Operation Coldstore

Operation Coldstore
Part of the Cold War in Asia
Operational scopeOperational
Location
Planned18 January 1963 (1963-01-18)
Planned byLee Kuan Yew and anti-communist officials
Commanded byInternal Security Council
ObjectiveTo round up suspected communist sympathisers
Date2 February 1963 (1963-02-02)
Executed bySingapore Special Branch
Singapore Police Force
Johore Police Field Force
Outcome113 people arrested and detained without trial

Operation Coldstore was the code name for a covert anti-communist security operation that took place in Singapore on 2 February 1963, which was then an internally self-governing state within the British Empire. It led to the arrest of 113 people, who were detained without trial pursuant to the Preservation of Public Security Ordinance (PPSO).

In official accounts, the operation was a security operation "aimed at crippling the Communist open front organisation," which threatened Singapore's internal security. The operation was authorised and approved by the Internal Security Council which was composed of representatives from the British government, Singaporean government, and the Malayan Federal government.