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Written accounts of the early history of Singapore are sketchy and the names used to refer to the country are varied. In the third century, a Chinese account gave reference to Singapore as Pu-luo-chung, or "island at the end of a peninsula". In 1320, however, the Mongol court sent a mission to a place called Long Yamen (Dragon's Tooth Strait) to get elephants. This probably referred to Keppel Harbour. A visitor from China, Wang Dayuan, who came around 1330, called the main settlement Pancur (spring), and reported that there were Chinese already living here. One of the earliest references to Singapore as [Temasek], or Sea Town, was found in the Javanese Nagarakretagama' of 1365. The name was also mentioned in a Vietnamese source at around the same time. By the end of the 14th century, the Sanskrit name, Singapura (Lion City), became commonly used. |
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Written accounts of the early history of Singapore are sketchy and the names used to refer to the country are varied. In the third century, a Chinese account gave reference to Singapore as Pu-luo-chung, or "island at the end of a peninsula". In 1320, however, the Mongol court sent a mission to a place called Long Yamen (Dragon's Tooth Strait) to get elephants. This probably referred to Keppel Harbour. A visitor from China, Wang Dayuan, who came around 1330, called the main settlement Pancur (spring), and reported that there were Chinese already living here. One of the earliest references to Singapore as Temasek?, or Sea Town, was found in the Javanese Nagarakretagama' of 1365. The name was also mentioned in a Vietnamese source at around the same time. By the end of the 14th century, the Sanskrit name, Singapura (Lion City), became commonly used. |
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Singapore proved to be a valuable colony for the British. By 1820, it was earning revenue, and three years later, its trade surpassed that of [Penang]. In 1824, Singapore's status as a British possession was formalised by two new treaties. The first was the [Anglo-Dutch Treaty] of March 1824, by which the Dutch withdrew all objections to the British occupation of [Malaya] and Singapore. The second treaty was made with Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman in August, by which the two owners ceded the island out right to the British in return for increased cash payments and pensions. |
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Singapore proved to be a valuable colony for the British. By 1820, it was earning revenue, and three years later, its trade surpassed that of Penang?. In 1824, Singapore's status as a British possession was formalised by two new treaties. The first was the [Anglo-Dutch Treaty]? of March 1824, by which the Dutch withdrew all objections to the British occupation of Malaya? and Singapore. The second treaty was made with Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman in August, by which the two owners ceded the island out right to the British in return for increased cash payments and pensions. |
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Singapore, together with [Malacca] and [Penang], the two British settlements in the Malay Peninsula, became the Straits Settlements in 1826, under the control of British India. By 1832, Singapore had become the centre of government for the three areas. On 1 April 1867, the Straits Settlements became a Crown Colony under the jurisdiction of the Colonial Office in London. |
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Singapore, together with Malacca? and Penang?, the two British settlements in the Malay Peninsula, became the [Straits Settlements]? in 1826, under the control of British India. By 1832, Singapore had become the centre of government for the three areas. On 1 April 1867, the Straits Settlements became a Crown Colony under the jurisdiction of the Colonial Office in London. |
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With the advent of the [steam ship] in the mid-1 860s and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Singapore became a major port of call for ships plying between Europe and East Asia. And with the development of [rubber] planting, especially after the 1870s, it also became the main sorting and export centre in the world for rubber. Before the close of the 19th century, Singapore was experiencing unprecedented prosperity and trade expanded eightfold between 1873 and 1913. The prosperity attracted immigrants from areas around the region. By 1860, the population had grown to 80,792. The Chinese accounted for 61.9 per cent of the number; the Malays and Indians 13.5 and 16.05 per cent respectively; and others, including the Europeans, 8.5 per cent. |
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With the advent of the [steam ship]? in the mid-1 860s and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Singapore became a major port of call for ships plying between Europe and East Asia. And with the development of [rubber] planting, especially after the 1870s, it also became the main sorting and export centre in the world for rubber. Before the close of the 19th century, Singapore was experiencing unprecedented prosperity and trade expanded eightfold between 1873 and 1913. The prosperity attracted immigrants from areas around the region. By 1860, the population had grown to 80,792. The Chinese accounted for 61.9 per cent of the number; the Malays and Indians 13.5 and 16.05 per cent respectively; and others, including the Europeans, 8.5 per cent. |
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When the [Malayan Communist Party] tried to take over Malaya and Singapore by force, a state of emergency was declared in June 1948. The emergency lasted for 12 years. Towards the end of 1953, the British government appointed a commission under Sir George Rendel to review Singapore's constitutional position and make recommendations for change. The Rendel proposals were accepted by the government and served as the basis of a new constitution that gave Singapore a greater measure of self-government. |
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When the [Malayan Communist Party]? tried to take over Malaya and Singapore by force, a state of emergency was declared in June 1948. The emergency lasted for 12 years. Towards the end of 1953, the British government appointed a commission under Sir George Rendel to review Singapore's constitutional position and make recommendations for change. The Rendel proposals were accepted by the government and served as the basis of a new constitution that gave Singapore a greater measure of self-government. |
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Self-government was attained in 1959. In May that year Singapore's first general election was held to choose 51 representatives to the first fully elected Legislative Assembly. The PAP won 43 seats, gleaning 53.4 percent of the total votes. On June 3, the new Constitution confirming Singapore as a self-governing state was brought into force by the proclamation of the Governor, Sir William Goode, who became the first Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Head of State). The first Government of the State of Singapore was sworn in on June 5, with Lee Kuan Yew as Singapore's first Prime Minister. |
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Self-government was attained in 1959. In May that year Singapore's first general election was held to choose 51 representatives to the first fully elected Legislative Assembly. The PAP won 43 seats, gleaning 53.4 percent of the total votes. On June 3, the new Constitution confirming Singapore as a self-governing state was brought into force by the proclamation of the Governor, Sir William Goode, who became the first Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Head of State). The first Government of the State of Singapore was sworn in on June 5, with Lee Kuan Yew as Singapore's first Prime Minister. |
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The PAP had come to power in a united front with the communists to fight British colonialism. The communists controlled many mass organizations, especially of workers and students. It was an uneasy alliance between the PAP moderates and the pro communists, with each side trying to use the other for its own ultimate objective--in the case of the moderates, to obtain full independence for Singapore as part of a non-communist Malaya; in the case of the communists, to work towards a communist take-over. |
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The PAP had come to power in a united front with the communists to fight British colonialism. The communists controlled many mass organizations, especially of workers and students. It was an uneasy alliance between the PAP moderates and the pro communists, with each side trying to use the other for its own ultimate objective--in the case of the moderates, to obtain full independence for Singapore as part of a non-communist Malaya; in the case of the communists, to work towards a communist take-over. |
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The merger proved to be short-lived. Singapore was separated from the rest of Malaysia on 9 August 1965, and became a sovereign, democratic and independent nation. |
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The merger proved to be short-lived. The main issue was demographic in that traditionally ethnic Malays had dominated the Malaysian political system and ethnic Chinese had dominated the Malaysian economy. The inclusion of Singapore opened the possibility that ethnic Chinese could dominate both the political and economic systems. Although there were attempts to create a non-communal pan-Malaysian identity, these proved unsuccessful, and to preserve the ethnic balance within Malaysia Singapore was separated from the rest of Malaysia on 9 August 1965, and became a sovereign, democratic and independent nation. |
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Chan Heng Chee, the current Singaporean Ambassador to the United States of America has described Singapore as having the characteristic of an "Admin State", a legalistic institution whose corporatised structure, coupled with the emergence of a politically apathetic citizenry has made competitive politics seemingly irrelevent; the regarded emphasis in its selection of leaders being the selection of technocrats instead of popular politicians as the governing elite. The P.A.P process of rejuvenation mostly reinforces this notion in recent years, with cabinet ministers being groomed from personalities with strong administrative experiences. Extremely lucrative pay-scales await those selected for high-level government positions to retain their expertise and to decrease the likelihood of corrupt practices more likely inherent in poorly-paid civil servants. The apathy of the citizenry, coupled with the obession for ruthless efficiency makes the Singapore political system quite unlike any other in the world: bureaucratic to the weberian extreme and responsive and aggressive in the execution of policies, honed by decades of existence in a fast-paced enviornment which does not tolerate mistakes. |
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Chan Heng Chee, the current Singaporean Ambassador to the United States of America has described Singapore as having the characteristic of an "Admin State", a legalistic institution whose corporatised structure, coupled with the emergence of a politically apathetic citizenry has made competitive politics seemingly irrelevent; the regarded emphasis in its selection of leaders being the selection of technocrats instead of popular politicians as the governing elite. The P.A.P process of rejuvenation mostly reinforces this notion in recent years, with cabinet ministers being groomed from personalities with strong administrative experiences. Extremely lucrative pay-scales await those selected for high-level government positions to retain their expertise and to decrease the likelihood of corrupt practices more likely inherent in poorly-paid civil servants. The de-politicization of the citizenry, coupled with the P.A.P. leadership's obession for efficiency, makes the Singapore political system quite unlike any other in the world: bureaucratic to the weberian extreme and responsive and aggressive in the execution of policies, honed by decades of existence in a fast-paced enviornment which does not tolerate mistakes. |
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The politics of survival is an item of government propaganda drummed into the citizenry since its separation from Malaysia in 1965. Small, rich and dynamic and geographically unfortunately positioned in the midst of large, predominantly Muslim neighbours, its sense of insecurity and inherent vulnerability draws parallels not from the [political liberalism]? west, but from Israel, which incidentally greatly aided Singapore's establishment of its armed forces after the British withdrawal and which it continues to maintain close diplomatic relations with to this day. |
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The politics of survival is an item of government propaganda drummed into the citizenry since its separation from Malaysia in 1965. Small, rich and dynamic and geographically unfortunately positioned in the midst of large, predominantly Muslim neighbours, its sense of insecurity and inherent vulnerability draws parallels not from the liberal-democratic west, but from Israel, which incidentally greatly aided Singapore's establishment of its armed forces after the British withdrawal and which it continues to maintain close diplomatic relations with to this day. |
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