:1983 in Singapore

The following lists events that happened during 1983 in Singapore.

Incumbents

1 January – The Trade Development Board is formed to promote trade, taking over the Timber Industry Board and the Department of Trade with responsibility for domestic trading of commodities handled by the Domestic Trade Section of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and metrication taken over by the Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research.{{cite web |title=Chandra Das named trade board chairman |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19821223-1.2.56 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB) |access-date=7 December 2021 |date=23 December 1982}}
29 January – A disaster occurred on the Singapore Cable Car. As a result, 2 cable cars plunged, causing 7 fatalities.{{cite web |title=Cable car tragedy at Sentosa |url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_761_2004-12-31.html |publisher=NLB |access-date=18 July 2019}}

5 February – The power generators at Jurong Power Station tripped, leading to a cascading effect of tripping both Senoko and Pasir Panjang Power Stations. Singapore was without power for eight hours and 42 minutes before all power was restored.{{Cite news |date=6 February 1983 |title=The day S'pore switched off |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830206-1.2.2 |access-date=26 January 2025 |work=The Straits Times |pages=1 |via=NewspaperSG}}

16 March – Two Chinese newspapers, the Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Jit Poh, merged to become Lianhe Zaobao and Lianhe Wanbao.

3 April – Trans-Island Bus Services starts operations as the second bus operator in Singapore, after the bus mergers of 1971 and 1974.Therefore, TIBS was renamed and reoperated as SMRT Buses in May 10, 2004.

28 May – 6 June - Singapore hosts the 12th Southeast Asian Games. It clinched fourth place with a total of 134 medals.{{cite web|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19830610-1.2.6|title=Best 2|work=The Straits Times|date=10 June 1983|page=1}}{{cite web|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19830610-1.2.136.1|title=12th SEA Games|work=The Straits Times|date=10 June 1983|page=47}}{{cite web|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/74bd41cc-100b-46a5-b1b8-891895b2f70c|title=Singapore hosts the 12th SEA Games|work=HistorySG|date=2014|via=NLB}}

11 July – Fandi Ahmad signs for FC Groningen.{{cite web | url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19830711-1.2.140 | title=Fandi goes Dutch | access-date=18 July 2019}}
23 July - National Service conscript Sek Kim Wah and his accomplice Nyu Kok Meng went to rob a rich businessman and his family who lived in Andrew Road. Sek murdered three of the victims (which included the businessman, his wife and the family maid), with the remaining two hostages (the businessman's young daughter and the girl's tuition teacher) being released by Nyu, who protected them from Sek's murderous rampage, which would make headlines nationwide and brought shock to Singaporeans in 1983. Sek, who was also involved in an unrelated double murder that occurred a month earlier, was later arrested and sentenced to death for the five murders. Nyu, who turned himself in, was subsequently incarcerated for life and caned 6 strokes for armed robbery after the prosecution decided to dismiss the murder charges against him since he did not partake in the killings Sek committed. Sek was eventually hanged in Changi Prison Complex on 9 December 1988.

1 August – The Singapore Broadcasting Corporation launches SBCtext on SBC 5 and SBC 8.{{cite web |title=Teletext times |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19830723-1.2.52 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB) |access-date=26 April 2020 |date=23 July 1983}}

9 September – The Community Chest of Singapore is launched by Ee Peng Liang.{{cite news |date=9 September 1983 |title=Employers have key role in making 'Chest' a success |url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singmonitor19830909-2.2.6.6 |access-date=23 August 2019 |work=Singapore Monitor |publisher= |pages=3 |edition=Afternoon |via=NewspaperSG}} This is followed by the start of fund-raising efforts two days later.{{cite web |title=General Electric's Carnival '83 in aid of the Community Chest of Singapore |url=http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/tct19830911s.pdf |publisher=NAS |access-date=23 August 2019 |date=11 September 1983}}
16 September – Mitsukoshi Garden reopens as CN West Leisure Park.{{cite web |title=Mitsukoshi Garden sold for $4.5 m |url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19830602-1.2.39 |publisher=The Business Times (retrieved from NLB) |access-date=8 August 2019 |date=2 June 1983}}

22 October – The first phase of the MRT system starts construction.{{cite web |title=Inaugural ceremony of the Mass Rapid Transit Corporation |url=http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/ynh19831022s.pdf |publisher=NAS |access-date=19 July 2019}}

3 December – David Bowie and his band visit Singapore as part of the 1983 Serious Moonlight Tour.
30 December – NOL's new building is officially opened.{{cite web |title=Official Opening of Neptune Orient Lines Building |url=http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/tkyt19831230s.pdf |publisher=NAS |access-date=13 August 2019 |date=30 December 1983}}{{cite web |title=Opening of NOL Building Marks Event |url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19831230-1.2.106.3 |publisher=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB) |access-date=13 August 2019 |date=30 December 1983}}

16 February – Wong Lin Ken, former Minister for Home Affairs (b. 1931).{{cite web |title=Former minister Prof Wong, 51, dies |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19830217-1.2.116 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB) |access-date=13 December 2020 |date=17 February 1983}}
23 March – Han Hoe Lim, physician and politician (b. 1894).
30 June – Choo Seng Quee, footballer (b. 1914).{{cite web |title=Choo Seng Quee |url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1840_2011-09-21.html |publisher=NLB |access-date=18 July 2019}}
1 July – Cheong Soo Pieng, artist (b. 1917).{{cite web |title=Cheong Soo Pieng |url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1254_2006-11-30.html |publisher=NLB |access-date=26 July 2019}}
14 October – Hon Sui Sen, former Minister for Finance (b. 1916).{{cite web |title=Hon Sui Sen |url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_817_2005-01-22.html |publisher=NLB |access-date=26 July 2019}}