Dr Chau Sik Ting, a former MP for Thomson between the years of 1980 to 1984, passed away from a heart attack on Tuesday (8 February); he was 82-years-old.
Dr Chau was an outspoken advocate for the occupational health and well being of workers and through his advacy, the Factories Act was repealed in 2006 and replaced by the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
Alex Yam, the MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, paid tribute to the late Dr Chau on his Facebook.
Here is what he said
“安息吧，赵锡盛同志 Comrade Dr Chau Sik Ting BBM, former MP for Thomson, passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 82. Dr Chau was born in 1940 and spent his childhood living in the 新华旅店 San Wah Hotel on Bencoolen Street which his father, 赵玉山先生 Mr Chao Yoke San BBM(L), operated.
He attended Catholic High, which was located behind the hotel, and later continued his education at St Joseph’s Institution.
Living in the Middle Road/Bras Basah area, he often encountered Malayan lorry drivers making deliveries and he was moved by their plight as they often got into accidents and suffered stress and occupational diseases due to their long hours. This inspired him to be a doctor so that he could do something to help. He secured a university scholarship and later did his housemanship at SGH and KKH before joining the police as a medical officer. He married Mdm Patricia Wong Wai Yee in 1967.
In 1968, with Singapore fast industrializing, Dr Chau decided to make a switch to practice occupational medicine, joining the then Jurong Shipyard as their medical officer. Industrial health became his lifelong passion. He established the then Society of Occupational Medicine with Drs Phoon Wai Onn and Chew Pin Kee which is today the Occupational and Environmental Health Society. They also convinced the then University of Singapore to offer a Master of Science in Occupational Medicine.
His father was a staunch PAP supporter and grassroots leader, serving as Chairman of the Stamford Citizens’ Consultative Committee. But the elder Mr Chau encouraged Dr Chau and his four siblings to focus on their education before considering involvement in politics or the grassroots. Dr Chau took this to heart and turned down invitations from his Deputy General Manager at Jurong Shipyard Comrade Low Guan Onn (MP, River Valley) in 1972, and Comrade Dr Ho Kah Leong (MP, Jurong) in 1976 to stand for elections as he wanted to wait for his children to be older and to place his medical practice on firmer footing.
Despite his lack of political ambition at that time, he was active at the grassroots level, volunteering for the People’s Defence Force as a medical auxiliary officer and also setting up the Jurong Town Residents’ Association, the precursor of today’s People’s Association Residents’ Committees. He was invited by Dr Ho to help build the Jurong Community Club and he served as the Management Committee Chairman.
Dr Ho approached him again 1980 to join the Party and consider standing at the coming General Elections. This time he accepted the invitation and was assigned to take over from Comrade Ang Nam Piau, another fellow Jurong Shipyard colleague, in Thomson division.
He was elected unopposed. In Parliament he set to work on his passion for occupational health for workers. In his maiden speech he asked for the scope of the then 1973 Factories Act to be widened. He found a listening ear in Comrade Ong Teng Cheong who was then Minister for Labour. The Act was amended to mandate training for doctors in occupational health and safety. He also maintained a long friendship with Comrade Ong from then on till Comrade Ong’s passing in 2002.
But Dr Chau was not one to rest on his laurels and pushed for an even more comprehensive Act to improve workers’ health and safety. He was concerned that the Factories Act was behind its time and advocated for more workers to be protected with better provisions to safeguard workers in dangerous trades. He was recognised as a Friend of Labour by the National Trades Union Congress in 1996.
Through his advocacy, the Factories Act was repealed and replaced by the more significantly more comprehensive Workplace Safety and Health Act in 2006.
Dr Chau did not shy away from taking contrarian views from the Government. He did not support the “Stop at Two” campaign as he believed that it was a personal choice of families. He also felt that the graduate mothers scheme was flawed as he felt young mothers not being able to go to school previously were due to multiple factors and not that they were not intelligent nor would it follow that their children would not be intelligent.
He retired from politics in 1984 to spend more time with his family. He remained an active and respected community leader, especially in the Hainanese clans. He served, till his passing, as the Chairman of 公立培群学校 Pei Chun Public School and was President of the 新加坡海南会馆 Hainan Hwee Kuan from 1993 to 1997.
He remained active in the Party as well as a well-loved figure in Thomson. I had the honour of hosting him on various occasions during Party events and gathering.
Dr Chau is survived by his beloved wife and their three children Victor, Cynthia and Anthony.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Deepest condolences to Mrs Patricia Chau and family during this time of bereavement.”
“𝙼𝚢 𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎, 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚂𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚗𝚜. 𝙰 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑. 𝙷𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚍𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐. 𝙰 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚢. 𝙰 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜.”
Source: Alex Yam Facebook and Pei Chun Public School Facebook