CITATION BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR TAN BOON TEIK

• Citation: (1990) 2 SAcLJ 152
• Published date: 01 December 1990
• Date: 01 December 1990

Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the Prime Minister of Singapore, is an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore. Accordingly, he is a member of the Singapore Academy of Law.

He was born on September 16th, 1923 and had his early education at the Telok Kurau English School and thereafter, at Raffles Institution. After completing his basic education, he enrolled at Raffles College for his tertiary studies. Like many of his day, his studies were interrupted by the Japanese Occupation which left a deep and lasting impression on him and shaped his attitudes towards self-reliance for Singapore as a nation and the basic tenets of our nationhood.

Immediately after the war, Mr Lee proceeded to England to read law. He gained admission to Cambridge University where he chalked up a brilliant academic record, scoring a double first with a Star of Distinction in Part II of the Law Tripos. It was during this time that he began to take an active interest in politics; joining the Cambridge University Labour Club in 1946 and participating in various organisations concerned with the political affairs of Singapore and the then British Malaya.

Mr Lee was called to the English Bar in June 1950 by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple.

On Mr Lee’s return to Singapore and after admission as an advocate and solicitor here, and the Federation of Malaya, he practised law between 1951 and 1959, first as a member of an established firm of solicitors and, subsequently, as a partner in his own firm. His practice covered not only Singapore but also the then Federation of Malaya and British Borneo. He was renowned as an outstanding lawyer and a negotiator. During this time, his name appeared frequently in the law reports, recording his appearances in cases which contributed to the development of the law here and in Malaya.

Throughout this period, Mr Lee never faltered in his interest in politics and service of the people. In 1954 he founded the People’s Action Party and became its Secretary-General. In April 1955, he contested and won the seat of Tanjong Pagar in the then Legislative Assembly. In his law practice, during this time, he was particularly renowned for his representation of the interests of the trade unions.

In 1959, the People’s Action Party won the mandate of the people and

formed the first popularly-elected Government of Singapore and Mr Lee Kuan Yew became Singapore’s first Prime Minister. On that occasion, the Malayan Law Journal noted as follows1:

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