Constituency Mp2: | Southern Islands Constituency |
Predecessor2: | constituency established |
Successor2: | Ahmad Jabri bin Mohammed Akib |
Term Start2: | 22 April 1955 |
Term End2: | 31 March 1959 |
Birth Name: | Inche Mohamed Sidik bin Haji Abdul Hamid |
Birth Date: | 1896 or 1897 |
Birth Place: | Bussorah Street, Straits Settlements |
Inche Mohamed Sidik bin Haji Abdul Hamid (born 1896 or 1897), commonly known as Inche Sidik, was a Singaporean politician. He was a member of Malay Union before he left in 1957 and joined the Singapore branch of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). He was the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Southern Islands Constituency from 1955 to 1959. He also served as the Assistant Education Minister.[1]
He was born at Bussorah Street (now known as Sultan Road) and went to Raffles Institution. He worked as a clerk. He spent 33 years working at the Customs Department as a senior preventive officer.[2]
Sidik was also the vice-president of the south zone of the Malay Football Association of Malaya and the president of the Malay Union.
In 1952, Sidik and members of the Malay Union protested against the construction of a park in Geylang.[3] In 1954, Sidik stated that the Malay Union had not joined Labour Front.[4]
In 1955, he contested in the 1955 Singaporean general election for Southern Islands Constituency.[5] He was the only candidate of the Malay Union to be participating. He became the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Southern Islands Constituency after he won with 50.57% of the vote against Progressive Party member Hollupatherage James Caldera Kulasingha, who got 49.43%. Sidik also won with the narrowest margin of just 1.15%.
In 1956, he left the Malay Union after serving as its president for four years. This happened after he and Inche H. M. Hassan donated a refrigerator to the Singapore branch of the British Red Cross under their names instead of the Malay Union's. He was succeeded by Tengku Ismara Raja after he lost to with 17 votes compared to his 26.[6] After he left, he joined the Singapore branch of the United Malays National Organisation (UNMO).[7]
Afterwards, Sidik stated that he was still the representative of the Malay Union despite leaving as he was elected on the union's ticket.[8] In 1958, he opened Hua Yi Middle School.[9]
During the 1959 Singaporean general election, he contested in Siglap Single Member Constituency against 7 other candidates.[10] He had originally wanted to contest in Southern Islands Constituency again, but lost his nomination to Inche Ahmad Jabri by four votes.[11] During his rally speech, he stated that there would be "no happiness if [<nowiki/>[[People's Action Party]]] comes into power."[12] He was unsuccessful, only garnering 11.05% of the vote.