MacDonald House bombing

The MacDonald House bombing occured in Singapore on 10 March 1965 at 3:07 pm when a bomb planted in the MacDonald House exploded, instantly killing two and injuring 33 others. Part of the building was also destroyed by the bomb. A taxi driver, who was struck by the blast, died two days later after being in a comma.

The nitroglycerin bomb was planted by Indonesian marines Harun Thohir and Usman Haji Muhammad Ali as part of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation (Konfrontasi), a conflict between Indonesia and Malaysia over Indonesia's opposition to the merger of Malaya. They were originally instructed to bomb a power station but went to the MacDonald building instead. Three days after the bombing, both marines fled Singapore, though were arrested by the Police Coast Guard. They were put on trial and were sentenced to death for murder. Despite multiple appeals, they were executed on 17 October 1968. At the time, the building was used by HSBC.^[1][2]

The bombing worsened bilateral relationships between Indonesia and Singapore until 1973, when Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew went to Indonesia scattered flowers over the marines' graves, largely restoring bilateral relationships between the two countries. Singapore–Indonesia bilateral relationships were affected again following the naming of the KRI Usman Harun in 2014, with Indonesia apologising for the naming. A memorial at Dhoby Ghaut Green dedicated to the victims of the Konfrontasi was opened in 2015.

The Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation (also called the Konfrontasi) was a conflict between Indonesia and Malaysia that took place between 1963 to 1966. The Konfrontasi was started by Indonesia since it opposed the formation of Malaysia, perceiving in its view that it was a "neo-colonial project" for the British.^[1] Indonesian saboteurs mounted a campaign of terror in Singapore, then a major state and city within Malaysia. There were a total of 37 bombings from 1963 to 1966. The saboteurs were trained to attack military installations and public utilities. However, when the saboteurs failed in their attempts to attack these installations that were heavily guarded, they set off bombs indiscriminately to create panic and disrupt life in Singapore as well as in Malaysia.^[3]

By 1964, bomb explosions became frequent. To help the police and army defend Singapore from these attacks, a volunteer force was set up. More than 10,000 people signed up as volunteers. Community centers served as bases for the volunteers to patrol their neighbourhoods.^[3] In schools, students underwent bomb drills. The government also warned Singaporeans not to handle any suspicious-looking parcels in the buildings or along streets. Despite the efforts of the British, small groups of saboteurs managed to infiltrate the island and plant bombs. By March 1965, a total of 29 bombs had been set off in Singapore.^[3]

The MacDonald House is an office building in Orchard Road, Singapore. Built for the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank (HSB, present day HSBC), it is the first building in Southeast Asia to be air-conditioned. Land for the building was acquired in 1946 and work on the building began in May 1947.^[4][5] The building opened on 2 July 1949 and was given its name after then-Governor General of Singapore Malcolm MacDonald.^[6][7] At the time of the bombing, it housed the Australian High Commission, which moved their office from Robinson Road to the building by September 1951, and the Japanese Commission.^[8] MacDonald house is located just 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) from The Istana, the official residence of the President of Singapore.^[9]

The two Indonesian saboteurs, Harun Said and Osman bin Haji Mohamed Ali had arrived in Singapore from Java at 11:00 am, wearing civilian clothes. They had been instructed to bomb an electric power house but instead headed to MacDonald House.^[3]

At 15:07 SST (UTC+08:00), the bomb, which was planted in the mezzanine floor, exploded.^[3] The bank was closed for business 7 minutes ago and only 150 employees were there at the time of the explosion. The bomb instantly killed two people: 36-year old Elizabeth Suzie Choo, a secretary to the bank manager, and 23-year old Juliet Koh, a clerk, as well as injuring at least 33 others. The Straits Times speculated that "many more would have been killed or injured if the bomb had gone off 10 minutes later".^[8] It was also reported by The Straits Times that many workers initially thought it was a thunderclap as it was heavily raining at the time. The bomb damaged parts of the building, including an inner wall at the mezzanine floor, lift doors, and windows up to 9 storeys. The surroundings of the building was also affected by the explosion; the windscreens of cars were shattered and neon signs fell to the ground.^[8]

By 3:30 pm, the Reserve Unit arrived at the site to control the crowd, with policemen already diverting traffic in Penang Road and Tank Road. A station wagon belonging to the Australian High Commission was pushed to the side to allow ambulances to pass. High-ranking police officers from Pearl's Hill was soon at the scene, followed by the British Army's bomb disposal squad. Around that time, the General Hospital was "crammed" with relatives and friends of the injured, with all doctors and nurses activated for emergency duties.^[8] In MacDonald House, workers in the upper floor were ordered to vacate the building via the fire escape at the back of the building over the possibility of a second bomb or more walls caving in. Once the building was cleared, only policemen and foreign news correspondents were allowed at the site, with local news correspondents driven away such as a Sin Chew Jit Poh reporter manhandled by an inspector. By 5:00 pm, a team from the Health Department arrived at the site to clean up the shattered glass on the road as it stopped raining.^[8] On 12 March, 45-year old Mohammed Yasin bin Kesit, a driver who slipped into a coma from the blast, died, becoming the third victim of the bombing.^[10] It was rumoured by workers that a disgruntled employee or the Bank Employee's Union, following a dispute, caused the explosion, though this was denied by HSB's bank manager for Malaysia S. F. T. B Lever, who said that "I am not prepared to accept that the union will try to bomb the bank because of a dispute. That is an entirely irresponsible statement. I am fully convinced that it has nothing to do with the union or any of the staff of the bank".^[11] The Special Investigations Section of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) interviewed several people in connection to the attack.^[11]

In 15 March 1965, Singaporean police arrested two marines, Harun Said (then 21) and Osman bin Haji Mohamed Ali (then 23) for the murders of the three victims, though the bombing is not mentioned within the charges.^[12] The two saboteurs were unable to escape due to their motorboat breakdown.^[13] Later examination of the building showed that about 9 to 11 kilograms (20 to 24 lb) of nitroglycerine explosives were used for the bomb.

As they were in civilian clothes and had targeted a civilian building, the two men were tried in Singapore for the murder of the three people who died in the blast. They were convicted and hanged in Changi Prison on 17 October 1968.^[9][14][15]

Repair works for the building begun on 11 March 1965. The building was declared safe by P.W.D engineers and architects, with workers accessing the upper floors via the fire escape staircase. It was expected that the windows of the ground floor will be replaced by the next day, though it was estimated that it would take at least a week for the glass fronts of the buildings affected by the bombing to be fully repaired. HSB and the Australian Trade Commission was opened for business whilst the Australian High commission temporarily moved offices to one of their employee's home in Orange Grove Road. Some businesses were closed due to a lack of staff. The closed stretch of Orchard Road opened on 11:30 am, where it was revealed that Penang Road and Clemenceau Avenue were congested due to the closed stretch.^[11] It was estimated that the cost of the damages in MacDonald House were up to $250,000.^[16]

Following the explosion, a warning was issued by the government on 11 March 1965 for the general public to be vigilant of "mischievous and irresponsible elements" after a bomb scare at the National Library, half a mile from MacDonald House.^[11] The Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC) decided to establish "security committees" on 15 March to protect its members' buildings from being sabotaged by Indonesian agents.^[17] The SICC also listed four precautionary measures that businesses should take, being control of entrances, inspection of identity cards, disclosure of package contents from unknown persons, and treatment of packages.^[18][19] SICC members such as the Cathay Organisation and Shaw Organisation started inspecting packages, along with other businesses in the city. It was reported by a security firm that after the bombing, "there has been an increased 'security consciousness'. We have been swamped with requests for security guards and advice on security measures from firms and the public".^[18]

On 13 March 1965, the Singapore National Union of Journalists (SNUJ) sent a letter to acting Commissioner of Police A. T. Rajah criticising the police's "discriminatory and strong-arm treatment" of Malaysian news reporters, referring to the manhandling incident at the MacDonald House bombing. The letter also alleged that this was not the first time such incident occurred.^[20] When asked by news reporters about the manhandling incident, Minister of Home Affairs Ismail bin Dato Abdul Rahman revealed that he ordered a full enquiry into the incident, and that police officers found guilty of manhandling news reporters will be punished, adding:^[21]

They have no business to do that and the policemen should know this well... But I cannot comment further because I must be fair to the police also, as I am fair to the Press. It is unfair for me now to say what I will do until I see the report. The investigations are still continuing.

By 15 March, thirteen news reporters were interviewed and the SNUJ was to meet with the Rajah on 18 March to discuss manhandling incidents to local news reporters by the police as well as for the two to have better cooperation.^[20] By 19 March, the probe was at its final stage, with a full report to be sent to the Inspector-General of Police by the next day or early next week.^[22] The probe would be completed on 22 March and Rajah would receive the report by 29 March.^[23][24] After reading the report, it was determined by Ismail that the police officer who twisted the news reporter, Inspector K. Dyrian, would not be charged as according to Ismail, the officer had no intention of discrimination between local and foreign journalists. Ismail speculated that Dyrian "lost his head" when he applied the twist to the reporter.^[25][26] The SNUJ and Malaya National Union of Journalist criticised and appealed the decision, calling for an "impartial enquiry".^[27]

Singapore would gain independence and leave Malaysia on 9 August 1965, just five months after the bombing. In March 1967, the President of Indonesia, Sukarno, who had initiated the Konfrontasi, resigned from the presidency under pressure by Indonesian military general Suharto amidst the 30 September Movement. A clemency plea by Suharto, who assumed the position of President, was rejected. The Singapore Embassy in Jakarta was ransacked on the day of the saboteurs' hanging.

Bilateral relations between Singapore and Indonesia would remain tense during the next few years after the bombing. Bilateral relations would improve after 1973, when Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, in a visit to Indonesia, visited the graves of the two marines and scattered flowers on them,^[28] followed by Suharto's visit to Singapore in 1974.^[29]

In 2014, Indonesia named a Bung Tomo-class corvette warship as KRI Usman-Harun, after the two hanged commandos, worsening bilateral ties between Indonesia and Singapore.^[30] In response, Singapore stated that the warship is not welcome in its waters, banning it from its ports and naval bases, and cancelled a series of planned inter-military activities.^[28][31] They also withdrew its delegation from an international defence meeting, after two Indonesian men at the event were seen dressed in uniform.^[28]

General Moeldoko, Indonesia's military chief, apologised for the naming of the ship, which was accepted by Singapore in a statement by Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.^{[32][33][34][35]} Moeldoko however later clarified that the naming of the ship was unfortunately irreversible.^{[36][37][38][39][40]}

On 10 March 2015, 50 years after the bombing, a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Konfrontasi as well as soldiers who died during that period, was unveiled at Dhoby Ghaut Green, situated across MacDonald House. It was built at the recommendation of the Singapore Armed Forces Veterans League (SAFVL) with the objective as a remembrance of the victims, as well as to educate younger generations about the tragedy. The unveiling was officiated by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong, as "a lasting reminder of the victims of Konfrontasi, and those who risked their lives defending our country". Religious leaders from the Inter-Religious Organisation also prayed at the site, before laying a wreath on the monument.^[41][42]

• Memorial to the Victims of Konfrontasi, Dhoby Ghaut Green.
• The plaque on the front of MacDonald House, Singapore, commemorating the 1965 bombing
• MacDonald House in 2018
• Harun Said (left) and Osman Mohamed Ali (right), the perpetrators of the bombing

• Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
• Capital punishment in Singapore
• Usman Haji Muhammad Ali
• Harun Thohir

• David Brazil (1 May 2006). Insider's Singapore. Times Books; National Library Board. ISBN 981204762X.
• Mushahid Ali (23 March 2015). "Konfrantasi: Why Singapore was in Forefront of Indonesian Attacks" (PDF). RSIS Commentary. S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University.