Pre-independence history

Question 1

What is the East India Company?

Answer 1

The British East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China.

The Company was granted an English Royal Charter, under the name Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies, by Elizabeth I on
31 December 1600.

Question 2

What was Raffles doing at age 14?

Answer 2

In 1795, at the age of 14, Raffles started working as a clerk in London for the British East India Company, the trading company that shaped many of Britain’s overseas conquests.

Question 3

What decision did East India Company make in 1805 regarding Penang and Raffles?

Answer 3

In 1805 the East India Company decided to make Penang a regular residency, and sent out a governor Philip Dundas with a large staff, including Stamford Raffles.
Meanwhile, Major William Farquhar, was the British Resident of Malacca.

Question 4

How did Raffles find SIngapore?

Answer 4

Raffles and his assistant Farquhar wanted to look for another suitable place to break the Dutch monopoly of trade in Java. After a brief survey of the Karimun Islands, on 29 January 1819, he established a post in Temasek (Singapore).

Question 5

What are some facts about Stamford Raffles?

• Bday
• Where was he born
• When did he find SG
• When did he die

Answer 5

• Bday 6th July 1781
• Where was he born : Off the coast of Jamaica
• When did he find SG: 29th Jan 1819
• When did he die: 5th July 1826 (Aged 44), London

Question 6

Founding of Modern Singapore:

1) Who and when
2) Inhabitants
3) First contact
4) Treaty

Answer 6

1) 1819: Sir Stamford Raffles assisted by Major William Farquhar landed in Singapore.
2) Malay & Chinese Settlers and Orang Laut.
3) Raffles (who spoke Malay) & Farquhar met with Temenggong of Singapore Abdul Rahman and Sultan Hussien of Johor.
4) Signed on 6 Feb 1819 which allowed the British to build a Trading Settlement in Singapore. In return, the Sultan & the Temenggong would receive money from the British annually.

Question 7

What was done to develop Singapore into a Free Port from Scratch

Answer 7

Raffles devised a set of policies and regulations that
outlined the objectives of the harbour that helped
establish Singapore as a free port.

Singapore was also chosen due to its geographical
location to compete with the other harbours that were
under the control of the Dutch administration.

Question 8

What was Raffle’s town plan?

Answer 8

Raffles conceived a town plan to remodel Singapore into a modern city.

The plan consisted of separate areas for different
ethnic groups and provision of other facilities such as roads, schools and lands for government buildings.

In October 1822, a Town Plan Committee was formed by Raffles to oversee the project.
• Man-in-charge: William Farquhar tasked to Develop Singapore in the early dangerous years (Pests, robbery, murder and wide- spread crime)
• 1823 – 1826: Crawford converted Raffles’ most practical
dreams into reality (Raffles drew up the Town Plan)

Question 9

What did Raffles achieve in terms of law and order?

Answer 9

Raffles instituted a local magistrate which ensured peace and order in the thriving settlement.

The provision of a local magistrate led to the abolishment and control of activities such as public gambling, slavery and cock-fighting, and even subjected pawnbrokers to licensing regulation

Question 10

What did Raffles achieve in terms of The Singapore Institution?

Answer 10

Upon establishing a British settlement in Singapore, one of Raffles concerns was establishing an institution for higher learning.

A site was chosen along a stretch of road now known as Bras Basah Road. Raffles laid the foundation stone in 1823. The building was completed in 1837 and was instead used as an elementary school.

The establishment of this institution would later form a college known as the Singapore Institution (now known as the Raffles Institution). The Singapore Library (now known as the National Library) was established within the Singapore Institution.

Question 11

Who was John Crawford? And what was his role in pre-independence Singapore?

Answer 11

John Crawford (20) was under Raffles in Penang and Java from 1803.

In May 27 1823 (40), he was appointed Resident (Governor) of Singapore until 15 Aug 1826.

Question 12

Impact of John Crawford’s presence in Singapore?

Answer 12

• Great increase in population, trade and revenue
• Crawford focused on increasing the government’s revenue and promoting free trade
• Legalised and regulated gambling through highly profitable gambling houses
• Introduced licenses for pawnbrokers and for the manufacture and sale of gunpowder
• Abolished anchorage and other port fees, making Singapore unique as a port free from tariffs as well as port charges

Question 13

Crawford’s residency also saw much progress in the planning and physical development of Singapore town

What did he achieve?

Answer 13

• He used convict labor to widen and level roads, build a proper bridge across
the river, introduced English street signs and street lighting
• Troops were moved from the town centre to a new encampment in the
northwest
• Land was also allotted to religious buildings

Is John Crawford the true founder of Singapore?

Question 14

Who were the early settlers in Singapore?

Answer 14

• Europe: British as well as Portuguese and Dutch
• Middle East: Arabs
• India: Mainly Tamils from South India
• China: Hokkiens, Cantonese, Teochews, Hakkas & Hainanese
• Malay Archipelago: Malays, Javanese, Boyanese & Bugis

Question 15

Who were the contributors to pre-independence Singapore?

Answer 15

• British: Government officials and merchants
• Malay: Traders of local produce
• Chinese: Traders, merchants & plantation owners, some with trade
skills worked as tailors, barbers, carpenters, etc.,
• Indian: Money-changer, milkman, policeman
• Notable Merchants: Guthrie, Hoo Ah Kay (Whampoa), Tan Tock Seng

Question 16

What were the factors contributing to Singapore’s

Flourishing Trade?

Answer 16

1. Good geographical position
2. Free Port (No custom duties or taxes)
3. Free Trade
4. Good Trading Services (Shipping, banking, insurance)
5. Safety (British took steps to combat piracy)

Question 17

What were the EXTERNAL factors contributing to Singapore’s

Flourishing Trade?

Answer 17

1. Industrial Revolution in Britain
2. Demand for Raw Material
3. Opening of Suez Canal (1871)

Question 18

What are cash crops and what role did they play?

Answer 18

Besides trade, early settlers cultivated cash crops:
1. Chinese planted gambier, pepper, (originally in Singapore but subsequently in Johor)
2. Europeans cultivated coffee, sugarcane and the highly
successful rubber

Question 19

What is the Early Government of Singapore

Answer 19

• Straits Settlements: In 1826, Singapore became part of the Straits Settlements with Penang and Melaka.
• The Straits Settlements came under the charge of a governor based in Singapore.
• The governor reported to the governor - general of India.

Question 20

What is crown colony? What role did this play in Singapore’s history?

Answer 20

• In the 1850s, the European merchants were not satisfied with the governor-general and requested that Straits Settlements to come under the direct rule of the British government in London.
• In 1867, the Straits Settlements came under the British
Colonial Office in London.
• Hence, Straits Settlements became a Crown Colony.
• Elevation of Singapore to a Crown Colony meant that London was willing to spend money and resources, and provide proper administrators that it was previously unprepared to do

Question 21

What was the law and order like during the Crown Colony?

Answer 21

• Lack of Concern for People: EIC was a trading company and its main concern was profits. Under EIC, little was done to look after the immigrants.
• Weak Police Force: The early police force was too small to control the large immigrant population. To make matters worse, there was no common language. Few Chinese knew English and even fewer English knew Chinese although some knew Malay.
• Trouble Makers: With growing trade, business rivalry arose and various ethnic groups stirred up much trouble. Chinese, in particular, formed secret societies. Many lonely Chinese immigrants were attracted to join for friendship and help. As members, they were forced to perform crimes like fighting and collecting “protection money”.

Question 22

What was the police force like during Crown Colony?

Answer 22

• Thomas Dunman became the first Commissioner of Police in 1843. He served for 28 years.
• Many Sikhs were recruited into the police force. These big and strong Sikhs contributed much to the police force.
• Attempts to recruit Chinese into the police force were less successful. Many did not want to join the force. As a result, the police could not keep track of their activities.
• In order to control the Chinese population, the Chinese
Protectorate was set up in 1877.

Question 23

Which years did Crown Colony appear?

Answer 23

Crown Colony 1867-1942

Question 24

What happened under The Chinese Protectorate?

1) Secret Societies

Answer 24

Secret Societies
• In the early 19th century, secret societies posed a significant threat to law and order in Singapore.
• Pickering was the first to head the Chinese Protectorate. He tried to get all Chinese Secret Societies to register with the Chinese Protectorate. In this way, he got to know many leaders and got their help in maintaining law and order among the Chinese. (The
aim was to weaken the power of the secret societies).

Question 25

What happened under The Chinese Protectorate?

2) Coolie trade

Answer 25

After the mid 19th century, there was a great demand for
workers in South-East Asia, as well as USA and Australia.
Singapore became a centre for coolie trade. Pickering also got all coolie agents and houses to register with the Protectorate.

Question 26

What happened under The Chinese Protectorate?

3) Domestic servants

Answer 26

Another group of ill-treated immigrants were young girls. Again they were required to register with the Protectorate

Question 27

During the Crown Colony, what did social services provide in terms of education?

Answer 27

• After the founding of Singapore, the different ethnic groups provided their own people with education. Lessons were conducted informally in places of worship and shop houses.
• Malay: Religious Malay teachers set up Quran Schools
(Alsagoff Arabic School).
• Chinese: Lessons were conducted in dialects, and abacus calculations were also taught (Chui Eng school, Ai Tong, and Tao Nan).
• Indian: Tamil was taught in private schools.
• Many parents preferred English education for their children.
• English Schools: Christian missionaries set up English Schools, such as St Margaret’s School, St Joseph Institution, etc

Question 28

During the Crown Colony, what did social services provide in terms of medical care?

Answer 28

• Tan Tock Seng Hospital (1844) originally at Pearl’s Hill but later relocated to Serangoon and finally Moulmein.
• Thong Chai Medical Institution (Gan Eng Seng 1844-1899)
- South Bridge Road
• Singapore General Hospital - after changing its location a few times, it was finally located at Outram Road in 1882.
• Medical College set up in 1905.

Question 29

Who was Tan Tock Seng?

Answer 29

Tan Tock Seng was a prosperous Singapore businessman of the early 1800s, known particularly for his generosity to the poor. He contributed heavily to the 1844 construction of a new hospital for the indigent, which was then named Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Question 30

What are the origins of Singapore General Hospital?

Answer 30

The origins of Singapore General Hospital can be traced back to a wooded shed erected in the Cantonment for British troops located near the Singapore River in 1821, shortly after Sir Stamford Raffles landing in Singapore.

Question 31

Who is Tan Jiak Kim and what role did he play during the crown colony?

Answer 31

In September 1904, Tan Jiak Kim led a group of representatives of the Chinese and other non-European communities, and petitioned the Governor of the Straits Settlements, Sir John Anderson, to establish a medical school in Singapore.

Tan, who was the first president of the Straits Chinese British Association, managed to raise $87,077, of which the largest amount of $12,000 came from himself.

On 3 July 1905, the medical school was founded, and
was known as the Straits and Federated Malay States Government Medical School.

Question 32

World War I (1914-1918)

How was Singapore affected?

Answer 32

• WWI started in Europe and soon spread to all over the world. Singapore was not affected initially.

Question 33

What is the Emden incident?

Answer 33

Emden was a German warship which attacked the “Allies” ships in and around the region. The Emden’s presence near Singapore affected the shipping and trade.

Question 34

Who were Singapore’s allies during WWI?

Answer 34

o Britain, France

o Russia, America

Question 35

Who were Singapore’s counter powers during WWI?

Answer 35

o Germany, Italy

o Austria, Hungary

Question 36

What happened to Japan during WW2?

Answer 36

Peace after WWI was short-lived. In 1939 WWII broke out. In between the World Wars, Japan was completely modernised and industrialised. In order to get materials for its factories, it invaded Manchuria and attacked China in 1937

Question 37

What were the mindsets of Chinese immigrants in Singapore towards the Japanese during WW2?

Answer 37

There was anti-Japanese feeling among the Chinese
immigrants in Singapore.

Numerous Anti-Japanese movements were organised.

Question 38

How did Britain respond to the rise of Japan during WW2?

Answer 38

Aware of the swift rise of Japan, the British constructed a

naval base in Singapore

Question 39

Describe the British Naval Base in Singapore during WW2

• How does it help the British
• What was it’s reputation?

Answer 39

Aware of the swift rise of Japan, the British constructed a naval base in Singapore. Warships could be sent from the naval base to fight the enemy during a war.

• Allows them to protect their overseas empire and trade routes
• The naval base in Sembawang was designed to protect Singapore from a “back door” attack from sea, with a potential threat from Japan in mind.

It boasted the King George VI Graving Dock, the largest dry dock in the world, and was defended by 15-inch naval guns.

Winston Churchill famously referred to the Singapore base as the “Gibraltar of the East”, and many military experts were confident that the base was impregnable. This created an illusion of safety that proved to be false.

Question 40

What happened during the Japanese Invasion of Singapore and when was it?

Answer 40

8-15 February 1942
• Malaya and Singapore were two important
targets of the Japanese.
• Malaya was rich in raw materials while Singapore was a busy port and strong fortress.
• The British expected the Japanese to attack from the sea (i.e. from the South). Instead, the Japanese came from Johor.
• Singapore fell on 15th Feb 1942.

Question 41

What happened during the Japanese Occupation in Singapore?

Answer 41

• Singapore Named:”Syonan-to” meaning the Light of the South

The locals were often bullied by the Japanese:
o Some Malays were sent to build the DR (The Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway)
o Indians were wanted to join the Indian National Army (INA) to fight against the British in India. Many who refused were killed. Others were sent to build the DR
o The Chinese were punished most severely, because they helped China.
o Eurasians were also punished because they looked like Europeans

Singaporeans actually spent the darkest days of their lives during the three and a half years.
• All Europeans were POWs. Some were sent to Thailand (Siam) to build the Death Railway (DR)

Law and order was in the hands of the Kempeitai (Japanese Military Police)

Question 42

Who was Lim Bo Seng? What role did he play during the Japanese occupation?

Answer 42

Local War Hero: Lim Bo Seng (Leader of Force 136), who

was captured and tortured and died in prison in 1944.

Question 43

What happened during the Sook Ching Massacre?

Answer 43

Sook Ching massacre was a systematic extermination of
perceived hostile elements among the Chinese in Singapore by the Japanese military during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, after the British colony surrendered on 15 February 1942.

Sook Ching was later extended to include Chinese
Malayans as well. The massacre took place from 18 February to 4 March 1942 at various places in the region.

Question 44

What does Sook Ching mean?

Answer 44

“a purge through cleansing”

The Japanese also referred to this as the “Great inspection of Singapore”

Question 45

When did the British return to Singapore?

Answer 45

5th Sep 1945

Question 46

What were some of the problems faced by Singapore post-war?

Answer 46

o Shortage of Food (caused by insufficient supply and the transportation problem).
o Shortage of Water & Electricity
o Shortage of Houses led to high rentals resulting in
overcrowding & unhygienic environment
o Education problem resulting from many children not
attending schools during the Japanese Occupation. There were insufficient places for the school going children.
o Communism

Question 47

When did communism occur in Singapore?

Answer 47

• During the period 1945 - 1948 the MCP (Malayan Communist Party) was a legal organisation in Singapore & Malaya.
• The Communists took advantage of the post-war problems and started to stir up the people’s feelings against the British. During that period, communism was synonymous with anti-colonialism. Communist movements in our neighbours have been heavily involved in subverting colonial rule.

Strikes by trade unions were common. However, those
workers who did not succeed in their strikes found themselves worse off.

Many MCP members left the towns and went into the jungles

Question 48

What happened during The Emergency (1948 - 1960)

Answer 48

• During the first half of 1948, the Communists attacked the rubber plantations and tin mines in Malaya.
• In June 1948, a state of Emergency was declared in Malaya and Singapore after the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) launched an armed revolution to establish a communist republic

The Haadyai Peace Agreements between the CPM and the governments of Malaysia and Thailand were signed in December 1989. The agreements marked the end of the CPM’s four decade-long campaign of violence and subversion.

Question 49

When and why were there strikes in Singapore?

Answer 49

• After 1954 when it had become clear that the British were going to leave Singapore, the communists moved to obtain control of an independent government by legal means while continuing to foster disorders

The communists tried to gain control of some important
unions. Through trade unions, they would be able to influence the workers and get them to go on strikes.

The communists were able to make use of the
students in Chinese schools because the schools were not under government control

The Chinese school students were unhappy with
the British government because they were not given equal opportunities for the entrance to the University. Chinese school students, when they graduate, could not get well paid jobs.

Question 50

What was the Hock Lee bus riot?

Answer 50

On April 23, 1955, workers from the Hock Lee Amalgamated Bus Company and some Chinese students began to go on strike.

They were members of the Singapore Bus Workers’ Union (SBWU) and were protesting against poor working
conditions, long work hours and low pay.

They also felt threatened by a rival union which was supported by the bus company to counter any labour action by SBWU.

The strike was likely to be instigated by pro-communists as well as fanned by anti-colonial sentiments

Question 51

What happened during the Hock Lee Bus Riot?

Answer 51

The strikers stopped the buses from leaving the depots and crippled the city’s entire transport system. In a show of support, students from the Chinese middle schools came in busloads to join the strikers.

On April 27, 1955, police tried to break up the strikers and injured 15 people. This gained more public sympathy and support for the strikers, which was aptly encouraged and supported by the communists.

In total, 4 people were killed and 31 injured in the violent and bloody riot.

Question 52

What was the Chinese Middle School Riots?

Answer 52

In the 1956 riots, Chinese middle school students who subscribed to the communist ideology staged sit-ins and demonstrations, disrupted classes, and in effect shut their schools down.

Resulting in 13 people killed and more than 100 injured.

Question 53

What caused the Chinese Middle School Riots?

Answer 53

In 1956, after Lim Yew Hock replaced David Marshall as Chief Minister of Singapore, he began to take tough measures to suppress communist activities with the support of the British Governor and Commissioner of Police.

In September, Lim Yew Hock deregistered and banned two pro-communist organisations: the Singapore Women’s Association (SWA) and the Chinese Musical
Gong Society. The Singapore Chinese Middle School Students Union (SCMSSU) was also dissolved.

In protest, students gathered and camped at Chung Cheng High School and The Chinese High School. They sat-in over the next two weeks, organising meetings and
holding demonstrations. On October 24, the government issued an ultimatum that the schools be vacated. As the deadline approached, riots started at the Chinese High School and spread to other parts of the island.

Some nine hundred people were arrested, including Lim Chin Siong, Fong Swee Suan and Devan Nair. They were released in 1959 when the People’s Action Party, led by
Lee Kuan Yew, won the 1959 general election to form the government as Singapore gained self rule.

Question 54

What is the road/timeline to independence for Singapore?

Answer 54

1948: Singapore’s First Election (a Legislative Council was set up by the British with 6 elected members )

1955: Limited Self-Government (the Legislative Council
became Legislative Assembly with 25 seats were elected and 7 were appointed)
o Chief Ministers David Marshall, Lim Yew Hock

1959: Full Self-Government
o Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew

1963: Singapore as part of independent Malaysia
1965: Independent Singapore

Question 55

When was Singapore’s first election and what happened?

Answer 55

In April 1946, Singapore was separated from the Straits
Settlements. From then on, it was ruled by a British
Governor, who was assisted by an Advisory Council.
Members of the Advisory Council were nominated by the
Governor. No Singaporean had the chance to elect any of the members.

There was NO democracy

In 1948, a Legislative Council was set up by the British. This time, some six members were elected by the Singaporeans

Question 56

What happened during the Limited Self Government in 1955?

Answer 56

In 1955, Singapore gained limited self government. Singapore was still ruled by the Governor, but 25 local representatives were allowed to take charge of Health and Housing.

In the new form of government, the Legislative Council was replaced by the Legislative Assembly. Despite the change, the Governor remained as powerful as ever (25 seats were elected and 7 were appointed).

Since David Marshall’s party had the most seats in the election, he became the Chief Minister

In 1956, David Marshall led a group of politicians to London to make the request for full self government (Merdeka Talks). When British did not grant him his wish, the disappointed David Marshall stepped down as Chief Minister.

Question 57

Who were the People’s action party?

Answer 57

In a country on the threshold of nationhood, among a people fermenting with anti-colonialism, the People’s Action Party (PAP) was born.

In the 2011 Singapore general election, the PAP won 81 of the 87 constituency elected (99 total) seats in the Parliament of Singapore while receiving 60.14% of total votes cast, the lowest share garnered since independence.

Question 58

Who ran during the Legislative Assembly Election in 1955

Answer 58

1) People’s Action Party - Lee Kuan Yew
2) Labour Front – David Marshall
3) The Progressive Party, whose leaders had earned a reputation as the “Queen’s Chinese” Democratic Party, which championed the causes of improved Chinese education, establishment of Chinese as an official language, and liberal citizenship terms for the China-born.

Question 59

What was the UMNO-MCA during the Legislative Assembly Election?

Answer 59

• Automatic registration of voters had increased the electorate from 76,000 in 1951 to more than 300,000.
• Election fever gripped Singapore during the month-long campaign, and the results of the April 2 contest sent shock waves as far as Britain, where it had been expected that the Progressive Party would win handily.
• Surprising even itself, the Labour Front won ten of the twenty-five seats and formed a coalition government with the UMNO-MCA Alliance, which won three seats. Three ex-officio members and two nominated members joined with the coalition, forming a group of seventeen in the thirty-two member assembly. The Progressives won only four seats and the Democratic Party just two, in a clear rejection of colonial rule and pro-colonial politics.
• The PAP won three of the four seats it had contested, including a seat in one of Singapore’s poorest sections won by Lee Kuan Yew and one seat won by Lim Chin Siong. Lim had the backing of organized labor and led the procommunist wing of the party while Lee led the
noncommunist wing.

Question 60

What does Merdeka mean and what role does it play?

Answer 60

Merdeka is a word in the Malay language meaning
Independent or freedom. The term was significant during the anti-colonialist and pro-independence movements of the colonies of Indonesia, Malaya, and Singapore, in the history of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

The call for Merdeka was a growing tension between
progressivism and radicalism, cooperation and hostility
towards the British.

David Marshall of the Labour Front narrowly won the Singapore general election of 1955, but being anti-colonialist, tended to be a vocal opponent of the British rule. As such, the British found it hard to work out a compromise.

A petition was started in 1956 which collected the signatures of 167,000: a vast portion of the electorate in that era - in a petition that demanded Merdeka.

Question 61

What role did David Marshall play in the Merdeka talk?

Answer 61

When the governor, Sir Robert Black, refused to allow Marshall to appoint four assistant ministers, Marshall threatened to resign unless Singapore was given immediate self-government under a new constitution.

The Colonial Office agreed to hold constitutional talks, which came to be known as Merdeka talks, in London in April 1956.

Marshall led a thirteen-man delegation comprising members of all the legislative parties and including Lee Kuan Yew and Lim Chin Siong, to the talks. The British offered to grant Singapore full internal self-government but wanted to retain control over foreign affairs and internal security. They proposed a Defence and Internal Security Council, with three delegates each from Britain and Singapore, to be chaired by the British high commissioner in Singapore, who would have the casting ballot.

Marshall had promised he would resign if he failed to obtain internal self government, and the talks broke down over the issue of the casting ballot.

The delegation returned to Singapore, and Marshall resigned in June and was succeeded by the deputy chief minister, Lim Yew Hock.

Question 62

What role did Lee Kuan Yew play in the Merdeka talk?

Answer 62

Took over as Singapore’s Chief Minister and continued the effort to push for independence. Lim then undertook harsh measures against the communists demonstrating that his administration was willing to take a tough stance to safeguard internal security. In the Chinese middle schools riots of 1956, some nine hundred people were arrested.

In subsequent Merdeka Talks, Lim managed to convince the British to grant Singapore Merdeka with complete autonomy over domestic affairs.

A new government was formed following the Singapore
General Election of 1959, but ironically the Labour Front lost as Lim Yew Hock’s harsh techniques had alienated large portions of the electorate.

Question 63

What happened during the full self governance in 1959

Answer 63

• In 1957, a law was passed to make the acquisition of Singapore citizen easier. As a result, more people became eligible to vote in 1959. Voting was, for the first
time, made compulsory.

• In the 1959 Election, Lee Kuan Yew led the PAP to victory and became the first Prime Minister of Singapore (PAP won the general election in a landslide, winning
43 out of 51 seats).

Question 64

Significance of British Colonialism on Modern Founding of Singapore

Answer 64

• Introduced sound institutions like rule of law and English as working language
• Invested in large infrastructure, town planning and
development
• Allowed mass immigration to turn it from a fishing village to a free port handling huge trade regionally and internationally
• Opened it to the outside world, especially the West
• Brought in technology accruing from the industrial revolutions
• Made Singapore into a free port and modern city, in contrast to its neighbouring islands in the archipelago
• Positioned Singapore to be a pre-eminent global metropolitan state in the future

Question 65

Lessons Learned from this Colonial Episode

Answer 65

• Singapore should continue to allow (high-quality) immigration to strengthen its talent pools and diverse skills for future economy
• Remain open as a global trading and business hub, with good connectivity for free trade and investment
• Embrace and promote science and technology to undergird its development as a first world nation
• Embrace the spirit of enterprise and adventurism to expand its economic space through overseas investments and globalization (to grow its GNP)
• Promote racial harmony and social integration
• Promote fair and equitable employment, not labor exploitation
• Build strong self-defence to protect sovereignty, against foreign aggression like in WWII.