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Ancient Mayan Calender

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Jheeva Prakaash

Lot of predictions and discussions are going on around the world regarding the year 2012. Primarily, the calendar of the Mayans (Ancient Maya Civilization of South America) ends on December 21, 2012). People are also now trying to find a connection between Kali Yuga and 2012. Some astrologers are predicting that Kali Yuga will end in 2012 and Satya Yuga will begin from December 21, 2012.
Recently an astrologer and modern day guru Dattatreya Siva Baba while addressing public in Chennai said this about 2012:
The world is changing for the good now, he says. Joining the increasing numbers who are making predictions about 2012 A.D. he says from the December of that year, the world will move into a golden age, marking the beginning of Satya Yuga.
This is not a smooth process though. There will be natural calamities, financial problems, wars and global warming. This is also the time when Mayans end their calendar.
‘But our old ways of thinking, including our biology will change as the Sun, Earth and Pleides line up in space. This will cause an increase in discharge of photons from the sun which is bound to cause changes in our brain pattern,’ he says. (expressbuzz)
We will get to hear many more such comments on 2012 in the coming days. Currently one of the most popular theories going around is connecting 2012 to Kali Yuga.
In Hinduism, the universe begins in the Satya Yuga and ends in the Kali Yuga. There are total four Yugas. And the cycle – creation and destruction – is repeated.
Satya Yuga lasts for 1,728,000. Treta Yuga lasts for 1,296,000. Dwapara Yuga lasts for 864,000 and Kali Yuga for 432,000.
It is widely believed that Kali Yuga began in 3102 B.C.
Now there are several people quoting Puranas to indicate that Lord Krishna had predicted an end the Kali Yuga after 5000 years and the beginning of the Golden Era.
But traditional scriptures do not agree to this as Kali Yuga will last for 432,000 years.
Now those who are stating that Kali Yuga will end after 5000 years are indicating the beginning of Golden Age in 2012. They are scrupulously using a mix of solar and lunar calendars used by Hindus to suggest that Kali Yuga will end in 2012.
The widely accepted belief of Hindus is that Kali Yuga will see total annihilation. Creation will once again begin after total destruction. This will be Satya Yuga.
So connecting 2012 to Hinduism and Vedic astrology is done by those people who want to create fear and optimism at the same time among people – and earn a living by predictions and writing books.
Hinduism teaches that all animate and inanimate is Brahman. Doomsday predictions and 2012 are products of ego or ignorance, which hampers self realization. To the realized there is no beginning and end.
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Jheeva Prakaash

A country of southeast Asia comprising Singapore Island and adjacent smaller islands. A trading center as early as the 14th century, Singapore was later part of Johor, a region of the southern Malay Peninsula, under the Malacca Sultanate. The island of Singapore was ceded to the British East India Company in 1819, and the city was founded the same year by Sir Thomas Raffles. The British took complete control in 1824 and added Singapore to the newly formed Straits Settlements in 1826. During World War II it was held by the Japanese (1942-1945) before being retaken by the British. Singapore became a crown colony in 1946, a self-governing state in 1959, part of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, and a fully independent republic in 1965. The city of Singapore is the capital. Population: 4,550,000.

Singaporean Sin'ga·por'e·an adj. & n.

WORD HISTORY   Singapore comes from Malay Singapora, "Lion-city," but it is possible that one element of its name had a more distant original source. Pora comes from Sanskrit puram, "city, fortress," and is related to Greek polis, "citadel, city."Singa- comes from Sanskrit si·haḥ, "lion," and is familiar to us in the name Singh, which all male Sikhs use as at least one of their personal names. Interestingly, si·haḥ is probably related to Swahili simba, "lion," but since lions are native to Asia as well as Africa, it is not known whether the word came into India from Africa or the other way around, or if both are from a third source.
Island country, Southeast Asia. Situated off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, it comprises Singapore island and 60 islets. Area: 274 sq mi (710 sq km). Population (2009 est.): 4,954,000. Capital: Singapore. Three-fourths of the people are of Chinese ethnicity; most of the rest are Malays and Indians. Languages: English, Chinese (Mandarin), Malay, Tamil (all official). Religions: Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Daoism, Hinduism. Currency: Singapore dollar. Nearly two-thirds of the island's hilly landscape lies below 50 ft (15 m) above sea level. It has a hot, humid climate. Although only about 2% of its land is arable, it is highly productive cropland. The economy is based largely on international trade and finance; there are more than 100 commercial banks, most of which are foreign, and the headquarters of the Asian Dollar Market is located there. The port is one of the largest in the world, and the country is one of the world's leading petroleum refiners. Manufacturing (notably electronic equipment) is also important. Singapore is a unitary parliamentary republic with one legislative house; its head of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. Long inhabited by fishermen and pirates, it was an outpost of the Sumatran empire of Shrivijaya until the 14th century, when it passed to Java and then Ayutthaya (Siam). It became part of the Malacca empire in the 15th century. In the 16th century the Portuguese controlled the area; they were followed by the Dutch in the 17th century. In 1819 it was ceded to the British East India Company, becoming part of the Straits Settlements and the centre of British colonial activity in Southeast Asia. During World War II the Japanese occupied the island (1942 – 45). In 1946 it became a crown colony. It achieved full internal self-government in 1959, became part of Malaysia in 1963, and gained independence in 1965. Singapore is influential in the affairs of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The country's dominant voice in politics for 30 years after independence was Lee Kuan Yew. Singapore has become a regional economic powerhouse.

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Jheeva Prakaash

Indian Arbitration in Singapore



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Ben Giaretta, 
Partner of Ashurst LLP.

2009 was a bumper year for SIAC arbitration, with the number of cases reaching a new high of 160 – a 60% increase on the year before.1 Almost 20 per cent, of these relate to India, the highest total for any one country. This note suggests why that might be.

International dispute resolution in India 

The extraordinary growth in the Indian economy over the past decade has seen increasing numbers of foreign investors doing business there; and, just as in other jurisdictions, international arbitration in a neutral country is often their favoured dispute resolution method.

That choice is given greater impetus by delays in the Indian court system, which also affect arbitrations taking place in India via related applications to the courts. The Delhi High Court reported recently that it has a backlog of cases that will take 466 years to clear.2 Steps are being taken to reform the process, in particular with the proposal to create new Commercial Divisions in each High Court.3 In the meantime, the delays are driving parties elsewhere.

To where? In selecting a neutral venue the first issue is whether an arbitral award from that country can be enforced in India if needed. Although India is a signatory to the New York Convention,4 only awards made in territories that have been notified in the Official Gazette may be enforced under the Convention in India.5Notification has been made of over 40 states, but a notable absentee from that list as far as arbitration in Asia is concerned is Hong Kong. That makes enforcement of Hong Kong awards in India difficult to achieve. By contrast, Singapore is one of the notified countries.

Convenience of Singapore 

In selecting Singapore from among those notified countries, other factors come into account. First and foremost are accidents of geography. Among major centres for international arbitration in the world, Singapore is one of the most convenient for Indian parties, in relative terms, as regards both distance and time zones.

Singapore's location, of course, has also been a prime factor in its development since its foundation, as an international city. Another reason has been the focus of the Singapore Government on delivering efficient public services. Internationalism and efficiency have been watchwords for the creation of the modern business environment in Singapore; the same attracts international arbitration to its shores.

For Indian parties, history combines with geography. At its foundation, Singapore was an offshoot of British India, and the origins of the modern-day legal systems in the two countries are intertwined. Both derive from English law, and in the nineteenth century a number of Indian Acts were directly applied to Singapore – most notably the Penal Code.6 Today, for all the subsequent divergence between their respective legal systems, Singapore and India are united by their common law heritage.

Prevalence of the English language in the two countries is also the product of history. English may be the common language that divides Britain and America, but where international arbitration is concerned, it makes Singapore an easy place for Indians to operate.

Finally, cost. Much is said of the expense of European arbitration (and particularly London arbitration) compared to Singapore; but in truth comparisons are difficult. The greatest proportion of parties' costs derive from their lawyers, and Indian Counsel (for example) can be employed in arbitration in London just as in Singapore. Perception of reduced cost, though, works in Singapore's favour.

Arbitration in Singapore

Added to such convenience are the particular reasons why international arbitration has blossomed in Singapore. In recent years the Singapore Government has given its backing to arbitration. The most notable result of this is Maxwell Chambers. The former Customs House, Maxwell Chambers is now a state-of-the-art dispute resolution centre that has few rivals anywhere in the world.

Bricks and mortar are not the sole expression of such enthusiasm, however. Indian lawyers know well the contortions that the Indian courts have performed in dealing with injunctions in support of foreign arbitrations, under the Indian Arbitration and Conciliation Act.7 It is likely that the problem can only be fixed by legislative intervention. A similar problem was identified in Singapore by the courts;8 the Singapore Parliament has fixed this in short order by amendment to the International Arbitration Act.9

The Singapore legal profession has adopted international arbitration whole-heartedly, as is shown by the various arbitration conferences, forums and symposiums held in Singapore. That in turn has attracted the international law firms which have set up shop here.

The Singapore courts, too, are "arbitration-friendly". Recently the Court of Appeal saved an arbitration clause that in some countries might have been condemned as pathological, because it married the rules of one institution (ICC) with administration by another (SIAC).10

Conclusion

Enthusiasm can be infectious, and must not blind one to the fact that Singapore will not be the first choice for every Indian party on every occasion. The advantages of other arbitration centres in some situations cannot be ignored.

However, the happy combination of factors in Singapore makes plain why attention has on the whole turned South-East as far as Indian parties are concerned. In the future, they might also consider Dubai, or Sydney, or Kuala Lumpur, as arbitration develops there; for the present, Singapore leads the pack, and it is likely that SIAC will report even greater numbers of Indian arbitrations next year.
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Jheeva Prakaash



A Brief History of Singapore

If you are new to Singapore, you're probably wondering how this small city-state in Southeast Asia with a total land area measuring only 273 square miles (707.1 square kilometers) and one of the youngest nations in the world became one of its most successful.
The answer lies in a unique set of geography and history - Singapore's strategic location on the major sea route between India and China, its excellent harbor, and its free-trade harbor status granted by its visionary founder Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. However, while Sir Stamford Raffles created the framework for Singapore's early success, it was Singapore's former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew who shaped the first quarter-century of Singapore's existence as an independent nation and defined the path to its current success. What follows is a brief history of the country's origins from a colonial outpost to the developed nation that it is today.

Mythical Origins

Recent studies have verified that lions have never lived on Singapore but legend has it that a 14th century Sumatran prince spotted an auspicious beast (probably a Malayan tiger) upon landing on the island after a thunderstorm. Thus, the name Singapore comes from the Malay words "Singa" for lion and "Pura" for city. Prior to European settlement, the island now known as Singapore was the site of a Malay fishing village and inhabited by several hundred indigenous Orang Laut people.

The Founding of Modern Singapore

In late 1818, Lord Hastings - the British Governor General of India - appointed Lieutenant General Sir Stamford Raffles to establish a trading station at the southern tip of the Malay peninsula.  The British were extending their dominion over India and their trade with China was expanding. They saw the need for a port of call to "refit, revitalize and protect their merchant fleet" as well as to prevent any advances made by the Dutch in the East Indies.
After surveying other nearby islands in 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles and the rest of the British East India Company landed on Singapore, which was to become their strategic trading post along the spice route.  Eventually Singapore became one of the most important commercial and military centers of the British Empire. The island was the third British acquisition in the Malay Peninsula after Penang (1786) and Malacca (1795). These three British Settlements (Singapore, Penang and Malacca) became the Straights Settlements in 1826, under the control of British India. By 1832, Singapore became the center of government of the three areas. On 1 April 1867, the Straights Settlements became a Crown Colony and was ruled by a governor under the jurisdiction of the Colonial Office in London.

Loosening Britain's Stronghold

During World War II, Singapore was occupied by the Japanese.  British Prime Minister Winston Churchill describedthis "as the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history". In the aftermath of the war, the country faced staggering problems of high unemployment, slow economic growth, inadequate housing, decaying infrastructure, labor strikes and social unrest. Nevertheless, it sparked a political awakening among the local population and saw the rise of anti-colonial and nationalist sentiments, as epitomized by the slogan "Merdeka" which means "independence" in the Malay language.
In 1959, Singapore became a self-governing state within the British Empire with Yusof Bin Ishak as its first Yang de-Pertuan Negara (Malay for "Someone who is the eminent Master of the State") and Lee Kuan Yew as its first and long-standing Prime Minister (he served until 1990). Before joining the Federation of Malaysia along with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak, Singapore declared independence from Britain unilaterally in August 1963. Two years later, Singapore left the federation after heated ideological conflicts arose between the Singapore government's major political party called the People's Action Party (PAP) and the federal Kuala Lumpur goverment. On 9 August 1965, Singapore officially gained sovereignty. Yusof Bin Ishak sworn in as its first president and Lee Kuan Yew remained prime minister.
With independence came bleak, if not precarious economic prospects. According to Barbara Leitch Lepoer, the editor of Singapore: A Country Study (1989): "Separation from Malaysia meant the loss of Singapore's economic hinterland, and Indonesia's policy of military confrontation directed at Singapore and Malaysia had dried up theentrepot from that direction." According to the same book, Singapore also faced the loss of 20 percent of its jobs with the announcement of Britain's departure from the island's bases in 1968.

Road to Success

Instead of demoralizing Singapore, these problems motivated Singapore's leadership to focus on the nation's economy. With Cambridge-educated lawyer Lee Kuan Yew at its helm, the Singaporean government was aggressive in promoting export-oriented, labor-extensive industrialization through a program of incentives to attract foreign investment. After all, Singapore still had its strategic location to its advantage.
By 1972, one-quarter of Singapore's manufacturing firms were either foreign-owned or joint-venture companies, and both USA and Japan were major investors. As a result of Singapore's steady political climate, favorable investment conditions and the rapid expansion of the world economy from 1965 to 1973, the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) experienced annual double-digit growth.
With the economic boom of the late 1960s and 1970s, new jobs were created in the private sector.  The government provision of subsidized housing, education, health services and public transportation generated new jobs in the public sector. The Central Provident Fund, the country's comprehensive social security scheme sustained by compulsory contributions by employer and employee, provided the necessary capital for government projects and financial security for the country's workers in their old age.
By the late 1970s, the government changed its strategic focus to skill and technology-intensive, high value-added industries and away from labor-intensive manufacturing. In particular, information technology was given priority for expansion and Singapore became the world's largest producer of disk drives and disk drive parts in 1989. In the same year, 30 percent of the country's GDP was due to earnings from manufacturing.
Singapore's international and financial services sector was and still is one of the fastest growing sectors of its economy accounting for nearly 25 percent of the country's GDP in the late 1980s. In the same year, Singapore ranked with Hong Kong as the two most important Asian financial centers after Tokyo. By 1990, Singapore played host to more than 650 multinational companies and several thousand financial institutions and trading firms. On the political front, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee Kuan Yew and in 2004 Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became Singapore's third prime minister.

Singaporean Identity

Out of 4.839 million Singaporeans, 3.164 million are Singapore citizens and roughly 0.478 million are Singapore permanent residents. Chinese, Malays and Indians comprise the three official ethnic groups in the country. With such a multi-ethnic population, the country's leadership envisioned a Singaporean identity that calls for "rugged individualism with an emphasis on excellence".
For more information on Singapore's population, labor force and demographics, see People of Singapore.

Summary

The island's initial success resulted from its role as a conveniently located and duty-free entrepot for the three-way trade among China, India and the Malay archipelago. By the late 19th century, the British overloads of Singapore had extended their influence throughout the Malay peninsula and the port of Singapore acquired a rich hinterland of resources.
When the British failed to protect Singapore from Japanese occupation during World War II, they lost their credibility with the Singaporeans.  The aftermath sparked an outpouring of anti-colonial and nationalist sentiments. After the Merger with Malaysia and the subsequent separation, the former colonial port of Singapore become a leader in global financing and trading in the 1970s. Today, it continues to wittingly maneuver its way in the world of international trade, just as it had done in the 19th century, and a large part of that success is owed to its government's pro-industrialization policies and excellence-oriented multi-ethnic people.
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Jheeva Prakaash


An early settlement of the Indians; earliest was Tanjong Pagar.

In November 1822 Stamford Raffles wrote to the Town Committee about 'the proper allotment of the Native division of the town…' About the Chuliah Kampong (Indian village) Raffles wrote; 'advantage of allotting a separate division for the town class of Chuliahs (Indians) up the Singapore river,  and this will of course be done with a due consideration of their expected numbers, and the necessity of their residence being in the vicinity of the place where their services are most likely to be called for.'

Nairanina Pillay, a Tamil accompanied Raffles to Singapore in May 1819 and the Tamil later invited other Tamils in Penang to join him in Singapore. The earliest Tamil Mosques are found in Telok Ayer Street and South Bridge Road where the oldest Hindu Temple is also located. Upper Cross Street was known as 'Kampong of the Indians' by the Chinese; the Malays referred to it as 'Kampong Susu' and the Tamils' Pal Kampong' both meaning 'Milk Kampong' because there were Indian milk vendors. Kadayanallur community from South India settled in Tanjong Pagar. The earliest Tamil School was also located in Chinatown. Near Raffles Place are Chulia Street and Market Street where the Chettiars (money lenders) had their offices and residence. A large number of Indians were employed in Keppel Harbour, Dockyard and the Railways; they all lived in Tanjong Pagar. The original Little Idia was therefore Tanjong Pagar.

The Indian convicts in Bencoolen were transferred to Singapore in 1825 and their re-settlement was I n Bras Basah. All classes of the Indian society were among the convicts; those include Beanres 'Brahmana', Sikh and Dogra 'Kaatriyas', Chettiars, Bengali and Parsi financiers and untouchables fro different parts of India.

By 182 Serangoon Road was already planned and in 1828 it was marked on a map by Lieutenant Jackson.

Serangoon area was an attraction to settlers because of the presence of rivers and where gambier, nutmeg, coconuts and even rice were grown. When agriculture failed, cattle raising became the most important occupation of the Indians because of abundant water and grass; Serangoon was also near the main roads. Another attraction was the Race Course.

Those who settled in Serangoon area came from India in the latter part of the 19th century long after Indians had settled in Tanjong Pagar.

Besides cattle raring and related activities, wheat-grinding, sesame oil presses, rattan works and pineapple preserving factories became an economic feature of Serangoon area. At one time cattle raising was dominated by J.R. Belilios (Bellios Lane is named after him), a Venetian Jew. Adolph Landau and L.C. Joffie set up business as Pineapple Merchants. Pineapple skins, sesame and wheat husks became fodder for cattle.

Other than rearing cows and buffaloes for the dairy trade, bulls and buffaloes were used for drawing bullock-carts - the chief cargo transport vehicles in the 19th century. Cattle and sheep were also imported for slaughter-houses which were located in Syed Alwi and Sungei Roads. H.Desker (Desker Road named after him) and his family ran a profitable abattoir there. Tamil Muslims were also engaged in this business.

Horses were used to draw carriages and many were in the stables in Race Course Road as race horses.

In the 19th century Peranakan India from Malacca settled in Serangoon area.

Other communities also settled there; these included Chinese and Baweanese (Indonesians); the former grew vegetable gardens in the Lavender and Balestier areas and the Peranakan Indian lived in Kampong Kapor. The Baweanese were employed as horse trainers at the Race Course, carriage and bullock-cart drivers, syces and gardeners; they lived in 'pondoks' (lodging houses).Peranakan Chinese built their distinctive houses in Petain Road and the Straits Chinese Methodist Church is located in Kampong Kapur.

Indians from different parts of their homeland settled in certain sections of Serangoon area; South Indian Muslims, Bengali Hindus, Tamils and Telegus had their own localities. The Tamil area stretched as far as Potong Pasir. These enclaves were largely due for security in a foreign land.

Serangoon area has one of the oldest Mosques, the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque (in Mayo Road) and three of the oldest Hindu Temples: the Veeramakaliamman, the Srinivasa Perumal and the Vadapathirakaliamman.There are also three old Buddhist Temples in Race Course Road.

In the first decades of the 20th century Serangoon area was the centre of Indian migration. The opening of the Naval Base, Seletar and Changi Air Bases brought in an influx of Indians particularly Tamils and Malayalees near these bases.

During the 1930s Serangoon was gradually transformed into a residential and commercial one. The early years saw the male dormitories where both employers and employees lived above their working place. It was communal living of about 25 persons who belonged to the same caste and occupation.

Certain areas were transferred to Chinese migrants who redeveloped them. What is known today as Little India became mostly an Indian Hindu commercial area.

Just before the Japanese invasion of Malaya in December 1941 many Indian men sent their wives and children back to India and those who remained behind suffered along with other communities from Japanese bombing and artillery fire and under Japanese Occupation.

After the return of the British in 1945 Serangoon area remained very much and Indian settlement with quaint Indian shops and even with the few male dormitories of the 19th century.


Little India tourist attraction

;  there are a variety of Indian shops and businesses; these include garland makers, cloth merchants, gold smiths, costume jewelers, provision stores and restaurants. Little India contributes its Indians to enrich our multi -cultural Republic of Singapore.
The vast majority of Indians now live in high-rise buildings in a multi-racial environment.
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Jheeva Prakaash

Singapore History

General Information

Singapore History
Since its early beginnings that intertwine fact and folklore, Singapore has been engaged in the pomp of ancient Indian empires, the intrigues of medieval trade, the bartering of European colonial powers and the challenge of nation-building.
Here, we give you an account of the island's remarkable development throughout the centuries.

From the Early Beginnings to the Colonial Era

Legend has It...

The beginnings of Singapore are steeped in local Malay legend. The island is said to have received its name from a visiting Sumatran prince in the 14th century, who saw a fearsome creature - later identified to him as a lion - on his arrival.
Taking this as a good omen, the prince founded a new city on the spot, changing the name of the island from Temasek to Singapura. In Sanskrit, "singa" means lion and "pura" means city. Thus the Lion City was born, and today the symbol of the merlion - a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish - is a reminder of Singapore's early connections to this legend and the seas.
 

The March of Empires

Traders travelling between China and India have been plowing the waters around Singapore since the 5th century AD. Later, Singapore became a trading outpost of the ancient Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya, which had its centre in Palembang, Sumatra, and influenced the region from the 7th to the 10th centuries.
In the 13th century, Srivijaya was overshadowed by the rise of Islam, and Singapore came under the influence of the Muslim empire of Malacca. Malacca, situated on the western coast of present-day Peninsula Malaysia, rapidly developed into a thriving free port and commercial centre.
Malacca's decline began in 1511, when it fell under the sway of the Portugese. The Muslim merchants and traders that had founded the commercial success of Malacca fled from the new Catholic rule, and another, smaller sultanate established itself in Johor, at the southern end of the Malaysian peninsula, across the causeway from Singapore.
In 1641, the Dutch wrested Malacca from the Portugese. They held power until 1875, when Holland's defeat in a war in Europe saw the British seizing Dutch colonies in Southeast Asia, including Malacca.
With the end of the Napoleonic wars in Europe, the British agreed to hand back Dutch possessions in 1818. Some British were disappointed by this anti-climax to their country's bid to expand its influence in Southeast Asia. One of them was Stamford Raffles, the Lieutenant Governor of Java.
 
Colonial Singapore

Colonial Singapore

Stamford Raffles is often called the founder of modern Singapore, having given shape to many sections of Singapore's city centre, and having built its name as an important port and business centre in the region.
After the British secession of Dutch possessions in Southeast Asia, Raffles gained permission to establish a station in the region, to secure British trade interests there. He had initially set his heart on Riau, an island near Singapore, but the Dutch had already beat him to it. He then decided on Singapore, then under the empire of Johor.
When Raffles first landed in Singapore in 1819, there was division within the Johor Sultanate. The old Sultan had died in 1812, and his younger son had ascended to the throne when the eldest son and legitimate heir, Hussein, was away.
Raffles threw his support behind Hussein, proclaiming him Sultan and installing him in Singapore. He also signed a treaty with the Temenggong, or senior judge, of Johor, setting him up in Singapore as well. In so doing, he hoped to legitimise British claims on the island.
Initially, Raffles acquired the use of Singapore after agreeing to make annual payments to Sultan Hussein and the Temenggong. In 1824, in exchange for a cash buyout, Singapore officially came under the ownership of the British East India Company.
Two years later, the island, along with Malacca and Penang, became part of the British Straits Settlements. The Straits Settlements were controlled by the East India Company in Calcutta, but administered from Singapore.
Raffles initiated a town plan for central Singapore. The plan included levelling one hill to set up a commercial centre (today's Shenton Way) and constructing government buildings around Fort Canning. Raffles, and the first Resident of Singapore, William Farquhar, gradually moulded Singapore from a jungle-ridden backwater with poor sanitation and little modern infrastructure to a successful entreport and colonial outpost. Hospitals, schools and a water supply system were built. Soon, boatloads of immigrants from India and China were coming to Singapore, in search of prosperity and a better life.
Today, you will find that many institutions and businesses choose to use the Raffles name, out of a certain respect or perhaps to portray a sense of history and gravitas. You will find the Raffles name linked to a boulevard, a school, a college, a hotel, a shopping mall, the business class of Singapore Airlines, a golf club and a lighthouse.

From the Second World War to Today

Economically, Singapore went from strength to strength throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. But in the 1940s and 1950s , political storm clouds were gathering over Asia. Japan's quest for more power, land and natural resources saw it invading China in 1931 and 1937, a move which was opposed by the Chinese immigrants in Singapore.
On February 15, 1942, with Europe in the throes of World War II, the Japanese sprung a quick and successful invasion of Singapore. The British, who had prepared for an invasion from the sea in the south, were taken by surprise by the Japanese penetration via the jungles of Thailand and Malaysia, on bicycle. The British surrender was quick, and many of the Europeans were herded to the Padang, then sent to Changi Prison.
The next few years were a dark period in Singapore's history. The Japanese treated the Chinese with particular suspicion, and many of them were tortured, incarcerated and killed, often on the flimsiest of pretexts. As the war progressed, food and other essential supplies ran low, and malnutrition and disease were widespread.
By 1945 however, it was clear that Japan, and its allies, were losing the war. The Japanese surrendered Singapore on August 14, 1945. The British returned, but their right to rule was now in question.
 

Gaining Independence

After the war, the British grouped the peninsula Malay states and the British-controlled states of Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo under the Malayan Union. Singapore, which unlike the other states had a predominantly Chinese population, was left out of this union.
Rebuilding itself after the war was a slow and difficult task. In the post-war climate of poverty, unemployment and lack of idealogical direction, communist groups such as the Malayan Communist Party and the Communist General Labour Union, and the socialist Malayan Democratic Union, gained popular support.
In the late 1940s, the Communists launched a campaign of armed struggle in Malaya, prompting the British to declare a state of emergency where the Communists were outlawed. Twelve years of guerilla warfare from the Communists on the peninsula ensued, and left-wing politics was gradually snuffed out in the Malay states and Singapore.
Lee's Legacy

Lee's Legacy

In the 1950s, a rising star emerged in the local political scene -- Lee Kuan Yew, who headed the socialist People's Action Party (PAP).
Lee, a shrewd politician, is a third-generation Straits-born Chinese with a law degree from Cambridge University. When the PAP won a majority of seats in the newly-formed Legislative Assembly in 1959, he became the first Singaporean to hold the title of prime minister.
In 1963, the British declared Singapore, the Malay states and Sabah and Sarawak as one independent nation -- Malaysia. But Singapore's membership in this union lasted only two years. In 1965, it was booted out of the federation, owing to disagreements on several fronts including racial issues.
Left on its own, Singapore embarked on an ambitious industrialisation plan -- building public housing, roads and modernising its port and telecommunications infrastructure. English was chosen as the official language, to facilitate communication between the different races, and to put the nation in the forefront of commerce.
In about 25 years, by the late 1980s, Singapore had moved from a fragile and small country with no natural resources to a newly industrialised economy.
 
Singapore Today

Singapore Today

The Singapore of today was first described by a third century account as "Pu-luo-chung", meaning "isle at the end of the peninsula". This description, would in the future, prove very offhand and unassuming, for even as Singapore entered the 14th century, it had gained might as part of the romantic, albeit tragic, Srivijayan Empire.
The "little island" was then known to many as "Temasek", which meant "Seatown". It was then the point where the sea routes of Southeast Asia converged; and the harbour where floating vessels of every kind, from Indian boats and Chinese junks to Buginese schooners, Arabic dhows and Portuguese battleships, visited.
Legend has it that as the winds of change blew into Temasek, a prince of Srivijaya paid a visit to the island and saw a lion. This wondrous sight so compelled him that he renamed the island "Singapura", meaning "Lion City". It didn't seem to matter that lions had never inhabited Singapore, and that many believed he must have actually seen a tiger!
And so, Singapore's modern day name was born out of a sighting believed to be a good omen, and the region was established as a trading post for the Srivijayan Empire. In the 18th century, the British were searching for a harbour in which to refit, provide for and protect their fleet of vessels.
This harbour would also be a demarcation point to forestall the advances of the Dutch in Southeast Asia. Singapore's strategic location caught the attentions of Sir Stamford Raffles, who then established Singapore as a British trading station in 1819, with a free trade policy to attract merchants throughout Asia, and even all the way from the Americas and Middle East.
By 1832, Singapore was the centre for the government of the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, and the advent of the steamship expanded the trade between the East and West, and also Singapore's importance. Singapore continued to grow well into the 20th century until World War II, when the freeport became the scene of the war's significant fighting.
The end of World War II saw Singapore becoming a Crown Colony, but the rise of nationalism put Singapore on the path of self-government in 1959. Singapore formed a union with Malaya in 1963, but opted for independence and became an independent republic on August 9, 1965, with Lee Kuan Yew as Prime Minister.
Singapore today is a thriving centre of commerce and industry, with intense economic growth. Singapore is not merely a single island, but is actually the main island surrounded by at least 60 islets. Measuring a compact 640km, its size really belies its capacity for growth.
Singapore is now a rapidly developing manufacturing base. The Republic, however, still remains the busiest port the world over with more than 600 shipping lines herding super tankers, container ships, passenger liners, fishing vessels and even wooden lighters in its waters.
It is also a major oil refining and distribution centre, and an important supplier of electronic components. Its rich history as a popular harbour has turned it into a leader in shipbuilding, maintenance and repair. Singapore has also become one of Asia's most important financial centres, housing at least 130 banks.
Both business and pleasure are made more accessible and smooth flowing by the Republic's excellent and up-to-date communications network, linking it to the rest of the world through satellite and round the clock telegraph and telephone systems. Now fully grown into an Asian Dragon, Singapore is, somehow unsurprisingly, a leading destination for both business and pleasure.
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Jheeva Prakaash

Official Name: Republic of Singapore




PROFILE

Geography 
Area: 710.3 sq. km.
Cities: Capital--Singapore (country is a city-state).
Terrain: Lowland.
Climate: Tropical.

People 
Population (2009): 4.99 million (including permanent residents, foreign workers).
Annual growth rate (2009): 3.1% (total); 2.5% (Singapore citizens and permanent residents).
Ethnic groups (2009): Chinese 74.2%, Malays 13.4%, Indians 9.2%, others 3.2%.
Religions: Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim, Christian, Hindu.
Languages: English, Mandarin and other Chinese dialects, Malay, Tamil.
Education: Years compulsory--six. Literacy (2009)--96.3%.
Health (2008): Infant mortality rate--2.1/1,000. Life expectancy--78.4 yrs. male, 83.2 yrs. female.
Work force (2009, 2.99 million): Manufacturing--18.1%; services--68.3%; construction--12.9%.

Government 
Type: Parliamentary republic.
Constitution: June 3, 1959 (amended 1965 and 1991).
Independence: August 9, 1965.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state, 6-yr. term); prime minister (head of government). Legislative--unicameral 84-member Parliament (maximum 5-yr. term).Judicial--High Court, Court of Appeal, subordinate courts.
Political parties: People's Action Party (PAP), Workers' Party (WP), Singapore People's Party (SPP), Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), National Solidarity Party (NSP), Reform Party.
Suffrage: Universal and compulsory at 21.
Central government budget (FY 2010): Total expenditures U.S. $33.1 billion (46.37 billion Singapore dollars).
Defense (FY 2010): 4.5% of gross domestic product.
National holiday: August 9.

Economy 
GDP (2009 nominal prices): $177.1 billion.
Annual real growth rate: 8.7% (2006), 8.2% (2007), 1.4% (2008), -2% (2009).
Per capita GDP (2009): $35,515.
Natural resources: None.
Agriculture (under 0.5% of GDP): Products--poultry, orchids, vegetables, fruits, ornamental fish.
Manufacturing (18.2% of real GDP): Types--electronic and electrical products and components, petroleum products, machinery and metal products, chemical and pharmaceutical products, transport equipment (mainly aircraft repairs/maintenance, shipbuilding/repair and oil rigs), food and beverages, printing and publishing, optical and photographic equipment, plastic products/modules, instrumentation equipment.
Trade (2009): Exports--$268.9 billion: petroleum products, food/beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, industrial machinery and equipment, electronic components, telecommunication apparatus, transport equipment. Major markets--Malaysia (11.5%), Indonesia (9.7%), Hong Kong (11.6%), Germany/France (2.9%), China (9.7%), United States (11.2%), and Japan (4.6%). Imports--$245 billion: aircraft, crude oil and petroleum products, electronic components, radio and television receivers/parts, motor vehicles, chemicals, food/beverages, iron/steel, electricity generators. Major suppliers--Germany/France (6.6%), Malaysia (11.6%), United States (14.7%), China (10.5%), and Japan (7.6%).

PEOPLE 
Singapore is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The annual population growth rate for 2009 was 3.1%, including resident foreigners. Singapore has a varied linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage. Malay is the national language, but Chinese, English, and Tamil also are official languages. English is the language of administration and also is widely used in the professions, businesses, and schools.

The government has mandated that English be the primary language used at all levels of the school systems, and it aims to provide at least 10 years of education for every child. In 2008, primary and secondary school students totaled about 496,353, or 10.3% of the entire population. In 2008, enrollment at public universities was 69,028 (full-time/part-time) and 76,756 at the polytechnics. The Institute of Technical Education for basic technical and commerce skills has 24,367 students. The country's literacy rate is 96.3%.

Singapore generally allows religious freedom, although religious groups are subject to government scrutiny, and some religious sects are restricted or banned. Almost all Malays are Muslim; other Singaporeans are Taoists, Buddhists, Confucianists, Christians, Hindus, or Sikhs.

HISTORY 
Although Singapore's history dates from the 11th century, the island was little known to the West until the 19th century, when in 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles arrived as an agent of the  East India Company. In 1824, the British purchased Singapore Island, and by 1825, the city of Singapore had become a major port, with trade exceeding that of Malaya's Malacca and Penang combined. In 1826, Singapore, Penang, and Malacca were combined as the Straits Settlements to form an outlying residency of the British East India Company; in 1867, the Straits Settlements were made a British Crown Colony, an arrangement that continued until 1946.

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the advent of steamships launched an era of prosperity for Singapore as transit trade expanded throughout Southeast Asia. In the 20th century, the automobile industry's demand for rubber from Southeast Asia and the packaging industry's need for tin helped make Singapore one of the world's major ports.

In 1921, the British constructed a naval base, which was soon supplemented by an air base. But the Japanese captured the island in February 1942, and it remained under their control until September 1945, when the British returned.

In 1946, the Straits Settlements was dissolved; Penang and Malacca became part of the Malayan Union, and Singapore became a separate British Crown Colony. In 1959, Singapore became self-governing, and, in 1963, it joined the newly independent Federation of Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak--the latter two former British Borneo territories--to form Malaysia.

Indonesia adopted a policy of "confrontation" against the new federation, charging that it was a "British colonial creation," and severed trade with Malaysia. The move particularly affected Singapore, since Indonesia had been the island's second-largest trading partner. The political dispute was resolved in 1966, and Indonesia resumed trade with Singapore.

After a period of friction between Singapore and the central government in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore separated from Malaysia on August 9, 1965, and became an independent republic.

GOVERNMENT 
According to the constitution, as amended in 1965, Singapore is a republic with a parliamentary system of government. Political authority rests with the prime minister and the cabinet. The prime minister is the leader of the political party or coalition of parties having the majority of seats in Parliament. The president, who is chief of state, previously exercised only ceremonial duties. As a result of 1991 constitutional changes, the president is now supposed to be elected and exercises expanded powers over legislative appointments, government budgetary affairs, and internal security matters.

The unicameral Parliament currently consists of 84 members elected on the basis of universal adult suffrage, and up to nine "nominated" members of Parliament. A constitutional provision assures at least three opposition members, even if fewer than three actually are elected. A "nonconstituency" seat held by the opposition under this provision since 1997 was again filled after the last election held on May 6, 2006. In the May 2006 general election, the governing People's Action Party (PAP) won 82 of the 84 seats. The president appoints nominated members of Parliament from among nominations by a special select committee. Nominated members of Parliament (NMPs) enjoy the same privileges as members of Parliament but cannot vote on constitutional matters or expenditures of funds. The maximum term of Parliament is 5 years. NMPs serve for two-and-a-half-year terms. Voting has been compulsory since 1959.

Judicial power is vested in the High Court and the Court of Appeal. The High Court exercises original criminal and civil jurisdiction in serious cases as well as appellate jurisdiction from subordinate courts. Its chief justice, senior judge, and twelve judges are appointed by the president. Appeals from the High Court are heard by the Court of Appeal. The right of appeal to the Privy Council in London was abolished effective April 1994.

Principal Government Officials 
President--S.R. NATHAN
Prime Minister--LEE Hsien Loong
Senior Minister--GOH Chok Tong
Senior Minister--S. JAYAKUMAR
Minister Mentor--LEE Kuan Yew
Deputy Prime Minister--TEO Chee Hean
Deputy Prime Minister--WONG Kan Seng

Ministers
Community Development, Youth and Sports--Vivian BALAKRISHNAN
Defense--TEO Chee Hean
Education--NG Eng Hen
Environment and Water Resources--YAACOB Ibrahim
Finance--Tharman SHANMUGARATNAM
Foreign Affairs--George Yong-Boon YEO
Health--KHAW Boon Wan
Home Affairs--WONG Kan Seng
Information, Communications and the Arts--(Acting) LUI Tuck Yew
Law--K. SHANMUGAM
Manpower--(Acting) GAN Kim Yong
National Development--MAH Bow Tan
Trade and Industry--LIM Hng Kiang
Transport--Raymond LIM Siang Keat

Prime Minister’s Office--LIM Swee Say, LIM Boon Heng, Mrs. LIM Hwee Hua

Ambassador to the United Nations--K. V. Vanu Gopala MENON
Ambassador to the United States--CHAN Heng Chee

Singapore maintains an embassy in the United States at 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/537-3100, fax 202/537-0876).

POLITICAL CONDITIONS 
The ruling political party in Singapore, reelected continuously since 1959, is the People's Action Party (PAP), headed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The PAP has held the overwhelming majority of seats in Parliament since 1966, when the opposition Barisan Sosialis Party (Socialist Front), a left-wing group that split off from the PAP in 1961, resigned from Parliament, leaving the PAP as the sole representative party. In the general elections of 1968, 1972, 1976, and 1980, the PAP won all of the seats in an expanding Parliament.

Then-Workers' Party Secretary General J.B. Jeyaretnam (who died in 2008) became the first opposition party member of Parliament in 15 years when he won a 1981 by-election. Opposition parties gained small numbers of seats in the general elections of 1984 (2 out of 79), 1988 (1 of 81), 1991 (4 of 81), 1997 (2 of 83), 2001 (2 of 84) and 2006 (2 of 84). Meanwhile, the PAP's share of the popular vote in contested seats decreased from 75% in 2001 to 66.6% in 2006. In the 2006 election, opposition parties together contested 47 of the 84 seats, the largest number in 18 years.

ECONOMY
Singapore's strategic location on major sea lanes and its industrious population have given the country an economic importance in Southeast Asia disproportionate to its small size. Upon independence in 1965, Singapore was faced with a lack of physical resources and a small domestic market. In response, the Singapore Government adopted a pro-business, pro-foreign investment, export-oriented economic policy framework, combined with state-directed investments in strategic government-owned corporations. Singapore's economic strategy proved a success, producing real growth that averaged 7.8% from 1965 to 2009. The worldwide electronics slump in 2001 and the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 dealt blows to the economy, but growth bounced back each time, driven by world demand for electronics, pharmaceuticals, other manufactured goods, and financial services, particularly in the economies of its major trading partners--the United States, the European Union, Japan, and China, as well as expanding emerging markets such as India. The global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 dealt a blow to Singapore's open, trade-oriented economy. Singapore saw its worst two quarters of contraction in late 2008 and early 2009, but quickly recovered with strong performance in later quarters. The official growth forecast for 2010 is between 4.5% and 6.5%.

Singapore's largely corruption-free government, skilled work force, and advanced and efficient infrastructure have attracted investments from more than 7,000 multinational corporations from the United States, Japan, and Europe. Also present are 1,500 companies from China and another 1,500 from India. Foreign firms are found in almost all sectors of the economy. Multinational corporations account for more than two-thirds of manufacturing output and direct export sales, although certain services sectors remain dominated by government-linked companies.

Manufacturing (including construction) and services are the twin engines of the Singapore economy and accounted for 26% and 69.3%, respectively, of Singapore's gross domestic product in 2009. The electronics and chemicals (including petroleum products) industries lead Singapore's manufacturing sector, accounting for 31.5% and 27%, respectively, of Singapore's manufacturing output in 2009. To inject new life to the tourism sector, the government in April 2005 approved the development of two casinos that resulted in investments of more than U.S. $5 billion. Las Vegas Sands' Marina Bay Sands Resort is scheduled to open in April 2010, while Genting International's Resort World Sentosa opened its doors in February 2010.

To maintain its competitive position despite rising wages, the government seeks to promote higher value-added activities in the manufacturing and services sectors. It also has opened, or is in the process of opening, the financial services, telecommunications, and power generation and retailing sectors to foreign service-providers and greater competition. The government also has pursued cost-cutting measures, including tax cuts and wage and rent reductions, to lower the cost of doing business in Singapore. The government is actively negotiating eight free trade agreements (FTAs) with emerging economic partners and has already concluded 18 FTAs with many of its key trade partners, including one with the United States that came into force January 1, 2004. As a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Singapore is part of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), and is signatory to ASEAN FTAs with China, Korea, Japan, India, and a joint agreement with New Zealand and Australia. Singapore is also a party to the Transpacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, which includes Brunei, Chile, and New Zealand.

Trade, Investment, and Aid 
Singapore's total trade in 2009 amounted to $513.9 billion, a dip of 11.5% from 2008. In 2009, Singapore's imports totaled $245 billion, and exports totaled $269 billion. Malaysia was Singapore's main import source country, as well as its second-largest export market, absorbing 11.5% of Singapore's exports, after Hong Kong (11.6%). Other major export markets include the United States (11.2%), China (9.7%), and Indonesia (9.7%). Singapore was the 13th-largest trading partner of the United States in 2009. Re-exports accounted for 48.9% of Singapore's total sales to other countries in 2009. Singapore's principal exports are petroleum products, food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronic components, telecommunication apparatus, and transport equipment. Singapore's main imports are aircraft, crude oil and petroleum products, electronic components, consumer electronics, industrial machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, food and beverages, electricity generators, and iron and steel.

Singapore continues to attract investment funds on a large scale despite its relatively high-cost operating environment. The United States leads in foreign investment, accounting for 63% of new commitments to the manufacturing sector in 2008. As of 2008, the stock of investment by U.S. companies in the manufacturing and services sectors in Singapore reached about $106.5 billion (total assets). The bulk of U.S. investment is in electronics manufacturing, oil refining and storage, and the chemical industry. About 1,500 U.S. firms operate in Singapore.

The government also has encouraged firms to invest outside Singapore, with the country's total direct investments abroad reaching $206.5 billion by the end of 2007. China was the top destination, accounting for 13.2% of total overseas investments, followed by Malaysia (7.1%), Indonesia (6.1%), United Kingdom (10.5%), Hong Kong (5.9%), Thailand (5.2%), Australia (5.3%), and the United States (4.5%).

Labor 
As of December 2009, Singapore had a total labor force of about 2.99 million. The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), the sole trade union federation, comprises almost 99% of total organized labor. Extensive legislation covers general labor and trade union matters. The Industrial Arbitration Court handles labor-management disputes that cannot be resolved informally through the Ministry of Labor. The Singapore Government has stressed the importance of cooperation between unions, management, and government ("tripartism"), as well as the early resolution of disputes. There have been no strikes since 1986.

Singapore has enjoyed virtually full employment for long periods of time. Amid slower economic growth in 2003, unemployment rose to 4.0%. As of the end of June 2008, the unemployment rate was 2.2%. In tandem with the global economic crisis and the economy’s contraction, unemployment as of end-September 2009 rose to 3.4% and resident unemployment reached 5.0%. However, the overall and resident unemployment rate dipped to 2.1% and 3.0%, respectively, in December 2009 in view of the Singapore Government’s job saving measures and the gradually improving global economy. Overall, some of Singapore’s unemployment is attributable to structural changes in the economy, as low-skill manufacturing operations have moved overseas. Since 1990, the number of foreign workers in Singapore has increased rapidly to cope with labor shortages. Foreign workers comprise 35% of the labor force; the great majority of these are unskilled workers.

Transportation and Communications 
Situated at the crossroads of international shipping and air routes, Singapore is a center for transportation and communication in Southeast Asia. Singapore's Changi International Airport is a regional aviation hub served by 80 airlines. A third terminal opened in January 2008, and a dedicated low-cost terminal for budget airlines has operated since 2006. The Port of Singapore is the world's busiest for containerized transshipment traffic. The country also is linked by road and rail to Malaysia and Thailand.

Telecommunications and Internet facilities are state-of-the-art, providing high-quality communications with the rest of the world. Singapore is rolling out a nationwide broadband network that promises high-speed Internet connections at lower prices. Sixty percent of the country is scheduled to be covered by the end of 2010. Radio and television stations are all ultimately government-owned or government-linked. The print media is dominated by a company with close ties to the government. Daily newspapers are published in English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil.

DEFENSE 
Singapore relies primarily on its own defense forces, which are continuously being modernized. The defense budget accounts for approximately 33% of government operating expenditures (or 4.5% of GDP). A career military force of 55,000 is supplemented by 300,000 persons, either on active National Service, which is compulsory for able-bodied young men, or on Reserve. The Singapore Armed Forces engage in joint training with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and with the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and India. Singapore also conducts military training on Taiwan.

Singapore is a member of the Five-Power Defense Arrangement together with the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia. The arrangement obligates members to consult in the event of external threat and provides for stationing Commonwealth forces in Singapore.

Singapore has consistently supported a strong U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. In 1990, the United States and Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which allows United States access to Singapore facilities at Paya Lebar Airbase and the Sembawang wharves. Under the MOU, a U.S. Navy logistics unit was established in Singapore in 1992; U.S. fighter aircraft deploy periodically to Singapore for exercises, and a number of U.S. military vessels visit Singapore. The MOU was amended in 1999 to permit U.S. naval vessels to berth at the Changi Naval Base, which was completed in early 2001. In July 2005, the United States and Singapore signed a Strategic Framework Agreement to expand cooperation in defense and security.

FOREIGN RELATIONS 
Singapore is nonaligned. It is a member of the United Nations and several of its specialized and related agencies, and also of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Commonwealth. Singapore has participated in UN peacekeeping/observer missions in Kuwait, Angola, Namibia, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste. Singapore supports two Provincial Reconstruction Teams and provides refueling aircraft in support of international efforts in Afghanistan. Singapore strongly supports regional and international anti-piracy efforts, and has undertaken a leadership role in anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden. Singapore supports the concept of Southeast Asian regionalism and plays an active role in ASEAN, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

U.S.-SINGAPORE RELATIONS 
The United States has maintained formal diplomatic relations with Singapore since it became independent in 1965. Singapore's efforts to maintain economic growth and political stability and its support for regional cooperation harmonize with U.S. policy in the region and form a solid basis for amicable relations between the two countries. The United States and Singapore signed a bilateral free trade agreement on May 6, 2003; the agreement entered into force on January 1, 2004. The growth of U.S. investment in Singapore and the large number of Americans living there enhance opportunities for contact between Singapore and the United States. Many Singaporeans visit and study in the United States. Singapore is a Visa Waiver Program country.

The U.S. Government sponsors visitors from Singapore each year under the International Visitor Program. The U.S. Government provides Fulbright awards to enable selected American professors to teach or conduct research at the National University of Singapore and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. It awards scholarships to outstanding Singaporean students for graduate studies at American universities and to American students to study in Singapore. The U.S. Government also sponsors occasional cultural presentations in Singapore. The East-West Center and private American organizations, such as the Asia and Ford Foundations, also sponsor exchanges involving Singaporeans.
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