Operation Clean Up (Sook Ching Operation/Massacre)

The Sook Ching Operation's primary goal is to kill any possible hostile/ anti-Japanese characters, including the Chinese, as their loyalty is to either to the British or their own country (People's Republic of China)
These are the list of people that are considered as "undesirables":

1. Activists in the China Relief Fund
2. Wealthy men who had contributed generously to the China Relief Fund
3. Adherents of Tan Kah Kee, leader of the Nanyang National Salvation Movement
4. Hainan people, perceived to be communists
5. China-born Chinese who came to Malaya after the Second Sino-Japanese War
6. Men with tattoos, perceived to be triad members
7. Chinese who joined the Singapore Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army
8. Civil servants and those who were likely to sympathise with the British, such as the Justices of the Peace, and members of the Legislative Council
9. People who possessed weapons and were likely to disrupt public security

Before execution, there is a so-called "screening" for Chinese males ranging from ages 18-50,those who fall under one of the above mentioned categories will be sent to the firing squad for execution. Seldom women and children also went for the screening.

There are a few sites where the operation took place, the more easier to recall is Changi Beach, Punggol Beach, and Sentosa. During the op. , the massacre then spread to Malaya. The total number of deaths was about an estimate of 40000-50000 people killed in Singapore.

After the end of WWII, the operation has ceased, and the British authorities in Singapore held a War Crime trial to the 7 Japanese officers who are involved in Operation Clean Up. Two of them was sentenced capital punishment, while the other five are sentenced to life imprisonment. Takuma Nishinuma  was later executed following convicting for his role in the Parit Sulong massacre by an Australian military court. The court accepted the defense statement of "just following orders" by those put on trial.

After the operation, I think that Singaporeans have learnt to respect the other races, as the pledge states:
"Pledge ourselves as one united people;
 regardless of race, language or religion..."
And not just that, Singapore has created the Sedition Act, which is on chapter 290 of the Statutes of Singapore.

Website URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sook_Ching_massacre
Date accessed: 11th February 2013