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| Sunday, 25 September 2005 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Singapore : The Lion City
Over the years the island, with its deep harbour, became more and more important as a staging port between Europe, India and the Far East. When the Suez Canal opened in 1869, shortening the voyage time to the East, Singapore's growth rapidly increased. Apart from its strength as a shipping and trading centre, Singapore was an important British naval base. Nevertheless, in 1942 the Japanese took the island of Singapore which they occupied until the end of the Second World War in 1945. In 1959 Singapore gained its independence from Britain and in 1963 joined the Federation of Malaysia. However, in 1965 Singapore left the Federation, becoming a completely independent country with a seat at the United Nations, and a place in the Commonwealth. In 1967 Singapore joined Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand in the economic cooperative, (ASEAN)-Association of South East Asian Nations. The present members are Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam and Vietnam. From 1965 to 1977 Singapore's income per head increased by four hundred per cent and the country became firmly established as one of the "Asian Tiger" economies. The Republic of Singapore consists of the Island of Singapore and around sixty smaller islands of which just over twenty are inhabited. Singapore is located off the southern tip of the Malaysian Peninsular to which it is linked by a causeway. Singapore City is the country's capital. The main island is about twenty-six miles wide and stretches around fourteen miles from north to south. Almost half its area is built-up. Singapore's climate is tropical and very humid. The winter monsoon period brings the greatest amount of rain. The island has no natural resources except for its location on the trade routes between East and West, and the geography which has given it one of the world's finest deep harbours. Singapore's original environment consisted of rainforest and coastal mangrove swamps. Some forest areas remain in the north of the island. Only around two per cent of the land is used for agriculture. The population of Singapore has been estimated at 4,425,720 in 2005. The majority of the population is Chinese (seventy-seven per cent); Malays make up fourteen per cent, Indians seven per cent and there are smaller numbers of Pakistanis, Sri Lankans (Ceylonese), Arabs, Jews, Armenians and Vietnamese. Singapore has four official languages: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and English, the language of business and government. The literacy rate is over ninety per cent, one of the highest literacy rates in Asia. With its mixture of races, Singapore has a number of religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Confucianism, Christianity, Taoism, Judaism and Sikhism are all practised in the city state. Singapore has one of the world's busiest ports and one of the world's leading airports. National Anthem: The National Anthem was written in 1956-57 just before Singapore gained self-rule from the British. The composer, the late Encik Zubir Said, wrote the anthem around the two words, "Majulah Singapura" or "Onward Singapore". It was launched on December 3, 1959 together with the National Flag and the State Crest. National Flag: The colours of the Singapore flag represent red for brotherhood and equality; white for purity and virtue. The crescent moon originally served as a symbol of assurance to the Malays in 1959 - the year the flag was designed - that Singapore was not a Chinese State. Today it is generally said that the moon signified a young nation rising. The flag was designed initially to have three stars, until leaders such as the then Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye expressed concern that Singapore might be perceived to have associations with the Malayan Communist Party, the flag of which also had three stars. The flag was originally meant to be red as red is a very traditional Chinese colour. But because of the fear of Communism in those days, a completely red flag was abandoned. The National Coat of Arms: The National Coat of Arms or State Crest consists of a shield with a white crescent moon and five white stars against a red background. Red symbolises universal brotherhood and equality of men; white, purity and virtue.
The Coat of Arms or State Crest was unveiled on December 3, 1959 together with the National Flag and the National Anthem at the installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara at the City Hall steps. The Lion Symbol: According to 13th century Malay Annals, a prince spotted a creature he believed was a lion and named the island "Singa-pura" (Lion City)-from which Singapore was derived.The Lion Symbol was launched in 1986 as an alternative national symbol. The National Flag and State Crest have legal restrictions that prevent their commercial use. The Lion Symbol was chosen as a logo that best captures the characteristics of Singapore's reputation as the Lion City.The lion symbolises courage, strength and excellence. It is in red against a white background-the colours of the National Flag. The five partings of the lion's mane represent the five ideals embodied in the five stars of the flag-democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. The lion's purposeful bearing symbolises the nation's single-minded resolve to face challenges and overcome obstacles. National Flower: The Vanda Miss Joaquim, an orchid variety, is Singapore's national flower. It is an indigenous hybrid between the Vanda teres and the Vanda hookerana and was first discovered in the garden of Miss Agnes Joaquim in 1893. It was registered within the same year. On April 15, 1981 following an announcement by the then Minister of Culture S. Dhanabalan, the Vanda Miss Joaquim was proclaimed the national flower of Singapore. |
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| Politics | Produced by Lake House |
Singapore was only a sparsely populated island covered with thick
jungle, with fishing villages round its coast, when Sir Stamford Raffles
founded a British trading post in 1819. In 1826 Singapore joined Penang
and Malacca to form the Straits Settlements, which became their government
centre in 1832. 
The five stars represent the ideals of democracy, peace, progress,
justice and equality. Supporting the shield are a lion on the left and a
tiger on the right. The lion represents Singapore and the tiger represents
the island's historical links with Malaysia. Below the shield is a banner
inscribed with the Republic's motto, "Majulah Singapura" ("Onward
Singapore"). 
