Jeyaretnam, J.B. (1926– ) Lawyer and politician. Born in Sri Lanka, Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam received his early education at the English School in Muar and then the English College in Johor Baru. He moved to Singapore to study at St Andrew’s School, before leaving for University College, London, in 1948. He graduated with an LLB (Hons) in June 1951. He also read law at Gray’s Inn, and was called to the Bar in 1951.

Jeyaretnam returned to Singapore in 1952. He joined the legal service and served in a variety of posts, including magistrate, district judge, crown counsel, deputy public prosecutor, member of the Income Tax Board of Review, chairman of the Valuation Review Board and senior district judge. He also tutored in criminology and legal philosophy at the University of Malaya in Singapore’s Faculty of Law.

In 1969, he resigned from the legal service to enter private practice. In 1971, he was elected secretary- general of the Workers’ Party. Ten years later, he won the Anson constituency by- election, becoming the first non- PAP Member of Parliament in over 13 years. He was re- elected to the Anson seat in 1984.

In the same year, he was charged for financial impropriety relating to the collection of party funds. He was acquitted by the district court but was found guilty on appeal, and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. The high court later reduced this sentence, imposing a $5,000 fine which automatically disqualified Jeyaretnam from holding a seat in Parliament. The conviction also led to him being disbarred by the Law Society, but he was reinstated after a successful appeal to the Privy Council against the disbarment. It was not until 1997 that he returned to parliament as a Non- Constituency Member.

Jeyaretnam has been the target of several high- profile defamation suits brought by members of the ruling PAP, all of which he has lost. He has been found liable for over $1 million in damages. In 2001, he was declared bankrupt and disqualified from contesting the general election. He resigned as leader of the Workers’ Party in October 2001. His son is lawyer and author Philip Jeyaretnam.

Photo credit: Singapore Press Holdings/ The Straits Times