1963 in Singapore
The following lists events that happened during 1963 in Singapore.
- Singapore was a 14th State of Malaysia beginning 16 September 1963.
Incumbents
Events
January
- 6 January – The OG factory is officially opened.
- 20 January – Confrontation was announced.
February
- 2 February – Operation Coldstore was mounted to stop communist influence, resulting in 113 people being arrested.
- 15 February – The first TV station was launched on Channel 5. Regular television transmissions only started from 2 April.
March
- 13 March – The Civilian War Memorial will be built at Beach Road.
April
- 22 April – City Hall riot.
May
- 1 May – The Public Utilities Board is formed to manage electricity, water and gas.
- 25 May – The Ngee Ann College is officially opened, changing name from Ngee Ann Technical College and finally present-day Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
June
- 16 June – The first tree in Singapore is planted in Farrer Circus by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, which is a mempat tree.
July
- 9 July – The 20-point agreement, submitted by North Borneo, was signed by the UK government and representatives of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore in the run-up to the creation of the Federation of Malaysia.
- 12 July - Pulau Senang prison riot.
August
- 8 August – The National Theatre is opened.
- 25 August – A rally was held in City Hall.
- 28 August – A report to improve education was released.
- 31 August – Singapore declared its independence from the United Kingdom, with Yusof bin Ishak as the head of state and Lee Kuan Yew as prime minister; sixteen days later, Singapore would join the Federation of Malaysia, but would declare independence again on 9 August 1965. On the same day, the 1963 State Constitution is adopted.
September
- 7 September – City Developments Limited is formed as a property group.
- 16 September – Malaysia is formed from Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore.
- 21 September – The PAP wins the 1963 State Elections, defeating the Barisan Sosialis and UMNO.
November
- 13 November – The Singapore Association of Trade Unions is refused registration for being prejudicial to Singapore's national security, leading to its eventual dissolution.
- 23 November – Channel 8 is launched as Singapore's second TV channel.
Births
- 12 April – Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.
- 16 April – Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Health.
- 20 September – Ivan Heng, Stage actor, director, founder of W!LD RICE.
- Koh Buck Song – Writer, journalist.
- Heng Siok Tian – Art educator.
- Yang Lina - Actress.
Deaths
- 14 February – Lim Hak Tai, pioneer artist and art educator.
- 18 August – Carl Alexander Gibson-Hill, last British director of Raffles Museum .
- 20 October – Hugh Zehnder, lawyer and prominent leader of the Eurasian community.
- Haji Ambo Sooloh, Malay businessman of Bugis descent.