Unit 4: Towards Realisation of a Nation-State Flashcards
Main Topics
Main Topics
* Challenges to Security
- Konfrontasi & Communism Terrorism (enrichment)
- British Military withdrawal from Singapore in 1971
- Solutions to Security Challenges
- National Service (NS)
- Establishing a home-grown defence industry
- Strengthening military cooperation with other countries
- Establishment of diplomatic relations & bilateral relationships with the world
- Challenges to Economy – Economic Vulnerability
- Limited access to the Malaysian hinterland
- Rising threat of unemployment
- Solutions to Economy Challenges – Economic Diversification
- Developing export-oriented industrialisation (ECB, JTC to attract MNCs)
- Developing Infrastructure
o 1973 Oil Crisis
Challenges to Security
British Military Withdrawal from Singapore in 1971
4pt, 1subpt
- The British government announced in 1967 that it would withdraw its defence forces from Singapore. By 1971, the majority of British forces had left, and the withdrawal was completed in 1976.
- Although Britain saw the importance of maintaining its military presence in the region, it could no longer afford the large amount of money and resources to maintain this military commitment and needed to focus on rebuilding its economy at home.
- The announcement of the withdrawal added to the defence challenges facing a newly independent Singapore, which would be left practically undefended. The sudden pullout of British forces presented serious problems to Singapore’s defence and economic security.
- The British bases generated employment for many locals who provided goods and services to the British military.
- Singapore had only 2 battalions of regular infantry of 50 officers and about 1000 men each (total 2000 men), which was hardly enough to defend Singapore against external threats, and Singapore was ill-equipped to take up its own defence.
Solutions to Security Challenges
how many ways + how?
2pt
- Singapore overcome its security challenges in 2 ways: deterrence and diplomacy.
- Deterrence: By building a credible defence force that would make potential enemies think twice before attacking. If deterrence failed and war broke out, this defence force also had to be capable of defeating the enemy swiftly and decisively.
- Diplomacy: By establishing and developing strong relationships with governments and defence forces around the world. Singapore could train with and learn from more advance militaries elsewhere, have access to advanced technologies and ensure that others would have a stake in preserving Singapore’s peace and stability.
Solutions to Security Challenges
Introduction of National Service (NS)
6pt
- The unpopularity and resistance of the 1954 National Service Ordinance highlighted the difficulty of introducing conscription in Singapore, which was never carried out while the British ruled Singapore.
- The Singapore government believed that it could only build a credible defence force through conscription, so the country introduced National Service (NS) in 1967, which rapidly expanded the defence force, known as the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
- Conscription: the compulsory enrolment of people for military service.
- Thousands of men were conscripted for at least two years of full-time NS.
- Upon completing NS, they would be liable for reservist duties that required them to continue receiving occasional military training and take up arms in times of emergency.
- By the end of the 1970s, the SAF had grown into a sizeable defence force including an army, an air force and a navy.
- The SAF was supplemented by the People’s Defence Force (PDF) to form a large pool of manpower to meet its defence needs.
- The PDF was formed by part-time volunteers including Ministers such as Dr Goh Keng Swee and Jek Yeun Thong, Members of Parliament (MPs) and senior civil servants.
- NS remains critical to Singapore’s continual survival and success today as it serves as the foundation of Singapore’s national defence. It helps Singapore develop a sizeable force that is combat-ready to defend the country. It also provides a chance for Singaporean males to bond and promote social harmony.
Solutions to Security Challenges
Initial reactions of the People towards NS
2pt, 1 3 subpt
Initial reactions of the People towards NS
* Many young men and their families expressed some anxiety and uncertainty towards NS, particularly those from less well-to-do families.
- This was because these people were expected to work as soon as they left schools to help support their families. They were concerned that NS would delay their employment and caused the loss of income they would have earned.
- The majority of Singaporeans were unfamiliar with military life.
- This was because only a small group of local people had experienced military life as regulars or part-time volunteers with the British forces, for example, Winston Choo who became Singapore’s first Chief of Defence Force.
- For those who had to serve NS, they had to adapt to the disciplined military life and undergo physically tough training.
- These conscripted men and their families also had to manage the anxieties being away from one another.
Solutions to Security Challenges
Building SG’S defence force by Establishing a home-grown Defence Industry
5pt
Building SG’S defence force by Establishing a home-grown Defence Industry
* The SAF had inherited war equipment from the British. Unfortunately, most of the equipment was obsolete and inadequate for the growing demands of the SAF.
- To meet its growing demand, the SAF acquired equipment from other countries such as the United States and France.
- However, it was a potential weakness for a country to rely on foreign countries to supply its war equipment as the supply could be disrupted abruptly.
- To ensure a reliable supply of war equipment for the SAF, Defence Minister Dr Go Ken Swee decided to develop Singapore’s defence industry.
- In 1967, the Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS) was set up to produce ammunition and weapons for the SAF.
- The American-designed M161 rifle was one of the earliest weapons produced locally and issued to almost every soldier.
- Singapore also trained defence engineers and scientists to design and create new technology to meet Singapore’s defence needs.
Solutions to Security Challenges
Building SG’S defence force by strengthening military cooperation with other countries (FPDA)
5pt, 1subpt
- Singapore built on its existing relations with Commonwealth countries such as Britain, Australia and Malaysia as well as made new ties with other countries such as the United States to further strengthen its defence.
- By having friendly relations with other countries, the SAF would have opportunities to buy equipment from them or train with and learn from more experienced armed forces.
- In 1971, Singapore formed the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) with Australia, Britain, Malaysia and New Zealand as these countries were parts of the former British Empire and members of the Commonwealth that shared the common interests in the region.
- These five members were able to consult one another in the event of an armed attack on Singapore or Malaysia.
- The FPDA has helped these five countries to carry out regular combined military exercises and served as a platform for them to enhance defence cooperation.
- Today, the FPDA remains critical for these countries to contribute to regional peace and stability.
Solutions to Security Challenges
Strengthening Relations with the world
main points? (3)
- Establishing diplomatic relations with other countries
- Diplomatic relations: the arrangement between two countries by which each has representatives in the other country - Growing bilateral relationships with other countries
- Bilateral: relationship b/w 2 countries - Joining international and regional organisations
- United Nations (UN) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Solutions to Security Challenges
Strengthening Relations with the world
1. Establishing diplomatic relations with other countries
1pt
- Establishing diplomatic relations with other countries
* By establishing diplomatic relations with other countries, Singapore would be recognised by other countries for its independence.
* Without this recognition, Singapore could be threatened, coerced and even invaded by hostile countries as these countries would claim that Singapore had no right to exist on its own.
Solutions to Security Challenges
Strengthening Relations with the world
2. Growing bilateral relationships with other countries
3pt, 2 0 1 subpt
- Growing bilateral relationships with other countries
* Singapore had close ties with many Commonwealth countries, such as Australia and Malaysia, at the point of independence. However, it also needed to form new bilateral relationships with other influential countries.
- Singapore built good relations with the United States, one of the most economically and militarily important countries.
- Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew visited China for the first time in 1976 to engage with Chinese leaders due to the expansion of China’s ties with Southeast Asia.
- Singapore also developed good relations with other countries that had no direct interests in Asia or held different stance in the Cold War.
- Singapore also put in efforts to amend ties with countries it had tensions with. such as Indonesia.
- In 1973, Prime Minister Lee visited Jakarta and scattered flowers on the graves of the two soldiers who were sentenced to death for their roles in the bombing of MacDonald House in 1968. This allowed both countries to move on from this incident and ease the tensions between them.
Solutions to Security Challenges
Strengthening Relations with the world
3. Joining international and regional organisations
4pt, 0 0 1 2 subpt
- Joining international and regional organisations
* When Singapore became a member in international and regional organisations, it would help to cement the status of Singapore as an independent country.
* Singapore would be able to take part actively in international and regional matters and have its voice heard by the world.
- On 21 September 1965, Singapore became the 117th member of the United Nations (UN).
- The UN is an international organisation that tries to get all countries to work together to maintain peace and deal with international issues.
- In 1967, Singapore became a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
- ASEAN was formed to prevent the spread of communism, during the Cold War and to promote economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the Southeast Asians through multilateral cooperation.
- It has worked together to increase trade among its members. It also helps maintain peace and stability among member states and external partners.
o For example, When Vietnam invaded Cambodia In 1978, ASEAN worked with the UN and other countries like lie United States and China to get Vietnam to withdraw its forces.
Challenges to Economy – Economic Vulnerability
Limited access to the Malaysian Hinterland
3pt
Limited access to the Malaysian Hinterland
* Trade between Singapore and Malaysia remained limited because Singapore did not have a common market and direct access to the Malaysian hinterland.
* In Malaysia, Singapore-made goods were more expensive than those made in Malaysia as Malaysia imposed tariffs on Singapore-made goods to protect its own industries. This lowered the demand for Singapore-made goods in Malaysia.
* Malaysia also reduced its volume of exports, such as raw tin and rubber, to Singapore because it now wanted to process and export them directly from its own ports instead of sending to Singapore for processing before re-exporting to worldwide.
Challenges to Economy – Economic Vulnerability
Threat of Unemployment
3pt, 3 0 1 subpt
Threat of Unemployment
* Singapore experienced rapidly growing population that required more job opportunities for the people (demand > supply).
- In 1965, more than 70,000 were already unemployed out of a total labour force of over 700,000 (>10%).
- Also, a large number of young people were about to complete their education to enter the workforce.
- If there were insufficient job vacancies for them to fill, the unemployment problem would aggravate further.
- Singapore also suffered a substantial decline in entrepot trade since World War II, which had been supporting Singapore’s economy for many decades, due to more competitions from other ports in the region. Therefore, Singapore could not depend on the entrepot trade to create more job opportunities anymore.
- When the British decided to withdraw its forces in 1967, it also caused the problem of unemployment to escalate further.
- This was because the military bases were a major source of employment for Singaporeans. More than 40,000 people depended on these military bases for their livelihood as they provided goods and services to British servicemen stationed here.
Solutions to Economy Challenges – Economic Diversification
main points - 2
- The Singapore government decided to diversify the economy to tackle the employment problems and the declining entrepot trade by trying to find new and varied sources to support the country’s economy instead of overly relying on any one source.
- The diversified economy would likely help the country’s economy to grow steadily and create more jobs for the people.
- Singapore diversified its economy by:
1. Developing export-oriented industrialisation (ECB, JTC to attract MNCs)
2. Developing Infrastructure
Solutions to Economy Challenges – Economic Diversification
Developing export-oriented industrialisation
2pt, 2subpt (ECB -> MNCs)
Developing export-oriented industrialisation
* By developing the export-oriented industrialisation, Singapore had planned to diversify its economy through industrialisation even before merger and independence. As such, Finance Minister Dr Goh Keng Swee announced the establishment of the Economic Development Board (ECB) in 1961.
- The EDB was tasked to promote industrial development in Singapore (e.g. by attracting multinational corporations (MNCs) to build their factories here).
- Goods produced in these factories were originally sold in Singapore and the Malaysian hinterland. Unfortunately, it became impractical after independence, so Singapore adopted an export-oriented policy by exporting most of the goods worldwide.
- Many MNCs, such as Shell, Seiko and Hewlett-Packard (HP), from different parts of the world, such as the Netherlands, Japan, Britain and the United States, came to set up their factories in Singapore.
