16A: The Political Dilemmas and Transformation of the Straits-born Chinese Community in the Era of Decolonisation

This chapter serves as an introduction to the chapter. It first shows the decisive defeat of the Progressive Party in the 1955 elections reflected in the unpreparedness of the Straits Chinese British Association (SCBA) for the turn from the conservative politics they were comfortable with, to the increasingly radical politics and violence after the 1955 elections. As a consequence, the 19^th and early 20^th century leadership that the forbearers of the SCBA provided has passed on to a new generation of “Peranakans” in the core leadership of the People’s Action Party that come into power in 1959.