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History of Singapore

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: General history

             This article is part of
   the History of Singapore series
   Early history of Singapore (pre-1819)
   Founding of modern Singapore (1819-1826)
   Straits Settlements (1826-1867)
   Crown colony (1867-1942)
   Battle of Singapore (1942)
   Japanese Occupation (1942-1945)
   Sook Ching massacre (1942-1945)
   Post-war period (1945 - 1955)
   First Legislative Council (1948-1951)
   Maria Hertogh riots (1950)
   Second Legislative Council (1951-1955)
   Internal self-government (1955–1962)
   Hock Lee bus riots (1955)
   Chinese middle schools riots (1956)
   Merger with Malaysia (1962–1965)
   Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation (1962-1966)
   Merger referendum, 1962
   Operation Coldstore (1963)
   Race Riots of 1964
   MacDonald House bombing (1965)
   Republic of Singapore (1965-Present)
   East Asian financial crisis (1997)
   Embassies attack plot (2001)
   See also: Timeline of Singaporean history

   The history of Singapore began as early as the 3rd Century when a
   Chinese account described the island at the tip of the Malay peninsula.
   Singapore rose in importance during the 14th century under the rule of
   Srivijayan prince Parameswara and became an important port until it was
   destroyed by Portuguese raiders in 1613. The modern history of
   Singapore began in 1819 when Englishman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles
   established a British port on the island. Under British colonial rule,
   it grew in importance as a centre for both the India-China trade and
   the entrepôt trade in Southeast Asia, rapidly becoming a major port
   city.

   During World War II, Singapore was conquered and occupied by the
   Japanese Empire from 1942 to 1945. When the war ended, Singapore
   reverted to British control, with increasing levels of self-government
   being granted, culminating in Singapore's merger with the Federation of
   Malaya to form Malaysia in 1963. However, social unrest and disputes
   between Singapore's ruling People's Action Party and Malaysia's
   Alliance Party resulted in Singapore's expulsion from Malaysia.
   Singapore became an independent republic on 9 August 1965.

   Facing severe unemployment and a housing crisis, Singapore embarked on
   a modernisation programme that focused on establishing a manufacturing
   industry, developing large public housing estates and investing heavily
   on public education. Since independence, Singapore's economy has grown
   by an average of nine percent each year. By the 1990s, the country has
   become one of the world's most prosperous nations, with a highly-
   developed free market economy, strong international trading links, and
   a per capita gross domestic product comparable to that of the leading
   nations of Western Europe.

Ancient times

   An artist's impression of Parameswara, who ruled Singapore in the
   1390s.
   Enlarge
   An artist's impression of Parameswara, who ruled Singapore in the
   1390s.

   The earliest written record of Singapore was a Chinese account from the
   third century, describing the island of Pu Luo Chung ( 蒲 罗 中). This
   itself is transliterated from the Malay name " Pulau Ujong", or "island
   at the end" (of the Malay peninsula). The Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals)
   contains a tale of a prince of Srivijaya, Sri Tri Buana (also known as
   Sang Nila Utama), who landed on the island during the 13th century.
   Catching sight of a strange creature which he thought was a lion, he
   found a settlement called Singapura, which means "Lion City" in
   Sanskrit.

   In 1320, the Mongol Empire sent a trade mission to a place called Long
   Yamen (or Dragon's Tooth Strait), which is believed to be Keppel
   Harbour, at the southern part of the island. The Chinese traveler Wang
   Dayuan, visiting the island around 1330, described a small settlement
   called Dan Ma Xi (淡马锡, from Malay Tamasik) with Malay and Chinese
   residents. The Nagarakretagama, a Javanese epic poem written in 1365,
   also referred to a settlement on the island called Temasek (Sea Town).
   Recent excavations in Fort Canning found evidences indicating that
   Singapore was an important port in the 14th century.

   In the 1390s, Srivijayan prince Parameswara fled to Temasek after being
   deposed by the Majapahit Empire. He ruled the island for several years,
   before being forced to Melaka where he founded the Sultanate of
   Malacca. Singapore became an important trading port of the Malacca
   Sultanate and later the Sultanate of Johor. In 1613, Portuguese raiders
   burnt down the settlement at the mouth of Singapore River and the
   island sank into obscurity.

Founding of modern Singapore (1819)

   Thomas Stamford Raffles.
   Enlarge
   Thomas Stamford Raffles.

   Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the Malay archipelago was
   gradually taken over by the European colonial powers, beginning with
   the arrival of the Portuguese at Malacca in 1509. The early dominance
   of the Portuguese was challenged during the 17th century by the Dutch,
   who came to control most of the ports in the region. The Dutch
   established a monopoly over trade within the archipelago, particularly
   in spices, then the region's most important product. Other colonial
   powers, including the British, were limited to a relatively minor
   presence.

   In 1818, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles was appointed as the Lieutenant
   Governor of the British colony at Bencoolen. He was determined that
   British should replace the Dutch as the dominant power in the
   archipelago, since the trade route between China and British India,
   which had become vitally important with the institution of the opium
   trade with China, passed through the archipelago. The Dutch had been
   stifling British trade in the region by prohibiting the British from
   operating in Dutch-controlled ports or by subjecting them with high
   tariff. Raffles hoped to challenge the Dutch by establishing a new port
   along the Straits of Malacca, the main ship passageway for the
   India-China trade. He convinced Lord Hastings, the Governor-General of
   India and his superior at the British East India Company, to fund an
   expedition to seek a new British base in the region.
   A statue of Raffles by Thomas Woolner now stands in Singapore, near
   Raffles's landing site in 1819.
   Enlarge
   A statue of Raffles by Thomas Woolner now stands in Singapore, near
   Raffles's landing site in 1819.

   Raffles arrived in Singapore on 29 January 1819 and soon recognised the
   island as a natural choice for the new port. It lay at the southern tip
   of the Malay peninsula, near the Straits of Malacca, and possessed a
   natural deep harbour, fresh water supplies, and timber for repairing
   ships. Raffles found a small Malay settlement at the mouth of the
   Singapore River, headed by Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman. The island was
   nominally ruled by the Sultan of Johor, Tengku Rahman, who was
   controlled by the Dutch and the Bugis. However, the Sultanate was
   weakened by factional division and Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman and his
   officials were loyal to Tengku Rahman's elder brother Tengku Hussein
   (or Tengku Long) who was living in exile in Riau. With the Temenggong's
   help, Raffles managed to smuggle Hussein back into Singapore. He
   offered to recognise Hussein as the rightful Sultan of Johor and
   provide him with a yearly payment; in return, Hussein would grant the
   British the right to establish a trading post on Singapore. A formal
   treaty was signed on 6 February 1819 and modern Singapore was born.

Early growth (1819–1826)

   The Plan of the Town of Singapore, or more commonly known as the
   Jackson Plan or Raffles Plan.
   Enlarge
   The Plan of the Town of Singapore, or more commonly known as the
   Jackson Plan or Raffles Plan.

   Raffles returned to Bencoolen soon after the signing of the treaty and
   left Major William Farquhar in charge of the new settlement, with some
   artillery and a small regiment of Indian soldiers. Establishing a
   trading port from scratch was a daunting endeavour. Farquhar's
   administration was poorly funded and was prohibited from collecting
   port duties to raise revenue as Raffles had decided that Singapore
   would be a free port. In spite of these difficulties, the new colony
   grew rapidly. As news of the free port spread across the archipelago,
   Bugis, Peranakan Chinese, and Arab traders flocked to the island,
   seeking to circumvent the Dutch trade restrictions. During the first
   year of operation, $400,000 ( Spanish dollars) worth of trade passed
   through Singapore. By 1821, the island's population had increased to
   around 5,000, and the trade volume was $8 million. The population
   reached the 10,000 mark in 1825, and with a trade volume of $22
   million, Singapore surpassed the long-established port of Penang.

   Raffles returned to Singapore in 1822 and became critical of many of
   Farquhar's decisions, despite Farquhar's success in leading the
   settlement through its difficult early years. In order to generate
   much-needed revenue, Farquhar had resorted to selling licenses for
   gambling and the sale of opium, which Raffles saw as social evils.
   Shocked at the disarray of the colony, Raffles set about drafting a set
   of new policies for the settlement. He also organised Singapore into
   functional and ethnic subdivisions under the Raffles Plan of Singapore.
   Today, remnants of this organisation can still be found in the ethnic
   neighbourhoods.

   On 7 June 1823, Raffles signed a second treaty with the Sultan and
   Temenggong, which extended British possession to most of the island.
   The Sultan and Temenggong gave up most of their administrative rights
   of the island, including the collection of port taxes, in return for
   lifelong monthly payments of $1500 and $800 respectively. This
   agreement brought the island under the British law, with the proviso
   that it would take into account Malay customs, traditions and religion.
   Raffles replaced Farquhar with John Crawfurd, an efficient and frugal
   administrator, as the new governor. In October 1823, Raffles departed
   for Britain and would never return to Singapore as he died in 1826, at
   the age of 44.

The Straits Settlements (1826–1867)

   The Thian Hock Keng, completed in 1842, served as a place of worship
   for early immigrants.
   Enlarge
   The Thian Hock Keng, completed in 1842, served as a place of worship
   for early immigrants.
   Restored shophouses running along a street in Chinatown, which reflects
   the Victorian architecture of buildings built in Singapore during the
   earlier colonial period, with styles such as the painted ladies.
   Enlarge
   Restored shophouses running along a street in Chinatown, which reflects
   the Victorian architecture of buildings built in Singapore during the
   earlier colonial period, with styles such as the painted ladies.

   The establishment of a British outpost in Singapore was initially in
   doubt as the Dutch government soon protested to Britain for violating
   their sphere of influence. But as Singapore rapidly emerged as an
   important trading post, Britain consolidated its claim on the island.
   The status of Singapore as a British possession was cemented by the
   Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, which carved up the Malay archipelago
   between the two colonial powers with the area north of the Straits of
   Malacca, including Singapore, falling under British's sphere of
   influence. In 1826, Singapore was grouped together with Penang and
   Malacca to form the Straits Settlements, administrated by the British
   East India Company. In 1930, the Straits Settlements became a
   residency, or subdivision, of the Presidency of Bengal in British
   India.

   During the subsequent decades, Singapore grew to become an important
   port in the region. Its success was due to several reasons including
   the opening of market in China, the advent of ocean-going steamships,
   and the production of rubber and tin in Malaya. The later opening of
   the Suez Canal in 1869 would further boost trade in Singapore. By 1880,
   over 1.5 million tons of goods were passing through Singapore each
   year, with around 80% of the cargo transported by steamships. The main
   commercial activity was entrepôt trade which flourished under no
   taxation and little restriction. Many merchant houses were set up in
   Singapore mainly by European trading firms, but also by Jewish,
   Chinese, Arab, Armenian, American and Indian merchants. There were also
   many Chinese middlemen who handled most of the trade between the
   European and Asian merchants.

   By 1827, the Chinese became the largest ethnic group in Singapore. They
   consisted of Peranakans, who were descendants of early Chinese
   settlers, and Chinese coolies who flocked to Singapore to escape the
   economic hardship in southern China. Malays were the second largest
   ethnic group until 1860s and they worked as fishermen, craftsmen, or as
   wage earners while continued to live mostly in kampungs. By 1860,
   Indians became the second largest ethnic group. They consisted of
   unskilled labourers, traders, and convicts who were sent to carry out
   public works projects such as clearing jungles and laying out roads.
   There were also Indian troops garrisoned at Singapore by the British.

   Despite Singapore's growing importance, the administration governing
   the island was understaffed, ineffectual and were unconcerned with the
   welfare of the populace. Administrators were usually posted from India
   and were unfamiliar with local culture and languages. While the
   population had quadrupled during 1830 to 1867, the size of the civil
   service in Singapore had remained unchanged. Most people had no access
   to public health services and diseases such as cholera and smallpox
   caused severe health problem, especially in overcrowded working-class
   areas. As a result of the administration's ineffectiveness and the
   predominantly male, transient, and uneducated nature of the population,
   the society was lawless and chaotic. In 1850 there were only twelve
   police officers in the city of nearly 60,000 people. Prostitution,
   gambling, and drug abuse (particularly of opium) were widespread.
   Chinese criminal secret societies (analogous to modern-day triads) were
   extremely powerful, and some had tens of thousands of members. Turf
   wars between rival societies occasionally led to hundreds of deaths and
   attempts to suppress them had limited success.

Crown colony (1867–1942)

   1888 German map of Singapore
   Enlarge
   1888 German map of Singapore

   As Singapore continued to grow, the deficiencies in the Straits
   Settlements administration became serious and Singapore's merchant
   community began agitating against British Indian rule. The British
   government agreed to establish the Straits Settlements as a separate
   Crown Colony on 1 April 1867. This new colony was ruled by a governor
   under the supervision of the Colonial Office in London. The governor
   was assisted by an executive council and a legislative council.
   Although members of the councils were not elected, more representatives
   for the local population were gradually included over the years.

   The colonial government embarked on several measures to address the
   serious social problems facing Singapore. A Chinese Protectorate under
   Pickering was established in 1877 to address the needs of the Chinese
   community, especially in controlling the worst abuses of the coolie
   trade and protecting Chinese women from forced prostitution. In 1889
   Governor Sir Cecil Clementi Smith banned secret societies, driving them
   underground. Nevertheless, many social problems persisted up through
   the post-war era, including an acute housing shortage and poor health
   and living standards. In 1906, the Tongmenghui, a revolutionary Chinese
   organisation dedicated to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and led by
   Sun Yat-Sen, founded its Nanyang branch in Singapore, which served as
   the organisation's headquarters in Southeast Asia. The immigrant
   Chinese population in Singapore donated generously to Tongmenghui,
   which organised the 1911 Xinhai Revolution that led to the
   establishment of the Republic of China.
   A busy Victoria Dock, Tanjong Pagar, in the 1890s.
   Enlarge
   A busy Victoria Dock, Tanjong Pagar, in the 1890s.

   Singapore was not much affected by World War I (1914–18), as the
   conflict did not spread to Southeast Asia. The only significant event
   during the war was a 1915 mutiny by the British Muslim Indian sepoys
   garrisoned in Singapore. After hearing rumours that they were to be
   sent off to fight the Ottoman Empire, the soldiers revolted, killing
   their officers and several British civilians before being suppressed by
   troops arriving from Johor and Burma. After the war, the British
   government devoted significant resources into building a naval base in
   Singapore, as a deterrent to the increasingly ambitious Japanese
   Empire. Completed in 1939 at a staggering cost of $500 million, the
   naval base boasted what was then the largest dry dock in the world, the
   third-largest floating dock, and having enough fuel tanks to support
   the entire British navy for six months. It was defended by heavy
   15-inch naval guns and by Royal Air Force squadrons stationed at Tengah
   Airbase. Winston Churchill touted it as the "Gibraltar of the East."
   Unfortunately, it was a base without a fleet. The British Home Fleet
   was stationed in Europe and the plan was for it to sail quickly to
   Singapore when needed. However, after World War II broke out in 1939,
   the Fleet was fully occupied with defending Britain.

The Battle of Singapore and the Japanese Occupation (1942–1945)

   Damages caused by a Japanese air assault on 8 February 1942. Many
   civilians were killed in these air raids.
   Enlarge
   Damages caused by a Japanese air assault on 8 February 1942. Many
   civilians were killed in these air raids.

   On 7 December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbour and the Pacific War
   began in earnest. One of Japan's objectives was to capture Southeast
   Asia and secure the rich supply of natural resources to feed its
   military and industry needs. Singapore, the main Allied base in the
   region, was an obvious military target. The British military commanders
   in Singapore had believed that the Japanese attack would come by sea
   from the south, since the dense Malayan jungle in the north would serve
   as a natural barrier against invasion. Although the British had drawn
   up a plan for dealing with an attack on northern Malaya, preparations
   were never completed. The military was confident that "Fortress
   Singapore" would withstand any Japanese attack and this confidence was
   further reinforced by the arrival of Force Z, a squadron of British
   warships dispatched to the defense of Singapore, including the
   battleship HMS Prince of Wales, and cruiser HMS Repulse. The squadron
   was to have been accompanied by a third capital ship, the aircraft
   carrier HMS Indomitable, but it ran aground en route, leaving the
   squadron without the protection of an air cover. Both ships were sunk
   of the coast of Kuantan in Pahang. After this incident, Singapore and
   Malaya suffered daily air raids, including those targeting civilian
   structures such as hospitals or shophouses with casualties ranging from
   the tens to the hundreds each time.

   On 8 December 1941, Japanese forces landed at Kota Bahru in northern
   Malaya. Just two days after the start of the invasion of Malaya, Prince
   of Wales and Repulse were sunk 50 miles off the coast of Malaya by a
   force of Japanese bombers and torpedo bomber aircraft, in the worst
   British naval defeat of World War II. Allied air support did not arrive
   in time to protect the two capital ships. The Japanese army advanced
   swiftly southward through the Malay Peninsula, crushing or bypassing
   Allied resistance. The Allied forces did not have tanks, which they
   considered as unsuitable in the tropical rainforest, and their infantry
   proved powerless against the Japanese light tanks. As their resistance
   failed against the Japanese advance, the Allied forces were forced to
   retreat southwards towards Singapore. By 31 January 1942, a mere 55
   days after the start of the invasion, the Japanese had conquered the
   entire Malay peninsula and were poised to attack Singapore.
   Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, led by a Japanese officer, marches
   under a flag of truce to negotiate the capitulation of Allied forces in
   Singapore, on 15 February 1942. It was the largest surrender of
   British-led forces in history.
   Enlarge
   Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, led by a Japanese officer, marches
   under a flag of truce to negotiate the capitulation of Allied forces in
   Singapore, on 15 February 1942. It was the largest surrender of
   British-led forces in history.

   The causeway linking Johore and Singapore was blown up by the Allied
   forces in an effort to stop the Japanese army. However, the Japanese
   managed to cross the Straits of Johor in inflatable boats days after.
   Several heroic fights by the Allied forces and volunteers of
   Singapore's population against the advancing Japanese, such as the
   Battle of Pasir Panjang, took place during this period. However, with
   most of the defences shattered and supplies exhausted,
   Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival surrendered the Allied forces in
   Singapore to General Tomoyuki Yamashita of the Imperial Japanese Army
   on Chinese New Year, 15 February 1942. About 130,000 Indian, Australian
   and British troops became prisoners of war, many of whom would later be
   transported to Burma, Japan, Korea, or Manchuria for use as slave
   labour via prisoner transports known as " Hell Ships." The fall of
   Singapore was the largest surrender of British-led forces in history.

   Singapore, renamed Syonan-to (昭南島 Shōnan-tō, "Light of the South
   Island" in Japanese), was occupied by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945.
   The Japanese Occupation is the darkest period of Singaporean history as
   the Japanese army imposed harsh measures against the local population.
   Numerous atrocities were committed by Japanese troops, particularly by
   the Kempeitai, the Japanese military police. They were the enforcers of
   the Sook Ching Massacre of Chinese civilians, to retaliate against them
   for their support to war effort in China. The mass executions claimed
   between 25,000 and 50,000 lives in Malaya and Singapore.

Post-war period (1945–1955)

   After Japan surrendered to the Allies on 15 August 1945, Singapore fell
   into a brief state of anomie and looting and revenge-killing were
   widespread. British troops returned to Singapore in September 1945 and
   a British Military Administration was formed to govern the island until
   March 1946. Much of the infrastructure had been destroyed during the
   war, including electricity and water supply systems, telephone
   services, as well as the harbour facilities at the Port of Singapore.
   There was also a shortage of food leading to malnutrition, diseases and
   rampant crimes and violence. High food prices, unemployment, and
   workers' discontent culminated into a series of strikes in 1947 causing
   massive stoppages in public transport and other services. By late 1947,
   the economy began to recover, facilitated by a growing demand for tin
   and rubber around the world, but it would take several more years
   before the economy returned to pre-war levels.

   The failure of Britain to defend Singapore had destroyed its
   credibility as infallible ruler in the eyes of Singaporeans. The
   decades after the war saw a political awakening amongst the local
   populace and the rise of anti-colonial and nationalist sentiments,
   epitomised by the slogan Merdeka, or "independence" in the Malay
   language. The British, on their part, were prepared to gradually
   increase self-governance for Singapore and Malaya. On 1 April 1946, the
   Straits Settlements was dissolved and Singapore became a separate Crown
   Colony with a civil administration headed by a Governor. In July 1947,
   separate Executive and Legislative Councils were established and the
   election of six members of the Legislative Council was scheduled in the
   following year.

First Legislative Council (1948-1951)

   The first Singaporean elections, held in March 1948, were limited as
   only six of the twenty-five seats on the Legislative Council were to be
   elected. Only British subjects had the rights to vote, and only 23,000
   or about 10% of those eligible registered to vote. Other members of the
   Council were chosen either by the Governor or by the chambers of
   commerce. Three of the elected seats were won by a newly-formed
   Singapore Progressive Party (SPP), a conservative party whose leaders
   were businessmen and professionals and were disinclined to press for
   immediate self-rule. The other three seats were won by independents.

   Three months after the elections, an armed insurgency by communist
   groups in Malaya — the Malayan Emergency — broke out. The British
   imposed tough measures to control left-wing groups in both Singapore
   and Malaya and introduced the controversial Internal Security Act,
   which allowed indefinite detention without trial for persons suspected
   of being "threats to security". Since the left-wing groups were the
   strongest critics of the colonial system, progress on self-government
   was stalled for several years.

Second Legislative Council (1951-1955)

   A second Legislative Council election was held in 1951 with the number
   of elected seats increased to nine. This election was again dominated
   by the SPP which won six seats. While this contributed to the formation
   of a distinct local government of Singapore, the colonial
   administration was still dominant. In 1953, with the communists in
   Malaya suppressed and the worst of the Emergency over, a British
   Commission, headed by Sir George Rendel, proposed a limited form of
   self-government for Singapore. A new Legislative Assembly with
   twenty-five out of thirty-two seats chosen by popular election would
   replace the Legislative Council, from which a Chief Minister as head of
   government and Council of Ministers as a cabinet would be picked under
   a parliamentary system. The British would retain control over areas
   such as internal security and foreign affairs, as well as veto power
   over legislation.

   The election for the Legislative Assembly held on 2 April 1955 was a
   lively and closely-fought affair, with several new political parties
   joining the fray. Unlike previous elections, voters were automatically
   registered, expanding the electorate to around 300,000. The SPP was
   soundly defeated in the election, winning only four seats. The
   newly-formed, left-leaning Labour Front was the biggest winner with ten
   seats and it formed a coalition government with the UMNO- MCA Alliance,
   which won three seats. Another new party, the leftist People's Action
   Party (PAP), won three seats.

Self-government (1955–1963)

Partial internal self-government (1955–1959)

   David Marshall, leader of the Labour Front, became the first Chief
   Minister of Singapore. He presided over a shaky government, receiving
   little cooperation from either the colonial government or the other
   local parties. Social unrest was on the rise, and in May 1955, the Hock
   Lee Bus Riots broke out, killing four people and seriously discrediting
   Marshall's government. In 1956, the Chinese Middle School riots broke
   out among students in The Chinese High School and other schools,
   further increasing the tension between the local government and the
   Chinese students and unionists who were regarded of having communist
   sympathies.

   In April 1956, Marshall led a delegation to London to negotiate for
   complete self-rule in the Merdeka Talks, but the talks failed when the
   British were reluctant to give up control over Singapore's internal
   security. The British were concerned about communist influence and
   labour strikes which were undermining Singapore's economic stability,
   and felt that the local government was ineffective in handling earlier
   riots. Marshall resigned following the failure of the talk.

   The new Chief Minister, Lim Yew Hock, launched a crackdown on communist
   and leftist groups, imprisoning many trade union leaders and several
   pro-communist members of the PAP under the Internal Security Act. The
   British government approved of Lim's tough stance against communist
   agitators, and when a new round of talks was held beginning in March
   1957, they agreed to grant complete internal self-government. A State
   of Singapore would be created, with its own citizenship. The
   Legislative Assembly would be expanded to fifty-one members, entirely
   chosen by popular election, and the Prime Minister and cabinet would
   control all aspects of government except defence and foreign affairs.
   The governorship was replaced by a Yang di-Pertuan Negara or head of
   state.

Full internal self-government (1959-1963)

   Elections for the new Legislative Assembly were held in May 1959. The
   People's Action Party (PAP) swept the election, winning forty-three of
   the fifty-one seats. They accomplished this by courting the
   Chinese-speaking majority, particularly those in the labour unions and
   radical student organisations. Its leader Lee Kuan Yew became the first
   Prime Minister of Singapore.

   The PAP's victory was viewed with dismay by foreign and local business
   leaders because some party's members were pro-communists. Many
   businesses promptly shifted their headquarters from Singapore to Kuala
   Lumpur. Despite these ill omens, the PAP government embarked on a
   vigorous program to address Singapore's various economic and social
   problems. Economic development was overseen by the new Minister of
   Finance Goh Keng Swee, whose strategy was to encourage foreign and
   local investment with measures ranging from tax incentives to the
   establishment of a large industrial estate in Jurong. The education
   system was revamped to train a skilled workforce and the English
   language was promoted over the Chinese language as the language of
   instruction. To eliminate labour unrest, existing labour unions were
   consolidated, sometimes forcibly, into a single umbrella organisation,
   called the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) with strong oversight
   from the government. On the social front, an aggressive and well-funded
   public housing program was launched to solve the long-standing housing
   problem. More than 25,000 high-rise, low-cost apartments were
   constructed during the first two years of the program.

Campaign for merger

   Despite their successes in governing Singapore, the PAP leaders,
   including Lee and Goh, believed that Singapore's future lay with
   Malaya. They felt that the historical and economic ties between
   Singapore and Malaya were too strong for them to continue as separate
   nations, and they campaigned vigorously for a merger. On the other
   hand, the sizeable pro-communist wing of the PAP were strongly opposed
   to the merger, fearing a loss of influence as the ruling party of
   Malaya, United Malays National Organisation, was staunchly
   anti-communist and would support the non-communist faction of PAP
   against them. The UMNO leaders were also skeptical of the merger idea
   due to their distrust of the PAP government and concerns that the large
   Chinese population in Singapore would alter the racial balance on which
   their political power base depended. The issue came to a head in 1961
   when pro-communist PAP minister Ong Eng Guan defected from the party
   and beat a PAP candidate in a subsequent by-election, a move that
   threatened to bring down Lee's government. Faced with the prospect of a
   takeover by the pro-communist, UMNO did an about-face on the merger. On
   27 May, Malaya's Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, mooted the idea of
   a Federation of Malaysia, comprised of the existing Federation of
   Malaya, Singapore, Brunei and the British Borneo territories of Sabah
   and Sarawak. The UMNO leaders believed that the additional Malay
   population in the Borneo territories would offset Singapore's Chinese
   population.

   The Malaysia proposal ignited the long-brewing conflict between the
   moderates and pro-communists within the PAP. The pro-communists, led by
   Lim Chin Siong, left the PAP to form a new opposition party, the
   Barisan Sosialis (Socialist Front), to campaign against entry into
   Malaysia under the PAP's plan. In response, Lee called for a referendum
   on the merger and campaigned vigorously for his proposal, aided by the
   government's strong influence over the media. In the referendum, held
   on 1 September 1962, 70% of the votes supported the PAP's proposal for
   merger.

   On 9 July 1963, the leaders of Singapore, Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak
   signed the Malaysia Agreement to establish the Federation of Malaysia.

Singapore in Malaysia (1963–1965)

Merger

   On 16 September 1963, Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak were
   formally merged and Malaysia was formed. For Singapore, the merger was
   thought to benefit the economy by creating a common free market,
   eliminating trade tariffs, and solving unemployment woes. The British
   government approved the merger, convinced that Singapore's security
   would be safeguarded within the much larger Malaysia.

   The union was rocky from the start. During the 1963 Singapore state
   elections, a local branch of UMNO took part in the election despite an
   earlier UMNO's agreement with the PAP not to participate in the state's
   politics during Malaysia's formative years. Although UMNO lost all its
   bids, relation between PAP and UMNO worsen as the PAP, in a
   tit-for-tat, challenged UMNO candidates in the 1964 federal election as
   part of the Malaysian Solidarity Convention, winning one seat in
   Malaysian Parliament.

Racial tension

   Racial tensions increased dramatically within a year and was fuelled by
   Barisan Sosialis's tactics of stirring up communal sentiment to
   discredit the government of Singapore and the federal government of
   Malaysia. In particular, the Chinese in Singapore disdained being
   discriminated against by the federal policies of affirmative action,
   which granted special privileges to the Malays guaranteed under Article
   153 of the Constitution of Malaysia. There were also other financial
   and economic benefits that were preferentially given to Malays. Lee
   Kuan Yew and other political leaders began advocating for the fair and
   equal treatment of all races in Malaysia, with a rallying cry of "
   Malaysian Malaysia!".

   Meanwhile, the Malays in Singapore were being increasingly incited by
   the federal government's accusations that the PAP was mistreating the
   Malays. The external political situation was also tense when Indonesian
   President Sukarno declared a state of Konfrontasi (Confrontation)
   against Malaysia and initiated military and other actions against the
   new nation, including the bombing of MacDonald House in Singapore in
   March 1965 by Indonesian commandos, killing three people. Indonesia
   also conducted sedition activities to provoke the Malays against the
   Chinese. Numerous racial riots resulted and curfews were frequently
   imposed to restore order. The most notorious riots were the 1964 Race
   Riots that first took place on Prophet Muhammad's birthday on 21 July
   with twenty three people killed and hundreds injured. During the
   unrest, the price of food skyrocketed when transport system was
   disrupted, causing further hardship for the people.

   The state and federal governments also had conflicts on the economic
   front. UMNO leaders feared that the economic dominance of Singapore
   would inevitably shift political power away from Kuala Lumpur. Despite
   earlier agreement to establish a common market, Singapore continued to
   face restrictions when trading with the rest of Malaysia. In
   retaliation, Singapore refused to provide Sabah and Sarawak the full
   extent of the loans previously agreed to for the economic development
   of the two eastern states. The situation escalated to such intensity
   that talks soon broke down and abusive speeches and writings became
   rife on both sides. UMNO extremists called for the arrest of Lee Kuan
   Yew.

Separation

   Seeing no other alternative to avoid further bloodshed, the Malaysian
   Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman decided to expel Singapore from the
   federation. The Parliament of Malaysia voted 126-0 in favour of the
   expulsion on 9 August 1965. On that day, a tearful Lee Kuan Yew
   announced on a televised press conference that Singapore was a
   sovereign, independent nation. In a widely remembered quote, he uttered
   that: "For me, it is a moment of anguish. All my life, my whole adult
   life, I have believed in merger and unity of the two territories." The
   new state became the Republic of Singapore and Yusof bin Ishak was
   appointed the first President.

Republic of Singapore (1965–present)

1965 to 1979

   The Jurong Industrial Estate was developed in the 1960s to
   industrialise the economy.
   Enlarge
   The Jurong Industrial Estate was developed in the 1960s to
   industrialise the economy.

   After gaining independence abruptly, the future of Singapore was filled
   with uncertainties. The Konfrontasi was on-going and conservative UMNO
   faction strongly opposed the separation; Singapore faced the danger of
   being attacked by Indonesian military or forcibly re-absorbed into the
   Malaysia Federation in unfavourable terms. Singapore immediately sought
   international recognition of its sovereignty. Singapore joined the
   United Nations on 21 September 1965 and the Commonwealth in October
   that year. Foreign minister Sinnathamby Rajaratnam headed a new foreign
   service and helped asserting Singapore's independence and establishing
   diplomatic relations with other countries. Singapore later co-founded
   the ASEAN on 8 August 1967 and was admitted into the Non-Aligned
   Movement in 1970.

   As a small island nation, Singapore was seen inadequate as a viable
   country and much of the international media was skeptical of prospects
   for Singapore's survival. Besides the issue of sovereignty, the
   pressing problems were unemployment, housing, education, and the lack
   of natural resources and land. Unemployment rate was ranging between
   10-12% threatening to trigger civil unrest.

   The Economic Development Board was set up in 1961 to formulate and
   implement national economic strategies, focusing on promoting
   Singapore's manufacturing sector. Industrial estates were set up,
   especially in Jurong, and foreign investment were attracted to the
   country with tax incentives. The industrialisation transformed the
   manufacturing sector to one that produced higher value-added goods and
   achieved greater revenue. The service industry also grew at this time,
   driven by demand for services by ships calling at the port and
   increasing commerce. These progresses helped to alleviate the
   unemployment crisis. Singapore also attracted big oil companies like
   Shell and Esso to establish oil refineries in Singapore which, by the
   mid 1970s, became the third largest oil-refining centre in the world.
   The government invested heavily in an education system that adopted
   English as the language of instruction and emphasised on practical
   training to develop a competent workforce well suited for the industry.

   The lack of good public housing, poor sanitation, and high unemployment
   led to social problems from crimes to health issues. The proliferation
   of squatter settlements resulted in safety hazards and caused the Bukit
   Ho Swee Squatter Fire in 1961 that killed four people and left 16,000
   others homeless. The Housing Development Board set up before
   independence continued to be largely successful and huge building
   projects sprung up to provide affordable public housing to resettle the
   squatters. Within a decade, the majority of the population had been
   housed in these apartments. The Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing
   Scheme, introduced in 1968, allows residents to use their compulsory
   savings account to purchase HDB flats and gradually increases home
   ownership in Singapore.

   British troops had remained in Singapore following its independence,
   but in 1968, London announced its decision to withdraw the forces by
   1971. Singapore set out to build its military, called the Singapore
   Armed Forces, and a national service programme was introduced in 1967.

The 1980s and 1990s

   Top view of Bukit Batok West. Large scale public housing development
   programme has created high housing ownership among the population.
   Enlarge
   Top view of Bukit Batok West. Large scale public housing development
   programme has created high housing ownership among the population.

   Further economic success continued through the 1980s onwards, with the
   unemployment rate falling to 3% and real GDP growth averaging at about
   8% during this time until 1999. During the 1980s, Singapore began to
   upgrade its industries to higher-technology industries, such as the
   wafer fabrication sector, in order to compete with its neighbours which
   now have cheaper labour forces. Changi Airport was opened in 1981 and
   Singapore Airlines was developed to become a major airline in the
   world. The Port of Singapore became one of the world's busiest port and
   the service and tourism industry also grew immensely during this
   period. Singapore emerged as an important transportation hub and a
   major tourist destination.

   The Housing Development Board continued to promote public housing with
   new towns, such as in Ang Mo Kio, were designed and built. These new
   residential estates have larger and higher-standard apartments and are
   served with better amenities. Today, 80-90% of the population lives in
   HDB apartments. In 1987, the first Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line began
   operation, connecting most of these housing estates and the city
   centre.

   The political situation in Singapore was stable and dominated by the
   People's Action Party which had a 15-year monopoly in parliament during
   1966 to 1981, winning all seats in elections during that period. The
   PAP rule is termed authoritarian by some activists and opposition
   politicians who see the strict regulations of political and media
   activities by the government as an infringement on political rights.
   The conviction of opposition politician Chee Soon Juan for illegal
   protests and the defamation lawsuits against J. B. Jeyaretnam have been
   cited by the opposition parties as examples of such authoritarianism.
   The lack of separation of powers between the court system and the
   government led to further accusations by the opposition parties of
   miscarriage of justice.
   The threat of terrorism resulted in heightened security measures
   including the deployment of Gurkha Contingent troopers at special
   events.
   Enlarge
   The threat of terrorism resulted in heightened security measures
   including the deployment of Gurkha Contingent troopers at special
   events.

   The government of Singapore underwent several significant changes.
   Non-Constituency Member of Parliament was introduced in 1984 to allow
   up to three losing opposition parties candidates be appointed as MPs.
   Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) was introduced in 1988 to
   create multi-seat electoral divisions, intended to ensure minority
   representation in parliament. Nominated Member of Parliament was
   introduced in 1990 to allow non-elected non-partisan MPs. The
   Constitution was amended in 1991 to provide for an Elected President
   who has veto power in the use of national reserves and appointments to
   public office. The opposition parties have complained that the GRC
   system has made it difficult for them to gain a foothold in
   parliamentary elections in Singapore, and the plurality voting system
   tends to exclude minority parties.

   In 1990, Lee Kuan Yew passed the leadership rein to successor Goh Chok
   Tong who became the second prime minister of Singapore. Goh presented a
   more open and consultative style of leadership as the country continued
   to modernise. In 1997, Singapore experienced the effect of the Asian
   financial crisis and tough measures, such as cuts in the CPF
   contribution were implemented.

2000 - present

   In the early years of 2000s, Singapore went through some of its most
   serious post-independence crises, including the SARS outbreak in 2003
   and the threat of terrorism. In December 2001, a plot to bomb embassies
   and other infrastructure in Singapore was uncovered and as many as 36
   members of the militant Islamic group Jemaah Islamiyah were arrested
   under the Internal Security Act. Major counter-terrorism measures were
   put in place to detect and prevent potential terrorism acts and to
   minimise damages should they occur.

   In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became the
   third prime minister of Singapore. He introduced several policy
   changes, including the reduction of national service duration from two
   and a half years to two years, and the legalisation of casino gambling.
   The general election of 2006 was a landmark election because of the
   prominent use of the internet and blogging to cover and comment on the
   election, circumventing the official media. The PAP returned to power,
   winning 82 of the 84 parliamentary seats and 66% of the votes.
   The country celebrates its National Day on 9 August each year.
   Enlarge
   The country celebrates its National Day on 9 August each year.

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