Quest for Political Power

About the Book

The history of communism in Malaya (including Singapore) almost coincided with the rise and fall of communism worldwide, best epitomized in Europe by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Operating through the Malayan Communist Party, communism posed an existential threat to Malaya. While the communist threat in peninsular Malaya was manifested dramatically in armed struggle with guerrillas in the jungle, in Singapore it was primarily in the form of united front subversive activities, interspersed with episodes of violence and assassinations.


This new book examines the MCP’s quest for political power in Singapore in the midst of a raging Cold War between communism and the free world, with particular focus on events in the 1950s and 1960s. From its close collaboration with the two leading communist great powers (USSR and China) to its united front strategy of infiltrating student, trade union and political organizations, the MCP’s activities are related here in a clear and engaging manner. 


About the Author

Bilveer Singh teaches at the Department of Political Science, National University of Singapore. His research focuses on Singapore’s politics, foreign affairs and defence, as well on Southeast Asian security affairs. He has published more than 45 books and monographs, nearly 50 journal articles and actively participated in national, regional and international academic conferences. Professor Singh was formerly Head of the Centre of Excellence for National Security, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, and is currently President of the Political Science Association, Singapore.