Birth Of Nations

http://www.historyofnations.net/asia/singapore.html

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 British 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. 

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. 

The ruling political party in Singapore, reelected continuously since 1959, is the People's Action Party (PAP), now headed by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. Goh succeeded Lee Kuan Yew, who served as Singapore's prime minister from independence through 1990. Since stepping down as prime minister, Lee has remained influential as Senior Minister. 

Conflict and cooperation

- conflict

http://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu/publications/conflict_coop/

Water is a resource vital to all aspects of a nation's survival, from its inhabitants' biology to their economy.  The scarcity of water in an arid and semi-arid environment leads to intense political pressures, often referred to as "water stress"

Water resources, including scarcity, distribution, and quality, have been named as the factor most likely to lead to intense political pressures, while threatening the processes of sustainable development and environmental protection. Water ignores political boundaries, evades institutional classification, and eludes legal generalizations.

Worldwide, water demands are increasing, groundwater levels are dropping, water bodies are increasingly contaminated, and delivery and treatment infrastructures are aging.

Although wars over water have not occurred, there is ample evidence showing that the lack of clean freshwater has been linked to poverty and has led to intense political instability, and that acute violence has occasionally been the result.

- cooperation

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/idss/Perspective/research_050339.htm

Singapore took two big steps last month to strengthen its strategic partnerships with two big powers – one the global superpower United States of America, the other a regional Asian power India. These were taken in pursuance of Singapore’s longstanding policy of having a balance of power that would help ensure peace, stability and cooperation in the region. While the US has long been part of the strategic equation, the move to engage India is a recent development. Both however have a common motivation, ie to balance other emerging regional powers such as China and Japan. 

In the first case Singapore took the opportunity of the visit of President George W Bush, after the Bangkok Summit of APEC Leaders, to announce a commitment to enter into a Framework Agreement for the Promotion of a Strategic Partnership in Defence and Security. This strategic agreement would expand the current bilateral cooperation in areas such as counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, joint military exercises and training, policy dialogues and defence technology.

The second move was the first-ever visit to India by a Singapore Defence Minister during which he and his Indian counterpart signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement that would provide for more personnel exchanges, visits and training courses, intelligence exchanges and defence policy dialogue. The agreement would bring bilateral relations to a higher plane and open up opportunities for further interaction between the armed forces of the two countries.

Challenge and change

http://www.sfdonline.org/Link%20Pages/Link%20Folders/01Pf/reut011101.html

 With the emergence of china with her high quality but cheap products and an extended period of low growth in the United States, Singapore is being hit from all sides because of dependence on electronics for its manufacturing sector and its role as a transport and financial hub... to secure a niche for Singapore, Singaporeans have to stay one step ahead and move on. Singapore only have an estimated time of 10 yrs to make the transformation and move on to the next level of development in order to compete in the new environment. Analysts believe the time frame may be shorter and Singapore requires more than a change in economic policy. Singapore needs an even more dynamic economy going forward and also a change in culture.

 The government also recently announced investments in education, theatres, libraries and sports facilities to attract foreign talent to enlarge and raise the quality of its pool of human capital to transform the society. There will also be a greater emphasis on education, medicine and biotechnology to replace lost electronics manufacturing.

Done by:

Joey Ho (3G)

Yong Ze Chuan (3B)

John Tay (3G)

Lee Si Kai (3A)