By ONE Liners Agency
August 09, 2011
SINGAPORE NEWS - Singapore celebrates the 46th year of its Sovereignty today on August 9. To mark the day, Singapore National Day Parade 2011 (NDP 2011) will be held between 6.00 pm to 8.30 pm (local time) at The Float @ Marina Bay. The theme for this year's parade is Majulah! The Singapore Spirit. The word Majulah means "Onward!"
On the eve of Singapore Independence, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his National Day message that the city-state is in a defining moment in its history. Loong also urged to all Singaporeans to continue to work together to create a brighter future and a better home for all of us.
Brief History of Singapore Independence
On August 9 1965 Singapore, consisting of 63 islands, gained sovereignty, remaining within the Commonwealth, as the Republic of Singapore. Yusof bin Ishak became the first president of Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister.
The city-state was declared independence from Britain on August 31, 1963, and later on September 16, same year, it joined the new Federation of Malaysia along with Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah as the result of the 1962 Merger Referendum. After heated ideological conflict between ruling parties of Singapore and Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman separated the city-state from the federation in 1965.
Singapore attained self-government in 1959 after years of negotiation with the East India Company to hold general elections. Center-left People's Action Party won the election. The party had promised a Singapore united with Malaya and also completely independent of Britain.
On June 3, 1959 Lee Kuan Yew became the first prime minister of the islands. By many he is revered as the father of the nation. He stepped down in 1990.
Vintage Newspaper On August 9, 1965
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| Ocala Star-Banner, Florida (Click on image to view full size) |
Excerpt From Vintage Newspaper
Singapore - This island state pulled out of the 23-month-old Federation of Malaysia today and immediately became embroiled with federal Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman over relations with Indonesia.
Premier Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore told a news conference Singapore wants to be friends with Indonesia, which has sworn to crush Malaysia. Singapore once carried on a flourishing trade with Indonesia and wants to regain it...
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