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Wong Lin Ken

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Wong.
Wong Lin Ken
黄麟根
Ambassador of Singapore to the United States
In office
7 April 1967 – December 1968
PresidentYusof Ishak
Prime MinisterLee Kuan Yew
Preceded byposition established
Succeeded byErnest Steven Monteiro
Minister for Home Affairs
In office
6 September 1970 – 15 September 1972
Prime MinisterLee Kuan Yew
Preceded byOng Pang Boon
Succeeded byEdmund W. Barker
Member of Parliament representing Alexandra Constituency
In office
6 May 1968 – 6 December 1976
Preceded byconstituency established
Succeeded byTan Soo Khoon
Personal details
Born1931
Penang, Straits Settlements
Died16 February 1983 (aged 51)
Singapore
NationalitySingaporean
SpouseLilli Wong
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Malaya
University of London

Wong Lin Ken (Chinese: 黄麟根; 1931 – 16 February 1983) was a Singaporean politician and historian. He served as the first Ambassador of Singapore to the United States. A member of the People's Action Party (PAP), Wong also served as the Minister for Home Affairs from 1970 to 1972 and the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Alexandra Constituency from 1968 to 1976.

Early life

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Wong was born in 1931 in Penang, which was then a part of the Straits Settlements. He attended St. George's Boys School in Balik Pulau and Penang Free School. He later won a Government Bursary to study at the University of Malaya and a Queen's Scholar to study at the University of London. In 1959, he got a doctorate in history.[1]

In 1953, Wong went on an expedition trip led by G. de G. Sieveking, including Emily Sadka, where they found masonry in Malay fortifications and the remains of an ancient Chinese trading ship.[2][3]

He worked as a senior lecturer in history at the University of Singapore, the chairman of the Adult Education Board, and the director of the External Affairs Bureau of the People's Action Party. Wong was a part of a five-man delegation led by then-Minister for Interior and Defense Goh Keng Swee that attended the 1966 U.N. General Assembly.[1]

Political career

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Wong made his political debut in 1964 at the 1964 Malaysian general election where he contested for Bukit Bintang as a People's Action Party (PAP) candidate against Tan Toh Hong of Alliance Party, Ishak Muhamad of Socialist Front, and Abdul Aziz Ismail of Malaysian Islamic Party.[4] He lost with only 31.12% of the vote.

In 1967, he was appointed the first Ambassador of Singapore to the United States[5] and ended in 1968, and by 1969, was back to working at the University of Singapore.[6]

During the 1968 general election, Wong contested for Member of Parliament (MP) of Alexandra Constituency and was elected unopposed.[7] In 1970, Wong was appointed the Minister for Home Affairs (MHA) and was sworn in by then-President Yusof Ishak.[8] In 1971, Wong announced the Central Narcotics Bureau, a department under the MHA.[9]

In the 1972 general election, Wong contested for MP of Alexandra Constituency again, against Wong Kui Yu from Workers' Party and S. A. Hamid from United National Front. He was elected with 77.52% of the vote.[10]

Death

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On 16 February 1983, Wong committed suicide by hanging in his bathroom after having heard a loud noise from his neighbour's house using a nylon cord. According to his wife, Lilli Wong, and his psychiatrist, Ho Eng Siong, he had been suffering from depression and entered a panicked reaction after the sudden loud noise.[11] He was cremated at Mount Vernon Columbarium and was survived by his wife and 3 children.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Scholar named S'pore's first envoy to the U.S." The Straits Times. 11 January 1967. p. 18. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  2. ^ "Ming from the river's mud". The Straits Times. 19 August 1953. p. 10. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  3. ^ "Secrets of an old fort bared". The Straits Budget. 24 September 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  4. ^ "The big battle is between Alliance and Front". The Straits Times. 11 April 1964. p. 5. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  5. ^ "Dr Wong off to become envoy to US". The Straits Budget. 22 March 1967. p. 5. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  6. ^ "Now a great mood of confidence: Prof. Wong". The Straits Times. 9 January 1969. p. 6. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  7. ^ "State of the constituencies". The Straits Times. 18 February 1968. p. 4. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  8. ^ "DR. WONG SWORN IN AS HOME MINISTER". The Straits Times. 5 September 1970. p. 6. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  9. ^ "Narcotics Bureau will be operational soon: Minister". The Straits Times. 1 November 1971. p. 11. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  10. ^ "Full list of candidates". The Straits Times. 24 August 1972. p. 9. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  11. ^ Chong, Elena (1 April 1983). "Professor Wong's death: It's suicide". The Straits Times. p. 1 – via NewspaperSG.
  12. ^ "Professor Wong cremated". The Straits Times. 21 February 1983. p. 9. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
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