Former Solicitor-General Francis Seow dies: Chee Soon Juan
Francis Seow with SDP chief Chee Soon Juan. Photo: Chee Soon Juan’s Facebook page
Former Solicitor-General and Law Society president Francis Seow has died at the age of 88.
Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan broke the news on his Facebook page. Chee said that Seow died in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, where he had been living in exile.
Speaking to Yahoo Singapore, Chee said he had heard the news through Seow’s relatives, adding that he had “apparently” died of pneumonia. Chee corresponded with Seow over the years via email.
When asked for his thoughts on Seow’s legacy, Chee said, “He had a taste for the good life but he always had a strong sense of justice. He intimated to me some of his dealings with Singapore’s officials when he was part of the establishment - there were some rather interesting stories. But he guarded his role as a legal officer with the AGC very strictly and brushed away anyone who attempted to influence his decisions. Singapore has lost a good son.”
Seow, who joined the Singapore Legal Service in 1956, served as Solicitor-General from 1969-71. He became Law Society president in 1986.
In 1987, Seow was one of the lawyers who represented 22 individuals arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), as part of Operation Spectrum. They were alleged to have been part of a Marxist conspiracy against the government and people of Singapore.
In 1988, Seow was also detained under the ISA for 72 days, when he was accused of having received funds from the United States to promote democracy in Singapore. He later alleged that he was subjected to torture during his detention.
That same year, Seow was part of a Workers’ Party team that contested Eunos GRC in the General Election, against the People’s Action Party. The WP team garnered more than 49 per cent of the vote.
Later accused of tax evasion, Seow fled the country and was convicted in absentia. In 2011, he was interviewed extensively by independent filmmaker Martyn See for a documentary entitled Francis Seow: The Interview.
