Quick Facts
Biography
Wong Lin Ken (Chinese: 黄麟根; 1931 – 16 February 1983) was a Singaporean politician and historian. He served as the first Ambassador of Singapore to the United States. A member of the People's Action Party (PAP), Wong also served as the Minister for Home Affairs from 1970 to 1972 and the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Alexandra Constituency from 1968 to 1976.
Early life
Wong was born in 1931 in Penang, which was then a part of the Straits Settlements. He attended St. George's Boys School in Balik Pulau and Penang Free School. He later won a Government Bursary to study at the University of Malaya and a Queen's Scholar to study at the University of London. In 1959, he got a doctorate in history.
In 1953, Wong went on an expedition trip led by G. de G. Sieveking, including Emily Sadka, where they found masonry in Malay fortifications and the remains of an ancient Chinese trading ship.
He worked as a senior lecturer in history at the University of Singapore, the chairman of the Adult Education Board, and the director of the External Affairs Bureau of the People's Action Party. Wong was a part of a five-man delegation led by then-Minister for Interior and Defense Goh Keng Swee that attended the 1966 U.N. General Assembly.
Political career
Wong made his political debut in 1964 at the 1964 Malaysian general election where he contested for Bukit Bintang as a People's Action Party (PAP) candidate against Tan Toh Hong of Alliance Party, Ishak Muhamad of Socialist Front, and Abdul Aziz Ismail of Malaysian Islamic Party. He lost with only 31.12% of the vote.
In 1967, he was appointed the first Ambassador of Singapore to the United States and ended in 1968, and by 1969, was back to working at the University of Singapore.
During the 1968 general election, Wong contested for Member of Parliament (MP) of Alexandra Constituency and was elected unopposed. In 1970, Wong was appointed the Minister for Home Affairs (MHA) and was sworn in by then-President Yusof Ishak. In 1971, Wong announced the Central Narcotics Bureau, a department under the MHA.
In the 1972 general election, Wong contested for MP of Alexandra Constituency again, against Wong Kui Yu from Workers' Party and S. A. Hamid from United National Front. He was elected with 77.52% of the vote.
Death
On 16 February 1983, Wong committed suicide by hanging using a nylon cord in his bathroom after having heard a loud noise from his neighbour's house. According to his wife, Lilli Wong, and his psychiatrist, Ho Eng Siong, he had been suffering from depression and entered a panicked reaction after the sudden loud noise. He was cremated at Mount Vernon Columbarium and was survived by his wife and 3 children.
