Size & Population
13 sq km with an estimated 164,000 residents.
About Ang Mo Kio
There are 10 sub-zones in Ang Mo Kio; Ang Mo Kio Town Centre, Cheng San, Chong Boon, Townsville, Shangri-la, Kebun Bahru, Sembawang Hills, Yio Chu Kang, Sindo and Seletar.
There are about 48,000 or more units in the estate, ranging from three-room to executive flats. Being an older estate, units here are relatively larger in size with, more parking space and outdoor leisure areas. In coherence with the size and location, the value of units in this area tends to be more costly.
At present, Singapore's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong is the Member of Parliament (MP) for this district.
History
Ang Mo Kio was named after a bridge built in Thomson Road by J.T Thomson who was the government surveyor in 1841 and 1854. It literally means 'large and prosperous bridge'. The area’s kampong (a Malay word meaning; village) culture and spirit still thrives even with the current influx of modern developments and conveniences. In previous generations, the people lived rudimentary lives, rearing farm animals, growing fruits and vegetables while others ran small- scale businesses or were laborers.
Residential
There are a mix of landed, high rise apartments and HDB units here. This zone is also largely occupied by HDB dwellers. Ang Mo Kio Town Centre is undergoing some major reconstruction so residents can expect facilities that cater to both the young and the old. As an urban planning division, the Ang Mo Kio Planning Area lies within this region.
Transportation
One modern amenity available in Ang Mo Kio, as throughout the rest of Singapore, is the multimodal system called the Mass Rapid Transit System commonly known as the MRT. Two stations operate within the town to serve its residents. With Ang Mo Kio MRT Station situated at the center and Yio Chu Kang MRT Station situated at the town’s northern areas, they provide a convenient link to the City center and the rest of Singapore. Apart from this there is also the Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange linked directly to the Ang Mo Kio MRT Station Via an underground pedestrian walkway which provides feeder bus services to neighbourhoods. Yio Chu Kang MRT Station is serviced by buses at the Yio Chu Kang Terminal located just beside the station.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Places in singapore
singpore is broadly divided as follows
Contents
1 Public Towns and Estates
1.1 Towns
1.2 Estates
2 Private Condominiums and Estates
2.1 Condominiums
2.2 Estates
3 Industrial Parks and Estates
3.1 Industrial Parks
3.2 Industrial Estates
3.3 Specialised Business, Industrial and Technology Parks
3.3.1 Business Parks
3.3.2 Logistical Parks
3.3.3 Science and Technology Parks
3.3.4 Wafer Fabrication Parks
Contents
1 Public Towns and Estates
1.1 Towns
1.2 Estates
2 Private Condominiums and Estates
2.1 Condominiums
2.2 Estates
3 Industrial Parks and Estates
3.1 Industrial Parks
3.2 Industrial Estates
3.3 Specialised Business, Industrial and Technology Parks
3.3.1 Business Parks
3.3.2 Logistical Parks
3.3.3 Science and Technology Parks
3.3.4 Wafer Fabrication Parks
List of ilands in singapore
Natural islandsPedra banca
Pulau Anak Bukom/Pulau Anak Bukum
Pulau Bajau - within Poyan Reservoir
Pulau Berkas
Pulau Biola (Violin Island)
Pulau Brani
Pulau Buaya - off Jurong Island
Pulau Bukom/Pulau Bukum
Pulau Bukom Kechil/Pulau Bukum Kechil
Pulau Buloh - off the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Pulau Busing
Pulau Damar Laut - off Jurong
Pulau Damien - off Pulau Tekong
Pulau Hantu (Ghost Island)
Pulau Jong (Junk Island)
Pulau Keppel
Pulau Ketam - off Pulau Ubin
Pulau Khatib Bongsu
Pulau Malang Siajar - off Pulau Tekong
Pulau Palawan - off Sentosa
Pulau Pawai
Pulau Pergam - off Lim Chu Kang
Pulau Renggis - off Sentosa
Pulau Sakijang Bendera (Saint John's Island)
Pulau Sakijang Pelepah (Lazurus Island)
Pulau Salu
Pulau Samulun - off Jurong
Pulau Sarimbun - off Lim Chu Kang
Pulau Satumu (One Tree Island)
Pulau Sebarok (Middle Island)
Pulau Sekudu (Frog Island) - off Pulau Ubin
Pulau Seletar
Pulau Selugu (Sarong Island)
Pulau Semakau
Pulau Senang (Barn Island)
Pulau Serangoon (Coney Island)
Pulau Seringat
Pulau Seringat Kechil
Pulau Subar Darat (Sisters' Islands)
Pulau Subar Laut (Sisters' Islands)
Pulau Sudong
Pulau Tekong
Pulau Tekukor - off Sentosa
Pulau Tembakul (Kusu Island/Peak Island)
Pulau Ubin
Pulau Ujong (Singapore Island)
Pulau Ular- off Pulau Bukom
Pulau Unum - off Pulau Tekong
Sentosa (formerly Pulau Belakang Mati)
Sultan Shoal
Man-made islands
Jurong Island
Chinese Garden - in Jurong Lake
Coral Island - in Sentosa Cove
Paradise Island - in Sentosa Cove
Pearl Island - in Sentosa Cove
Pulau Punggol Barat
Pulau Punggol Timor
Japanese Garden - in Jurong Lake
Sandy Island - in Sentosa Cove
Treasure Island - in Sentosa Cove
Former islands
Anak Pulau - now part of Jurong Island
Berhala Reping - now part of Sentosa
Pulau Ayer Chawan - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Ayer Merbau - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Bakau - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Darat - now part of Sentosa
Pulau Merlimau - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Mesemut Darat - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Mesemut Laut - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Meskol - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Pesek - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Pesek Kecil - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Saigon - along Singapore River
Pulau Sakeng/Pulau Seking - now part of Pulau Semakau
Pulau Sakra - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Sanyongkong - now part of Pulau Tekong
Pulau Sejahat - now part of Pulau Tekong
Pulau Sejahat Kechil - now part of Pulau Tekong
Pulau Semechek - now part of Pulau Tekong
Pulau Seraya - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Tekong Kechil - now part of Pulau Tekong
Terumbu Retan Laut - now part of Pasir Panjang Container Terminal of the main island.
Pulau Anak Bukom/Pulau Anak Bukum
Pulau Bajau - within Poyan Reservoir
Pulau Berkas
Pulau Biola (Violin Island)
Pulau Brani
Pulau Buaya - off Jurong Island
Pulau Bukom/Pulau Bukum
Pulau Bukom Kechil/Pulau Bukum Kechil
Pulau Buloh - off the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Pulau Busing
Pulau Damar Laut - off Jurong
Pulau Damien - off Pulau Tekong
Pulau Hantu (Ghost Island)
Pulau Jong (Junk Island)
Pulau Keppel
Pulau Ketam - off Pulau Ubin
Pulau Khatib Bongsu
Pulau Malang Siajar - off Pulau Tekong
Pulau Palawan - off Sentosa
Pulau Pawai
Pulau Pergam - off Lim Chu Kang
Pulau Renggis - off Sentosa
Pulau Sakijang Bendera (Saint John's Island)
Pulau Sakijang Pelepah (Lazurus Island)
Pulau Salu
Pulau Samulun - off Jurong
Pulau Sarimbun - off Lim Chu Kang
Pulau Satumu (One Tree Island)
Pulau Sebarok (Middle Island)
Pulau Sekudu (Frog Island) - off Pulau Ubin
Pulau Seletar
Pulau Selugu (Sarong Island)
Pulau Semakau
Pulau Senang (Barn Island)
Pulau Serangoon (Coney Island)
Pulau Seringat
Pulau Seringat Kechil
Pulau Subar Darat (Sisters' Islands)
Pulau Subar Laut (Sisters' Islands)
Pulau Sudong
Pulau Tekong
Pulau Tekukor - off Sentosa
Pulau Tembakul (Kusu Island/Peak Island)
Pulau Ubin
Pulau Ujong (Singapore Island)
Pulau Ular- off Pulau Bukom
Pulau Unum - off Pulau Tekong
Sentosa (formerly Pulau Belakang Mati)
Sultan Shoal
Man-made islands
Jurong Island
Chinese Garden - in Jurong Lake
Coral Island - in Sentosa Cove
Paradise Island - in Sentosa Cove
Pearl Island - in Sentosa Cove
Pulau Punggol Barat
Pulau Punggol Timor
Japanese Garden - in Jurong Lake
Sandy Island - in Sentosa Cove
Treasure Island - in Sentosa Cove
Former islands
Anak Pulau - now part of Jurong Island
Berhala Reping - now part of Sentosa
Pulau Ayer Chawan - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Ayer Merbau - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Bakau - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Darat - now part of Sentosa
Pulau Merlimau - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Mesemut Darat - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Mesemut Laut - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Meskol - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Pesek - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Pesek Kecil - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Saigon - along Singapore River
Pulau Sakeng/Pulau Seking - now part of Pulau Semakau
Pulau Sakra - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Sanyongkong - now part of Pulau Tekong
Pulau Sejahat - now part of Pulau Tekong
Pulau Sejahat Kechil - now part of Pulau Tekong
Pulau Semechek - now part of Pulau Tekong
Pulau Seraya - now part of Jurong Island
Pulau Tekong Kechil - now part of Pulau Tekong
Terumbu Retan Laut - now part of Pasir Panjang Container Terminal of the main island.
Tourist attractions in singapore
1.Jurong bird park
2.Night safari
3.singapore zoological gardens
4.The Singapore Crocodilarium
5.Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom
6.Asian Civilisations Museum at Empress Place
7.National Museum of Singapore
8.Peranakan Place Museum
9.Royal Selangor Pewter Museum
10.Singapore Air Force Museum
11.Singapore Art Museum / 8Q sam
12.The Changi Museum
13.The Singapore Mint Coin Gallery
14.Labrador Secret Tunnels
15.Hua Song Museum
16.Singapore Philatelic Museum
17.Changi Village
18.Chinatown
19.Geylang & Katong
20.Holland Village
30.Housing Estates
31.Little India
32.Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
33.Chinese Garden
34.East Coast Park
35.Fort Canning Park
36.Japanese Garden
37.Mandai Orchid Gardens
38.Marina South City Park
39.Mount Faber
40.National Orchid Garden
41.Reservoir Parks
42.Singapore Botanic Gardens
43.Sungei Buloh Nature Park
2.Night safari
3.singapore zoological gardens
4.The Singapore Crocodilarium
5.Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom
6.Asian Civilisations Museum at Empress Place
7.National Museum of Singapore
8.Peranakan Place Museum
9.Royal Selangor Pewter Museum
10.Singapore Air Force Museum
11.Singapore Art Museum / 8Q sam
12.The Changi Museum
13.The Singapore Mint Coin Gallery
14.Labrador Secret Tunnels
15.Hua Song Museum
16.Singapore Philatelic Museum
17.Changi Village
18.Chinatown
19.Geylang & Katong
20.Holland Village
30.Housing Estates
31.Little India
32.Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
33.Chinese Garden
34.East Coast Park
35.Fort Canning Park
36.Japanese Garden
37.Mandai Orchid Gardens
38.Marina South City Park
39.Mount Faber
40.National Orchid Garden
41.Reservoir Parks
42.Singapore Botanic Gardens
43.Sungei Buloh Nature Park
Sunday, April 19, 2009
shopping malls in singapore
A
AMK Hub
Anchorpoint Shopping Centre
B
Bugis Junction
Bukit Panjang Plaza
C
Cathay Cineleisure Orchard
Causeway Point
The Central
The Centrepoint
Century Square
Change Alley
CityLink Mall
Compass Point Shopping Centre
E
East Point Mall
F
Far East Plaza
Forum The Shopping Mall
Funan DigitaLife Mall
G
Golden Mile Complex
Great World City
H
HarbourFront Centre
Hougang Mall
I
IMM Shopping Mall
ION Orchard and The Orchard Residences
Iluma
I cont.
International Plaza, Singapore
J
Junction 8 Shopping Centre
Jurong Entertainment Centre
Jurong Point Shopping Mall
L
Liang Court
Lot One
Lucky Plaza
M
Marina Bay Sands
Marina Square
Mustafa Centre
N
Ngee Ann City
Northpoint Shopping Centre
Novena Square Shopping Mall
O
OUB Centre
Orchard Central
Orchard Towers
P
The Paragon
Parkway Parade
People's Park Centre
People's Park Complex
Plaza Singapura
R
Raffles City
S
Scotts Shopping Centre
Shaw House and Centre
S cont.
Sim Lim Square
South Beach, Singapore
Specialists' Shopping Centre
Stamford House, Singapore
Suntec City Mall
T
Tampines 1
Tampines Mall
Tekka Centre
Ten Mile Junction
The Cathay
The Concourse
The Majestic, Singapore
The Verge
Tiong Bahru Plaza
U
United Square Shopping Mall
V
VivoCity
W
West Coast Plaza
West Mall
Wheelock Place
White Sands Shopping Centre
Wisma Atria
Y
Yishun 10
AMK Hub
Anchorpoint Shopping Centre
B
Bugis Junction
Bukit Panjang Plaza
C
Cathay Cineleisure Orchard
Causeway Point
The Central
The Centrepoint
Century Square
Change Alley
CityLink Mall
Compass Point Shopping Centre
E
East Point Mall
F
Far East Plaza
Forum The Shopping Mall
Funan DigitaLife Mall
G
Golden Mile Complex
Great World City
H
HarbourFront Centre
Hougang Mall
I
IMM Shopping Mall
ION Orchard and The Orchard Residences
Iluma
I cont.
International Plaza, Singapore
J
Junction 8 Shopping Centre
Jurong Entertainment Centre
Jurong Point Shopping Mall
L
Liang Court
Lot One
Lucky Plaza
M
Marina Bay Sands
Marina Square
Mustafa Centre
N
Ngee Ann City
Northpoint Shopping Centre
Novena Square Shopping Mall
O
OUB Centre
Orchard Central
Orchard Towers
P
The Paragon
Parkway Parade
People's Park Centre
People's Park Complex
Plaza Singapura
R
Raffles City
S
Scotts Shopping Centre
Shaw House and Centre
S cont.
Sim Lim Square
South Beach, Singapore
Specialists' Shopping Centre
Stamford House, Singapore
Suntec City Mall
T
Tampines 1
Tampines Mall
Tekka Centre
Ten Mile Junction
The Cathay
The Concourse
The Majestic, Singapore
The Verge
Tiong Bahru Plaza
U
United Square Shopping Mall
V
VivoCity
W
West Coast Plaza
West Mall
Wheelock Place
White Sands Shopping Centre
Wisma Atria
Y
Yishun 10
Languages in singapore
There are mainly 4 languages in singapore
1.Mandarin
2.Malay
3.English
4.Tamil
1.Mandarin
2.Malay
3.English
4.Tamil
communities in singapore
There are mainly 4 communities in singapore
1.chinese
2.Malaysians
3.Indians
4.others(europeans,etc)
1.chinese
2.Malaysians
3.Indians
4.others(europeans,etc)
population of singapore
Though singapore is a small island,this country's popultaion is arround 4.48 million
by 2005
by 2005
Histroy of singapore
Founding of Modern Singapore
The British, who were extending their dominion in India, and whose trade with China in the second half of the 18th century was expanding, saw the need for a port of call in this region to refit, revitalise and protect their merchant fleet, as well as to forestall any advance by the Dutch in the East Indies. As a result, they established trading posts in Penang (1786) and Singapore (1819), and captured Malacca from the Dutch (1795).
In late l818, Lord Hastings, Governor-General of India, gave tacit approval to Sir Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen, to establish a trading station at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. On 29 January 1819, Raffles landed on the island of Singapore after having surveyed other nearby islands. The next day, he concluded a preliminary treaty with Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman to set up a trading post here. On 6 February 1819, a formal treaty was concluded with Sultan Hussein of Johor and the Temenggong, the de jure and defacto rulers of Singapore respectively.
Singapore proved to be a prized settlement. 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 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.
The Straits Settlements
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.With the advent of the steamship in the mid-1860s 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.
The peace and prosperity ended when Japanese aircraft bombed the sleeping city in the early hours of 8 December 1941. Singapore fell to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, and was renamed Syonan (Light of the South). It remained under Japanese occupation for three and a half years.
Towards Self-Government
The British forces returned in September 1945 and Singapore came under the British Military Administration. When the period of military administration ended in March 1946, the Straits Settlements was dissolved. On 1 April 1946, Singapore became a Crown Colony. Penang and Malacca became part of the Malayan Union in 1946, and later the Federation of Malaya in 1948.
Postwar Singapore was a contrast to the prewar country of transient immigrants. The people, especially the merchant class, clamored for a say in the government. Constitutional powers were initially vested in the Governor who had an advisory council of officials and nominated non-officials. This evolved into the separate Executive and Legislative Councils in July 1947. The Governor retained firm control over the colony but there was provision for the election of six members to the Legislative Council by popular vote. Hence, Singapore's first election was held on 20 March 1948.
When the Communist Party of Malaya 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.
The 1955 election was the first lively political contest in Singapore's history. Automatic registration expanded the register of voters from 75,000 to over 300,000, and for the first time, it included large numbers of Chinese, who had manifested political apathy in previous elections. The Labor Front won 10 seats. The Peoples Action Party (PAP), which fielded four candidates, won three seats. David Marshall became Singapore's first Chief Minister on 6 April 1955, with a coalition government made up of his own Labor Front, the United Malays National Organization and the Malayan Chinese Association .
Marshall resigned on 6 June 1956, after the breakdown of constitutional talks in London on attaining full internal self government. Lim Yew Hock, Marshall's deputy and minister for Labor became the Chief Minister. The March 1957 constitutional mission to London led by Lim Yew Hock was successful in negotiating the main terms of a new Singapore Constitution. On 28 May 1958, the Constitutional Agreement was signed in London.
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.
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.
The tension between the two factions worsened from 1960 and led to an open split in 1961, with the pro-communists subsequently forming a new political party, the Barisan Sosialis. The other main players in this drama were the Malayans, who, in 1961, agreed to Singapore's merger with Malaya as part of a larger federation. This was also to include British territories in Borneo, with the British controlling the foreign affairs, defense and internal security of Singapore.
The Malaysia Proposal
On 27 May 1961, the Malayan Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, proposed closer political and economic co-operation between the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, North Borneo and Brunei in the form of a merger. The main terms of the merger, agreed on by him and Lee Kuan Yew, were to have central government responsibility for defense, foreign affairs and internal security, but local autonomy in matters pertaining to education and labor. A referendum on the terms of the merger held in Singapore on 1 September 1962 showed the people's overwhelming support for PAP's plan to go ahead with the merger.
Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963, and consisted of the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo (now Sabah). Brunei opted out. Indonesia and the Philippines opposed the merger. President Sukarno of Indonesia worked actively against it during the three years of Indonesian confrontation.
Independence
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.
Independent Singapore was admitted to the United Nations on 21 September 1965, and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations on 15 October 1965. On 22 December 1965, it became a republic, with Yusof bin Ishak as the republic's first President.
Thereafter commenced Singapore's struggle to survive and prosper on its own. It also had to create a sense of national identity and consciousness among a disparate population of immigrants. Singapore's strategy for survival and development was essentially to take advantage of its strategic location and the favourable world economy.
Coming of Age
A massive industrialization program was launched with the extension of the Jurong industrial estate and the creation of smaller estates in Kallang Park, Tanjong Rhu, Redhill, Tiong Bahru and Tanglin Halt. The Employment Act and the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act were passed in 1968 to promote industrial peace and discipline among the workforce.
The Economic Development Board was reorganized in 1968 and the Jurong Town Corporation and the Development Bank of Singapore were set up in the same year In 1970, the Monetary Authority of Singapore was established to formulate and implement Singapore's monetary policies.
In 1979, after the shock of two oil crisis, the Government started a program of economic restructuring. This was achieved by modifying education policies, expanding technology and computer education, offering financial incentives to industrial enterprises and launching a productivity campaign.
Public housing was given top priority. New towns sprang up and Housing and Development Board apartments were sold at a low cost. To encourage home ownership, Singaporeans were allowed to use their Central Provident Fund savings to pay for these apartments.
With the British Government's sudden decision in 1967 to withdraw its armed forces from Singapore by the end of 1971, Singapore set out to build up its own defence forces. The Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute was established in 1966 and compulsory national service was introduced in 1967. A Singapore Air Defense Command and a Singapore Maritime Command were set up in 1969. In August 1967, Singapore joined Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand to form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Singapore entered the 1970s as a politically stable state with a high rate of economic growth. The one-party Parliament that emerged from the 1968 general election became the pattern, with the PAP winning all seats in 1972,1976 and 1980. In the 1984 and 1991 general elections, the PAP won all but two and four seats respectively.
On 28 November 1990, a new chapter opened in Singapore's modern history Goh Cheok Tong became the second Prime Minster of Singapore when he took over the office from Lee Kuan Yew who resigned after having been Prime Minster since 1959.
The British, who were extending their dominion in India, and whose trade with China in the second half of the 18th century was expanding, saw the need for a port of call in this region to refit, revitalise and protect their merchant fleet, as well as to forestall any advance by the Dutch in the East Indies. As a result, they established trading posts in Penang (1786) and Singapore (1819), and captured Malacca from the Dutch (1795).
In late l818, Lord Hastings, Governor-General of India, gave tacit approval to Sir Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen, to establish a trading station at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. On 29 January 1819, Raffles landed on the island of Singapore after having surveyed other nearby islands. The next day, he concluded a preliminary treaty with Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman to set up a trading post here. On 6 February 1819, a formal treaty was concluded with Sultan Hussein of Johor and the Temenggong, the de jure and defacto rulers of Singapore respectively.
Singapore proved to be a prized settlement. 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 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.
The Straits Settlements
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.With the advent of the steamship in the mid-1860s 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.
The peace and prosperity ended when Japanese aircraft bombed the sleeping city in the early hours of 8 December 1941. Singapore fell to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, and was renamed Syonan (Light of the South). It remained under Japanese occupation for three and a half years.
Towards Self-Government
The British forces returned in September 1945 and Singapore came under the British Military Administration. When the period of military administration ended in March 1946, the Straits Settlements was dissolved. On 1 April 1946, Singapore became a Crown Colony. Penang and Malacca became part of the Malayan Union in 1946, and later the Federation of Malaya in 1948.
Postwar Singapore was a contrast to the prewar country of transient immigrants. The people, especially the merchant class, clamored for a say in the government. Constitutional powers were initially vested in the Governor who had an advisory council of officials and nominated non-officials. This evolved into the separate Executive and Legislative Councils in July 1947. The Governor retained firm control over the colony but there was provision for the election of six members to the Legislative Council by popular vote. Hence, Singapore's first election was held on 20 March 1948.
When the Communist Party of Malaya 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.
The 1955 election was the first lively political contest in Singapore's history. Automatic registration expanded the register of voters from 75,000 to over 300,000, and for the first time, it included large numbers of Chinese, who had manifested political apathy in previous elections. The Labor Front won 10 seats. The Peoples Action Party (PAP), which fielded four candidates, won three seats. David Marshall became Singapore's first Chief Minister on 6 April 1955, with a coalition government made up of his own Labor Front, the United Malays National Organization and the Malayan Chinese Association .
Marshall resigned on 6 June 1956, after the breakdown of constitutional talks in London on attaining full internal self government. Lim Yew Hock, Marshall's deputy and minister for Labor became the Chief Minister. The March 1957 constitutional mission to London led by Lim Yew Hock was successful in negotiating the main terms of a new Singapore Constitution. On 28 May 1958, the Constitutional Agreement was signed in London.
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.
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.
The tension between the two factions worsened from 1960 and led to an open split in 1961, with the pro-communists subsequently forming a new political party, the Barisan Sosialis. The other main players in this drama were the Malayans, who, in 1961, agreed to Singapore's merger with Malaya as part of a larger federation. This was also to include British territories in Borneo, with the British controlling the foreign affairs, defense and internal security of Singapore.
The Malaysia Proposal
On 27 May 1961, the Malayan Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, proposed closer political and economic co-operation between the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, North Borneo and Brunei in the form of a merger. The main terms of the merger, agreed on by him and Lee Kuan Yew, were to have central government responsibility for defense, foreign affairs and internal security, but local autonomy in matters pertaining to education and labor. A referendum on the terms of the merger held in Singapore on 1 September 1962 showed the people's overwhelming support for PAP's plan to go ahead with the merger.
Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963, and consisted of the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo (now Sabah). Brunei opted out. Indonesia and the Philippines opposed the merger. President Sukarno of Indonesia worked actively against it during the three years of Indonesian confrontation.
Independence
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.
Independent Singapore was admitted to the United Nations on 21 September 1965, and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations on 15 October 1965. On 22 December 1965, it became a republic, with Yusof bin Ishak as the republic's first President.
Thereafter commenced Singapore's struggle to survive and prosper on its own. It also had to create a sense of national identity and consciousness among a disparate population of immigrants. Singapore's strategy for survival and development was essentially to take advantage of its strategic location and the favourable world economy.
Coming of Age
A massive industrialization program was launched with the extension of the Jurong industrial estate and the creation of smaller estates in Kallang Park, Tanjong Rhu, Redhill, Tiong Bahru and Tanglin Halt. The Employment Act and the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act were passed in 1968 to promote industrial peace and discipline among the workforce.
The Economic Development Board was reorganized in 1968 and the Jurong Town Corporation and the Development Bank of Singapore were set up in the same year In 1970, the Monetary Authority of Singapore was established to formulate and implement Singapore's monetary policies.
In 1979, after the shock of two oil crisis, the Government started a program of economic restructuring. This was achieved by modifying education policies, expanding technology and computer education, offering financial incentives to industrial enterprises and launching a productivity campaign.
Public housing was given top priority. New towns sprang up and Housing and Development Board apartments were sold at a low cost. To encourage home ownership, Singaporeans were allowed to use their Central Provident Fund savings to pay for these apartments.
With the British Government's sudden decision in 1967 to withdraw its armed forces from Singapore by the end of 1971, Singapore set out to build up its own defence forces. The Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute was established in 1966 and compulsory national service was introduced in 1967. A Singapore Air Defense Command and a Singapore Maritime Command were set up in 1969. In August 1967, Singapore joined Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand to form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Singapore entered the 1970s as a politically stable state with a high rate of economic growth. The one-party Parliament that emerged from the 1968 general election became the pattern, with the PAP winning all seats in 1972,1976 and 1980. In the 1984 and 1991 general elections, the PAP won all but two and four seats respectively.
On 28 November 1990, a new chapter opened in Singapore's modern history Goh Cheok Tong became the second Prime Minster of Singapore when he took over the office from Lee Kuan Yew who resigned after having been Prime Minster since 1959.
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