MR OTHMAN WOK (1924-2017)
Special Column, April/May Newsletter
October 1963 – June 1977
Mr Othman Wok, a pioneer
generation minister who helped laid the foundation for a multiracial Singapore,
died peacefully at the Singapore General Hospital at 12.21 pm on 17 April 2017.
He was 92. Mr Othman was one of the 10 Singapore signatories of the 1965
Separation Agreement and a key member of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's
Cabinet.
“He supported Mr Lee in the
fight for a multiracial and multi-religious Singapore, and became one of Mr
Lee's closest comrades,” the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. “The
Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues are sad to learn of the passing of Mr
Othman Wok and wish to convey their deepest condolences to his family.”
Singapore's political leaders
lauded Mr Othman as a champion for multiracialism, and a patron of sport and
social services. He was Singapore's first minister for social affairs from 1963
to 1977, and concurrently held the culture portfolio from 1965 to 1968. He was
ambassador to Indonesia from 1977 till 1981. He returned to Singapore and
retired from politics that year.
In a Facebook post yesterday,
President Tony Tan Keng Yam said Mr Othman made many significant contributions
to Singapore. “His passion and commitment in helping others, and his
impartiality and integrity in serving one and all, are traits that we remember
and admire in him,” Dr Tan said, adding that he and his wife Mary have lost a
dear friend.
“During Singapore's turbulent
years in Malaysia, Encik Othman came under great pressure, and even threats on
his life, for his convictions. But he stood firm, and that made all the
difference to Singapore,” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a Facebook
post.
Communications and Information
Minister Yaacob Ibrahim added that while Mr Othman made great contributions to
the Malay-Muslim community, he had also urged Singaporeans to “make the effort
to strengthen cross-cultural understanding, practise mutual respect, and come
together as one united people”. Mr Othman was “keenly aware that race and
religion could become major fault lines and conflicts could arise out of
suspicion, misunderstanding and prejudice,” Dr Yaacob said in a Facebook post.
In his eulogy during the
memorial service for Encik Othman, Mr Lee Hsien Loong stated how Mr Othman Wok
was not blinded by the wealth promised by the Malaysian Government for the
Muslim population in Singapore if they agreed to be a part of Malaysia.
“Othman did not hesitate.
He said yes immediately. That was a crucial decision. Singapore Malays would
overnight cease being part of the majority race and become a minority community
again. If Singapore Malays had not accepted that change, we could not have
built a multi-racial society. But it was because Malay Singaporeans and Malay PAP
leaders in 1965 embraced the nobler dream of a shared national identity,
“regardless of race, language or religion”, that we are able today to practise
in Singapore a form of non-communal politics, based on justice and equality,
that is unique in our region and rare in the world.”
Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong
Encik Othman, himself,
recounted how his posters were being smeared with faeces during the elections
period and the UMNO of Malaysia were calling Muslim PAP leaders kafirs or infidels. However, as the only
Muslim PAP Minister, he did not falter, and because of this, all the other PAP
MPs stood with the PAP even though there were threats to kill them.
Because of Encik Othman’s
contribution to Singapore, our country now enjoy the racial harmony today. Let
us build on Encik Othman and his team of pioneer leaders.
Thank you, Encik Othman Wok. May you rest in peace.
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