Event Details: CHANGING WORLDS #3

Topic: Operation Cold Store – Remembering 2 February 1963
Speaker: Dr Lim Hock Siew
Date: Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Time: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Venue: 22 Marshall Road, Singapore 424858

About the Speaker:
Dr Lim Hock Siew, a youthful physician and a prominent Central Committee Member of Barisan Sosialis, found himself swept into the pages of history during Operation Cold Store on 2 February 1963. Alongside more than 120 others, he faced arrest and an indefinite period of imprisonment without trial. For the ensuing two decades, Dr Lim endured the confines of various prisons, steadfast in his convictions. His release, albeit with limitations, finally materialized on 7 September 1982.

Returning to his vocation, Dr Lim resumed his role at the Rakyat Clinic on Balestier Road – an institution he had established before the events that changed his life. Unwavering in his socialist ideals, he continues his medical practice to the present day, operating from Rakyat Clinic. A unique aspect of his approach is his practice of charging patients based on their financial capacity, reflecting his commitment to equitable healthcare access.

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Topic: Reflections on My Arrest and Detention under the ISA in 1976
Speaker: Dr Poh Soo Kai
Date: Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Time: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Venue: 22 Marshall Road, Singapore 424858

About the Speaker:
Dr Poh Soo Kai, a medical doctor by profession, embarked on a distinctive path in his career. In 1961, while serving as an intern at Kandang Kerbau Maternity Hospital, he was granted a coveted post-graduate scholarship in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the UK. However, driven by his commitment to politics, he chose to relinquish this career-advancing opportunity and resigned from government service. Together with Dr Lim Hock Siew, he established Rakyat Clinic on Balestier Road.

On a significant date, 2 February 1963, Dr Poh found himself and over 150 other members of Barisan Sosialis, alongside trade unionists, apprehended under the Preservation of Public Security Ordinance. During this period, he held the position of Vice Secretary within Barisan Sosialis. Following his release on 13 December 1973, he reunited with Dr. Abu Bakar at Rakyat Clinic. However, history repeated itself when he was once again arrested on 4 June 1976, marking the start of another period of confinement. His eventual release came on 26 August 1982, thus summing up a total of 17 years spent enduring imprisonment without trial.

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Topic: The Future of Governance in Singapore
Speaker: Father James (Jim) Minchin
Date: Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Time: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Venue: 22 Marshall Road, Singapore 424858

About the Speaker:
Father Jim Minchin, an Anglican priest based in Melbourne’s St Kilda, has a profound commitment to social reform. During his tenure from 1968 to 1971, he played a pivotal role in Singapore’s landscape, serving at Our Saviour’s Church in Alexandra, where he initiated an inter-church community project in Bukit Ho Swee. Additionally, he undertook responsibilities in university and hospital chaplaincy. Reflecting on his time in both Singapore and West Malaysia, he regards these experiences as transformative and cherishes the enduring friendships forged over the past 43 years. The Student Christian Movement (SCM) played an integral role in his university journey across Melbourne, Oxford, and Southeast Asia. Beyond his spiritual role, Father Minchin is also a skilled musician and composer. Even after reluctantly departing Singapore in 1971, his fascination with the island remained unwavering, leading to frequent return visits and dedicated research. This research culminated in his book titled “No Man Is an Island,” a comprehensive study and portrait of Singapore’s esteemed leader, Lee Kuan Yew.

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