Pathmanaban Selvadurai | |
|---|---|
பத்மநாபன் செல்வதுரை | |
 Selvadurai in 1968 | |
| Member of Parliament representingBukit Panjang Constituency | |
| In office 1967 – 16 August 1972 | |
| Preceded by | Ong Lian Teng |
| Succeeded by | Lee Yiok Seng |
| Member of Parliament representingKuo Chuan Constituency | |
| In office 12 October 1972 – 4 December 1984 | |
| Preceded by | constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Wong Kan Seng |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Pathmanaban Selvadurai 9 June 1933 Straits Settlements (present-day Singapore) |
| Died | 18 July 2024 (age 92) Singapore |
| Spouse | Vimala |
Pathmanaban Selvadurai (Tamil: பத்மநாபன் செல்வதுரை; 9 June 1933 – 18 July 2024) was a Singaporean former politician and lawyer. A former member of thePeople's Action Party (PAP), he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) representingBukit Panjang Constituency from 1967 to 1972 and the MP representingKuo Chuan Constituency from 1972 to 1984. Selvadurai died on 18 July 2024 at 92.[1]
Selvadurai was born in theStraits Settlements (present-day Singapore) on 9 June 1933 toCeylon Tamils. He studied atMonk's Hill Primary School andRaffles Institution.[2] He also went toLondon University College andMiddle Temple where he became abarrister-at-law. Before joining politics, he was a member of the governing board ofNTUC's Research Unit and areferee of the Industrial Arbitration Court.[3]
Selvadurai made his political debut at the1967 by-elections, where he contested for Member of Parliament (MP) representingBukit Panjang Constituency, being elected unopposed.[4][3] At the1968 general election, he contested for MP representing Bukit Panjang again, being elected unopposed again.[5] That same year, Selvadurai was a part of a 4-member team that went toNorth Korea.[6] In 1969, he opened Chestnut Drive Secondary School (nowGreenridge Secondary School).[7]
In the1972 general election, Selvadurai contested for MP ofKuo Chuan Constituency instead of Bukit Panjang as then-new candidate Lee Yiok Seng was believed by the PAP to "muster support of the Chinese and Malays" due to hismultilingualism.[8] Selvadurai went against P. Manokaran ofBarisan Sosialis (BS) and was elected with 73.69% of the vote.[9] In 1974, Selvadurai and Chiang Hai Ding presented aprivate bill, the Roman Catholic Archbishop Bill, which was passed the following year.[10][11]
In the1976 general election, he contested for MP of Kuo Chuan Constituency again, against Ng Ah Chue of BS, and was elected with 74.42% of the vote.[12] Thefollowing election, he contested for MP of Kuo Chuan Constituency again, against Sim Chit Giak of BS, and was elected with 75.92% of the vote.[13] He announced his retirement from politics in 1984.[14]
In 2008, Selvadurai joined Tan Rajah & Cheah as aconsultant. He had previously served atRodyk & Davidson as a partner and later consultant for over 40 years.[15] He also served as a member of theSingapore National Eye Centre, the Singapore Arts School, and as president of the Indian Fine Arts Society.[16]
