1979 in Singapore

none March 2020 September 2020 1979 The following lists events that happened during 1979 in Singapore. Incumbents President: Benjamin Henry Sheares Prime Minister: Lee Kuan Yew Events January 6 January – Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew who was also Secretary-General of the PAP, announced that six PAP MPs will be stepping down to pave way for fresh talents. The six PAP MPs stepping down are namely Ng Yeow Chong of Mountbatten Constituency, Yong Nyuk Lin of Geylang West Constituency, Ahmad Haleem of Telok Blangah Constituency, Teong Eng Siong of Sembawang Constituency, Ivan Baptist of Potong Pasir Constituency and Ong Soo Chuan of Nee Soon Constituency.7 January 1979 SIX MPs TO STEP DOWN https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19790107-1.2.2?qt=%22yong%20nyuk%20lin%22,%20resign&q=%22Yong%20Nyuk%20Lin%22%20%22resign%22 12 February 2026 NewspaperSG 11 January – The Singapore Refining Company is formed by three oil companies, namely Singapore Petroleum Company, Chevron and BP.Singapore refining companies https://www.sgprocessindustries.com/companies/singapore-refining-company-private-limited SG process industry 23 August 2019 19 January – Three PAP MPs, namely Ahmad Haleem of Telok Blangah Constituency, Ivan Baptist of Potong Pasir Constituency and Ng Yeow Chong of Mountbatten Constituency submitted their resignation letters to Deputy Speaker Tang See Chim, effectively resigning from their seats in parliament.20 January 1979 Three MPs resign https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19790120-1.2.66?qt=%22ahmad%20haleem%22&q=%22Ahmad%20Haleem%22 12 February 2026 NewspaperSG 24 January – The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is formed, playing its first concert.http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_853_2005-01-11.html Singapore Symphony Orchestra Singapore Infomedia Jan Yap National Library Board Singapore February 10 February – By-elections are held in seven constituencies. This was the largest by-election by combined electorate to have ever taken place in post-independence Singapore.ELD 1979 Parliamentary By-election Results https://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_by1979.html 2026-02-12 www.eld.gov.sg April 1 April – The Vocational and Industrial Training Board is formed from a merger between the Industrial Training Board (ITB) and the Adult Education Board (AEB). The Board handles vocational and industrial training until the formation of Institute of Technical Education in 1992.Vocational and Industrial Training Board (VITB) http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2018-10-09_155142.html NLB 13 September 2019 16 April – Plans for Raffles City, a future mixed-use development, are unveiled with a model shown to the public. The development will include a mall, an office block and 3 hotel towers; with one standing at about 200 metres high. Costing about S$600m, the development was targeted for completion in 1983, but it only opened in 1986.The $600m Raffles City http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19790417-1.2.2 The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB) 23 August 2019 17 April 1979 20 April – Mitsukoshi Garden is officially opened in Jurong.You can now visit Mitsukoshi Garden http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/biztimes19790421-1.2.60.3 The Business Times (retrieved from NLB) 8 August 2019 21 April 1979 30 April – The government acquired land of the Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Teng Cemetery and plans to redeveloped it into the Bishan New Town.Wee Paul 30 April 1979 Govt acquires site for housing scheme to link Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio estates https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19790430-1.2.47 21 June 2025 NewspaperSG June 1 June – The first National Courtesy Campaign is launched.Launch of first National Courtesy Campaign http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/a3e3d448-4dff-4dea-9d68-62f8f3822ce0 NLB 15 July 2019 27 June – Sentosa Development Corporation announced a new monorail system that will replace double-decker buses, as well as a new 10-storey luxury hotel on Fort Siloso.Monorail for Sentosa http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newnation19790628-1.2.2 New Nation (retrieved from NLB) 18 August 2019 28 June 1979 July 1 July – The four-digit postal code system takes effect, replacing the previous system used since 1950.New post code to subdivide districts https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19790426-1.2.42 8 October 2019 The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB) 26 April 1979 The system, first announced on 25 April, will help in automating mail sorting processes.New postal code system from July 1 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19790503-1.2.58 8 October 2019 The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB) 3 May 1979 30 July – The Ulu Pandan Incineration Plant is officially opened, making it Singapore's first incineration plant.Singapore's first waste-to-energy plant shuts down https://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20090811-160446.html Asiaone 20 July 2019 September 7 September – The first Speak Mandarin Campaign is launched to encourage Chinese Singaporeans to speak Mandarin instead of dialects.Speak Mandarin Campaign is launched http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/0daaa112-a100-4bbf-8907-8ea4472c26c3 NLB 16 July 2019 October 15 October – The first automated teller machine (ATM) in Singapore is launched.Instant cash' through an automatic teller http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19800210-1.2.93.4 The Straits Times 22 July 2019 10 February 1980 20 October – The first McDonald's outlet opened in Liat Towers.Fast-food chains http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1037_2008-12-03.html NLB 22 July 2019 Date unknown Singapore becomes the world's second busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage. Births 13 February – Jesseca Liu, actress. 2 May – Joscelin Yeo, former national swimmer.Joscelin Yeo Wei Ling http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1485_2009-03-10.html NLB 29 October 2019 26 June – Alaric Tay, actor. 28 June – Jeanette Aw, actress. 30 June – Rosanne Wong, former singer and 2R member. 10 July – Sun Xueling, politician. 25 November – Chua En Lai, actor. 25 December – Celest Chong, actress and former singer. Deaths 6 January – Yap Pheng Geck, prominent banker, businessman, civic leader and former Singapore Alliance Party candidate for River Valley Constituency in the 1963 General Election (b. 1901).7 January 1979 Yap Pheng Geck dies at 78 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newnation19790107-1.2.6?qt=%22yap%20pheng%20geck%22&q=%20%22Yap%20Pheng%20Geck%22 19 July 2026 NewspaperSG 6 March – Wee Swee Hong, former Liberal Socialist Party city councillor for Aljunied Constituency (b. 1897).8 March 1979 Obituary https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19790308-1.2.112.2.2?qt=%22wee%20swee%20hong%22&q=%22Wee%20Swee%20Hong%22 23 August 2026 NewspaperSG 27 April – Shariff Dol, film actor (b. 1926).29 April 1979 Seniman Shariff Dol meninggal https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian19790429-1.2.34?qt=%22shariff%20dol%22&q=%22Shariff%20Dol%22 12 February 2026 NewspaperSG 13 August – Hassan Ali Jivabhai, former city councillor for City Constituency (b. 1910).14 August 1979 Obituary https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19790814-1.2.126?qt=%22hasan%20ali%20jivabhai%22&q=%22Hasan%20Ali%20Jivabhai%22 10 July 2026 NewspaperSG 2 September – Checha Davies, social worker and women's rights activist (b. 1898).Checha Davies http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1445_2009-02-19.html NLB 12 November 2019 3 September – Lim Cheng Hoe, pioneering watercolourist (b. 1912).Lim Cheng Hoe http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2014-01-23_125426.html NLB 29 October 2019 2 November – Jah Lelawati, Bangsawan actress and writer (b. 1937).Jah Lelawati http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1130_2006-04-05.html NLB 29 October 2019 2 December – Low Guan Onn, joint managing director of Jurong Shipyard and former PAP Member of Parliament for River Valley Constituency (b. 1915).https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19791203-1.2.9?qt=%22jurong%20shipyard%20boss%20low%20guan%20onn%20dies%22&q=%22Jurong%20Shipyard%20boss%20Low%20Guan%20Onn%20dies%22 Jurong Shipyard boss Low Guan Onn dies 3 December 1979 2 December 2025 NewspaperSG References 1979 Singapore Category:Years in Singapore