In 1955, Jek's foray into politics began when he assisted the
People's Action Party (PAP) during the
1955 general election. He was appointed to the party's
Central Executive Committee (CEC) as a political secretary in 1957. That same year, due to his communist beliefs, he was detained under the
Internal Security Act by
Lim Yew Hock's government. He was eventually released and when the PAP formed the Government, he held the posts of Assistant Treasurer and then Treasurer on the Central Executive Committee of the PAP between 1959 and 1976. Apart from serving as the deputy chairman of the
People's Association (PA), he also served as Minister of Culture for 12 years between 1968 and 1978. Additionally, he also served as Minister for Science and Technology between 1976 and 1977. Together with
Lee Khoon Choy, Jek was appointed as the government representatives on the Joint-Government-University Liaison Committee in 1960 to reform
Nanyang University. Jek was considered as one of the '
Old Guard'—the first generation of leaders of independent Singapore. One of his final major public appearances was at the National Day Parade of 2015 in remembrance of Lee Kuan Yew. ==Death==