1971 in Singapore

none February 2020 September 2020 1971 The following lists events that happened during 1971 in Singapore. Incumbents President: Yeoh Ghim Seng (Acting) (23 November 1970 to 2 January), Benjamin Henry Sheares (starting 2 January) Prime Minister: Lee Kuan Yew Events January 1 January – The Monetary Authority of Singapore was established to regulate the financial sector and as Singapore's central bank.Establishment of the Monetary Authority of Singapore http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/c7b1b413-f920-4df7-bc0d-c91ebccb3640 NLB 20 July 2019 2 January – Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares becomes the second President of Singapore.Benjamin Sheares becomes second president of Singapore http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/23ca43f2-4dea-4789-bc8f-71ae1f80bb36 NLB 20 July 2019 3 January – Jurong Bird Park opens to the public.http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19710104-1.2.12.aspx Dr. Goh Opens Park 4 January 1971 The Straits Times 1 1 June 2016 NewspaperSG 14–22 January - Singapore hosts the 18th Conference of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. 29 January – The Preservation of Monuments Board was established to identify and safeguard buildings of great historical value and recommend as national monuments.Preservation of Monuments Board is established http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/a3be461e-c6a1-4fe0-8740-f7ec29baa8ef NLB 20 July 2019 February 1 February – The National Sports Promotion Board is formed to promote and develop sports in Singapore.National Sports Promotion Board is established http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/a2ef2716-be8a-43ee-a442-275a3840baa1 NLB 21 July 2019 March 15 March – The Staff Training Institute (now the Civil Service College) is established to train civil servants.Staff Training Institute (Civil Service College) opens http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/bb09d69e-cbe5-4927-a57d-9418b677f705 NLB 21 July 2019 April 15–16 April – Singapore, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand sign the Five Power Defence Arrangements. The agreement comes into effect on 1 November the same year.The Five Power Defence Arrangement comes into force http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/39e900b6-73cb-4a4e-a3fb-19c44fe3fff6#1 NLB 20 July 2019 23 April – The Shangri-La Hotel Singapore is opened. The first Concept Plan is unveiled, which proposes a 'Ring Plan'.Singapore's first concept plan is completed http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/c4c0b6bf-d674-4851-a3d4-fcc0b9d785d2#7 NLB 21 July 2019 May 11 May – Local newspapers Eastern Sun and the Singapore Herald were accused by then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of having been involved in "black operations".Cheng Tong Yap 17 May 1971 Walk-out at the Sun https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19710517-1.2.4 26 October 2023 The Straits Times 1 NewspaperSG They later shut down on 18 May and 28 May respectively.29 May 1971 Opposition Paper in Singapore Is Closed on Government Order https://www.nytimes.com/1971/05/29/archives/opposition-paper-in-singapore-is-closed-on-government-order.html The New York Times 5 July 14 July – The Jurong Drive-in Cinema is opened as Singapore's first and only open-air drive-in cinema. The cinema operated for 15 years until its closure on 30 September 1985.Opening of Jurong Drive-in Cinema http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/482fc3cc-4100-45e9-a605-c10d35891d63 NLB 21 July 2019 30 July – Singapore's first sex reassignment surgery is performed on a 24-year-old who becomes a woman after the surgery, led by Dr S. S. Ratnam. The surgery is declared a success.First sex reassignment surgery http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1828_2011-08-04.html NLB 4 September 2019 October 23 October – The Sentosa Satellite Earth Station is officially launched, making it Singapore's first Satellite Earth Station.Connecting Singapore to the World - From Submarine Cables To Satellite Earth Stations http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/policy_history/connecting-singapore-to-the-world NAS 24 July 2019 31 October – The last British military forces withdraws from Singapore.Ceremonial parades for British military withdrawal are held http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/cd518428-b93b-448a-9ac8-a6781137ddab NLB 20 July 2019 November 2 November – The Central Narcotics Bureau is set up to tackle the problem of drugs in Singapore. 7 November – The first Tree Planting Day is launched by Dr Goh Keng Swee in Mount Faber.Tree Planting Day http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_565_2004-12-29.html NLB 12 September 2019 December 1 December – The Singapore Traction Company ceases operations. 2 December – The Clean Air Act is passed to deal with pollution caused by early industrialisation.Clean Air Act of 1971 http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2014-04-07_110024.html NLB 5 August 2019 29 December – The Gold Bars triple murders saw a gold merchant and his two employees robbed and killed by a group of 10 men. Seven of the 10 men were sentenced to death for the crime; the remaining three were indefinitely detained for lengthy periods before their release.Gold Bar Murders http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1753_2011-02-14.html NLB 20 July 2019 Date unknown Tower 1 of Mandarin Orchard Singapore is opened. Births 27 January – Fann Wong, actress. 30 January – Bryan Wong, actor. 23 July – Christopher Lee, Malaysia-born Singaporean actor. 29 July – Selena Tan, producer, director, writer and actress. 13 October – Chia Shi-Lu, medical practitioner and former politician. 1 December – Patrick Tay, politician and lawyer. Daren Shiau, writer, lawyer, and environmental activist.Daren Shiau http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1244_2008-04-27.html NLB 12 November 2019 Deaths 7 February – Chen Yoh Shoo, former Chairman of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (b. 1900).8 February 1971 Community leader dies at 72 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19710208-1.2.19?qt=%22community%20leader%22,%20dies&q=%22Community%20leader%22%20%22dies%22 30 June 2025 The Straits Times 5 16 May – Pang Choon Jin, former civil servant and one of the early pioneers of the Buddhist Union in Singapore (b. 1908).18 May 1971 Buddhist Union man dies at 63 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newnation19710518-1.2.16?qt=buddhist,%20dies&q=%22Buddhist%22%20%22dies%22 17 February 2026 NewspaperSG 25 June – Goh Chew Chua, former Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and former PAP legislative assemblyman for Punggol–Tampines Constituency and Tampines Constituency (b. 1897).26 June 1971 Goh Chew Chua dies at the age of 78 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19710626-1.2.15?qt=%22goh%20chew%20chua%22&q=%22Goh%20Chew%20Chua%22 6 April 2024 NewspaperSG 22 August – Aw Cheng Chye, millionaire, businessman, company director and philanthropist (b. 1924).27 August 1971 拿督胡淸才博士逝世 體育界與宗敎團體 咸認係社會大損失 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/scjp19710827-1.2.18.14?qt=%22%E8%83%A1%20%E6%B8%85%20%E6%89%8D%22&q=%E2%80%9C%E8%83%A1%E6%B8%85%E6%89%8D%E2%80%9D 30 June 2025 NewspaperSG 21 September – Tan Chor Lam, businessman and 1st Chairman of the Nanyang Branch of the Tongmenghui (b. 1884).Tan Chor Lam https://reference.nlb.gov.sg/guides/singapore/people/tan-chor-lam/ 2024-04-06 reference.nlb.gov.sg en23 September 1971 陳楚楠老先生逝世定廿六日舉行出殯 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/nysp19710923-1.2.38.3 30 June 2025 Nanyang Siang Pau 15 15 October – Syed Mohamed Alkaff, former President of the Arab Association of Singapore and leader of the Alkaff family (b. 1902).17 October 1971 Dato Syed Alkaff dies of heart attack at 69 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19711017-1.2.51?qt=former,%20singapore,%20dies&q=%22former%22%20%22Singapore%22%20%22dies%22 9 July 2026 NewspaperSG References 1971 Singapore Category:Years in Singapore