T. T. Rajah
Thampore Thamby Rajah (28 December 1919 – 13 March 1996), better known as T. T. Rajah, was a Singaporean politician and lawyer. He was a founding member of the People's Action Party and briefly became its second secretary-general in August 1957. He resigned the post in September 1957 and later joined the Barisan Sosialis in 1961. Early life. Rajah was born in British Ceylon on 28 December 1919. Prior to his arrival in Singapore, he lived in British Malaya for more than 20 years, gaining Singapore citizenship on 1 November 1957. Career. Politics. Rajah became a  member of the People's Action Party's (PAP) fourth central executive committee (CEC) following the party conference on 4 August 1957. Shocked at losing half the seats in the CEC, several moderate members of the PAP led by Lee Kuan Yew refused to take office. Rajah's appeals for Lee to remain in his post failed. On 13 August, Rajah became secretary-general, saying "they [he and his allies] had no choice but to hold positions". Alarmed by the leftist takeover, the Lim Yew Hock government arrested Rajah's leftist allies on 22 August but spared him. Rajah resigned  as secretary-general "on health grounds" on 3 September, having been in his post for only 21 days. He left the party on 11 October citing differences with Lee and accusing the latter of running a "one-man show". In 1961, he joined the Barisan Sosialis founded by breakaway leftist members of the PAP, becoming its legal advisor. Law practice. In 1953, Rajah was admitted to the Singapore bar. In 1973, Rajah was suspended from practice for two years after handling private summons for several political prisoners which resulted in disclipinary actions by the Law Society. In 1974, Rajah was  arrested under the Internal Security Act with the government alleging that he was part of the Malayan National Liberation Front, a Malayan Communist Party organisation. Rajah was released 18 months later on condition that he would not have any professional contact with political prisoners. In response to a government statement that he had disassociated himself from 'communist activities', Rajah replied that he had "not recanted and there's nothing to recant". In 1976, Rajah founded the legal firm, Tann Wee Tiong & T. T. Rajah, (later known as Rajah & Tann) with Tann Wee Tiong. Personal life. Rajah has a son, V.  K. Rajah, who became a Judge of Appeal of the Supreme Court and then Attorney-General of Singapore. Rajah died from a heart attack at 5:30am on 13 March 1996 while warded at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital, leaving behind his wife and two sons. His funeral was attended by former Barisan Sosialis leader Lee Siew Choh, while wreaths were sent by the Chinese ambassador and family of the late Malaysian Communist Party leader Eu Chooi Yip.