Year 1951
Goh Chok Tong became Prime Minster
Wednesday, 28th November 1990
A new chapter opened in Singapore's modern history Goh Chok Tong became the second Prime Minster of Singapore when he took over the office from Lee Kuan Yew who resigned after having been Prime Minster since 1959.
COE Introduced
Tuesday, 1st May 1990
Certificates of Entitlement (COE) give Singaporeans the right to own a vehicle. In Singapore, anyone wishing to buy a car or motorcycle has to bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE). Only public buses, school buses and emergency vehicles are exempted from this scheme. A certain number of COEs would be released every month for bidding. Once successful and only when one owns a COE that registration of the vehicle could take effect. The vehicle entitlement is valid for only 10 years and is transferred with the ownership of the vehicle.
Hotel New World collapsed
Saturday, 15th March 1986
Disbelief was shared by Singaporeans when news broke out that a hotel had collapsed in Singapore. The six-storey Hotel New World at junction of Rangoon Road and Serangoon Road had collapsed. The tragedy claimed 33 lives.
Singapore Cable Car Tragedy
Saturday, 29th January 1983
Tragedy struck when the towering structure of a Panamanian-registered oil rig struck the cable of the Sentosa Cable Car and caused two cable cars to plunge into the sea. The disaster happened shortly after 6 pm when the oil rig, which was being towed away from Keppel Wharf, became entangled in the cable and caused it to snap. It also left thirteen people trapped in four other cable cars between Mount Faber and Sentosa. This accident was the first involving death or injury since the cable car system opened in 1974. A total of seven people died in the cable car tragedy.
Changi International Airport began operation
Wednesday, 1st July 1981
This day has a place in Singapore's history as the day Changi International Airport began operation as the island's principal airport. The towering 80-metre high Control Tower is iconic of the airport’s longstanding reputation as one of the best in the world. The Changi Airport replaces the old Paya Lebar Airport as the new Singapore International Airport (SIN).
The Spyros disaster
Thursday, 12th October 1978
An explosion occurred in the engine room of the Greek tanker Spyros, at Jurong shipyard. The SAF was asked to assist in evacuating the victims to the hospitals. Immediately, a task force of servicemen, ambulances and RSAF helicopters was mobilised to assist in the casualty evacuation operations. Apart from ferrying the injured by ambulances, the SAF also mobilised RSAF helicopters to ferry victims in critical condition to the Singapore General Hospital. The Spyros disaster which claimed the lives of 80 people and injured many others.
The Laju Hijacking
Thursday, 31st January 1974
The Shell Oil Refinery located on Pulau Bukom Besar, (an island lying south of Singapore) was attacked by four terrorists who were armed with submachine guns and explosives. The group comprised two Japanese from the Japanese Red Army (JRA) or 'Sekigun' and two Arabs from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The bloop attack on the refinery forces them to hijack the "Laju", a Ferry Boat, with five crew members as hostages. The terrorists started their bargaining. The terrorists agreed to release the crew of the ‘Laju’ in exchange for a party of 'Guarantors' . The team was led by Mr S.R. Nathan, then MINDEF’s Director of Security & Intelligence (now President of Singapore). The 12-men-team was made up of four SAF Commandos and eight other government officials. On 7 Feb 1974, arrangements were made to transfer the terrorists by boat from "Laju" to the Marine Police Headquarters and then by minibus to the airport. On 8 February 1974 at 0125 hours, the four
SIA Boeing 747 Has Landed
Monday, 3rd September 1973
Mr Yong Nyuk Lin, then Minister for Communications at the welcoming ceremony of the first two SIA-Boeing 747s at Paya Lebar Airport on Monday 3 September 1973 at 1600 hours. The two new Boeing 747 was be introduced in October 1973.
Robinson's Department Store Fire
Tuesday, 21st November 1972
Robinson's Department Store at Raffles Place was destroyed by fire. The flames razed through the 114-year-old store. Nine people (eight of them employees of the company) died in the blaze which started at 9:55 am from a short circuit on the first floor of the four-storey building. The eight were trapped in the lifts during the fire while the ninth victim died in the toilet on the second floor. Millions of consumer goods for Christmas went up in flames.
PAP Won 1972 General Election
Saturday, 2nd September 1972
The PAP wins the 1972 General Election. In this General Election, there were a total of 138 candidates (from six parties and two Independents) vying for 57 out of the 65 contested seats. The PAP won all 65 seats.
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