Sandrasegaran Woodhull | |
|---|---|
| Vice-Chairman of theBarisan Sosialis | |
| In office 1961–1963 | |
| Preceded by | Post created |
| Succeeded by | See Cheng Kiong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1932 (1932) British Ceylon |
| Died | November 26, 2003(2003-11-26) (aged 70–71) Singapore |
| Resting place | Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia |
| Political party | People's Action Party (1954–1961) Barisan Sosialis (1961–1963) |
| Spouse | |
| Children |
|
| Residence | Kuala Lumpur |
| Alma mater | University of Malaya |
| Occupation | lawyer, former politician |
| Profession | law |
| Other names | Sandra Woodhull Sydney Woodhull Sidney Woodhull |
Sandrasegaran "Sidney" Woodhull (1932 – 26 November 2003) was aSingaporean lawyer, former politician andpolitical prisoner. He was a founding member of theUniversity of Malaya'sUniversity Socialist Club, and theSingapore's political parties,People's Action Party and theBarisan Sosialis.
Born inBritish Ceylon in 1932, Sandrasegaran Woodhull, sometimes referred as "Sandra", "Sydney" or "Sidney" in the press, entered theUniversity of Malaya in 1951 as a Sultan Ibrahim scholar from Johor. He was a founding member of theUniversity Socialist Club in 1953, serving as Financial Secretary in the first Central Working Committee. He was also involved in the Fajar controversy because of his contribution to the Fajar magazine and occasional attendance at group meetings although he was not the member of the Fajar editorial board.[1]
Woodhull eventually became a prominent union advisor and leader of the Singapore Naval Base Labour Union.[2][3] Together with other trade unionists, Woodhull was officially recruited into thePeople's Action Party on 21 November 1954.[4] He was detained by the police after theChinese middle school riots in 1956.[5] Following his release after the PAP gained power in 1959, Woodhull was appointed as the Political Secretary to the Ministry of Health.[6]
Woodhull was one of the thirteen PAP left-wingers who were expelled from the PAP on 20 July 1961, he later joined theBarisan Sosialis on 29 July 1961 as was made its Vice Chairman. On 26 October 1962, Woodhull married Peng Tsu Ping, who was also a graduate of University of Malaya and a librarian at theUniversity of Singapore at theSingapore Registry witnessed by Secretary-General of Barisan SosialisLim Chin Siong and Dr Gopal Baratham.[7]
Woodhull was against the PAP proposal for merger with Malaysian Federation, calling it a political "strait jacket".[8] He was arrested and detained without trial underOperation Coldstore in February 1963.[9] He was released afterward and exiled toKuala Lumpur in November. He later went to London to study law.[10] Woodhull returned to Kuala Lumpur where he was called to the Malaysian Bar in 1967.[11] He was a partner with law firm of Shearn Delamore & Co. He was allowed to return to Singapore in 1990.
He retired from law practice in December 2000.[12]
Woodhull died on 26 November 2003 at the age of 71 at a Singapore Hospital after heart surgery. His wake was held at theMount Vernon Columbarium at night in 28 November and his cremated remains was later brought back toKuala Lumpur.
He is survived by his wife Peng, his daughters Anashuya and Anuita, his son Anshumann, and a granddaughter Lara Sayana Bell.[13]