Around the World

Singapore, the 5th most visited city in the world, is an island country, the largest and busiest port in Southeast Asia just 85 miles north of the equator. The population here of 6 Million (76% Chinese) is in 281 square miles. It is one island with 63 islets and keeps growing due to ongoing land reclamation. It is an exciting modern city that represents the old with Little India, Chinatown and the Arab Quarter and the new with modern hotels and shopping malls. There are the Merlions that represent the city as the head of a lion as they roar ahead in progress and the fish as it was once a fishing village. Five religions are practiced here, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism, Hinduism, and some Jews (3 Synagogues), and all are obvious as you walk/drive the city. Its British colonial beginnings are evident in the architecture. It is a UNESCO city with exceptional botanical and orchid gardens. The modern and ultra-modern new skyscrapers and efficient clean trains show Singapore’s growth in the last 50 years as a major commerce and tourism destination.

Although it has a history that goes back millennia, as documented in the 17th century, the Malay Annals, its modern era began in 1819 with Stamford Raffles and William Farquhar negotiating with the Sultan and settling in this area as a trading post of the British empire. In 1867 Singapore became part of Britain (except for 1942-45 under Japanese rule). From 1950-90 transition from a state of political unrest and illiterate and poor. Now it is a stable high economic status. David Marshall, Chief Minister right with individuals was instrumental in forging the idea of sovereignty as well as in subsequent negotiations that led to its eventual self-governance from the United Kingdom in 1959. In 1959 Singapore became self-governed and in 1963 became part of the federation of Malaysia, Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak. After being expelled from Malaysia, Singapore became independent as the Republic of Singapore in 1965, with Lee Kuan Yew and Yusof bin Ishak as the first prime minister and president respectively.

This is a story of early leadership and nationhood created to succeed not just survive. There was a lack of democracy during this time but in the name of helping the people. Lee Kuan Yew's, who is given credit for much of the modernization here, emphasized rapid economic growth, support for business entrepreneurship, and limitations on internal democracy that shaped Singapore's policies for the next half-century. Economic growth continued throughout the 1980s, with the unemployment rate falling to 3% and real GDP growth averaging at about 8% up until 1999. During the 1980s, Singapore began to shift towards high-tech industries, such as the wafer fabrication sector, in order to remain competitive. Lee oversaw Singapore's transformation into a developed country with a high-income economy within his premiership. In the process, he forged a highly effective, anti-corrupt government and civil service. Lee implemented long-term social and economic planning, championing civic nationalism, meritocracy, and multiracialism as governing principles, making English the major language to facilitate trade with the world (the population also speaks Malay, Mandarin and Tamil).Read more