PICTURES

Former Old Guard Minister Chua Sian Chin dies

Former Health Minister Mr Chua Sian Chin speaking at a Family Planning seminar on Sept 18, 1973. -- ST FILE PHOTO: CHEW BOON CHIN

Mr Chua Sian Chin, (centre), taking the oath of allegiance at the first meeting of the newly-elected all-PAP Parliament on May 6, 1968. -- ST FILE PHOTO: WAN SENG YIP

Mr Chua Sian Chin (centre), Former Minister of Health, at the Singapore Technical Institute in Circuit Road, for its graduation and presentation ceremony on Oct 26, 1972. -- ST FILE PHOTO: MAHFUTZ MATTAR

Former Minister for Health and Home Affairs, Mr Chua Sian Chin (right) at the opening of the Coronary Care Unit at Outram Hospital on Nov 30, 1973. -- ST FILE PHOTO: FRANCIS ONG PUAY GUAN

Former Minister for Home Affairs and Education, Mr Chua Sian Chin opening the Woodlands immigration checkpoint on Dec 19, 1977. -- ST FILE PHOTO: TAN SUAN ANN

Mr Chua Sian Chin (third, right) sharing some moments with the students at the Science Fair in Temasek Junior College on Sept 1, 1978. -- ST FILE PHOTO: WAN SENG YIP

Former Prime Minister and Mrs Goh Chok Tong chatting with Othman Haron Eusofe (left) and Chua Sian Chin (second, left) at the Westin Stamford Hotel reception after the swearing-in ceremony on Nov 28, 1990. -- ST FILE PHOTO: WAN SENG YIP

Mr Chua Sian Chin (in tie), former Home Affairs Minister at the official opening of the $2.6 million Tanglin Police Station at Napier Road on June 3, 1981. -- ST FILE PHOTO: CHEW YEN FOOK

PAP candidates on Nomination Day, Dec 13, 1976. From left: Mr P Selvadurai (partly hidden) (Kuo Chuan), Mr Chua Sian Chin (Macpherson), Mr Ong Teng Cheong (Kim Keat) and Mr Ho See Beng (Khe Bong). -- ST FILE PHOTO: FRANCIS ONG

Mr Chua Sian Chin, Former Minister for Health and Home Affairs, speaking at the inaugural meeting of the committee at the Police Headquarters in Pearls Hill on Aug 2, 1974. -- ST FILE PHOTO: MAHFUTZ MATTAR

Former Minister of Home Affairs and Education, Mr Chua Sian Chin, speaking at the inaugural meeting of the National Road Safety Campaign Committee at the Conference Hall on April 23, 1977. -- ST FILE PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER LOH NJ

Tham Yuen-C

Senior Political Correspondent

Updated

Published

Feb 27, 2014, 02:24 PM

Former Cabinet Minister Chua Sian Chin, a member of Singapore's first generation of leaders, died on Wednesday of heart failure.

He was 81. Mr Chua had suffered from dementia since the late 1990s.

First elected in 1968, he was immediately made health minister, making him the youngest Cabinet minister then at 34.

He went on to spend 27 years in politics, and also held ministerial portfolios in Education and Home Affairs.

As Home Affairs Minister, he was associated with several landmark changes, including the crackdown on secret society activities and the drug problem. He was also involved in the setting up of grassroots organisations.

One of his first projects then was the "Keep Singapore Clean" campaign, which he launched in 1968. At his retirement in 1991, he told The Straits Times that it was his most important contribution to Singapore.

When he stepped down, he was one of only two members of the Old Guard, apart from then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew, still in politics at that time.

Last year, his son, Mr Chua Eng Leong, 43, was appointed by the People's Action Party as its branch chairman for the Eunos ward in Aljunied GRC.

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