Then and Now

As a party in the Opposition, the PAP campaigned and fought for certain principles. These principles were declared in its Mass Rally at the Victoria Memorial Hall on 30 January 1955, and also in its 1955 election campaign. The Rally called for five resolutions, namely:

i. that the supreme authority of the govenrment should be vested in the people’s elected representatives and not the Governor.

ii. that the present regulations under the Emergency Ordinance which prohibited the freedom of speech, expression, assembly of association, be removed so as to achieve democracy

iii. that there should be a multilingual Assembly to reflect the multi-racial composition of the people,

iv. that the provisions in the Labour Ordinance which prohibited the setting up of political funds by unions be repealed as this is undemocractic

v. that the REndel Commission’s provision recognising the extra-territorial rights of the British military forces in Singapore be repealed as it is an infringement of sovereignty

vi. merger with Malaysia

vii. the scrapping of National Service (it argued that only a fully-elected Assembly has the right to introduce conscription

viii. legislating a Workers’ Charter to give more rights to workers

IX. free education for all children below 16 years

X. the necessity to build low cost housing and clear the many slum areas