocal backbencher, including criticising his own party on a regular basis. He retired from politics in 1988.

Retirement

Toh Chin Chye spends his retirement days away from the public eye. The Straits Times featured Toh twice in 2005 and 2006 respectively, once on May 2, 2005 to pay his last respects to former president Wee Kim Wee. He was seen being assisted by two men and a walking stick as he walked. In February 2006, Toh was featured again in The Straits Times paying his last respects to the late former Deputy Prime Minister S. Rajaratnam at his home in Chancery Lane.

Toh was briefly back into the spotlight when he was mistaken for a culprit in a ‘hit and run’ accident by the English tabloid, The New Paper. He subsequently won a libel suit against the publishers.

Contributions

Toh is considered one of founding fathers of modern Singapore. Together with luminaries such as Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee and S. Rajaratnam , Toh was part of a group that led the tiny island nation through her most critical years, both laying the foundation and shaping the Singapore success story.