The 1911 Singapore Chinese Protests: Opium and Empire

In this episode of The Story of Malaysia, Lucas and Luna explore the 1911 Chinese Protests in Singapore, a remarkable moment when the Straits Chinese community turned against the very opium revenue farm that had enriched their leaders for decades. We follow the story of Dr. Lim Boon Keng, a Cambridge-educated physician who led medical delegations and founded the Anti-Opium Society, and his ally Dr. Wu Lien-teh, fresh from battling the Manchurian plague. The protests culminated in a 1911 mass rally at the Tong Chai Medical Hall, drawing thousands to demand an end to the colony's opium monopoly. We examine how the opium question intersected with the rise of Chinese nationalism after the fall of the Qing dynasty, and how colonial authorities like Governor Sir John Anderson responded to a rare display of Chinese civic action. The episode also touches on the role of secret societies, the 1906 prohibition of opium sale to the young, and the economic weight of the revenue farm system that funded the entire Straits Settlements administration. A focused, nuanced look at a pivotal crack in colonial governance.

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