ABSTRACT
Singapore, in the immediate post-Second World War years, was a site of contestation between the secular forces of communalism, communism and nationalism. Together with these developments, there was a revival of religious activity in the colony in response to social, political and economic challenges, as well as wider influences from South Asia and the Middle East. In the realm of everyday life, food shortages, disease, poor housing, unemployment and social vices were the key problems facing the common man.1 Coupled with a weak police force plagued by rampant bribery and disorganisation, mass delinquency and criminal activities of all sorts were at their peak. And yet, it was this wide array of challenges that provided a fertile environment for the growth of critical thought and civic engagement. Numerous organisations, clubs, parties and movements flourished on the island, articulating demands and concerns that had been circumscribed during the pre-war period. This was an era of experimentation, of idealism, of hopes and of the outpouring of popular dissent.
