Singapore
The Republic of Singapore (Chinese 新加坡共和国, pinyin: Xīnjīapō Gònghéguó; Malay Republik Singapura; Tamil சிங்கப்பூர் குடியரசு, Cingkappūr Kudiyarasu), is an island city-state in Southeast Asia, at latitude 1°17'35"N longitude 103°51'20"E, situated on the southern tip of Malay Peninsula, south of the state of Johor of Peninsular Malaysia and north of the Indonesian islands of Riau.
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| National motto: Majulah Singapura (Malay: Onward, Singapore) |
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| Official languages | English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil | ||||
| National language | Malay | ||||
| Capital | Singapore | ||||
| Head of State | Sellapan Rama NATHAN | ||||
| Head of Government | LEE Hsien Loong | ||||
| Area - Total - % water |
697.1 km² 1.444% |
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| Population - Total (July 2003 est.) - Density |
4,185,200 6004/km² |
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| GDP - Total (2003) - GDP/head |
US$93 billion US$22,366 |
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| Independence - Date |
From Malaysia August 9, 1965 |
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| Currency | Singapore Dollar (S$, SGD) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC +8 | ||||
| National anthem | Majulah Singapura | ||||
| Internet TLD | .sg | ||||
| Calling code | 65 (02 when dialling from Malaysia) | ||||
History
Main article: History of Singapore
The history of Singapore begins with the earliest references to the island in Chinese texts from the 3rd century. The island served as an outpost of the Sumatran Srivijaya empire and was originally given the Javanese name Temasek. Temasek rose to become a significant trading city in its heyday, but later declined in significance - little is to be found of old Temasek in Singapore other than archaeological evidence.
The current name of the city derives from the Sanskrit Singapura (Lion City); this name became common by the late 14th century. The 15th and 16th century Sultanate of Johore included Singapore. During the Malay-Portugal wars Singapura was burned down by Portugese forces in 1617. The city was officially abandoned; the island remained inhabited by small bands of fishermen and pirates.
In 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, an official with the British East India Company, established Singapore as a trade post and settlement, having made a treaty with the Sultan of Johor, the effective ruler of the island of Singapore then. After some conflict over the territory betwewen the Dutch and the British, the Dutch withdrew objections to Great Britain's founding of Singapore as a trade city in Southeast Asia in August 1824. After undergoing a number of territorial incarnations, Singapore was made a crown colony in 1867.
Singapore prospered as a trading port. Entreport trade grew, no doubt helped by Singapore's strategic location at an important traderoute (later to become the busiest shipping route in the world).
During World War II Japanese forces invaded Malaya and pushed southwards towards Singapore. The British and Allied forces were forced to retreat towards Singapore with the Japanese in pursuit. Despite having numerical superiority, the British and Allied troops were less well trained and they did not have the combined arms support of the navy and air force that the Japanese enjoyed after successful raids on the Royal Air Force base in Singapore and the destruction of the battleships, the "Prince of Wales" and the "Repulse". The Japanese landed in Singapore on 7 February 1942. On 15 February 1942, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, commander of British forces in Singapore surrendered to the Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita. The Japanese held Singapore until September 1945.
Singapore became a self-governing nation in 1959. Singapore joined Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak as part of the Federation of Malaysia between 1963 and 1965. It however, withdrew from Malaysia, becoming a sovereign nation on August 9, 1965 as racial tensions grew within Malaysia. Singapore rapidly formed its own armed forces as Britain withdrew troops from Singapore in October 1971. Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore's first Prime Minister, governing Singapore from 1959 to 1990. His successor was Goh Chok Tong. On August 12, 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the son of Lee Yuan Kew, took over as prime minister.
Geography & Climate
Main article: Geography & Climate of Singapore
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Geography
Singapore's main territory is a diamond-shaped island which is connected to the city of Johor Bahru in the state of Johor, Malaysia by a man-made causeway to the north. There is also a bridge (Tuas Second Link) in the western part of Singapore connecting to Johor. Singapore also has dozens of smaller islands, of which Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the larger ones. The highest point of Singapore is Bukit Timah, with a height of 164m.
When Singapore was first colonized by the British, the city of Singapore was situated on the southern coast, around the mouth of the Singapore River. This area remains the downtown core of Singapore. The rest of the island was farmland and jungle. However, since the 1960s the government has constructed many new towns in other areas, so that today the island is nearly entirely built-up, with only a few exceptions. In addition, Singapore has reclaimed land with earth obtained from its own hills, the seabed, and neighbouring countries. As a result, Singapore's land area grew from 581.5km² in the 1960s to 697.1km² today, and may grow by another 100km² by 2030.
Since Singapore is basically a city-state, there are no further administrative divisions. Singapore does however have community development councils and town councils that handle local matters.
Climate
Singapore's climate is tropical ("tropical rainforest climate" under Köppen climate classification), with no distinct seasons. Because of its geographical location and maritime exposure, its climate is characterised by uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity and abundant rainfall. Temperature as a diurnal range of a minimum 23-26ºC and a maximum of 31-34ºC. Relative humidity has a diurnal range in the high 90's in the early morning to around 60 % in the mid-afternoon. During prolonged heavy rain, relative humidity often reaches 100 %.
The climate of Singapore can be divided into two main seasons, the Northeast Monsoon (December to early March) and the Southwest Monsoon season (June to September), separated by two relatively short inter-monsoon periods. (These seasons are usually found in more academic contexts and are not generally familiar to laypeople in Singapore.) During the Northeast Monsoon season, northeast winds prevail, sometimes reaching 20 km/h. Cloudy conditions in December and January with frequent afternoon showers. Spells of widespread moderate to heavy rain occur lasting from 1 to 3 days at a stretch. Relatively drier in February till early March. Also generally windy with wind speeds sometimes reaching 30 to 40 km/h in the months of January and February. During the Southeast Monsoon season, southeast/southwest winds prevail. Isolated to scattered showers occur in the late morning and early afternoon. Early morning "Sumatra" line squalls are common.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Singapore
Apart from the much smaller Monaco, Singapore is the most densely populated independent country in the world. 85% of Singaporeans live in public housing provided by the Housing and Development Board (HDB). Source: Singapore Deparment of Statistics
Singapore's population is diverse. The Chinese account for 76.8% of Singaporeans. Malays, who were the indigenous native group of the country, constitute 13.9%, though this number includes intermingling with many other ethnic groups from the other parts of the world, especially with the Arabs ad the Bugis from Sulawesi. The Indians are the third largest ethnic group at 7.9%. The government of Singapore has been careful to maintain ethnic harmony after racial riots erupted in the 1960s, by putting people of different ethnicities together in schools, government housing, and the military. So far the policy has been successful, and there have been few outward signs of any ethnic unrest since the early 1970s. Issues exist such as bans on fundamentalist evangelical Christian activities and the Islamic headscarf in public schools (without a recipocral ban on other religious symbols).
The official languages are English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Though the Malays are a minority, Malay remains Singapore's national language for historical reasons - it remains the language of the national anthem. The ruling PAP (People's Action Party) has promoted English as the country's lingua franca, and today English is spoken by the majority of the population, while Malay is confined mostly to ethnic Malays.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Singapore
Singapore is a small and relatively modern amalgam of Chinese, Malay and Indian migrants. There appears little in the way of specifically Singaporean culture, as there is little intermarriage, although there is a community of Peranakan or "Straits Chinese", of mixed Chinese and Malay descent. The major public holidays reflect this diversity, including Chinese New Year, Buddhist Vesak Day, Muslim Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha (known locally by its Malay names Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji respectively), Hindu Diwali (known locally by its original name Deepavali). While Christians are a minority, Christmas Day, Good Friday, and New Year's Day are also public holidays.
Officially, the English used is modelled on British English (spelling and grammar), with some American English influences. The local colloquial dialect of English is known formally as Singapore Colloquial English (though it is more commonly called "Singlish"), and has many creole-like characteristics, having incorporated much vocabulary and grammar from various dialects of Chinese, Malay, and Indian languages. Singlish is basically identical to Manglish (the English dialect of Malaysia), and is the usual language on the streets, but is frowned upon in official contexts, and this matter has been brought up in recent years by the government.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Singapore
Singapore has a Westminster-style constitution. There is an elected figurehead president, who has veto powers in a few key decisions - such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of key judiciary positions. True executive power rests with the prime minister who leads the majority party in the elected Parliament.
In practice, politics is dominated by the People's Action Party which has ruled since Independence. Over the years the PAP has been accused of taking overly harsh actions against opposition parties to discourage and impede their success, such as gerrymandering (redrawing electoral districts to one's own favour). Since most people are supportive or apathetic regarding PAP policies, the opposition parties are stereotypically associated with the truly political passionate (some say foolhardy). There are also several cases of government leaders taking out civil suits against the opposition for libel or slander. Critics point out that in any case brought before the Singaporean courts involving the PAP or the Singapore Government, judges have always ruled in their favour, although a few instances of successful opposition suits have been recorded. Western democracies consider the mode of government in Singapore to be closer to authoritarianism than true democracy.
Paradoxically (for political scientists), Singapore has a highly successful and transparent market economy. Singapore was originally known as a "socialist democracy", but the PAP has consistently rejected the notion of socialism, and has preferred a pragmatic approach toward governance and policy-making that involves public opinion and feedback.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Singapore
As one of the East Asian Tigers, Singapore enjoys a highly developed and successful free-market economy, characterised by a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita GDP in the world. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing, and was hard hit in 2001 by the global recession and the slump in the technology sector. In 2001, GDP contracted by 2.2%. The economy has since recovered in response to improvements in the US economy, and is now expected to expand between 8 to 9% in 2004. In the longer term the government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle than the current export-led model, but is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.
The per capita GDP in 2003 was US$22,366 (est.) with an unemployment rate hovering around 5% in the same year.
The Economic Review Committee (ERC), set up in December 2001, made key recommendations to remake Singapore into:
- a globalised economy where Singapore is the key node in the global network, linked to all the major economies;
- a creative and entrepreneurial nation willing to take risks to create fresh businesses and blaze new paths to success; and
- a diversified economy powered by the twin engines of manufacturing and services, where vibrant Singapore companies complement MNCs, and new startups co-exist with traditional businesses exploiting new and innovative ideas.
Transportation
Main article: Transportation in Singapore
Singapore is linked to Johor, Malaysia via a railway line operated by KTMB of Malaysia, the causeway and bridge. Changi International Airport is situated at the eastermost tip of the main island. Comprising of two terminals, it is one of the most important air hubs in the region, serving 167 cities in 53 countries. When construction of the third terminal is completed in 2006, Changi is capable of handling 64 million passengers every year.
Within Singapore, there is a well-developed system of expressways and public transport roads
In addition, Singapore has a subway system (Mass Rapid Transit and Light Rail Transit) consisting of five lines. There is also a well-worked system of bus routes throughout the island, most of which has air conditioning due to Singapore's yearlong sweltering heat, while buses without air conditioning will be gradually phased. A contactless smartcard (EZ-link) is used to pay bus and subway fares.
Laws
History
For most of the 19th century the criminal law which was applied in the three Straits Settlement of Singapore, Penang and Malacca was that of England, in so far as local circumstances were permitted. There was little doubt that English common law crimes were recognised in these territories at the time. Certain problems, such as the application of certain Indian Acts, however, arose in 1871 and the Straits Settlements Penal Code was passed. It came into operation on 16 September 1872. The Code is practically a re-enactment of the Indian Penal Code.
The original Code, as amended on numerous occasions, presently states the law of Singapore. The most recent amendment was made by the Penal Code (Amendment) Act 1984 which came into effect on 31 August 1984. The effect of this amendment was that minimum penalties were provided for certain offences. The last major amendment of the Code prior to 1984 took place in 1973 when punishments for certain offences were enhanced.
Prior to 1870 the law relating to Criminal Procedure in force in Singapore was mainly found in the Indian Act XVI of 1852. As a consequence of the passing of the Straits Settlements Penal Code in 1871, the Criminal Procedure Ordinance V of 1870 was passed which replaced the Criminal Procedure Act XVI of 1852 but continued the English system of Criminal Procedure and made it applicable to the Penal Code. This was found impracticable as the Penal Code did away with the division of crimes into felonies and misdemeanours and the Criminal Procedure Ordinance VI of 1873 was passed accordingly. The Ordinance VI of 1873 marked the passage of the English Criminal Law in favour of the Indian. The Ordinance did away with indictments and instituted charges for all criminal offences; it abolished the Grand Jury and Special and Common Juries.
A new Code of Criminal Procedure was enacted in 1902. The present Code was passed by the Legislative Council on 28 January 1955. It repeals and re-enacts with the amendments the previous Code. All offences under the Penal Code are inquired into and tried according to the Criminal Procedure Code. Source: Electric Law Library
Some laws
Laws are often strict (there is a saying "Singapore is a 'fine' country", where the "fine" is of the monetary kind):
- The sale of chewing gum was forbidden for 12 years until May 2004. However, those that buy chewing gum must present identification and have a doctor's prescription. If the pharmacist that sells the gum does not take the name of the buyer, they face a SGD 3,000 fine.
- Heavy fines and community service are levied on people who litter or discard items in public areas.
- Eating and drinking on public transport also carry heavy fines.
- Vandalism and graffiti are punishable by mandatory caning.
- There is tough (by western standards) censorship:
- Some foreign newspapers and magazines, such as the Asian Wall Street Journal and the Far Eastern Economic Review have had their circulation or sale restricted. Malaysian newspapers are not allowed to be sold in Singapore (and vice versa)
- Pornography is not allowed; depiction of sex and nudity is restricted, e.g. Playboy and certain other 'adult' magazines are not allowed, Cosmopolitan Magazine was only recently permitted. Sex and nudity, if allowed at all, must be relevant to the context; movies containing nudity, sex or high levels of violence are usually categorised as Mature 18 (M18), as Restricted 21 (R21), or are banned.
- It is of note that the government has shown some interest in relaxing these standards, and has in recent times introduced a new movie category allowing 18-year-olds to view more mature content (M18), besides the existing NC-16 and R21 ratings.
- Private ownership of satellite dishes is banned, and international TV broadcasts (such as CNN, BBC, etc) can only be received by cable.
- Certain political material is not allowed.
- Material which may disturb religious and racial harmony is not allowed.
- Narcotics laws are very strict.
- Anyone caught with more than or equal to 13-14 g (0.5 ounces) of heroin, 28 g (1 ounce) of morphine or 480 g (17 ounces) of cannabis faces mandatory capital punishment. From 1991-2004, 400 people have been hanged in Singapore, mostly for drug trafficking, the highest execution rate in the world relative to population. See Singapore Government's response to its capital punishment.
- Sex deemed by the Government to be "against the order of nature", including oral sex and anal sex, is illegal.
- Car ownership is curbed through a government scheme in which car owners must bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE).
Recent developments
In 2003, the Censorship Review Committee recommended that the ban on Cosmopolitan Magazine be lifted but that the one on Playboy be continued because the Singaporean community is not ready for Playboy's liberal use of sexually explicit photographs.
In recent years, the Singaporean government has relaxed some of the stricter laws. For example, bungy jumping is no longer illegal. Film censorship has also been relaxed. There are also signs that the government is considering relaxing a number of laws concerning sex.
It is of note that while some archaic laws do remain from British common law, the government usually does not deliberately enforce these laws. For instance, while possession of pornography is illegal, no known checks have been made. Neither has the government tried to enforce a rule stating that oral sex be performed only as a precursor to sexual intercourse.
An American teenager, Michael Fay, aroused passionate media interest from the United States after he was caught vandalising Singaporean cars in 1994. There was a formal request by the American government not to carry out the sentence, which was caning. (Caning is also still allowed in Singapore schools, but only by the principal and/or the discipline master, and only for very serious offences, such as smoking. Furthermore, the canes used in schools are much less thick than those used on criminals, which can cause wounds with only one stroke.) Former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew called American practices "soft" and denied the appeal, although the number of strokes given was lessened. Fay was caned and interest in the incident has fallen since.
Capital punishment
Singapore is believed to possess the highest per capita rate of executions in the world, according to Amnesty International. The Singapore government has released figures giving a breakdown of the numbers of executions that have taken place over the past five years. Executions by hanging occur every Friday morning in Changi prison; relatives are informed of the date of the execution four days before it is scheduled to take place, seven to fourteen days beforehand in the case of foreigners as is detailed in the Singapore government's response to Amnesty International on the subject.
Miscellaneous topics
- Changi International Airport
- Communications in Singapore
- Education in Singapore
- Foreign relations of Singapore
- Military of Singapore
- Religion in Singapore
- Tourism in Singapore
Reference
- This article incorporates public domain text from the websites of Singapore Department of Statistics, United States Department of State & CIA World Factbook (2004).
External links
- The Singapore Wiki
- Singapore Government Online Portal
- The Singapore Infomap
- Singapore travel guide at Wikitravel
- Talking Cock, a political satire website
