Country Profile Official Name in Other Official Languages

COUNTRY PROFILE
Official Name – Republic of Singapore
In other official Languages – Republik Singapura (Malay), Xinjiapo
Gongheguo― 新加坡共和国 (Chinese), and Cingkappãr
Capital – Singapore. The city of Singapore is located on the south-central

coast, but urbanization has taken over most of the territory of the island.
Population – 5.9 Million as of December 2017 and their population is

equivalent to 0.08% of the total world population.
Location
Singapore is located in the continent of Asia, specifically on the Malay

Peninsula in South East Asia. The Singaporean territory consists of the
island of Singapore and around 50 adjacent islands. The country is
separated physically from Malaysia by the Johore Strait and from Indonesia
by the Strait of Malacca as well as the Strait of Singapore. The islands are
generally flat and low with a few small cliffs and shallow valleys to the
southwest. The main island is drained by a number of short streams such as
the Singapore, Jurong, Kalang, Kranji, Seletar and Serangoon.
Area
Singapore consists of 63 islands, including the main island, Pulau

Ujong. There are two man-made connections to Johor, Malaysia:
the Woodlands 1st Link in the north and the Tuas 2nd Link in the
west. Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the largest
of Singapore's smaller islands. The highest natural point is Bukit Timah
Hill at 163.63 m (537 ft). Due to Singapore’s on-going land reclamation
projects, their land area has increased from 581.5km2 (or 224.5 sq mi) in the
1960’s to 721.5 km2 (or 278.6 sq mi) in 2018. It has an estimation increase
of some 23% (130 km2). Now, the country is projected to grow to
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REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
766 km2 (300 sq mi) by 2030. Some projects involve merging smaller
islands through land reclamation to form larger and more functional islands,
as what has also been done with Jurong Island.
Climate
In terms of climate, Singapore has a tropical rainforest climate. But they do

not have distinct season(s), uniform temperature and pressure, high
humidity, and abundant rainfall. Temperatures would usually range from 22
to 35 °C (72 to 95 °F). While temperature does not vary greatly throughout
the year, there is a wetter monsoon season from November to January.
Time
Singapore does not observe the daylight saving time (DST). They follow the
GMT+8 time zone, one hour ahead of the typical zone for its geographical
location, causing the sun to rise and set particularly late during January and
February, where the sun rises roughly at 7:15am and sets around 7:30pm.
During July, the sun sets at around 7:15pm, similar to other cities at much
higher latitudes like as Taipei and Tokyo. The earliest the sun sets and rises
is November, where the sun rises at 6:45am and sets at round 6:50pm.
Economy
As of December 2017:
Singapore’s GDP – $297 B
GDP growth – 2%
GDP per Capita – $53,000
Trade Balance/ GDP – 19%
Public Debt/ GDP – 113%
Unemployment – 2.1
2
Inflation Rate – -0.5%
#9 in best countries for business at Forbes Lists.
Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It

enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices,
and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries.
Unemployment is very low. The economy depends heavily on exports,
particularly of consumer electronics, information technology products,
medical and optical devices, pharmaceuticals, and on its vibrant
transportation, business, and financial services sectors. The economy
contracted 0.6% in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis, but has
continued to grow since 2010. Growth in 2014-16 was slower than during
the previous decade, at fewer than 3% annually, largely a result of soft
demand for exports amid a sluggish global economy and weak growth in
Singapore’s manufacturing sector. The government is attempting to
restructure Singapore’s economy by weaning its dependence on foreign
labor, addressing weak productivity growth, and increasing Singaporean
wages. Singapore has attracted major investments in advanced
manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology production and
will continue efforts to strengthen its position as Southeast Asia's leading
financial and technology hub. Singapore is a member of the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations with the nine other
ASEAN members plus Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and
New Zealand. In 2015, Singapore formed, with the other ASEAN members,
the ASEAN Economic Community.
The Singaporean economy is known as one of the freest, most

innovative, most competitive, most dynamic and most business-
friendly. The 2015 Index of Economic Freedom ranks Singapore as the
second freest economy in the world and the Ease of Doing Business
Index has also ranked Singapore as the easiest place to do business for the
past decade. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, Singapore is
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consistently perceived as one of the least corrupt countries in the world,
along with New Zealand and the Scandinavian countries. In 2016,
Singapore is rated the world's most expensive city for the third consecutive
year by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
For several years, Singapore has been one of the few countries with an
AAA credit rating from the "big three", and the only Asian country to achieve
this rating. Singapore attracts a large amount of foreign investment as a
result of its location, skilled workforce, low tax rates,
advanced infrastructure and zero-tolerance against corruption. Singapore
has the world's eleventh largest foreign reserves and one of the highest net
international investment positions per capita. There are more than 7,000
multinational corporations from the United States, Japan, and Europe in
Singapore. There are also approximately 1,500 companies from China and
a similar number from India. Roughly 44 percent of the Singaporean
workforce is made up of non-Singaporeans. Over ten free-trade
agreements have been signed with other countries and regions. Despite
market freedom, Singapore's government operations have a significant
stake in the economy, contributing 22% of the GDP.
Singapore is the second-largest foreign investor in India. It is the 14th

largest exporter and the 15th largest importer in the world.
Industries
Singapore has 4 primary industries in and these are: Banking,

Biotechnology, Real Estate, and Energy and Infrastructure. Banking in
Singapore is considered a global financial hub, with Singapore banks
offering world class corporate bank account facilities. For their
Biotechnology, Singapore is aggressively promoting and developing
its biotechnology industry. Hundreds of millions of dollars were invested into
the sector to build up infrastructure, fund research and development and to
recruit top international scientists to Singapore. Leading drug makers, such
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as GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Pfizer and Merck & Co., have set up plants in
Singapore. In terms of Real Estate, The Singapore government also owns
90% of the country's land, as well as housing in which 80% of the
population lives. Lastly, in their energy and infrastructure sector, Singapore
is the pricing centre and leading oil trading hub in Asia. The oil industry
makes up 5 per cent of Singapore's GDP, with Singapore being one of the
top three export refining centers in the world, Singapore has 70 per cent of
the world market for both jack-up rigs and for the conversion of Floating
Production Storage Offloading units. It has 20 per cent of the world market
for ship repair, and in 2008 the marine and offshore industry employed
almost 70,000 workers.
Agriculture Industry in Singapore
Singapore - Agricultural Sectors Total Market Size

2015 2016 2017 2018
(estimated)
Total 9,613.8 9,142 9,871 9,652.6

Market Size
Local 157.3 173.1 165 160

Production
Exports 7.5 7.1 7.4 7.4
Imports 9,464 8,976 9,714 9,500
Import from 857.8 821 947.7 940

U.S.
Exchange 1.38 1.38 1.38 1.33

Rate: 1USD
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$US millions (total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)
Data Sources: Singapore Government Trade Statistics
As a small country, Singapore has limited agricultural land and domestic

food production. The agriculture sector contributes less than 1% of the
country’s GDP per capita and 0.119 % of labor force in 2017 (source: World
Bank). Singapore produces mainly leafy vegetables and bean sprout; and
they are consumed domestically. Local famers produce 20% of these
vegetables from hydroponic cultivation and the remaining 80% from soil
cultivation.
Agro-technology: in view of the country’s limited agriculture land, the
country’s agricultural body, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, has
taken the lead in shifting the sector towards agro-technology. Started in
1986, the agro-technology program comprises of three components:
development of agro-technology parks; development of agro-technology
and agri-biotechnology (knowledge of molecular biology applied to large
scale and intensive farming); and promotion of investments in the
Agricultural industry.
With a total landmass of 1,465 hectares (3,620 acres), its six agro-
technology parks, comprising of 200+ farms, produce a diverse range of
products, including livestock, eggs, milk, fruits, vegetables, orchids, and
aquarium and food fish. The agro-technology parks comprise of modern
farms that develop and use advanced technologies for intensive farming
systems and export product and services to regional countries.
In developing Singapore as a hub of excellence in tropical agro-technology

services, AVA has developed an agri-biotehcnology cluster in the Agri-Bio
Park (ABP). The APB comprises of activities such as R&D in fish vaccines;
food safety and animal/plant health testing; and post-harvest technology.
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Leading Sub-Sectors
Dairy products
Generally, prospects are bright for U.S. dairy product sales to Singapore
due to continued steady economic conditions, middle class expansion,
dietary pattern shifts, growing food manufacturing industry, and healthier
lifestyles which acknowledge dairy products’ role in health and nutrition.
There was a 31.5% increase in sales of U.S. import of dairy products from $
42 million in 2016 to $ 56 million in 2017. The U.S. was the fifth largest
supplier of dairy products in 2017, preceded by the top four countries of
New Zealand, Australia, France and Thailand.
Some dairy products tend to perform better than others; and each sector is
largely dominated by single brands – such as Kraft in processed cheese
products; F&N in milk products; and Yakult in yoghurt products. According
to Euromonitor, cheese posted a 3% current value growth in 2017 but was
marginally slower than the review period. This indicated a stable demand
that was driven by a higher number of consumers,
which Euromonitor identified as mostly younger adults who have been
exposed to Western food and are increasingly familiar with products like
cheese. Trending food using cheese (such as cheese fries, cheese tarts,
etc.) had also helped to stimulate local demand for cheese. However,
Cheese/cheese products remained price sensitive and last year was no
different.
Euromonitor suggested a slower growth in 2017 for milk products. This was
attributed to the maturity of the product category and increased competition
amongst various brands engaging in price promotions and marketing
activities.
Yoghurt and sour milk products recorded a 4 % current value growth in

2017 but growth was marginally slower than the review period as the
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product headed toward maturity, according to Euromonitor. As consumers
are dining out more often, this has led to a greater number of digestive
related illnesses; and this in turn has increased the demand for yoghurt as
the product is commonly known to contain good bacteria that is beneficial
for the gut and digestion. The opening of yoghurt and frozen yoghurt
foodservice kiosks, such as llao llao also helped to stimulate interest in
yoghurt.
Fresh Fruit
The U.S. continued to dominate the fresh fruit market in 2017 due to price
competitiveness, quality, and promotional support provided by U.S.
suppliers, brand recognition and supply reliability. Despite a decrease of 12
% compared to 2016, the U.S. still registered a healthy $ 72 million in sales
of fresh fruit last year. In addition, Singapore’s highly developed cold
chain distribution system helps U.S. fruit prospects. The top U.S. fresh fruit
last year were grapes, oranges, cherries and strawberries. The U.S. faces
strong competition from Malaysia, Australia, China and South Africa.
In general, local consumers highly regard U.S. fresh fruit quality. Higher
income also creates more demand for certain premium air-flown fruit such
as strawberries, plums, avocados, blueberries, raspberries and cherries.
Local consumers are receptive to U.S. fresh fruit promotional programs and
attractive packaging, and educational materials. U.S. exporters have
excellent opportunities in the main retail channels of supermarkets,
hypermarkets and convenience stores. The fresh fruit market is
competitive, with extremely price sensitive retailers and consumers. Street
stalls and kiosks selling fresh cut fruit have become increasingly prevalent in
malls.
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Dried fruit
According to Euromonitor, volume and growth of dried fruit snacks was

marginally higher in 2017 than in 2016. The U.S. was the third largest
supplier in 2017 after Indonesia and Malaysia at $ 8.3million despite a 5 %
decrease from $ 8.2 million in 2016. The demand for snacks in general is
expected to remain robust in the years to come, mainly attributed to
Singaporeans’ rising disposable income, increasingly busy lifestyles, and
growing tendency of Singaporeans to snack.
The relatively small market size has the potential to expand further. As
consumers became more conscious of their health, they tend to cut back on
consuming unhealthy categories such as sweet cookies and opt for
healthier choices such as dried fruit. Consumers with hectic lifestyles have
been preferring dried fruit snack and other snacks as their in-between meal
solutions. Some consumers also eat these products as a quick solution for
their meals, especially when they are continuously on the go and these
products give them the convenience to carry around and consume as
needed.
Pork
U.S. pork export to Singapore increased last year by almost 20% from 2016:
$ 14 million in 2016 to $ 17 million in 2017. This was in tandem with
increased U.S. supplies in anticipation of strong domestic demand and
higher export. The increase in U.S. production in 2017 was attributed to
several factors: increased producers’ profits and lower feed prices (as a
result of record harvest of soybeans and corn in 2016 that have spurred hog
production to increase globally); U.S. packers’ added capacity; and strong
demand from China.
In Singapore, U.S. pork/pork products and offal faced strong competition in

2017 from Brazil, Australia, Netherlands, Spain and China. However, the
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long term prospects are relatively good as pork is a major protein food
staple for the majority of the population, and good prospects in high-end
outlets for U.S. pork where consumers pay premium price for higher quality
food products.
Import of meat/poultry products – including pork – are regulated under the

Wholesale Meat and Fish Act and its subsidiary legislations. They may be
imported in chilled, frozen, processed or canned forms. Due to food safety
reasons, imports of meat/poultry products are highly regulated. Meat
products may only be imported from approved sources, including the U.S.
Every consignment of imported meat products must be accompanied by a
health certificate issued by a veterinary authority of the exporting country,
essentially certifying that Singapore’s animal health and food safety
requirements are met. Every consignment of meat products will be
inspected by AVA and sampling for laboratory analysis may be required.
Some consignments may be placed on “hold and test” pending the outcome
of the laboratory analysis. U.S. chilled pork products are subject to
trichinella testing as well.
Fish and seafood
Despite a 5.3% decrease of U.S. export of fish and seafood products from $
20 million in 2016 to $19 million in 2017, the long-term projections are
relatively good. Singaporeans love their fish and seafood products,
accounting approximately 40% of a typical diet. According to the latest
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) new Singapore Seafood Guide, the
average Singaporean consumes about 48.5 pound of fish and seafood
yearly, more than the global average of 40 pound and American average of
3.3 pound of fish and seafood per person/annually. As consumers are
increasingly becoming more health conscious, they tend to lean toward
selecting healthier food products, including opting for fish/seafood over red
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meats. However, the market is dominated by mainly regional low cost
suppliers from China, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia.
U.S. exports are mainly cold water fish and seafood products, and they are
especially popular in high-end Chinese restaurants, seafood restaurants
and hotels. Products such as lobsters, oysters, cold, scallops, mussels and
clams offer the best potential.
Imported fish is regulated under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act and its
subsidiary legislation. Essentially, fish products refer to any varieties of
marine, fresh water, crustacean, aquatic Mollusk, marine sponges and other
forms of aquatic life. An import permit issued by AVA is required for every
consignment of fish and seafood products. They are subject to mandatory
inspection by AVA before sale is permitted. Sampling for laboratory
analysis may be required. Some consignments may be placed on “hold and
test” pending the outcome of the laboratory analysis. Generally, fish may be
imported from any country without obtaining a health certificate. However, a
health certificate and other restrictions/conditions apply to fish/seafood
considered as “high risk” products and fish specified under the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES).
Opportunities
Due to scarce agricultural land and resources, Singapore imports nearly

90% of its food products from abroad and this, in turn, generates a vibrant
and diverse retail foods market, with an assorted range of food products,
from basic to high-end organic foods. U.S. products have gained traction in
recent years, but competition is fierce. The United States was the third
largest supplier at $ 947 million in 2017 and with a market share of almost
10%, behind Malaysia and Australia. The U.S. is a major exporter of fresh
fruits, dairy products, meat products, snack foods and pet food.
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Growth in consumer spending for consumer goods and food and beverages
is expected to stay strong in 2014-18, at an average increase of 5% in local
currency terms. However, at this time of writing, with possible trade wars
looming between the U.S. and China – and possibly other countries,
uncertainties cloud the economy. The Business Review in its analysis
predicts that Singapore’s economic growth will inevitably slow down to 1.8%
in 2019 from 3.6% in 2017. According to the Singapore Department of
Statistics and Research, as of April 2018, retail sales of supermarkets and
hypermarkets have gone down by 2.5% month-on-month and 2.3% year-on-
year. Compared to the same period last year, sales of food and beverage
services decreased 1.2% in April 2018. Nonetheless, as a heavily export-
dependent economy, the import of food will continue and opportunities
remain open for U.S. exporters in the long-term.
Competition in a small market will remain intense. Despite increased

competition from on-line grocers, experts expect strong sales at
supermarkets over the next few years due to the effective marketing
strategies adopted by leading supermarket chains; higher prices for goods;
more willingness to spend on quality; more people choosing to dine at
home; and a rising interest in cooking due to popularity of cooking shows on
television and social media.
Singapore is at the cross-roads of major air and sea routes in the Asia
Pacific region and serves as a hub and major transshipment center for
much of the Southeast Asian region and Indian subcontinent. Singapore's
important role in regional trade is demonstrated by the fact that re-exports
comprise 45-50 % of total exports. The country’s strategic location also
contributes to Singapore’s position as a regional food showcase and
headquarters for many major food and agricultural multinationals.
Singapore has also signed 22 bilateral and regional FTAs. In addition, the
country has several concluded but not yet ratified agreements, including the
EU Singapore FTA (EUSFTA) and Comprehensive and Progressive
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Agreement for TransPacific Partnership (CPTPP). In the pipeline is also the
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) between the 10
ASEAN Member States (including Singapore) and their six trading partners.
History
The written history of Singapore may date back to the third century.
Evidence suggests that a significant trading settlement existed
in Singapore during the 14th century. In the late 14th
century, Singapore was under the rule of Parameswara until he was
expelled by the Majapahit or the Siamese. It then came under the Malacca
Sultanate and then the Johor Sultanate. In 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford
Raffles negotiated a treaty whereby Johor allowed the British to locate a
trading port on the island, leading to the establishment of the British colony
of Singapore in 1819.
During World War II, Singapore was conquered and occupied by

the Japanese Empire from 1942 to 1945. When the war ended, Singapore
reverted to British control, with increasing levels of self-government being
granted, culminating in Singapore's merger with the Federation of Malaya to
form Malaysia in 1963. However, social unrest and disputes between
Singapore's ruling People's Action Party and Malaysia's Alliance
Party resulted in Singapore's expulsion from Malaysia. Singapore became
an independent republic on August 9, 1965.
Facing severe unemployment and a housing crisis, Singapore embarked on

a modernization programme beginning in the late 1960s through the 1970s
that focused on establishing a manufacturing industry, developing large
public housing estates, and investing heavily on public education.
By the 1990s, the country had become one of the world's most prosperous
nations, with a highly developed free market economy, strong international
trading links, and the highest per capita GDP in Asia outside Japan.
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But going back to the deeper history of Singapore, the Nagarakretagama,
a Javanese epic poem written in 1365, referred to a settlement on the island
called Tumasik (possibly meaning "Sea Town"). In 1299, according to
the Malay Annals, the Kingdom of Singapura was founded on the island
by Sang Nila Utama. Although the historicity of the accounts as given in
the Malay Annals is the subject of academic debates, it is nevertheless
known from various documents that Singapore, in the 14th century, was
known as Temasek, it was a trading port under the influence of both
the Majapahit Empire, the Siamese kingdoms, and was a part of
the Indosphere of Greater India. These Indianized Kingdoms, a term coined
by George Cœdès were characterized by surprising resilience, political
integrity and administrative stability. Historical sources also indicate that
around the end of the 14th century, its ruler Parameswara was attacked by
either the Majapahit or the Siamese, forcing him to move on
to Melaka where he founded the Sultanate of Malacca. Archaeological
evidence suggests that the main settlement on Fort Canning was
abandoned around this time, although a small trading settlement continued
in Singapore for some time afterwards. In 1613, Portuguese raiders burned
down the settlement, and the island faded into obscurity for the next two
centuries. By then Singapore was nominally part of the Johor Sultanate. The
wider maritime region and much trade were under Dutch control for the
following period.
The British Colonization
Raffles arrived in Singapore on 28 January 1819 and soon recognized the

island as a natural choice for the new port. The island was then nominally
ruled by the Sultan of Johor, who was controlled by the Dutch and
the Bugis. However, the Sultanate was weakened by factional division and
Tengku Abdu'r Rahman and his officials were loyal to Tengku Rahman's
elder brother Tengku Long who was living in exile in Riau. With the
Temenggong's help, Raffles managed to smuggle Tengku Long back into
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Singapore. He offered to recognize Tengku Long as the rightful Sultan of
Johor, given the title of Sultan Hussein and provide him with a yearly
payment of $5000 and $3000 to the Temenggong; in return, Sultan Hussein
would grant the British the right to establish a trading post on Singapore. A
formal treaty was signed on 6 February 1819 and modern Singapore was
born.
In 1824, the entire island as well as the Temenggong became a British

possession after a further treaty with the Sultan. In 1826, Singapore became
part of the Straits Settlements, under the jurisdiction of British India,
becoming the regional capital in 1836. Prior to Raffles' arrival, there were
only about a thousand people living on the island, mostly indigenous
Malays along with a handful of Chinese. By 1860 the population had swelled
to over 80,000, more than half being Chinese. Many of these early
immigrants came to work on the pepper and gambier plantations. Later, in
the 1890s, when the rubber industry also became established in Malaya and
Singapore, the island became a global centre for rubber sorting and export.
When Raffles arrived, it was estimated that there were around 1,000 people
living in the whole of the island of Singapore, mostly local groups that would
become assimilated into Malays and a few dozen Chinese. The population
increased rapidly soon after Raffles' arrival; the first census of 1824 shows
that 6,505 out of the 10,683 total were Malays and Bugis. Large number of
Chinese migrants also started to enter Singapore just months after it
became a British settlement, by the census of 1826, there were already
more Chinese than Malays excluding Bugis and Javanese. Due to continual
migration from Malaya, China, India and other parts of Asia, Singapore's
population had reached nearly 100,000 by 1871, with over half of them
Chinese. Many early Chinese and Indian immigrants came to Singapore to
work in various plantations and tin mines and they were predominantly
male, and large number of them would return to their home countries after
they had earned enough money. However, an increasingly significant
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number would choose to stay permanently by the early to mid twentieth
century and their descendants would form the bulk of Singapore's
population.
The 1819 to 1942 of Colonial Singapore: 1819–1826 their early growth
Raffles returned to Bencoolen soon after the signing of the treaty and left
Major William Farquhar in charge of the new settlement, with some artillery
and a small regiment of Indian soldiers. Establishing a trading port from
scratch was a daunting endeavor. Farquhar's administration was fairly
funded and was prohibited from collecting port duties to raise revenue as
Raffles had decided that Singapore would be a free port. Farquhar invited
settlers to Singapore, and stationed a British official on St. John's Island to
invite passing ships to stop in Singapore. As news of the free port spread
across the archipelago, Bugis, Peranakan Chinese, and Arab traders
flocked to the island, seeking to circumvent the Dutch trade restrictions.
During the starting year of operation in 1819, $400,000 (Spanish dollars)
worth of trade passed through Singapore. By 1821, the island's population
had gone up to around 5,000, and the trade volume was $8 million. The
population reached the 10,000 mark in 1824, and with a trade volume of
$22 million, Singapore surpassed the long-established port of Penang.
Raffles returned to Singapore in 1822 and became critical of many of

Farquhar's decisions despite Farquhar's success in leading the settlement
through its difficult early years.. Shocked at the disarray of the colony as
well as the tolerance of slave trade by Farquhar, Raffles set about drafting a
set of new policies for the settlement, such as banning of slavery, closing of
gambling dens, prohibition of carrying of weapons, and heavy taxation to
discourage what he considered to be social vices such as drunkenness and
opium-smoking. He also organized Singapore into functional and ethnic
subdivisions under the Raffles Plan of Singapore. Today, remnants of this
organization can still be found in the ethnic neighborhoods. William
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Farquhar was also stripped off his post. Farquhar later died
in Perth, Scotland.
On 7 June 1823, John Crawfurd signed a second treaty with the Sultan and
Temenggong, which extended British possession to most of the island. The
Sultan and Temenggong traded most of their administrative rights of the
island, including the collection of port taxes for lifelong monthly payments of
$1500 and $800 respectively. This agreement brought the island under
the British Law, with the provision that it would take into account Malay
customs, traditions and religion. Raffles replaced Farquhar with John
Crawfurd, an efficient and frugal administrator, as the new governor. In
October 1823, Raffles departed for Britain and would never return to
Singapore as he died in 1826, at the age of 44. In 1824, Singapore was
ceded in perpetuity to the East India Company by the Sultan.
1826–1867: The Straits Settlements
The status of a British outpost in Singapore seemed initially in doubt as the

Dutch government soon protested to Britain for violating the Netherlands'
sphere of influence. But as Singapore rapidly emerged as an important
trading post, Britain consolidated its claim on the island. The Anglo-Dutch
Treaty of 1824 cemented the status of Singapore as a British possession,
carving up the Malay Archipelago between the two colonial powers with the
area north of the Straits of Malacca, including Singapore, falling under
Britain's sphere of influence. In 1826, Singapore was grouped by the British
East India Company together with Penang and Malacca to form the Straits
Settlements, administered by the British East India Company. In 1830, the
Straits Settlements became a residency, or subdivision, of the Presidency of
Bengal in British India.
During the subsequent decades, Singapore grew to become an important

port in the region. Its success was due to several reasons including the
opening of the Chinese market, the advent of ocean-going steamships, the
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dramatic reduction in the time and cost of shipping goods to Europe after
the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, and the production of rubber and tin
in Malaya. Its status as a free port provided a crucial advantage over other
colonial port cities in Batavia (now Jakarta) and Manila where tariffs were
levied, and it drew many Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Arab traders operating
in South-East Asia to Singapore. The later opening of the Suez Canal in
1869 would further boost trade in Singapore. By 1880, over 1.5 million tons
of goods were passing through Singapore each year, with around 80% of
the cargo transported by steamships. The main commercial activity
was entrepôt trade which flourished under no taxation and little restriction.
Many merchant houses were set up in Singapore mainly by European
trading firms, but also by Jewish, Chinese, Arab, Armenian, American and
Indian merchants. There were also many Chinese middlemen who handled
most of the trade between the European and Asian merchants.
By 1827, the Chinese had become the largest ethnic group in Singapore.
They consisted of Peranakans, who were descendants of early Chinese
settlers, and Chinese coolies who flocked to Singapore to escape economic
hardship in southern China. Their numbers were swelled by those fleeing
the turmoil caused by the First Opium War (1839–1842) and Second Opium
War (1856–1860). Many arrived in Singapore as impoverished indentured
laborers. The Malays were the second largest ethnic group until the 1860s
and they worked as fishermen, craftsmen, or as wage earners while
continued to live mostly in kampungs. By 1860, the Indians had become the
second largest ethnic group. They consisted of unskilled labourers, traders,
and convicts who were sent to carry out public works projects such as
clearing jungles and laying out roads. There were also Indian Sepoy troops
garrisoned at Singapore by the British.
Despite Singapore's growing importance, the administration governing the

island was understaffed, ineffectual and unconcerned with the welfare of the
populace. Administrators were usually posted from India and were
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unfamiliar with local culture and languages. While the population had
quadrupled during 1830 to 1867, the size of the civil service in Singapore
had remained unchanged. Most people had no access to public health
services and diseases such as cholera and smallpox caused severe health
problems, especially in overcrowded working-class areas. As a result of the
administration's ineffectiveness and the predominantly male, transient, and
uneducated nature of the population, the society was lawless and chaotic. In
1850 there were only twelve police officers in the city of nearly 60,000
people. Prostitution, gambling, and drug abuse (particularly of opium) were
widespread. Chinese criminal secret societies (analogous to modern-
day triads) were extremely powerful, and some had tens of thousands of
members. Turf wars between rival societies occasionally led to hundreds of
deaths and attempts to suppress them had limited success.
The situation created deep concern in the European population of the

island. In 1854 the Singapore Free Press complained that Singapore was a
"small island" full of the "very dregs of the population of south eastern Asia".
1867–1942: Straits Settlements Crown Colony
As Singapore continued to grow, the deficiencies in the Straits Settlements

administration became serious and Singapore's merchant community began
agitating against British Indian rule. The British government agreed to
establish the Straits Settlements as a separate Crown Colony on 1 April
1867. This new colony was ruled by a governor under the supervision of
the Colonial Office in London. An executive council and a legislative
council assisted the governor. Although members of the councils were not
elected, more representatives for the local population were gradually
included over the years.
The colonial government embarked on several measures to address the

serious social problems facing Singapore. A Chinese
Protectorate under Pickering was established in 1877 to address the needs
19
of the Chinese community, especially in controlling the worst abuses of the
coolie trade and protecting Chinese women from forced prostitution. In 1889
Governor Sir Cecil Clementi Smith banned secret societies, driving them
underground. Nevertheless, many social problems persisted up through the
post-war era, including an acute housing shortage and poor health and
living standards. In 1906, the Tongmenghui, a revolutionary Chinese
organisation dedicated to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and led by Sun
Yat-sen, founded its Nanyang branch in Singapore, which served as the
organization’s headquarters in Southeast Asia. The members of the branch
included Dr. Wong Hong-Kui, Mr. Tan Chor Lam (1884–1971, originally a
rubber manufacturer), and Mr. Teo Eng Hock (originally a rubber shoe
manufacturer). Chan Cho-Nam, Cheung Wing-Fook and Chan Po-Yin
(1883–1965) started the revolution-related Chong Shing Chinese Daily
Newspaper called “China revival”, with the inaugural issue on 20 August
1907 and a daily distribution of 1000 copies. The newspaper ended in 1910,
presumably due to the revolution in 1911. Working with other Cantonese
people, Chan, Cheung and Chan opened the revolution-related Kai Ming
Bookstore, meaning “open wisdom” in Singapore. For the revolution, Chan
Po-Yin raised over 30,000 Yuan for the purchase and shipment (from
Singapore to China) of military equipment and for the support of the
expenses of people travelling from Singapore to China for revolutionary
work. The immigrant Chinese population in Singapore donated generously
to Tongmenghui, which organised the 1911 Xinhai Revolution that led to the
establishment of the Republic of China.
The World War I
The First World War did not deeply affect Singapore, the conflict did not
spread to Southeast Asia. The only significant local military event during the
war was a 1915 mutiny by the British Muslim Indian sepoys garrisoned in
Singapore. After hearing rumors of plans to send them to fight the Ottoman
20
Empire, the soldiers revolted, killing their officers and several British civilians
before troops arriving from Johor and Burma suppressed the unrest.
After the war, the British government devoted significant resources into
building a naval base in Singapore, as a deterrent to the increasingly
ambitious Japanese Empire. Completed in 1939 at a staggering cost of
$500 million, the naval base boasted what was then the largest dry dock in
the world, the third-largest floating dock, and enough fuel tanks to support
the entire British navy for six months. It was defended by heavy 15-inch
naval guns and by Royal Air Force squadrons stationed at Tengah Air
Base. Winston Churchill touted it as the "Gibraltar of the East."
Unfortunately, it was a base without a fleet. The British Home Fleet was
stationed in Europe and the plan was for it to sail quickly to Singapore when
needed. However, after World War II broke out in 1939, the Fleet was fully
occupied with defending Britain. Lieutenant General Sir William George
Shedden Dobbie was appointed governor of Singapore and General Officer
Commanding Malaya Command on 8 November 1935, holding the post
based in The Istana until shortly before the outbreak of World War II in
1939. He was responsible for forming The Dobbie Hypothesis on the fall of
Singapore which, had it been heeded, may have prevented the fall of
Singapore during the Second World War.
1942–1945: The Battle for Singapore and Japanese occupation
In December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the east coast of
Malaya, causing the Pacific War to begin in earnest. Both attacks occurred
at the same time, but due to the international dateline, the Honolulu attack is
dated December 7 while the Kota Bharu attack is dated December 8. One of
Japan's objectives was to capture Southeast Asia and secure the rich
supply of natural resources to feed its military and industry needs.
Singapore, the main Allied base in the region, was an obvious military target
because of its flourishing trade and wealth. The British military commanders
in Singapore had believed that the Japanese attack would come by sea
21
from the south, since the dense Malayan jungle in the north would serve as
a natural barrier against invasion. Although they had drawn up a plan for
dealing with an attack on northern Malaya, preparations were never
completed. The military was confident that "Fortress Singapore" would
withstand any Japanese attack and this confidence was further reinforced
by the arrival of Force Z, a squadron of British warships dispatched to the
defense of Singapore, including the battleship HMS Prince of Wales, and
cruiser HMS Repulse. The squadron was to have been accompanied by a
third capital ship, the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable, but it ran aground en
route, leaving the squadron without air cover.
On 8 December 1941, Japanese forces landed at Kota Bharu in northern

Malaya. Just two days after the start of the invasion of Malaya, Prince of
Wales and Repulse were sunk 50 miles off the coast of Kuantan in Pahang,
by a force of Japanese bombers and torpedo bomber aircraft, in the worst
British naval defeat of World War II. Allied air support did not arrive in time
to protect the two capital ships. After this incident, Singapore and Malaya
suffered daily air raids, including those targeting civilian structures such as
hospitals or shop houses with casualties ranging from the tens to the
hundreds each time.
The Japanese army advanced swiftly southward through the Malay

Peninsula, crushing or bypassing Allied resistance. The Allied forces did not
have tanks, which they considered unsuitable in the tropical rainforest, and
their infantry proved powerless against the Japanese light tanks. As their
resistance failed against the Japanese advance, the Allied forces were
forced to retreat southwards towards Singapore. By 31 January 1942, a
mere 55 days after the start of the invasion, the Japanese had conquered
the entire Malay Peninsula and were poised to attack Singapore.
The causeway linking Johor and Singapore was blown up by the Allied
forces in an effort to stop the Japanese army. However, the Japanese
managed to cross the Straits of Johor in inflatable boats days after. Several
22
fights by the Allied forces and volunteers of Singapore's population against
the advancing Japanese, such as the Battle of Pasir Panjang, took place
during this period. However, with most of the defenses shattered and
supplies exhausted, Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival surrendered the
Allied forces in Singapore to General Tomoyuki Yamashita of the Imperial
Japanese Army on Chinese New Year, 15 February 1942. About 130,000
Indian, Australian and British troops became prisoners of war, many of
whom would later be transported to Burma, Japan, Korea, or Manchuria for
use as slave labor via prisoner transports known as "hell ships." The fall of
Singapore was the largest surrender of British-led forces in
history. Japanese newspapers triumphantly declared the victory as deciding
the general situation of the war.
Singapore, renamed Syonan-to (昭南島 Shōnan-tō, "Bright Southern Island"

in Japanese), was occupied by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945. The
Japanese army imposed harsh measures against the local population, with
troops, especially the Kempeitai or Japanese military police, particularly
ruthless in dealing with the Chinese population. The most notable atrocity
was the Sook Ching massacre of Chinese civilians, undertaken in retaliation
against support of the war effort in China. The Japanese screened citizens
(including children) to check if they were "anti-Japanese". If so, the "guilty"
citizens would be sent away in a truck to be executed. These mass
executions claimed between 25,000 and 50,000 lives in Malaya and
Singapore. The rest of the population suffered severe hardship throughout
the three and a half years of Japanese occupation. The Malay and Indians
were forced to build the "Death Railway", a railway between Thailand
and Burma (Myanmar). Most of them died while building the railway. The
Eurasians were also caught as POWs (Prisoners of War).
1945–1955: Post-war period
After the Japanese surrender to the Allies on 15 August 1945, Singapore fell
into a brief state of violence and disorder; looting and revenge-killing were
23
widespread. British troops led by Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied
Commander for Southeast Asia Command, returned to Singapore to receive
formal surrender of the Japanese forces in the region from General Itagaki
Seishiro on behalf of General Hisaichi Terauchi on 12 September 1945, and
a British Military Administration was formed to govern the island until March
1946. Much of the infrastructure had been destroyed during the war,
including electricity and water supply systems, telephone services, as well
as the harbor facilities at the Port of Singapore. There was also a shortage
of food leading to malnutrition, disease, and rampant crime and violence.
High food prices, unemployment, and workers' discontent culminated into a
series of strikes in 1947 causing massive stoppages in public transport and
other services. By late 1947, the economy began to recover, facilitated by a
growing demand for tin and rubber around the world, but it would take
several more years before the economy returned to pre-war levels.
The failure of Britain to defend Singapore had destroyed its credibility as

infallible ruler in the eyes of Singaporeans. The decades after the war saw a
political awakening amongst the local populace and the rise of anti-
colonial and nationalist sentiments, epitomized by the slogan Merdeka, or
"independence" in the Malay language. The British, on their part, were
prepared to gradually increase self-governance for Singapore and
Malaya. On 1 April 1946, the Straits Settlements was dissolved and
Singapore became a separate Crown Colony with a civil administration
headed by a Governor. In July 1947, separate Executive and Legislative
Councils were established and the election of six members of the
Legislative Council was scheduled in the following year.
1948–1951: First Legislative Council
The first Singaporean elections, held in March 1948, were limited as only six
of the twenty-five seats on the Legislative Council were to be elected. Only
British subjects had the rights to vote, and only 23,000 or about 10% of
those eligible registered to vote. Other members of the Council were chosen
24
either by the Governor or by the chambers of commerce. Three of the
elected seats were won by a newly formed Singapore Progressive
Party (SPP), a conservative party whose leaders were businessmen and
professionals and were disinclined to press for immediate self-rule. The
other three seats were won by independents.
Three months after the elections, an armed insurgency by communist

groups in Malaya – the Malayan Emergency – broke out. The British
imposed tough measures to control left-wing groups in both Singapore and
Malaya and introduced the controversial Internal Security Act, which allowed
indefinite detention without trial for persons suspected of being "threats to
security". Since the left-wing groups were the strongest critics of the colonial
system, progress on self-government was stalled for several years.
1951–1955: Second Legislative Council
A second Legislative Council election was held in 1951 with the number of
elected seats increased to nine. This election was again dominated by the
SPP which won six seats. While this contributed to the formation of a
distinct local government of Singapore, the colonial administration was still
dominant. In 1953, with the communists in Malaya suppressed and the
worst of the Emergency over, a British Commission, headed by Sir George
Rendel, proposed a limited form of self-government for Singapore. A
new Legislative Assembly with twenty-five out of thirty-two seats chosen by
popular election would replace the Legislative Council, from which a Chief
Minister as head of government and Council of Ministers as a cabinet would
be picked under a parliamentary system. The British would retain control
over areas such as internal security and foreign affairs, as well as veto
power over legislation.
The election for the Legislative Assembly held on 2 April 1955 was a lively
and closely fought affair with several new political parties joining the fray.
Unlike previous elections, voters were automatically registered, expanding
25
the electorate to around 300,000. The SPP was soundly defeated in the
election, winning only four seats. The newly formed, left-leaning Labour
Front was the biggest winner with ten seats and it formed a coalition
government with the UMNO – MCA Alliance, which won three
seats. Another new party, the leftist People's Action Party (PAP), won three
seats.
1953–1954 The Fajar trial
Fajar trial was the first sedition trial in the post-war Malaysia and Singapore.
The Fajar was the publication of the University Socialist Club which mainly
at that time circulated in the university campus. In May 1954, the members
of the Fajar editorial board were arrested for publishing an allegedly
seditious article named "Aggression in Asia". However, after three days of
the trial, Fajar members were immediately released. The famous English
Queen's Counsel D.N. Pritt acted as the lead counsel in the case and Lee
Kuan Yew who was at that time a young lawyer assist him as the junior
counsel. The Club's final victory stands out as one of the notable landmarks
in the progress of decolonization of this part of the world.
1955–1963: Self-government
David Marshall, leader of the Labour Front, became the first Chief Minister
of Singapore. He presided over a shaky government, receiving little
cooperation from either the colonial government or the other local parties.
Social unrest was on the rise, and in May 1955, the Hock Lee bus
riots broke out, killing four people and seriously discrediting Marshall's
government. In 1956, the Chinese middle school riots broke out among
students in The Chinese High School and other schools, further increasing
the tension between the local government and the Chinese students and
unionists who were regarded of having communist sympathies.
In April 1956, Marshall led a delegation to London to negotiate for complete

self-rule in the Merdeka Talks, but the talks failed when the British were
26
reluctant to give up control over Singapore's internal security. The British
were concerned about communist influence and labour strikes which were
undermining Singapore's economic stability, and felt that the local
government was ineffective in handling earlier riots. Marshall resigned
following the failure of the talk.
The new Chief Minister, Lim Yew Hock, launched a crackdown on

communist and leftist groups, imprisoning many trade union leaders and
several pro-communist members of the PAP under the Internal Security
Act. The British government approved of Lim's tough stance against
communist agitators, and when a new round of talks was held beginning in
March 1957, they agreed to grant complete internal self-government. A
State of Singapore would be created, with its own citizenship. The
Legislative Assembly would be expanded to fifty-one members, entirely
chosen by popular election, and the Prime Minister and cabinet would
control all aspects of government except defense and foreign affairs. The
governorship was replaced by a Yang di-Pertuan Negara or head of state.
In August 1958, the State of Singapore Act was passed in the United
Kingdom Parliament providing for the establishment of the State of
Singapore.
1959–1963: Full internal self – Government
Elections for the new Legislative Assembly were held in May 1959.
The People's Action Party (PAP) won the polls in a landslide victory,
winning forty-three of the fifty-one seats. They accomplished this by courting
the Chinese-speaking majority, particularly those in the labor unions and
radical student organizations. Its leader Lee Kuan Yew, a young
Cambridge-educated lawyer, became the first Prime Minister of Singapore.
The PAP's victory was at first viewed with dismay by foreign and local
business leaders because some party's members were pro-communists.
Many businesses promptly shifted their headquarters from Singapore to
27
Kuala Lumpur. Despite these ill omens, the PAP government embarked on
a vigorous program to address Singapore's various economic and social
problems. Economic development was overseen by the new Minister of
Finance Goh Keng Swee, whose strategy was to encourage foreign and
local investment with measures ranging from tax incentives to the
establishment of a large industrial estate in Jurong. The education system
was revamped to train a skilled workforce and the English language was
promoted over the Chinese language as the language of instruction. To
eliminate labor unrest, existing labor unions were consolidated, sometimes
forcibly, into a single umbrella organization, called the National Trades
Union Congress (NTUC) with strong oversight from the government. On the
social front, an aggressive and well-funded public housing program was
launched to solve the long-standing housing problem. More than 25,000
high-rise, low-cost apartments were constructed during the first two years of
the program.
Campaign for merger
Despite their successes in governing Singapore, the PAP leaders, including

Lee and Goh, believed that Singapore's future lay with Malaya. They felt
that the historic and economic ties between Singapore and Malaya were too
strong for them to continue as separate nations. Furthermore, Singapore
lacked natural resources, and faced both a declining entrepôt trade and a
growing population which required jobs. It was thought that the merger
would benefit the economy by creating a common market, eliminating trade
tariffs, and thus supporting new industries which would solve the ongoing
unemployment woes.
Although the PAP leadership campaigned vigorously for a merger, the

sizable pro-communist wing of the PAP were strongly opposed to the
merger, fearing a loss of influence as the ruling party of Malaya, United
Malays National Organization, was staunchly anti-communist and would
support the non-communist faction of PAP against them. The UMNO
28
leaders were also skeptical of the idea of a merger due to their distrust of
the PAP government and concerns that the large Chinese population in
Singapore would alter the racial balance on which their political power base
depended. The issue came to a head in 1961 when pro-communist PAP
minister Ong Eng Guan defected from the party and beat a PAP candidate
in a subsequent by-election, a move that threatened to bring down Lee's
government.
Faced with the prospect of a takeover by the pro-communists, UMNO

changed their minds about the merger. On 27 May, Malaya's Prime
Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, mooted the idea of a Federation of
Malaysia, comprising existing Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Brunei and
the British Borneo territories of North Borneo and Sarawak. The UMNO
leaders believed that the additional Malay population in the Borneo
territories would offset Singapore's Chinese population. The British
government, for its part, believed that the merger would prevent Singapore
from becoming a haven for communism.
On 9 July 1963, the leaders of Singapore, Malaya, North Borneo and

Sarawak signed the Malaysia Agreement to establish the Federation of
Malaysia.
1963–1965: Singapore in Malaysia
On 16 September 1963, Malaya, Singapore, North

Borneo and Sarawak were merged and Malaysia was formed. The union
was rocky from the start. During the 1963 Singapore state elections, a local
branch of United Malays National Organization (UMNO) took part in the
election despite an earlier UMNO's agreement with the PAP not to
participate in the state's politics during Malaysia's formative years. Although
UMNO lost all its bids, relations between PAP and UMNO worsened. The
PAP, in a tit-for-tat, challenged UMNO candidates in the 1964 federal
29
election as part of the Malaysian Solidarity Convention, winning one seat in
Malaysian Parliament.
Racial tension
Racial tensions increased as the Chinese in Singapore disdained being

discriminated against by the federal policies of affirmative action, which
granted special privileges to the Malays guaranteed under Article 153 of the
Constitution of Malaysia. There were also other financial and economic
benefits that were preferentially given to Malays. Lee Kuan Yew and other
political leaders began advocating for the fair and equal treatment of all
races in Malaysia, with a rallying cry of "Malaysian Malaysia!”
Meanwhile, the Malays in Singapore were being increasingly incited by the

Federal Government's accusations that the PAP was mistreating the
Malays. The external political situation was also tense; Indonesian
President Sukarno declared a state of Konfrontasi (Confrontation) against
Malaysia and initiated military and other actions against the new nation,
including the bombing of MacDonald House in Singapore 10 March 1965 by
Indonesian commandos, killing three people. Indonesia also conducted
sedition activities to provoke the Malays against the Chinese. Numerous
racial riots resulted and curfews were frequently imposed to restore order.
The most notorious riots were the 1964 Race Riots that first took place on
Prophet Muhammad's birthday on 21 July with twenty three people killed
and hundreds injured, and also, many people by then still hated the rest.
During the unrest, the price of food skyrocketed when transport system was
disrupted, causing further hardship for the people.
The state and federal governments also had conflicts on the economic front.
UMNO leaders feared that the economic dominance of Singapore would
inevitably shift political power away from Kuala Lumpur. Despite earlier
agreement to establish a common market, Singapore continued to face
restrictions when trading with the rest of Malaysia. In retaliation, Singapore
30
refused to provide Sabah and Sarawak the full extent of the loans previously
agreed to for the economic development of the two eastern
states. The Bank of China branch of Singapore was closed by the Central
Government in Kuala Lumpur as it was suspected of funding communists.
The situation escalated to such an extent that talks between UMNO and the
PAP broke down, and abusive speeches and writings became rife on both
sides. UMNO extremists called for the arrest of Lee Kuan Yew.
Separation
Seeing no alternative to avoid further bloodshed, the Malaysian Prime

Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman decided to expel Singapore from the
federation. Goh Keng Swee, who had become skeptical of merger's
economic benefits for Singapore, convinced Lee Kuan Yew that the
separation had to take place. UMNO and PAP representatives worked out
the terms of separation in extreme secrecy in order to present the British
government, in particular, with a fait accompli.
On the morning of 9 August 1965, the Parliament of Malaysia voted 126–0

in favor of a constitutional amendment expelling Singapore from the
federation; hours later, the Parliament of Singapore passed the Republic of
Singapore Independence Act, establishing the island as an independent and
sovereign republic. A tearful Lee Kuan Yew announced in a televised press
conference that Singapore had become a sovereign, independent nation. In
a widely remembered quote, he stated: "For me, it is a moment of anguish.
All my life, my whole adult life, I have believed in merger and unity of the
two territories." The new state became the Republic of Singapore,
with Yusof bin Ishak appointed as its first President.
1965 – Present: Republic of Singapore
After gaining independence abruptly, Singapore faced a future filled with

uncertainties. The Konfrontasi was on-going and the conservative UMNO
faction strongly opposed the separation; Singapore faced the dangers of
31
attack by the Indonesian military and forcible re-integration into the Malaysia
Federation on unfavorable terms. Much of the international media was
skeptical of prospects for Singapore's survival. Besides the issue of
sovereignty, the pressing problems were unemployment, housing,
education, and the lack of natural resources and land. Unemployment was
ranging between 10 – 12%, threatening to trigger civil unrest.
Singapore immediately sought international recognition of its sovereignty.

The new state joined the United Nations on 21 September 1965, becoming
the 117th member; and joined the Commonwealth in October that year.
Foreign minister Sinnathamby Rajaratnam headed a new foreign service
that helped assert Singapore's independence and establishing diplomatic
relations with other countries. On 22 December 1965, the Constitution
Amendment Act was passed under which the Head of State became the
President and the State of Singapore became the Republic of Singapore.
Singapore later co-founded the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) on 8 August 1967 and was admitted into the Non-Aligned
Movement in 1970.
The Economic Development Board had been set up in 1961 to formulate

and implement national economic strategies, focusing on promoting
Singapore's manufacturing sector. Industrial estates were set up, especially
in Jurong, and foreign investment was attracted to the country with tax
incentives. The industrialization transformed the manufacturing sector to
one that produced higher value-added goods and achieved greater revenue.
The service industry also grew at this time, driven by demand for services
by ships calling at the port and increasing commerce. This progress helped
to alleviate the unemployment crisis. Singapore also attracted big oil
companies like Shell and Esso to establish oil refineries in Singapore which,
by the mid-1970s, became the third largest oil-refining centre in the
world. The government invested heavily in an education system that
32
adopted English as the language of instruction and emphasized practical
training to develop a competent workforce well suited for the industry.
The lack of good public housing, poor sanitation, and high unemployment
led to social problems from crime to health issues. The proliferation
of squatter settlements resulted in safety hazards and caused the Bukit Ho
Swee Fire in 1961 that killed four people and left 16,000 others
homeless. The Housing Development Board set up before independence
continued to be largely successful and huge building projects sprung up to
provide affordable public housing to resettle the squatters. Within a decade,
the majority of the population had been housed in these apartments.
The Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Scheme, introduced in 1968,
allows residents to use their compulsory savings account to purchase HDB
flats and gradually increases home ownership in Singapore.
British troops had remained in Singapore following its independence, but in

1968, London announced its decision to withdraw the forces by 1971. With
the secret aid of military advisers from Israel, Singapore rapidly established
the Singapore Armed Forces, with the help of a national service program
introduced in 1967. Since independence, Singaporean defense spending
has been approximately five percent of GDP. Today, the Singapore Armed
Forces are among the best-equipped in Asia.
Further economic success continued through 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 upgrade to higher-
technological industries, such as the wafer fabrication sector, in order to
compete with its neighbors which now had cheaper labor. Singapore Changi
Airport was opened in 1981 and Singapore Airlines was developed to
become a major airline. The Port of Singapore became one of the world's
busiest ports and the service and tourism industries also grew immensely
during this period. Singapore emerged as an important transportation hub
and a major tourist destination.
33
The Housing Development Board continued to promote public housing with
new towns, such as Ang Mo Kio, being designed and built. These new
residential estates have larger and higher-standard apartments and are
served with better amenities. Today, 80–90% of the population lives in HDB
apartments. In 1987, the first Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line began
operation, connecting most of these housing estates and the city centre.
The political situation in Singapore continues to be dominated by

the People's Action Party. The PAP won all the parliamentary seats in every
election between 1966 and 1981. The PAP rule is termed authoritarian by
some activists and opposition politicians who see the strict regulation of
political and media activities by the government as an infringement on
political rights. The conviction of opposition politician Chee Soon Juan for
illegal protests and the defamation lawsuits against J.B. Jeyaretnam have
been cited by the opposition parties as examples of such authoritarianism.
The lack of separation of powers between the court system and the
government led to further accusations by the opposition parties
of miscarriage of justice.
The government of Singapore underwent several significant changes. Non-

Constituency Members of Parliament were introduced in 1984 to allow up to
three losing candidates from opposition parties to be appointed as
MPs. Group Representation Constituencies was introduced in 1988 to
create multi-seat electoral divisions, intended to ensure minority
representation in parliament. Nominated Members of Parliament were
introduced in 1990 to allow non-elected non-partisan
MPs. The Constitution was amended in 1991 to provide for an Elected
President who has veto power in the use of national reserves and
appointments to public office. The opposition parties have complained that
the GRC system has made it difficult for them to gain a foothold
in parliamentary elections in Singapore, and the plurality voting
system tends to exclude minority parties.
34
In 1990, Lee Kuan Yew passed the reins of leadership to Goh Chok Tong,
who became the second prime minister of Singapore. Goh presented a
more open and consultative style of leadership as the country continued to
modernize. In 1997, Singapore experienced the effect of the Asian financial
crisis and tough measures, such as cuts in the CPF contribution, were
implemented.
Lee's programs in Singapore had a profound effect on the Communist

Leadership in China, who made a major effort, especially under Deng
Xiaoping, to emulate his policies of economic growth, entrepreneurship, and
subtle suppression of dissent. Over 22,000 Chinese officials were sent to
Singapore to study its methods.
2000 – Present
Early 2000’s
In the first few years of the 21st century, Singapore went through some of its
most serious postwar crisis, including the SARS outbreak in 2003 and the
rising threat of terrorism. In December 2001, a plot to bomb embassies and
other infrastructure in Singapore was uncovered and as many as 36
members of the Jemaah Islamiyah group were arrested under the Internal
Security Act. Major counter-terrorism measures were put in place to detect
and prevent potential terrorist acts and to minimize damages should they
occur. More emphasis was placed on promoting social integration and trust
between the different communities. There are also increasing reforms in
the Education system. Primary education was made compulsory in 2003.
In 2004, then Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, the
eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, took over from incumbent Goh Chok Tong and
became the third prime minister of Singapore. He introduced several policy
changes, including the reduction of national service duration from two and a
half years to two years, and the legalization of casino gambling. Other
efforts to raise the city's global profile included the reestablishment of
35
the Singapore Grand Prix in 2008, and the hosting of the 2010 Summer
Youth Olympics.
The general election of 2006 was a landmark election because of the

prominent use of the internet and blogging to cover and comment on the
election, circumventing the official media. The PAP returned to power,
winning 82 of the 84 parliamentary seats and 66% of the votes.
On 3 June 2009, Singapore commemorated 50 years of self-governance.
2010’s
Singapore's move to increase her attractiveness as a tourist destination was

further boosted in March 2010 with the opening of Universal Studios
Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa. In the same year, Marina Bay
Sands Integrated Resorts was also opened. Marina Bay Sands was billed
as the world's most expensive standalone casino property at $8 billion. On
December 31, 2010, it was announced that Singapore's economy grew by
14.7% for the whole year, the best growth on record ever for the country.
The general election of 2011 was yet another watershed election as it was
the first time a Group Representation Constituency was lost by the ruling
party PAP, to the opposition Workers' Party. The final results saw a 6.46%
swing against the PAP from the 2006 elections to 60.14%, its lowest since
independence. Nevertheless, PAP won 81 out of 87 seats and maintained
its parliamentary majority.
Lee Kuan Yew, founding father and the first Prime Minister of Singapore,
died on 23 March 2015. Singapore declared a period of national mourning
from 23–29 March. Lee Kuan Yew was accorded a state funeral.
The year 2015 also saw Singapore celebrate her Golden Jubilee of 50 years
of independence. An extra day of holiday, 7 August 2015, was declared to
celebrate Singapore's Golden Jubilee. Fun packs, which are usually given
to people who attend the National Day Parade, were given to every
36
Singaporean and PR household. In commemoration of the significant
milestone, the 2015 National Day Parade was the first ever parade to be
held both at the Padang and the Float at Marina Bay. NDP 2015 was the
first National Day Parade without the founding leader Lee Kuan Yew, who
never missed a single National Day Parade since 1966.
The 2015 General Elections was held on 11 September shortly after the
2015 National Day Parade. The election was the first since Singapore's
independence which saw all seats contested. The election was also the first
after the death of Lee Kuan Yew (the nation's first Prime Minister and
an MP until his passing). The ruling party PAP received its best results since
2001 with 69.86% of the popular vote, an increase of 9.72% from
the previous election in 2011.
Following amendments to the Constitution of Singapore, Singapore held her

first reserved Presidential Elections in 2017. The election was the first to be
reserved for a particular racial group under a hiatus-triggered model. The
2017 election was reserved for candidates from the minority Malay
community. Then Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob won the elections
though a walkover and was inaugurated as the eighth President of
Singapore on 14 September 2017, becoming the first female President of
Singapore.
Currency
As of October 18, 2018, 1 United States Dollar is equal to 1.38 Singapore

Dollar and 1 Singapore Dollar is equals to 0.73 United States Dollar.
Religion
Singapore is one of the most religiously diverse countries around the

globe. Singapore’s Constitution grants freedom of religion, with just a
few limitations. It also seeks to prevent actions that could cause
divisions and problems on the grounds of religion.
37
The major religions in Singapore include Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism,
Christianity, and Taoism, although you will find various branches and
schools of each, along with other religions entirely. It is not uncommon
for people to blend religions and follow aspects of several.
There are numerous religious buildings around Singapore, catering to a

wide variety of faiths, and major religious festivals are often celebrated
by large numbers of people, regardless of their common beliefs.
Buddhism
The most prominent religion in Singapore is Buddhism, with the

Mahayana branch being the most followed. There are also followers of
the Theravada school, as well as other forms. Most Singaporean
Buddhists have Chinese heritage.
The concept of Fengshui plays a large role for many Singaporean

Buddhists, with the major Buddhist practices centered on morality,
wisdom, and concentration. There are strong links with Taoism and
Confucianism. A significant number of Singaporean Buddhists are
vegetarian.
Kong Meng San Phor Kark See is the biggest Mahayana temple in
Singapore. It dates back to the early 20th century. Vesak Day,
commemorating Buddha’s birth and enlightenment, is one of the most
significant Buddhist celebrations in Singapore.
Islam
Most Singaporean’s who practice Islam are Malay, although there is

also a sizeable Indian Muslim community too, along with people of other
races. The predominant branch of Islam in Singapore is Sunni.
Muslims follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, cannot eat

pork, and must only eat Halal foods. Most Muslims fast during the
38
period of Ramadan. A major part of the Islamic faith is the pilgrimage to
Mecca in Saudi Arabia, known as Haj.
The Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka is the oldest mosque in Singapore.

Major Islamic celebrations in Singapore include Hari Raja Haji and Hari
Raya Puasa.
Hinduism
Many Singaporean Hindus are from the Indian community. It does not,
however, follow that most Indians are Hindu – there are various
religions practiced by Singaporean Indians.
Hindus worship one god, although the god appears in many different
forms. Hindu temples are central to the faith, with temples devoted to
different incarnations of god. In Singapore, the most commonly
worshipped incarnations include Mariamman, Krishna, Ganesha, Rama,
and Hanuman.
The oldest Hindu temple in Singapore is Sri Mariamman Temple.

Followers of the Hindu faith wash their feet and hands before entering a
place of worship. Although not essential, some Hindus follow a
vegetarian diet. Deepavali, also known as the Festival of Light, is one of
the major Hindu festivals.
Christianity
Christianity in Singapore is practiced mainly by Chinese and Indian

people today. Following the teachings of Jesus Christ, major Christian
festivals include Christmas and Easter.
The Armenian Church is the oldest Christian church in Singapore.
39
Taoism
The majority of Singaporean Taoists are Chinese. The faith follows the
teachings of Lao Tzu, an ancient philosopher. Ancestral worship,
respect for nature and mankind, compassion, life-after-death, and divine
adoration are main precepts. The idea of harmony through Yin Yang
comes from Taoism.
Thian Hock Keng is one of the most important Taoist temples in

Singapore. Major festivals include the Lunar New Year, the Hungry
Ghost Festival, and Qingming.
International Affiliation
The Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants' (ISCA) international

outlook and connections are reflected in its membership of regional and
international professional organizations like the ASEAN Federation of
Accountants, Chartered Accountants Worldwide and the International
Federation of Accountants.
ASEAN Federation of Accountants
The ASEAN Federation of Accountants (AFA) was established in 1977, to

serve as the umbrella organization for the national accountancy bodies of
the Association of South East Nation (ASEAN).
ISCA is one of the founding member bodies, together with Indonesia,

Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. Presently, the AFA membership
comprises all 10 ASEAN member countries.
Chartered Accountants Worldwide
Chartered Accountants Worldwide brings together the leading global

institutes of Chartered Accountants. Together we support, develop and
promote over 325,000 Chartered Accountants in more than 180 countries
around the world.
40
With ISCA becoming part of the globally-recognized Chartered Accountants
Worldwide, the stature and employability of Singapore accountants will be
enhanced, especially in a business environment that is increasingly
globalised.
International Federation of Accountants
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) is the global

organization for the accountancy profession. It is committed to protect the
public interest by developing high-quality international standards, promoting
strong ethical values, encouraging quality practice and supporting the
development of all sectors of the profession worldwide.
As a member of IFAC, ISCA abides by IFAC standards to lead, develop and

support accountancy professionals and to protect the public interest.
International Innovation Network
The Institute of the International Innovation Network (IIN) was formed in

2002 and comprises of national accounting institutes in Europe, Asia-Pacific
and the Americas. IIN seeks to stimulate innovation and ensure quality in
the products and services for the benefit of the global accounting
profession.
The Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) became the

18th member of IIN in 2009. ISCA’s inception into this prestigious global
network signals recognition of the Institute’s stature by a worldwide network
of major accountancy bodies.
IIN's web site is hosted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England

and Wales (ICAEW). You need to be a registered member to access the
website.
41
INSOL International
INSOL International is a world-wide federation of national associations of

accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency.
There are currently over 44 Member Associations with over 10,000
professionals participating as members of INSOL International. Individuals
who are not members of a member association join as individual members.
INSOL also has ancillary groups that represent the judiciary, regulators,
lenders and academics. These groups play an invaluable role within INSOL
and provide valuable forums for discussions of mutual problems.
Government Type
Branches of Government
The Government in Singapore is modeled after the Westminster system,

with 3 separate branches: the Legislature or Parliament, the Executive and
the Judiciary. Parliament makes the laws. The Executive (also known as the
Government and comprising Cabinet Ministers and office-holders)
administers the law. The Judiciary interprets the law through the Courts.
This system of Government is known as the parliamentary representative

democratic republic model, where the Prime Minister of Singapore is the
Head of Government and the President of Singapore is the Head of State.
Unicameral
Being unicameral, the Parliament of Singapore has only one House. The
Members of Parliament (MPs) are voted in at regular General Elections. The
leader of the political party that secures the majority of seats in Parliament
will be asked by the President to become the Prime Minister (PM). The PM
will then select his Ministers from elected MPs to form the Cabinet.
42
Labor Law in Singapore
Who Does Employment Act Apply To?
The relationship between employer and employee in Singapore is regulated

largely by the contract of employment between them. Generally parties are
free to contract as they choose subject to complying with the Employment
Act and certain limits. The Singapore Employment Act does not apply to all
employees. Instead, it applies only to “employees” as defined under the Act.
Specifically, the Employment Act does not apply to:
 Managerial & Executive Positions: Such a position is defined as one where a

person has direct authority or influence in the hiring, firing, promotion,
transfer, reward or discipline of other employees; or the main duties involve
management and running of the business. It is also applicable to
professionals (possessing tertiary education along with specialised
knowledge or skills) who carry out the same or similar responsibilities as
managers or executives. Examples of such professionals include lawyers,
accountants, dentists, and doctors.
 Domestic Workers
 Seamen
Most of the Government Staff employees earning below SGD 2,000/month

are provided additional protection (concerning “Rest Day, Hours of Work
and Overtime, Public Holidays, Annual Leave, Sick Leave, Retrenchment
Benefits, Retirement Benefits, Annual Wage Supplement and other variable
payment”) under Part IV of the Employment Act.
Importance of Employment Contract

Employment Contract is also known as Employment Agreement,
Appointment Letter, Offer Letter, etc. It is an agreement between an
employee and employer that specifies the terms and conditions of
employment. It is advisable to have a written employment contract in
43
Singapore. Typically, only senior management employees might have the
option of negotiating their employment contracts. A violation of one or more
of the terms in an employment contract by either an employee or employer
is considered breach of contract. Most employment contracts include
several important clauses such as:
 Appointment position
 Duration of employment contract, if applicable
 Date of employment commencement
 Remuneration package
 Hours of work
 Employee benefits
 Probation clause, if applicable
 Code of conduct
 Termination
The terms and conditions of the employment contract cannot be less

favourable than what is stipulated in the Employment Act.
Wages, Bonuses & Benefits – Statutory & Common Practices

Employee benefits are often called fringe benefits or perks. There are
various types of compensations provided to employees in addition to their
normal salaries. Employee benefits in Singapore might include sick leave,
annual leave, maternity leave, incentives & bonuses, relocation assistance;
healthcare benefits, retirement fund contributions, housing allowance,
allowance for children’s education, childcare benefits, transportation
reimbursements, etc.
44
Salary & Bonus
Statutory Requirement
The Employment Act does not regulate the minimum salary every employee
must be paid. In other words there is no minimum salary requirement and it
is subject to negotiation between the employer and the employee. However,
the salary must be paid at least once a month within 7 days after the end of
the salary period. Overtime pay, if applicable, must be paid within 14 days of
the stipulated salary period. There is no requirement of bonus payment
under the Employment Act of Singapore.
Hours of Work & Overtime
Hours of Work & Overtime are regulated under the Singapore Employment
Act only for those employees earning below SGD 2,000/month. Employees
that are covered under the Employment Act as above are entitled to work no
more than 44 hours per week. Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower has
stringent laws regarding hours of work and conditions for working overtime.
An employee is entitled to work not more than 8 hours daily, or 44 hours
weekly. The Employment Act also deems that employees cannot work for
more than 6 hours without a break. Inclusive of overtime work, employees
cannot work more than 12 hours per day except under certain
circumstances, including but not limited to an actual or threatened accident,
work that is essential to national defence or security, or unforeseeable
circumstances which leads to work being interrupted. Shift workers, on the
other hand, are not allowed to work more than 12 hours daily under any
circumstances. Employees are entitled to 1 rest day (deemed as a non-
working day from midnight to midnight) per week, and is not considered a
paid day. The longest possible interval between 2 rest days is 12 days.
45
Public Holidays
Considering Singapore’s multicultural diversity, public holidays are designed
to accommodate many different ethnic communities. These include New
Year’s Day, Chinese New Year, Good Friday, Labour Day, Vesak Day,
National Day, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali, Hari Raya Haji, and Christmas
Day.
For employees earning less than SGD 2,000/month, the following minimum
rules are mandated under the Employment Act. The employee is entitled to
paid holiday on public holidays, although the specific dates may be
substituted by any other day, if this is mutually agreed by the employer and
employee. In the event that there is a public holiday that falls on a Sunday,
or rest day, the following Monday shall be considered the paid holiday.
Additionally, if the public holiday falls on a day when the employee is not
contractually required to work, he/she shall be compensated, either with an
extra day’s pay or by an extra day off as a substitute.
Annual Leave
For employees earning less than SGD 2,000/month, the statutory annual
leave is outlined in the Employment Act. To qualify for annual leave, the
employee must have served at least 3 months with the employer. The
amount of annual leave is dependent on the contractual agreement between
the employee and your employer, but is subject to a minimum of 7 days
during the first year, and 1 extra day for each additional year of service.
Annual leave taken even on a half-working day is considered 1 day’s leave,
unless otherwise stated in the employment contract. In the case of dismissal
for misconduct, absenteeism from work without permission for more than
20% of working days in the month, or if the leave is not used up within 12
46
months of every year of continuous service, the employee’s annual leave
will be forfeited, unless otherwise specified in the employment agreement.
Sick Leave
For employees earning less than SGD 2,000/month, the statutory sick leave
entitlements are outlined in the Employment Act as follows.
 If the employee has worked for at least 6 months for the company: The
employee is entitled to 14 days of sick leave per year, and 60 days of
hospitalization leave (inclusive of the 14 days).
 If the employee has worked for at least 5 months but less than 6 months for
the company: The employee is entitled to 11 days of sick leave per year,
and 45 days of hospitalization leave (inclusive of the 11 days).
the company: The employee is entitled to 8 days of sick leave per year, and
30 days of hospitalization leave (inclusive of the 8 days).
the company: The employee is entitled to 5 days of sick leave per year, and
15 days of hospitalization leave (inclusive of the 5 days).
The employee must produce a medical certificate from the company doctor
(if one is appointed), government doctor, or doctor from an approved
hospital.
47
Health Insurance
There is no statutory requirement to provide private health insurance
benefits to employees in Singapore under the Employment Act. Working
professionals who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents are
automatically provided with a low-cost medical insurance called Medishield
– a basic tier of insurance protection for all Singaporeans. As part of making
contributions to the employee’s retirement fund called CPF, a certain portion
of the contribution is automatically allocated to the employer’s Medisave
account. Medishield insurance scheme helps Medisave account holders and
their dependents meet the cost of treatment during old-age or serious
illnesses. Medishield premiums are deducted from the Medisave accounts.
Maternity and Childcare Leave
In simplified terms, female employees that have been employed for more
than 3 months may be eligible for paid maternity leave benefits. Eligible
female employees are entitled to a total of 16 weeks leave. Employers are
prohibited from dismissing any employees on maternity leave. Employers
are required to pay maternity leave in full, should notice of dismissal be
given without sufficient cause within 3 months of employees’ confinement.
Besides maternity leave, the eligible female employees are entitled to 6
days childcare leave per year, if they have worked for the employer longer
than 3 months, and are the parent of a child below 7 years of age.
Probation Period
48
The Employment Act does not have any clauses pertaining to the probation
period for employees.
Employment Termination
Statutory Requirement:
Either party can terminate the employment contract by giving a written

notice or by paying salary in lieu of notice to the other party. There is no
statutory requirement on the number of days for the notice period. The
notice period depends on what is agreed upon in the employment contract
and must be the same for both parties. The employee is allowed to use any
accrued annual leave to offset the notice period. The employment contract
can be terminated by either party without notice if the other party is in wilful
breach of the contract.
Retrenchment/ Layoffs/ Downsizing
Normally a company goes through retrenchment to reduce outgoing money

or expenditures or redirects focus in an attempt to become more financially
solvent. Implementation may result in positive or negative consequences
and this has implications for employees who are retrenched and those who
stay on their jobs. Although there are a number of other ways (such as
hiring freeze, cutting salaries, reducing benefits) to implement the
retrenchment process, the most common way utilized by companies is
reducing the workforce by way of layoffs.
49
As per the Singapore Employment Act, the following general rules apply for
employee earning less than SGD 2,000/month:
 The company shall pay all salaries and benefits due to the employees on
their last day of work.
 The duration of notice shall be as per the employment contract.
 An employee who has been employed in a company for at least 3 years

should be paid some retrenchment benefits. The Employment Act does not
dictate the nature or amount of such benefits and leaves it to the mutual
agreement between the employee and the employer. An employee who has
worked less than 3 years in a company is not entitled to retrenchment
benefits under the Employment Act.
 Since retrenchment has negative implications on the workforce including loss
of skills, energy, morale, commitment, physical and mental health
degradation that results from employees withdrawing physically and
emotionally, the Ministry of Manpower advises employers to carry out any
retrenchment exercise responsibly.
Central Provident Fund (CPF) Contributions
CPF is a mandatory retirement savings scheme for Singapore Citizens and

Permanent Residents.
Statutory Requirement: For employees that are Singapore Citizens or

Permanent Residents, the employer is required to make contributions to the
CPF fund. Monthly contributions are made by both the employee and
employer. The employer is responsible for sending the monthly payment,
which includes both the employer’s and the employee’s respective
contributions, by the 14th of the following month. The employee’s portion is
then deducted from the salary. The maximum CPF contribution rate for
50
employer and employee is 16% and 20% respectively and can be lower
depending on certain factors such as employee age, permanent resident
status, etc. There is no CPF contribution for foreign employees holding an
Employment Pass or Work Permit in Singapore.
Education & Training
Statutory Requirement: There are no statutory requirements to provide

education and training benefits to Singapore company employees. In
general, employers are encouraged by the Ministry of Manpower to provide
their employees with opportunities for training and development, to improve
job competency and possible career advancement. The Singapore
government also has various schemes to partially cover the training and
skills upgrading costs.
Non-Statutory Benefits and Perks
Most companies in Singapore provide certain non-statutory benefits to their

employees, ensuring that their workforce is well looked after. Some of the
common benefits provided include:
Healthcare, well being and personal benefits – Many of Singapore

companies offer medical insurance plans that extend to dependants and
typically cover personal accident and hospitalization.
Per Diem – For travel related jobs, many companies provide a per-day
allowance, transportation allowance or reimbursement of actual expenses
while travelling. The per diem amount depends on the place the employee is
travelling to.
Relocation package – Most companies provide a relocation allowance to

employees who have to move with their family from their home country to
Singapore. An expatriate compensation package typically includes: paid
51
shipping of personal effects, paid air fare, free or subsidized housing,
payment of utility bills, paid childcare and payment of school fees for
children. Some employees come on “full expat” terms, some on “semi
expat” terms and some others on “full local” terms. It is a common practice
to accommodate employees in a serviced apartment or hotel, paid for by the
company for certain duration until they find suitable accommodation.
Employee stock purchase plans – Some companies provide employee

stock purchase plans, especially to senior employees.
Other additional perks – Other perks may include: paid corporate

memberships, sponsoring employee training programs and educational
courses, providing restaurant discount vouchers, mobile phone plans, paid
gym/club memberships, organize sporting activities, team parties and
outings, staff referral schemes, sabbaticals etc.
52
References:
https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/cs/profiles/Singapore.pdf
http://en.cairochamber.org.eg/Encyclo/-
7536169371950000Republic%20of%20Singapore%20.pdf
https://www.worldatlas.com/as/sg/where-is-singapore.html
http://www.weather.gov.sg/climate-climate-of-singapore/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore
http://www.sgs.gov.sg/The-SGS-Market.aspx
https://www.export.gov/article?id=Singapore-Agricultural-Sectors
https://www.ava.gov.sg/
http://www.smfederation.org.sg/
https://www.sbf.org.sg/
http://santagrand.sg/main-religions-in-singapore/#
https://www.parliament.gov.sg/about-us/structure/system-of-government
https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/employment-act
http://www.localhistories.org/singapore.html
https://www.guidemesingapore.com/business-guides/managing-
business/hr-management/guide-to-singapore-employment-act
53

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COUNTRY PROFILE

Official Name – Republic of Singapore

In other official Languages – Republik Singapura (Malay), Xinjiapo

Gongheguo― 新加坡共和国 (Chinese), and Cingkappãr

Capital – Singapore. The city of Singapore is located on the south-central

Population – 5.9 Million as of December 2017 and their population is

Singapore is located in the continent of Asia, specifically on the Malay

Singapore consists of 63 islands, including the main island, Pulau

In terms of climate, Singapore has a tropical rainforest climate. But they do

Singapore’s GDP – $297 B

GDP per Capita – $53,000

Trade Balance/ GDP – 19%

Public Debt/ GDP – 113%

#9 in best countries for business at Forbes Lists.

Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It

The Singaporean economy is known as one of the freest, most

Singapore is the second-largest foreign investor in India. It is the 14th

Singapore has 4 primary industries in and these are: Banking,

Agriculture Industry in Singapore

Singapore - Agricultural Sectors Total Market Size

Total 9,613.8 9,142 9,871 9,652.6

Local 157.3 173.1 165 160

Exports 7.5 7.1 7.4 7.4

Imports 9,464 8,976 9,714 9,500

Import from 857.8 821 947.7 940

Exchange 1.38 1.38 1.38 1.33

As a small country, Singapore has limited agricultural land and domestic

In developing Singapore as a hub of excellence in tropical agro-technology

Yoghurt and sour milk products recorded a 4 % current value growth in

According to Euromonitor, volume and growth of dried fruit snacks was

In Singapore, U.S. pork/pork products and offal faced strong competition in

Import of meat/poultry products – including pork – are regulated under the

Fish and seafood

Due to scarce agricultural land and resources, Singapore imports nearly

Competition in a small market will remain intense. Despite increased

During World War II, Singapore was conquered and occupied by

Facing severe unemployment and a housing crisis, Singapore embarked on

The British Colonization

Raffles arrived in Singapore on 28 January 1819 and soon recognized the

In 1824, the entire island as well as the Temenggong became a British

The 1819 to 1942 of Colonial Singapore: 1819–1826 their early growth

Raffles returned to Singapore in 1822 and became critical of many of

1826–1867: The Straits Settlements

The status of a British outpost in Singapore seemed initially in doubt as the

During the subsequent decades, Singapore grew to become an important

Despite Singapore's growing importance, the administration governing the

The situation created deep concern in the European population of the

1867–1942: Straits Settlements Crown Colony

As Singapore continued to grow, the deficiencies in the Straits Settlements

The colonial government embarked on several measures to address the

The World War I

1942–1945: The Battle for Singapore and Japanese occupation

On 8 December 1941, Japanese forces landed at Kota Bharu in northern

The Japanese army advanced swiftly southward through the Malay

Singapore, renamed Syonan-to (昭南島 Shōnan-tō, "Bright Southern Island"

1945–1955: Post-war period

The failure of Britain to defend Singapore had destroyed its credibility as

1948–1951: First Legislative Council

Three months after the elections, an armed insurgency by communist

1951–1955: Second Legislative Council

1953–1954 The Fajar trial

In April 1956, Marshall led a delegation to London to negotiate for complete

The new Chief Minister, Lim Yew Hock, launched a crackdown on