Immigration Restriction Ordinance is passed

Passed on 7 May 1928, the Immigration Restriction Ordinance brought an end to free immigration in Malaya and Singapore.^[1] The Ordinance empowered the government to regulate or prohibit immigration by the imposition of a quota whenever the inflow of immigrants threatened to cause unemployment, overcrowding and other situations that harmed public interest.^[2] Such a measure was also motivated by the government’s concern about how, in the event of a slump in the rubber and tin sectors, large numbers of unemployed labourers would convene in Singapore in search of better prospects and turn the colony into “a filter bed to intercept and retain very undesirable elements.”^[3]

The Ordinance was first enforced during the Great Depression when the government proclaimed a monthly quota on adult Chinese male immigrants from 1 August 1930 onwards.^[4] The initial figure stood at 6,016 and was to be distributed among the shipping companies and individually chartered ships that maintained a regular service between China and Singapore prior to the quotas.^[5] In addition, the Ordinance required ships that carried immigrant labourers to identify themselves by hoisting signals and to only land at designated places within the ports of Singapore, Penang and Malacca.^[6]

The Immigration Restriction Ordinance 1928 successfully reduced the number of immigrants, however, it was ultimately found to be inadequate since it could only be exercised when public interest was threatened and did not offer any control over immigrants that had already landed.^[7] It was replaced by the Aliens Ordinance in 1933, which enabled the government not only to regulate the entry of immigrants, but also to register and control those already residing in Malaya.^[8] The quota system of regulating immigration continued until the outbreak of World War II in December 1941.^[9]

References
1. Legislative Council. Monday, May 7th. (1928, May 8). The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884–1942), p. 9. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Teo, D., & Liew, C. (2004). Guardians of our homeland: The heritage of Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (p. 28). Singapore: The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority. Call no.: RSING q353.59095957 TEO
2. Saw, S-H. (2012). The population of Singapore (p. 57). Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. Call no.: RSING 304.6095957 SAW
3. The controlling of immigration. (1928, January 21). The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884–1942), p. 11. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
4. Labour problems in the colony. (1931, May 19). The Straits Times, p. 17. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
5. The Straits Times, 19 May 1931, p. 17; Teo & Liew, 2004, p. 28.
6. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884–1942), 21 Jan 1928, p. 11.
7. Saw, 2012, p. 57.
8. Saw, 2012, p. 57.
9. Saw, 2012, p. 57.