Today considered one of South East Asia’s economic success stories, the island which is now known as Singapore has a long history of trade – certainly Chinese merchants were visiting many centuries before the arrival of the first European colonists. Details are sketchy, although we do know that at various times the island fell under the influence of competing kingdoms based in what are now Indonesia and Malaysia.
The Portuguese arrived in the region early in the 16th century, taking Melaka (on west coast of the peninsula) as their trading port. The Dutch followed, as did the British, and it was the latter nation which took an interest in Singapore following the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1818.
Under plans drawn up by Sir Stamford Raffles, Singapore was to be turned into a major port alongside Melaka and Penang (also on the Malaysian peninsula) – both of which were by then under British control. Although he spent little time in the city, his decisions – such as dividing the city along ethnic lines – were crucial to its development.
Under the British, Chinese and Indian immigrants flocked to Singapore. Living conditions were often dreadful, but there was money to be made and the city became known for a work ethic which is evident to this day. As in the other Straits Settlements, Melaka and Penang, a mixed-ancestry community (known as Peranakan) arose after Chinese men married with local women.
WWII saw disaster befall the city, which fell to the Japanese army much to the dismay of Singapore’s colonial rulers. Conditions under the occupation were harsh, for POWs and civilians alike; thousands of Chinese inhabitants were executed.
After the Japanese surrender, British rule was re-established but the colonial rulers had been shown to be vulnerable. Singapore achieved independence in 1963, initially as part of the Malay Federation but relations with Malaysia were poor and Singapore was expelled in 1965.
Under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew, who was prime minister from 1959 to 1990 and whose son currently holds the post, the country attracted foreign investment and its economy prospered. The cost of this, however, was the development of a single party political system and a clampdown on dissent; to this day the media suffers a high degree of state control and Singapore has a reputation as a prosperous but rather antiseptic and pettily repressive city-state. In the last few years there has been pressure to relax some of the laws in question, to which the Government has responded in part. Although statistics relating to capital punishment are not released, it is believed that the number of executions has fallen significantly from a high of around 50 per year in the mid-1990s.
In recent years Singapore has taken a more active role in regional affairs, mainly through the Association of South East Nations (ASEAN). This former anti-Communist bloc is now adopting a more wide-ranging role in diplomatic, economic and – since the Bali bomb attacks in 2002 – security affairs. There has been some improvement in relations between Singapore and Malaysia, between whom there are myriad disputes about matters such as access to air space, water resources and territorial boundaries. This thawing of relations has been reflected in the creation of Iskandar Malaysia, a joint project to develop the southern portion of the peninsular around Johor Bahru.
Buddhist 33%, Christian 18%, Muslim 15%, Taoist 11% and Hindu 5%.
Social conventions:Handshaking is the usual form of greeting, regardless of race; Muslims, and some Hindus, would not however normally shake hands with someone of the opposite sex. Social courtesies are often fairly formal. When invited to a private home or entering a temple or mosque, remove your shoes. For private visits, a gift is appreciated and, if on business, a company souvenir is appropriate.
Dress is informal. Most first-class restaurants and some hotel dining rooms expect men to wear a jacket and tie in the evenings; a smart appearance is expected for business meetings.
Laws relating to jaywalking, littering and chewing gum are strictly enforced in urban areas. Smoking is widely discouraged and illegal in enclosed public places (including restaurants). Dropping a cigarette end in the street or smoking illegally can lead to an immediate fine.
The official languages are Mandarin Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. Most Singaporeans are bilingual and speak English, which is used as the main language of communication.
