Chia Thye Poh

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Chia Thye Poh (Traditional Chinese: 謝太寶, Simplified Chinese: 谢太宝, b. ?1941) was the longest-serving political prisoner in Singapore. Detained under the Internal Security Act of Singapore, he was imprisoned for 23 years without trial and subsequently placed under house arrest for another 9 years when he was confined to the island of Sentosa.

Chia was a former member of the now defunct political party Barisan Sosialis and a former Member of Parliament of Jurong Constituency. In October 1966, Chia, together with eight other Members of Parliament from the Barisan Sosialis, boycotted the Parliament. This was part of the Barisan's strategy to protest "undemocratic acts" of the Government, by carrying their struggle against the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) outside of Parliament.

In the same year, Chia Thye Poh led a demonstration of supporters to the Parliament House and handed a letter to the Clerk of Parliament, demanding a General Election, the release of all political detainees, and the revocation of all "undemocratic" laws.

Shortly after his resignation from Parliament, Chia and 22 other Barisan Sosialis leaders were arrested under the Internal Security Act. The official statement released by the Government stated that Barisan's attempt to rouse a mass struggle outside of parliament was prejudicial against the stability of Singapore. This round of purges was the second one conducted by the Government after Operation Coldstore.

The other detainees were released eventually after they each signed a document promising to renounce violence and sever ties with the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM). However, Chia refused as he felt that signing this document would imply that he was affiliated with the CPM and had intention to cause instability in Singapore. Thus, Chia Thye Poh became the second longest serving political prisoner in the world, after Nelson Mandela.

In 1989, Chia was released from 23 years of imprisonment without trial on the mainland, and confined to a one-room guardhouse on Sentosa and made to pay the rent, on the pretext that he was now a "free" man. Chia was also made to purchase and prepare his own food. As he had no money, he was offered a job as assistant curator of Fort Siloso, but he turned down the offer.

In 1992, Chia was allowed to return to the mainland, but was still placed under restrictions on travel, activities and associations. In 1998, all remaining restrictions were finally lifted. [1]