Success Story Singapore

Singapore was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. Located at southern tip of Malaysian Peninsula, the modern city-state is a success story of the twentieth century.

Singapore entrepot trade progressed rapidly in first three decades of the twentieth century. Commodities such as rubber, timber, species, and tin were brought to Singapore from the neighbouring countries to be sent to the West. In return, consumers goods, liquor, machinery from the West were transshipped to the neighbouring countries. Singapore has established herself as the premier trading port of the Far East. Migrants from China and Indian came to Singapore as labourers. Some of these early pioneers were to become tremendous success stories in the commercial world, through sheer grits, thrift, hard-work, perseverance and vision.

The years between the World War II and the Independence were tumultuous. Those were years of chaos. Singapore was ravaged by the Japanese occupation and then experienced the merger with Malaysia, and separation from Malaysia(1965). Amidst the uncertainties, Singapore survived and thrived through the able and far-sighted leadership of Lee Kuan Yew. Lee led Singapore to Independence and was sworn in as Singapore's first Prime Minister on 5 June, 1959. He retired in 1990. Under his guidance, Singapore became a financial and industrial powerhouse, despite a lack of abundant natural resources.

Today, Singapore is a top business city in the world. It has excellent infrastructure such as a modern airport, deep sea harbours, up to date communication facilities, sound financial system, and a stable environment. Most important of all, a well educated and competitive work force.

The founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, himself a success story, rose from a petty clerk to the a high officer of British East India Company, a powerful trading company which administered Britain's far eastern settlement then. He was the governor of Java during the French Wars but now Java had been handed back to the Dutch. The Dutch were in control of the vital Malacca Straits, and Raffles has to move quickly to find and establish a presence for Britain. Together with Colonel Farquhar, they found a small fishing outpost at the tip of Malaysian peninsula. Raffles negotiated with Sultan Hussein of Johore Sultanate to give Britain the sole right to build a trading post on Singapore Island. Hence, the foundation for the modern Singapore was laid. Singapore was founded as free entrepot from day one. Slowing and steadily, traders moved in to do business without much fuss and red-tape. Singapore was growing into a busy trading port in the region.