Singapore Readings 1

8/10/2019 Singapore Readings 1

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Singapore

Singapore is a city-state. Almost all of Singapore is urbanized--that is, covered by

buildings or city facilities such as parks. Singapore is a crowded and bustling centre ofmanufacturing, trade, and finance. The main business and administrative section of the

city is on the main island. There are many modern buildings which tower above the

warehouses and docks of the port. Singapore is Southeast Asia's main port, and the

busiest port in the world in terms of shipping tonnage. Singapore is one of the most

prosperous countries in Asia. ts people en!oy high standards of health, education,

housing, transportation, and telecommunications.

Singapore consists of the main, low-lying Singapore sland and "# smaller islands within

its territorial waters. $rban areas comprise almost %& of the land area, while parkland,

reservoirs, plantations and open military areas occupy (&. Singapore sland measures

appro)imately (*km +*"mi east to west and *#km +(mi north to south at its widest

points. hile there are built-up, high-density areas all around the island, the main city


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area is in the south, built on the shores of the Singapore /iver. The 0entral 1usiness

2istrict +012 is at the southern shore of the river's mouth. 0hinatown ad!oins the 012

to the southwest. To the north of the Singapore /iver is the colonial district, which has

many reminders of 1ritish rule. 3urther north again is 4ittle ndia and Arab St. 5rchard

/d runs northwest from the colonial district.

To the west of the island is 6urong, an industrial area with a sprinkling of tourist

attractions. The east coast has some of the older residential areas, a ma!or beach park and

the international airport. The northeast is the location of huge housing developments and

the central north of the island has most of Singapore's undeveloped land and remaining

forest. A km +&."mi causeway connects Singapore with 6ohor 1ahru in 7alaysia8 a

second causeway has opened on the west of the island to relieve congestion.


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History

According to 7alay legend, a Sumatran prince encountered a lion - considered a good

omen - on Temasek, prompting him to found Singapura, or 4ion 0ity. t mattered little

that lions had never inhabited Singapore +more likely the prince had seen a tiger8 what

did matter was the establishment of the region as a minor trading post for the powerful

Sumatran Srivi!aya 9mpire and as a subse:uent vassal state of the 6avanese 7a!apahit

empire in the mid-#th century.

;eople have lived on what is now Singapore sland since prehistoric times. 3rom about

the A.2. &&'s to the *&&'s, the present-day city of Singapore was known as Temasek, or

sea town. The name Singapore, which means lion city in Sanskrit, has been used for the

island and the city since the *&&'s. The name was probably given because of the many

tigers, mistakenly called lions that inhabited the island. 2uring the *&&'s and #&&'s,

Singapore harbour served as a trading centre.

A 0hinese trader, ang 2a e

found a settlement of 7alays and 0hinese on terraced hillsides protected by a defensive

wall. The wall protected the people from pirates and also from attacks by 6avanese from

the kingdom of 7a!apahit, which sought to control Temasek.

9arly trading peoples from 7elaka and 6ohor, both in 7alaysia, used Temasek as a base.

The 5rang 4aut, or ?sea people,? were a fishing group who lived in houseboats near river

mouths on the island. n the #&&'s, Temasek was destroyed by 7a!apahit forces +see

7A6A;A>T. Temasek then lost its importance as a trading centre and fell into

obscurity.

n @*#, ancient ruins were recorded by the 1ritish official 6ohn 0rawford. >e described

the ruins of buildings on 1ukit 4arangan +the 3orbidden >ill, which was named 3ort

0anning >ill by the 1ritish. n =*@, gold ornaments dating from the #&&'s or earlier


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were found. The so-called Singapore Stone, containing about %& lines of undeciphered

writing in the awi language, was blown up in @(% during building work, but a few

fragments were saved. A piece is preserved in the Bational 7useum of Singapore.

The arrival of Raffles.

Singapore might have remained a :uiet backwater if not for Sir Stamford /affles'

intervention in @=. The 1ritish had first established a presence in the Straits of 7elaka

+now called 7alacca in the @th century when the 9ast ndia 0ompany set out to secure

and protect its line of trade from 0hina to the colonies in ndia. 3earing another

resurgence of e)pansionism in the 2utch - which had been the dominant 9uropean

trading power in the region for nearly *&& years - /affles argued for an increased 1ritish

presence, which he was promptly given. $nder his tutelage, Singapore's forlorn

reputation as a fetid, disease-ridden colony was soon forgotten. 7igrants attracted by a

tariff-free port poured in by the thousands and a flourishing colony with a military and

naval base were established.

Sir Stamford /affles was an official of the 1ritish 9ast ndia 0ompany and arrived to set

up a trading post. At this time, the 2utch controlled the trade routes with 0hina and the

9ast ndies. /affles sought a base in the south of the 7alay ;eninsula, to attract trade

and so break 2utch control.

/affles and his assistant, 7a!or illiam 3ar:uhar, landed at Singapore on 6an. *=, @=.

They met the local 7alay chief, Temenggong Abdul /ahman. This chief told them that

the island belonged to the sultan of 6ohor, Tengku Abdul /ahman, who was under the

control of the 2utch. /affles decided to make another prince, the elder brother of Abdul

/ahman, sultan in his place. This prince, Tengu >ussein, was the rightful heir to the

throne. >e travelled in secret to Singapore and was recognized as sultan of 6ohor by the

1ritish. A treaty was signed allowing the 1ritish to build a settlement on Singapore

island.


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Singapore was an instant success. t became a centre of free trade for the region. Traders

from 0hina, ndia, and ndonesia came to the new settlement. t became what /affles

had hoped for, the ?emporium +marketplace of the 9ast.? 1ugis traders from 0elebes

+Sulawesi, in ndonesia collected goods such as spices, birds' nests, gold dust, elephants'

tusks, rhinoceros' horns, and tin, and took them to Singapore once a year to barter

+e)change for manufactured goods. 0hinese traders brought silk, tea, and porcelain

from south 0hina. 0hinese traders also settled in Singapore.

The town plan. 1y @*, the original small population of 7alay, 0hinese, and 5rang

4aut inhabitants had grown to %,&&&. 1y @*(, the population had reached ,&&&.

Among the immigrants who settled in Singapore were Arabs, Armenians, 0hinese,

9uropeans, ndians, and 7alays. 0hinese !unks and large sailing ships from 9urope

began to call at Singapore. n the riverside settlement, the people lived in rough huts and

houses, and there was much violence and disorder.

n @** /affles returned for a third and last visit to Singapore. >e drew up a town plan.

9ach community was given a kampong, or village section, of its own. There was a

0hinese kampong, an ndian +0hulia kampong, a 1ugis kampong, a 7alay kampong,

and kampongs for all other communities. The 9uropean Town was close to the

government area on the west bank of the river. The sultan had a palace in his own

compound, with a mos:ue nearby. 9ach kampong had its own traditional trades. This

historical division lives on in modern street names such as 1encoolen Street, 0hulia

Street, 0arpenter Street, and Teochew Street.

Growth of trade. The old port on the Singapore /iver was soon too small for

Singapore's booming trade. n the @(&'s, the Bew >arbour, renamed eppel >arbour in

=&&, was established along the west coast.

Trade continued to grow and the importance of the port of Singapore increased after the

opening of the Suez 0anal in @"=. The canal shortened the sea voyage from 4ondon to

Singapore from about *&,&&& kilometres to about *,&&& kilometres. Steamships using

the Suez 0anal could travel from 4ondon to Singapore in about %& days. Singapore


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became the most important port in Southeast Asia for ships trading between 9urope and

Asia. Bew products such as tin and rubber from the 7alayan mainland gave the port a

further boost. 3acilities at the Bew >arbour included dry docks, a coaling station, and

warehouses.

The growth in trade and population prompted the 1ritish 9ast ndia 0ompany to ac:uire

all rights to Singapore. n @*(, the temenggong +ruler and the sultan signed away their

sovereignty over the island to the 1ritish. Two years later, Singapore was united with

;enang and 7elaka to form the ;residency of the Straits Settlements. t was ruled from

ndia. n @"C, Singapore became a 1ritish crown colony, ruled from 4ondon.

Piracy and crime. Singapore's trade attracted pirates from the Sulu archipelago

and 7indanao, both in the ;hilippines. Some pirates even attacked ships in Singapore's

port and then traded their loot openly in town. n @#* and @##, some 0hinese

merchants sent armed boats to patrol outside the harbour. n @#%, the 1ritish despatched

two steamships to destroy the pirates. n the @%&'s there were more attacks by pirates,

this time from 0hina.

Diolence was also widespread in the town. The small police force could not deal with the

problems of murder, theft, and 0hinese secret societies. n the @(&'s, a full-time police

chief was appointed. 1y the late @&&'s the police force had about "&& officers--still an

inade:uate number. The 0hinese secret societies were a source of lawlessness and riots

until they were made illegal in @=&. >owever, they continued to be a menace until the

outbreak of orld ar in =#=.

;artly to deal with the 0hinese secret societies, the 1ritish established the 0hinese

;rotectorate in Singapore in @CC. illiam ;ickering, the first 1ritish official to speak

several 0hinese dialects, was appointed the first ;rotector. >e was able to persuade

0hinese secret society leaders to accept him as a mediator in their disputes.


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Treatment of immigrants. ;ickering also tackled the ill-treatment of free-

passage immigrants by the ?coolie-agents.? ;oor immigrants from 0hina would register

with a coolie-agent in 0hina for a free passage to Singapore. The coolie-agent and the

!unk captain would pack as many immigrants as they could into the small ship.

Thousands of immigrants died during the voyages because of overcrowding, hunger, and

thirst. The ill-treatment continued when the immigrants landed in Singapore. They lived

in overcrowded lodging houses and were kept as prisoners until they were ?bought? by

employers. They had to work without pay for many months to pay off their passage, and

were given only food and lodging. After the establishment of the 0hinese ;rotectorate,

officials controlled the coolie-trade.

mmigration from ndia was done by the indenture system. mmigrants were recruited by

an agent in ndia. They were re:uired to sign a contract to work for the same employers

for five years for a fi)ed wage. 5ften they were paid low wages and worked in poor

conditions.

A fairer ?kangany? system came into use from the @C&'s. A senior worker in Singapore

was given money by his employer to recruit labourers from his village in ndia. This

system did away with the abuses of the indenture system. Bevertheless, ndian

nationalists complained that poor ndian villagers were never given a true picture of the

hard work under harsh conditions that awaited them. The system declined during the

slump in trade known as the Ereat 2epression of =*= to =#*, and was abolished in

=#@. ndians continued to emigrate to Singapore. After orld ar +=#=-=(%,

ndian immigrants included merchants and professional people.

7alays did not migrate to Singapore in such large numbers as the 0hinese or ndians.

3or this reason, they were soon outnumbered. The original 7alay community was

divided into followers of the temenggong and followers of the sultan. 9ach group was

given a separate location. The 5rang 4aut people mi)ed with the 7alay population.

mmigrants in the @&&'s came mainly from mainland 7alaya, Sumatra, 6ava, the islands


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of 1awaen, 0elebes, and /iau. ;olitical unrest in the 7alay Archipelago and the

restrictive 2utch rule in ndonesia encouraged 7alays to migrate to Singapore.

Immigrants' contributions. The immigrants of the @&&'s went to Singapore

with the aim of seeking their fortune and then returning home. The 1ritish made no

provisions for the growing Asian population. 4ocal community leaders set up religious

buildings, schools, and hospitals. Barayana ;illay, a >indu who had arrived with /affles,

established the first Sri 7ariamman Temple in @*C. n @((, a rich merchant, Tan Tock

Seng, paid for the first pauper hospital to help the local people. Today it is a leading

general hospital. Another merchant, Tan im Seng, gave funds to the government to

bring fresh water to 0hinatown. This was never done, so the money was used to

construct a fountain bearing his name. The 7elaka boat owner, >a!!ah 3atimah, was the

first woman to build a mos:ue. This slamic place of worship, constructed in the @(&'s,

bears her name and still stands today.

conomic development. Singapore's economy grew rapidly in the @&&'s. The

big business houses were dominated by 9uropeans with connections in 9urope, 0hina,

and the 7alay Archipelago. Among the well-known ones were the houses of 6ardine and

Euthrie. The Asian firms were not as big, but they played an important role as

middlemen, buying from the 9uropeans and distributing goods to traders from 0hina and

the 7alay Archipelago. Tan im Seng and 0ompany was a leading 0hinese business in

the @&&'s. There were also ndian, Arab, and 7alay merchants.

The close economic links with mainland 7alaya formed the mainstay of Singapore's

flourishing trade. 1ritish rule had brought law and order to 7alaya. 1etween @C( and

=(, all the states in 7alaya came under 1ritish rule.

The tin and rubber industries of 7alaya gave Singapore's economy a great boost. Tin

smelting became Singapore's first industry. Tin ore was transported by rail and smelted at

;ulau 1rani, an island off Singapore. Tin ingots were e)ported from Singapore's port,

and were one of Singapore's ma!or e)ports. Another ma!or e)port was sheet rubber. 1y

the early =&&'s, nearly C& per cent of 7alaya's foreign trade passed through Singapore.


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1y =, Singapore was the world's seventh largest port in tonnage of shipping. To

modernize the port, the government took it over in =&%. ithin the ne)t ten years the

Singapore >arbour 1oard had constructed two large docks, one of which was the second

largest in the world. 9ntrepot trade, in which cargo was transferred from one ship to

another within the port, continued to be Singapore's chief earner until the =%&'s.

The =*&'s and =#&'s. As the economy continued to grow in the =*&'s, an

unprecedented number of immigrants entered Singapore. 7ost were from south 0hina.

This immigration trend was reversed when trade slumped during the economic

depression of the =#&'s. The government sent thousands of people back to ndia and

south 0hina, and reduced immigration numbers. 5nly women were allowed in without

any restrictions. A uni:ue group of single women came as labourers from Sam-Sui in

Euangdong, south 0hina. n their distinctive red headgear and navy blue samfoo +tunic

and trousers they could be seen on construction sites doing heavy manual labour. 5ther

women worked as domestic servants. 7ost ndian women moved to mainland 7alaya to

work in the rubber estates.

Bew leaders emerged. The entrepreneur, Tan ah ee, stood out among the

philanthropists. >e helped found schools in Singapore. 4im 1oon eng, a doctor, led a

0onfucianist movement in Singapore and encouraged his fellow 0hinese to learn and

study their own language and culture. 7ohammed 9unos, known as ?the father of 7alay

!ournalism,? used his pen to help politicize the 7alays.

7ost people still looked to their own homelands for political inspiration. n the =#&'s,

the 6apanese invasion of 0hina resulted in a boycott of 6apanese goods in Singapore and

the raising of money for an aid fund. 7any young 0hinese returned to 0hina to fight the

6apanese.

orld ar and the 6apanese occupation +=(*-=(% had a great effect on the people of

Singapore. The naval base, with its huge dry dock opened in =#@, was a symbol of

1ritish imperial power. 1ut it was no defence against a land invasion. The 1ritish


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defenders of the island surrendered after C& days. 3or 1ritain, the fall of Singapore was a

catastrophe. The 6apanese destroyed the myth of white superiority. n Singapore, they

instituted a reign of terror and e)ecuted people who had helped the Allies against the

6apanese. 4ife was hard for everyone in Singapore, especially the 0hinese.

;ost-war political changes in ndia and 0hina also affected Singapore. ndia became

independent in =(C and 0hina became 0ommunist in =(=. These changes forced

Singaporeans of ndian and 0hinese origin to look upon Singapore as their permanent

home.

Toward independence. n =(", Singapore was separated from 7alaya and

became a crown colony. The return of the 1ritish after the war did not bring immediate

improvement. 3ood shortages and soaring inflation added to people's misery.

0ommunists who had fought against the 6apanese became more strident in their demands

for workers' rights. Strikes were common. 0hinese-educated people saw themselves as

disadvantaged. ithout speaking 9nglish, they could not !oin the civil service or the

private sector. >igher education was not available to 0hinese until Tan 4ark Sye, a

merchant, helped found a 0hinese $niversity. The 0ommunists were very successful in

recruiting students. Student sit-ins and boycotts of e)aminations, often involving clashes

with the police, drew attention to their cause.

As the colonial government moved towards the introduction of democracy, political

parties were formed. The 1ritish-educated people formed their own parties and sought to

keep things as they were. They ignored the views of the 0hinese-educated ma!ority. The

0hinese party fought for issues such as 0hinese education and citizenship for those born

in 0hina.

5nly one party in Singapore sought to bring the 0hinese-educated people into

mainstream politics. This was the ;eople's Action ;arty +;A;. t was led by 4ee uan


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founder of the ;eople's Action ;arty +;A;. Singapore set up its first legislative assembly

in =%%.

The ;eople's Action ;arty, with the 0ambridge-educated 4ee uan owever, the union was not a

happy one. The e)pected economic benefits did not materialize. Singapore's efforts toindustrialize to solve its unemployment problems were hampered by the federal

government's tight control. /elations worsened as Singapore's leaders tried to break into

the 7alayan political arena, the preserve of 7alays. /acial riots broke out in Singapore

in ="(. hen relations did not improve, the 7alaysian prime minister asked Singapore

to leave the federation. 5n Aug. =, ="%, Singapore became independent.


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Independence. hen the first Singapore parliament met in 2ecember ="%, the

opposition benches were empty. They had boycotted the opening, claiming that the

independence was ?spurious.? 5pposition members resigned their seats, and two fled

Singapore to avoid arrest. There was no opposition in Singapore until =@, when one

opposition member was elected.

The new government of Singapore drew up ambitious plans for the survival of the new

nation. 9ducation was encouraged to forge a common national identity from Singapore's

mi)ture of peoples. The school curriculum was geared to meet the needs of new

manufacturing industries. Bational service was begun, and a new housing programme set

up.

3rom the ="&'s, industry began to replace the traditional entrepot trade as Singapore's

chief income-earner. >ealth and social services were improved. n =C the last $

military forces were withdrawn from Singapore. Singapore's economy continued to

grow. 1y the =@&'s, it had become one of the most stable and prosperous nations in

Asia.

n ==&, 4ee uan e was succeeded by the deputy prime

minister Eoh 0hok Tong. 4ee remained head of the ;eople's Action ;arty and became a

senior minister in Eoh's 0abinet.

n ==#, 5ng Teng 0heong became the first directly elected president of Singapore. >e

had previously held office as deputy prime minister.

9conomically, the Southeast Asian region's late-==&s downturn +a euphemism if ever

there was one hit Singapore as hard as anywhere else - in one three-month period in late

==@, unemployment in the country doubled. The city-state is slowly bouncing back,

however, and on the street things are lively as ever, though the e)odus of well-trained

professionals seeking glittering international opportunities is a growing concern.


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Government

Singapore is a republic. An @-member, one-house ;arliament makes the country's laws.

A prime minister and a cabinet carry out the operations of government. A president

serves as head of state. The president has some controls over government finances and

makes key civil service appointments. Since ==#, the president has been directly elected

by the people to serve a si)-year term. 9lections are held every five years to choose

members of ;arliament +7;s. 9very citizen over * years of age can vote. The

president appoints as prime minister the 7; who commands the confidence of the

ma!ority of other members.

The government has a ma!or role in Singapore's economy. There are many official bodies

which ensure the smooth development of the economy. The government decides what

benefits, such as holidays and sick pay, must be provided for workers. A national pension

or provident fund provides social security. 9mployees and employers contribute monthly

to a central social security fund, managed by the government.

;olitical parties. Singapore's largest political party is the ;eople's Action ;arty +;A;. t

came to power in =%=. 3rom ="@ to =@, the ;A; held all the seats in ;arliament.

Since =@, it has held almost all the seats. There are more than *& other registered

political parties. n the =@@ elections, only ( out of the @ seats went to members of

opposition parties. 3rom September ==*, " new Bominated 7embers of ;arliament

+B7;s were appointed as opposition members.

People


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Singapore is one of the world's most densely populated countries. 7ore than C% percent

of Singapore's people are 0hinese. 7alays make up about % percent of the population,

and most of the rest of the people are 9uropeans or ndians. Singapore has four official

languages--0hinese, 9nglish, 7alay, and Tamil. Singapore's ethnic groups create a

variety of cultures within the country.

Religion. Singapore has no official religion. The country's constitution guarantees

freedom of religion. The main religions practised are slam, mainly by 7alays8

1uddhism and Taoism, mainly by 0hinese8 >induism and Sikhism, mainly by ndians8

and 0hristianity, mainly by 0hinese, ndians, and 9urasians. 3estivals of each religious

group are observed as public holidays.

ducation. About =& per cent of the people of Singapore can read and write. This is

one of the highest literacy rates in Southeast Asia. 0hildren attend school from the age of

", and many continue until ". ;rimary education is free for si) years for all children

who are citizens of Singapore. 1esides 9nglish, children also learn one other official

language. About %& per cent are literate in two to three languages. 0olleges of higher

education include the Bational $niversity of Singapore, the Banyang Technological

$niversity, and several polytechnics.

The city of Singapore lies on the southern coast of Singapore island. 7ore than =& per

cent of the country's people live in the city. The city is built around its harbour.

Singapore is the world's busiest port in terms of tonnage. arehouses and concrete docks

line the port. Singapore is a free port--that is, goods can be unloaded, stored, and

reshipped without payment of import duties. n the crowded commercial district, modern

skyscrapers tower over traditional 0hinese shops. Singapore's oldest buildings date fromthe @&&'s. 5ne e)ample is the Bational 7useum.

4ike many other cities with a colonial history, Singapore developed around its harbour.

The 1ritish began the development of Singapore's port in the early @&&'s. mmigrants


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settled around the port area. 0olonial planners allocated a separate section of the city to

each of the ma!or ethnic groups.

Housing. n 0hinatown and in other ethnic sections, people built shophouses. These

buildings, usually two storeys high, were built on long narrow plots of land. The ground

floor was used for business purposes--the shop--and the upper floor as living space--the

house. 3rom this comes the name--?shophouse.? The shop had a narrow front opening

onto the street. The rest of the building stretched back as much as "% metres, and was

used for storage. 7any shophouses can still be seen.

2uring the late @&&'s and =&&'s, Singapore's trade e)panded. 7ore and more migrants

arrived in the country. 7any of these new settlers crowded into the central area. ;eople

added e)tra rooms on top of or on either side of e)isting shophouses. They divided up

their living space into tiny cubicles. n this way, a building designed for one family

became home to as many as seven families. This overcrowding caused public health and

sanitation problems.

;eople in rural districts traditionally lived in kampongs +small villages. At one time,

they lived in wooden houses with roofs of palm thatch, called attap. 4ater roofs were

made of zinc metal sheets instead of thatch. 7any of these country people made a living

in market gardening or fishing.

1y the late =(&'s, overcrowding in the central area had spilled over into surrounding

districts. Singapore had one of the world's worst slum problems. S:uatter settlements

sprang up around the city centre. ealthy residents moved out of the city centre and built

new homes in outlying districts. There was no low-cost public housing for poorer

residents.

n ="&, the Singapore government set up the >ousing and 2evelopment 1oard to

provide low-cost public housing for people resettled from slum s:uatter housing in the

central area of the city. The new homes were in high-rise estates, designed on the

?neighbourhood? concept, like the new towns built in some 9uropean countries in the


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=%&'s. 9ach neighbourhood housed from ,&&& to %,&&& families. 9ach of these estates

had its own schools, markets, shops, and playgrounds. These estates were within about

#& minutes' commuting distance of the main employment zones within the central area of

the city.

Singapore has continued to build high-rise public housing, at costs below the market

price of private homes. The later new towns have better facilities. 3lats are constructed

to higher standards and with better materials. 9states are served by public transportation,

through buses and the 7/T +7ass /apid Transit rail system. 7any estates have light

industries close by. Almost @C per cent of Singapore's citizens live in public housing

estates or new towns, located in every part of the island.

0entral Singapore was redeveloped as a commercial centre as slums were cleared. The

central area is known locally as the Eolden Shoe. The port area, with its warehouses and

docks, is nearby. The main shopping and hotel district is in a separate section. Tall office

buildings, shopping comple)es, and lu)ury apartments are found throughout the central

area. 0ultural activities such as drama, ballet, and concerts are held fre:uently within the

city. The traditional wayang theatre is also popular

ndustrial areas. 7any ma!or industries have moved to 6urong, a large industrial estate

on the southwestern coast. There are smaller industrial estates, and research and office

parks in suburban areas around Singapore.


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!and

7ost of the land of the islands of Singapore lies near sea level. The highest point, 1ukit

Timah >ill, is only CC metres above sea level. Almost %& per cent of the total land area

is built upon. About (& per cent is made up of open spaces such as parks, :uarries,

military bases, inland waters, and unused land. 5nly * per cent of Singapore's land area

is given over to farming. 7any local farmers are adopting high-technology methods,

such as hydroponics--growing plants in chemical solutions without soil--to boost food

production.

gneous rock is found in the hilly central and north-central region. Sedimentary rocks are

found in the west and south. There are sand and gravel deposits in the flatter eastern

region. 7ore recent layers of rocks lie over all three of these ancient rock types.

Plants and animals. Degetation in Singapore has been altered by human

settlement. /ainforests once covered most of the main island. 1ut most of the forest was

cut down as Singapore grew into a prosperous 1ritish trading settlement. Trees were

removed first to make way for crops such as nutmeg, cloves, and pepper, and gambier, a

tropical plant used to make dye. 4ater, rubber and coconut plantations were established.

4arge wild animals such as tigers, wild boar, mousedeer, and anteaters that used to roam

Singapore's forests are no longer found. Small mammals include monkeys, s:uirrels, and

civet cats. 1irds and reptiles, including monitor lizards, pythons, and cobras, are also

common.

Climate. Singapore is one giant sauna. t's hot and humid year-round, with the

temperature almost never dropping below *&F0 +"@F3, even at night, and usually

climbing to #&F0 +@"F3 during the day. >umidity is high, hovering around the C%

mark. Singapore is wettest from Bovember to 6anuary and at its driest from 7ay to 6uly -


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the difference between the two, however, is slight. And due to Singapore's pro)imity to

the e:uator, it receives a steady diet of sunshine all year.

The average annual temperature is about *C F0. >owever, sea breezes cool the country soday temperatures seldom rise above # F0. /ainfall averages about *,(&& millimetres a

year. The monsoons control the seasons. The wettest months are from Bovember to

7arch, when the northeast monsoon is blowing. The dry season is from 6une to 5ctober

during the southeast monsoon. Thunderstorms are common in the months between the

monsoons.

Although rainfall is plentiful, Singapore is not able to supply enough water to meet all its

demands. The country buys water from the state of 6ohor in 7alaysia to supplement

stocks in its own reservoirs. ater supplies are tested daily.

conomy

Singapore has a highly developed economy. 1efore the ="&'s, the country was

essentially a trading nation. Since then, it has developed a more varied economy. t has

become an important financial, trade, and transportation centre. Tourism is also

important. The country's annual income per capita +per person is one of the highest in

Asia. The people of Singapore en!oy a high standard of living and welfare services.

There is one doctor for every @#C people, and one government hospital bed for every *"=

people.

Singapore has few natural resources. ts main resource is its people. $nemployment is

low, about * per cent. About *@ per cent of employed people in Singapore work in

manufacturing8 about *# per cent in commerce8 ** per cent in community, social, and

personal services8 and & per cent in transport, storage, and communications.


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Trade. Since Singapore was founded as a trading station in the @&&'s, its economy

has been based on trade. t has a natural, deepwater harbour. t is situated in a strategic

location on ma!or trade routes between 9ast and est. Singapore practises free trade. t

is an entrepot port, serving as a centre for the import and re-e)port of goods. t is also a

warehousing and distribution centre for the Asian and ;acific regions.

n terms of shipping tonnage, Singapore's port is the busiest in the world. Singapore's

main trading partners are the 9uropean $nion, 6apan, 7alaysia, and the $nited States.

Singapore imports a wide range of goods, including electronic and electrical goods,

foodstuffs, iron and steel, petroleum, plastics, and rubber. Singapore e)ports, or re-

e)ports, clothing, electronic components, petroleum products, rubber, and

telecommunications e:uipment.

"anufacturing. Singapore is also a ma!or manufacturing centre. ts factories

produce chemicals, clothing and te)tiles, electrical and electronic e:uipment, household

appliances, machinery, optical and scientific apparatus, and rubber and plastic products.

t is also a ma!or centre for food processing, petroleum refining, and shipbuilding and

repairing.

Since the early ="&'s, industrialization has proceeded rapidly. Singapore set up the

9conomic 2evelopment 1oard in =" to promote industry as the key to economic

growth. The 6urong industrial estate was opened in the western part of the island. t and

some *& other industrial estates are run by the 6urong Town 0orporation, set up in ="@.

n the beginning, the industrial programme focused on labour-intensive manufacturing to

help solve unemployment problems in the early ="&'s. After this programme succeeded,Singapore moved into higher-skill industries, and since the =@&'s has concentrated on

high-technology industries.


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#griculture has a minor role in Singapore's economy. 7ost farming is intensive,

and uses the latest technology. 3armers produce poultry and eggs, and fruit and

vegetables for the local market. 5rchids are grown for e)port. ;ig farming is being

phased out because of the environmental damage caused by the waste from pig farms.

Sea fish farming along the coastal waters of Singapore is increasing in importance.

A:uarium fish are also produced for e)port.

Tourism is a ma!or industry. About %.% million tourists arrive in Singapore each

year--more than the country's population. Tourists come mainly from 6apan, Australia,

Southeast Asia, the $nited ingdom, and the $nited States. The Singapore Tourist

;romotion 1oard was set up in ="(. The country has a wide range of hotels, with many

ma!or international hotel chains having branches there. Tourism is the country's third

largest earner of foreign e)change.

Transportation and communication. Singapore's 7ass /apid Transit

+7/T, which began working in =@C, offers a fast and efficient local railway service.

Two lines cross the city centre linking (* stations. The system spans nearly C&

kilometres and can handle up to @&&,&&& passengers a day. 1uses also provide valuable

transport for city workers. A causeway linking Singapore sland to the nearby tourist

island of Sentosa opened in 2ecember ==*.

Singapore's roads are crowded because of the large number of cars. 2rivers must pay a

fee to enter the city during peak periods on weekdays. This system is called the area

licensing scheme and has helped reduce traffic congestion at busy periods.

Singapore also has well developed transportation links with other countries. A railway

links Singapore with 7alaysia. 0hangi nternational Airport, at the eastern end of the

island, is the nation's chief airport and one of the most modern airports in the world.

About %& airlines provide flights to more than && cities in over %& countries around the


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world. Seletar Airport, which like 0hangi Airport is managed by the 0ivil Aviation

Authority of Singapore, is used for charter and training flights.

There is one television set for every five people. The country has one telephone for every

two people. t is an important telecommunications centre.

9ducational development. /affles encouraged the construction of the first school, The

nstitution, in @*#. t was renamed /affles nstitution in @"@. ;rivate philanthropists

and missionaries set up schools for the various ethnic groups. Toward the end of the

@&&'s, the government established 1ritish and 7alay schools. 0hinese schools

continued to be built and supported by the 0hinese communities until the =&&'s, when

they were offered government grants.

At first, few parents thought it was necessary to educate their daughters. Bor was every

boy sent to school. ;oor parents kept their children at home to help them in their work.

4ater, wealthy people sent their children to 1ritish schools, so they could learn the

9nglish language. 0hinese schools taught 0hinese culture and traditions, and therefore

were the choice of 0hina-born parents. Dery few 7alay or Tamil schools were built.

The education system in colonial Singapore separated the different groups in the Asian

population. The 1ritish-educated people had better !obs and en!oyed a higher status in

society. The rest, particularly the large numbers of 0hinese-educated people, ended up as

labourers or poorly paid teachers. This division of society had an impact on the politics

of modern Singapore.

Singapore Readings 1

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Transcript of Singapore Readings 1