Returning to Singapore , Nathan received his primary education in Anglo-Chinese Primary School and Rangoon Road Afternoon School , and his secondary education at Victoria School . However , he was expelled from school twice and , after quarrelling with his mother , ran away from home at the age of 16 . During the Japanese occupation of Singapore , Nathan learned Japanese and worked for the Japanese civilian police as a translator . After the war , whilst working , he completed his secondary education through a correspondence course with Wolsey Hall , Oxford , and entered the University of Malaya ( then in Singapore ) , where he became the secretary of the University Socialist Club in his second year of university . He graduated in 1954 with a Diploma in Social Studies ( Distinction ) . He earned a diploma from the University of Malaya in Singapore in 1954 . This was followed by a long career in the Singapore Civil Service , which he joined in 1955 . Between 1962 and 1966 he was seconded to the National Trades Union Congress , and then worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs . He was with the Security and Intelligence Division of the Defence Ministry when the Laju incident happened in 1974 , and was among the government officers who agreed to accompany terrorists who had bombed petroleum tanks to Kuwait to secure the release of civilian hostages and ensure the terrorists ' safe passage . He served as First Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Ministry from 1979 to 1982
Laju incident
Laju incident
S. R. Nathan