Former opposition MP and former Secretary-General of the Workers' Party, Mr JB Jeyaretnam died early Tuesday morning due to heart failure at 82.
Mr Jeyaretnam, who had a pre-existing heart condition was rushed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital at about 1.30am but doctors were unable to revive him.
Mr Jeyaretnam was the first opposition member to win a Parliamentary seat in 15 years when he won the Anson By-Election in 1981. He defeated the People's Action Party's (PAP) Pang Kim Hin and the United People's Front's Harbans Singh.
Political rollercoaster
Mr Jeyaretnam retained the seat in the 1984 General Election, but had to vacate it in 1986 after he was convicted on charges of misstating his party's accounts. He was later barred from standing for office.
In 1997, the Workers' Party was offered a Non-Constituency MP seat for turning in the highest votes by an opposition party in that year's General Election. Its five-member team stood in the hotly-contested Cheng San Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and took 45.2 per cent of the votes against the PAP's 54.8 per cent.
This marked the fiery Mr Jeyaretnam's return to Parliament until 2001 as Non-Constituency MP.
In July 2001, Mr Jeyaretnam was declared a bankrupt, losing his seat in Parliament. He also could not stand for that year's General Election. He left the Workers' Party in October 2001.
In May 2007, he was fully discharged from bankruptcy. In June this year, he launched a new party called the Reform Party.
Mr Jeyaretnam, a widower, leaves behind two sons, Kenneth and Philip. They were with him when he died.
