Jek Yeun Thong ( zh, s=易润堂, p=Yì Rùntáng; 29 July 1930 – 3 June 2018) was a Singaporean politician who served as Minister for Science and Technology between 1976 and 1977, Minister for Culture between 1968 and 1977 and Minister for Labour between 1963 and 1968.
Political career
In 1955, Jek's foray into politics began when he assisted the
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party (abbreviation: PAP) is a major conservative centre-right political party in Singapore and is one of the three contemporary political parties represented in Parliament, alongside the opposition Workers' Party (WP) and ...
Internal Security Act Internal Security Act may refer to:
* Internal Security Act 1960, former Malaysian law
*Internal Security Act (Singapore)
* McCarran Internal Security Act, a United States federal law
*Suppression of Communism Act, 1950, a South African law, rename ...
by
Lim Yew Hock
Lim Yew Hock ( zh, c=林有福, p=Lín Yǒufú; 15 October 1914 – 30 November 1984) was a MalaysianPeople's Association (PA), he also served as Minister of Culture for 12 years between 1968 and 1978.
Additionally, he also served as Minister for Science and Technology between 1976 and 1977. He is credited for being one of the 10 ministers who signed the Independence of Singapore Agreement in 1965.
Together with
Lee Khoon Choy
Lee Khoon Choy ( zh, c=李炯才, p=Lǐ Jǐongcái 24 January 1924 – 27 February 2016) was a Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party, he was the Member of Parliament for Braddell Heights SMC between 1977 a ...
, Jek was appointed as the government representatives on the Joint-Government-University Liaison Committee in 1960 to reform
Nanyang University
Nanyang University (, also known as Nantah (), was a university in Singapore between 1956 and 1980. During its existence, it was Singapore's only private university in the Chinese language. In 1980, Nanyang University was merged with the Univer ...
.
Jek was considered as one of the ' Old Guard'—the first generation of leaders of independent Singapore.
One of his final major public appearances was at the National Day Parade of 2015 in remembrance of Lee Kuan Yew.
Death
Jek died at home at the age of 87 on 3 June 2018. A private wake and funeral was held in accordance with his wishes. As a mark of respect, the government ordered the state flag on all government buildings to be flown at
half-mast
Half-mast or half-staff (American English) refers to a flag flying below the summit of a ship mast, a pole on land, or a pole on a building. In many countries this is seen as a symbol of respect, mourning, distress, or, in some cases, a salut ...