The Chinese secret societies in Singapore, although…
1888 CE to 1899 CE
In 1889, Governor Sir Cecil Clementi-Smith sponsors a law to ban secret societies, which takes effect the following year.
The result is to drive the societies underground, where many of them degenerate into general lawlessness, engaging in extortion, gambling operations, gang fights, and robbery.
The power of the secret societies, however, is broken.