1978 in Singapore

Incumbents

• President: Benjamin Henry Sheares
• Prime Minister: Lee Kuan Yew

Events

April

• 25 April – Police national serviceman Lee Kim Lai was murdered for his revolver by Ong Chin Hock, Yeo Ching Boon and Ong Hwee Kuan. En route to kidnapping him from his sentry post at Mount Vernon, they also killed the taxi driver, Chew Theng Hin.

October

• 12 October – The Spyros disaster occurred at Jurong Shipyard, resulting in 76 fatalities.

November

• 10–11 November – Floods occurred in Singapore, leaving 2 fatalities.
• 12–14 November – Then Senior Vice-Premier of the People's Republic of China Deng Xiaoping visits Singapore, setting the foundation for China–Singapore relations before being formally established on 3 October 1990. The governments discussed regional security and Deng visited the HDB.

December

• 2–3 December – Another flood hit Singapore after about of rain fell in just 24 hours, causing 7 fatalities.
• 6–10 December – Evangelist Billy Graham visits Singapore for a crusade.

Births

• 13 February – Desmond Choo, politician.
• 23 July – Stefanie Sun, singer.
• 24 September – Jean Danker, radio DJ.
• 4 October – Amrin Amin, politician.
• 3 November – Shaun Chen, actor.

Deaths

• 27 February – Tan Teck Neo, philanthropist and socialite.
• 26 March – Chan Hock Wah, political detainee.
• 16 April – Abdul Hamid Jumat, former Deputy Chief Minister of Singapore.
• 23 April – Teo Soon Kim, first woman admitted to the Straits Settlements bar.
• 4 June – Perumal Govindaswamy, MP for Anson Constituency.
• 1 July – Lee Teck Him, former legislative assemblyman for Tiong Bahru Constituency.
• 13 December – Thio Chan Bee, educationist and politician.