LAnguage of SIngapore

Singapore has four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil.English is the common language of the nation and is the language of business, government and medium of instruction in schools. Public bodies in Singapore conduct their businesses in English, and official documents written in a non-English official language such as Chinese, Malay or Tamil typically have to be translated into English to be accepted for submission. The Singapore Constitution and all laws are written in English,and translators are required if one wishes to address the Singaporean Courts in a language other than English.However, English is the native tongue for only one-third of all Singaporeans, with roughly a third of all Singaporean Chinese, a quarter of all Singaporean Malays and half of all Singaporean Indians speaking it as their native tongue. Twenty percent of Singaporeans, or one out of every five, cannot read or write in English.
Many, but not all, Singaporeans are bilingual in English and another official language, with vastly varying degrees of fluency. The official languages ranked in terms of literacy amongst Singaporeans are English (80% literacy), Mandarin Chinese (65% literacy), Malay (17% literacy) and Tamil (4% literacy). Singaporean English is based on British English,and forms of English spoken range from Standard English to a pidgin known as "Singlish". Singlish is heavily discouraged by the government.^[159]
Chinese is the language that is spoken as the native tongue by the greatest number of Singaporeans, half of them. Singaporean Mandarin is the most common version of Chinese in the country. with 1.2 million using it as their home language. Nearly half a million speak other Chinese languags (which the government describes as "dialects"), mainly Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese, as their home language, although the use of these is declining in favour of Mandarin and English.^[161]
Malay was chosen as the "national language" by the Singaporean government after independence from Britain in the 1960s to avoid friction with Singapore's neighbours — Malaysia and Indonesia — which are Malay-speaking. It has a symbolic rather than functional purpose. It is used in the national anthem "Majulah Singapura"and in military commands. Today, in general, Malay is spoken within the Singaporean Malay community, with only 16.8% of all Singaporeans literate in Malay and only 12% using it as their native language.
Around 100,000 or 3% of Singaporeans speak Tamil as their native language. Even though only Tamil has official status, there have been no attempts to discourage the use or spread of other Indian languages.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore(16 feb 2013)

Second Legislative Council (1951-1955)

A second Legislative Council election was held in 1951 with the number of elected seats increased to nine. This election was again dominated by the SPP which won six seats. This slowly contributed to the formation of a distinct government of Singapore, although colonial administration was still dominant.
In 1953, with the communists in Malaya suppressed and the worst of the 'Emergency' period over, the government appointed a commission, headed by Sir George Rendel, to study the possibility of self-government for Singapore. The commission proposed a limited form of self-government. The Legislative Assembly with twenty-five out of thirty-two seats chosen by popular election would replace the Legislative Council, from which a Chief Minister as head of government and Council of Ministers as a cabinet would be picked under a parliamentary system. The British would retain control over areas such as internal security and foreign affairs, as well as veto power over legislation.
The government agreed with the recommendations, and Legislative Assembly elections were scheduled for April 2, 1955. The election was a lively and closely fought affair, with several newly formed political parties joining the fray. In contrast to previous elections, voters were automatically registered, expanding the electorate to around 300,000. The SPP was soundly defeated in the election, winning only four seats. The newly formed, left-leaning Labour Front was the largest winner with ten seats and was able to form a coalition government with the UMNO-MCA Alliance, which won three seats.^[1] Another new party, the then leftist People's Action Party (PAP), won three seats.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-war_Singapore (16 feb 2013)

First Legislative Council (1948-1951)

The first Singaporean elections, held in March 1948 to select members of the Legislative Council, were rather limited. The right to vote was restricted to adult British subjects, of which only 23,000 or about 10 percent of those eligible registered to vote. In addition, only six of the twenty-five seats on the Legislative Council were to be elected; the rest were chosen either by the Governor or by the chambers of commerce. Three of the elected seats were won by a newly formed Singapore Progressive Party (SPP), a conservative party whose leaders were businessmen and professionals and were disinclined to press for immediate self-rule. The other three seats were won by independents.
Three months after the elections, an armed insurgency by communist groups in Malaya — the Malayan Emergency — broke out, and the British imposed harsh measures to control left-wing groups in both Singapore and Malaya; the controversial Internal Security Act, which allowed indefinite detention without trial for persons suspected of being "threats to security", was introduced at this time. Since the left-wing groups were the strongest critics of the colonial system, progress on self-government stalled for several years. The colonial government also tried to prevent contacts between Singaporean Chinese and China, which had just fallen under the rule of the Communist Party of China. Tan Kah Kee, a local businessman and philanthropist, was denied re-entry into Singapore after he made a trip to China.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-war_Singapore (16 Feb 2013)

Life after the return of British (1945)

When British troops returned to Singapore in September 1945, thousands of Singaporeans lined the streets to cheer them. Singapore was ruled by a British Military Administration (BMA) between September 1945 and March 1946, during which it also served as the headquarters of the British governor general for Southeast Asia. However much of the infrastructure had been destroyed, including electricity and water supply systems, telephone services, as well as the harbour facilities at the Port of Singapore. There was also a shortage of food including rice, and this led to malnutrition, disease and rampant crimes and violence. Unemployment, high food prices, and workers' discontent culminated into a series of strikes in 1947 causing massive stoppages in public transport and other services. By late 1947, the economy began to recover, facilitated by the growing demand for tin and rubber around the world. But it would take several more years before the economy returned to pre-war levels.

How the return of British affect my life?

At first there was quite a few problem like the shortage of food and the shortage of houss but Life slowly went back to its original after the British retured to Singapore... No more potato and yam as their three meal and dessert each day and no more people suffer from starvation...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-war_Singapore (16 Feb 2013)

Japanese Occupation Of Singapore (15 February 1942)

When the British were forced to surrender unconditionally, Japanese took over Singapore and even change the name of Singapore into "Syonan-To" which mean "Southern Island gained in the age of Showa "

 

The life of people during the Occupation                                                                                              

                                                                                       

**The kempeitai  introduced the system of "Sook Ching", which means "purge through purification", to get rid of those deemed as anti-Japanese. The Sook Ching Massacre claimed the lives of between 25,000 and 50,000 ethnic Chinese in Singapore and Malaya. These men were rounded up and taken to deserted spots around the island and killed systematically. Besides, the Kempeitai established a network of informers around the island to help them identify those who were anti-Japanese. These informers were well-paid by the Kempeitai and had no fear of being arrested. Japanese soldiers patrolled the streets and commoners had to bow to them when they passed by. Those who failed to do so would be beaten and some people would be taken away.

**The prices of basic necessities increased drastically due to hyperinflation.The Japanese issued ration cards to limit the amount of resources received by the civilian population. Adults could purchase 4.8 kg (11 lb) of rice per month and 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) for children. The amount of rice for adults was reduced by 25% as the war progressed.

**The Japanese issued banana money as their main currency since Straits currency became rare.The "banana currency" started to suffer from high inflation and dropped drastically in value because the authorities would simply print more whenever they needed more money; consequently the black market often used Straits currency.

Banana Currency

**Food quality and availability decreased greatly. Sweet potatoes and yam became the staple food of most diets of Singaporeans because they were considerably cheaper than rice and could also be grown in gardens. They were then turned into a variety of dishes, as both dessert and all three meals of the day. The nutrients helped stave off starvation, and new ways of consuming tapioca with other produce were regularly invented in order to stave off the monotony. Both the British and Japanese authorities encouraged the population to grow their own food if they had even the smallest amount of land, the encouragement and produce were similar to what occurred with victory gardens in the Western nations during World War II.[3] Ipomoea aquatica, which grew relatively easy and flourished relatively well near the water, became a popular crop, as did other vegetables.

How did this affect my life in SIngapore?  
                         
      I did not get enough nutrients just by eating some sweet potato and yam as my three meal...  And thus i felt dizzy somtimes when i stand under the sun too long and was often sick... Sometimes we could not havest the food we grow on time because of the weather that change over the time and affect the growing times needed....

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Singapore ( Date Accessed:14 Feb 2013)
 

How Japanese treats the Singaporean (15 February 1942)

The Japanese sought vengeance against the Chinese and to eliminate anyone who held anti-Japanese sentiment. The Imperial authorities were suspicious of the Chinese because of the Second Sino-Japanese War, and killed many in the Sook Ching Massacre. The other ethnic groups of Singapore such as the Malays and the Indians were not spared. The residents suffered great hardships under Japanese rule over the three and a half years.

Victorious Japanese troops marching through Fullerton Square.Many of the British and Australian soldiers taken prisoner remained in Singapore's Changi Prison. Many would never return home. Thousands of others were shipped on prisoner transports known as "hellships" to other parts of Asia, including Japan, to be used as forced labour on projects such as the Siam–Burma Death Railway and Sandakan airfield in North Borneo. Many of those aboard the ships perished.

The Japanese were highly successful in recruiting Indian soldiers taken prisoner. From a total of about 40,000 Indian personnel in Singapore in February 1942, about 30,000 joined the pro-Japanese "Indian National Army", which fought Allied forces in the Burma Campaign. Others became POW camp guards at Changi. However, many Indian Army personnel resisted recruitment and remained POWs. An unknown number were taken to Japanese-occupied areas in the South Pacific as forced labour. Many of them suffered severe hardships and brutality similar to that experienced by other prisoners of Japan during World War II. About 6,000 of them survived until they were liberated by Australian and U.S. forces, in 1943–45.

After the Japanese surrender in 1945 Yamashita was tried by a US military commission for war crimes committed by Japanese personnel in the Philippines earlier that year, but not for crimes committed by his troops in Malaya or Singapore. He was convicted and hanged in the Philippines on 23 February 1946.

How did it affect my life in SIngapore?

I could not fufill my duty as a daughter becauseI was forced to be a free labourers in other parts of Asia and was never return home after that... 




http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110206173721AAaQwSs ( 14 Feb 2013)

How and When did the Japanese Surrendered ( 2 and 12 Sep 1945)

The Japanese surrendered to General MacArthur on board an American battleship, Missouri, in Tokyo Bay at 9 am on 2 September 1945, officially ending the WWII. Two weeks later, on 12 September 1945 at 11:10 am, another Japanese surrender ceremony was held at the Municipal Building of Singapore (now known as City Hall), which was accepted by Lord Louis Mountbatten. It officially ended the Japanese Occupation of Southeast Asia. 

1945 Newspaper

 Timeline
27 Jul 1945 : The Foreign Ministry of Japan received the Potsdam Proclamation from the Allies, which arrived in Tokyo at 6:00 am. It instructed the Japanese to surrender unconditionally or face the consequences. The document also contained specific details that guaranteed the continuing existence of Japan as a nation and the Allied forces' withdrawal from Japan once order has been restored and all Japan war-making capabilities destroyed.
6 Aug 1945 : At 8:16 am, the first atomic bomb, code-named "Little Boy", struck Hiroshima, Japan's eighth largest city. It was dropped from an American B-29 bomber named Enola Gay, piloted by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets. The bomb destroyed almost all building structures and killed more than 100,000 people.
8 Aug 1945 : Russia delivered a declaration of war on Japan to Japanese Ambassador Sato in Moscow at about midnight.
9 Aug 1945 : At 11:15 am, the second atomic bomb, code-named "Fat Boy", was dropped on Nagasaki, the third largest city of Kyushu from another American B-29 bomber named Bock's Car, piloted by Major Charles W. Sweeney. It had the same effect as the first bomb, only this time the number of people killed was about 35,000 people.
15 Aug 1945 : Emperor Hirohito made a radio announcement to his people announcing the decision to accept the Potsdam Proclamation and surrender to the Allies.
25 Aug 1945 : Emperor Hirohito issued a decree ordering all Japanese forces to demobilise and cease operation.
27 Aug 1945: The American 3rd fleet accompanied by the Duke of York of the British Pacific Fleet anchored at the Sagami Bay, before proceeding to occupying the Yokosuka naval base.
30 Aug 1945 : General MacArthur arrived at Atsugi airport.
2 Sep 1945: At 9:00 am, The Instrument of Surrender was signed on board the American battleship, Missouri, in Tokyo Bay, officially ending the WWII.
12 Sep 1945 : Another surrender ceremony was held at the Municipal Building of Singapore (now known as City Hall), marking the end of Japanese Occupation in Southeast Asia.
How did the Japanese surrendered affect my life in SIngpaore?

We got all our freedom back and also the price of food were sold at the original orice and from that day onwards we never go hungry again and soon British get SIngapore bac....

 http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_123_2005-02-03.html ( 14 Feb 2013)


 

How and When the British surrendered.... (15 Feb 1942)

The British surrendered On 15 February 1942...

How did the British surrendered?

The British delegation was ordered to be at Ford Factory in Bukit Timah, to meet Lieutenant-General Tomoyuki Yamashita, head of the invading Japanese forces.The British delegation arrived at the Ford Factory building after 4:00 pm, led by Percival, together with Brigadier K. S. Torrance, Brigadier T. K. Newbigging carrying the Union Jack flag, and Captain Cyril Wild carrying the white surrender flag, and Lieutenant-Colonel Sugita. The meeting took place in the boardroom where Yamashita demanded from the British,an unconditional surrender of Singapore, to take effect from 8:30 pm that day. The British, with Cyril Wild as interpreter, was under heavy-pressure from Yamashita. The British broke down during negotiation. Percival on behalf of the British capitulated and signed the Singapore Surrender Document.


British Surrendered Singapore

Author
Vernon Cornelius-Takahama, 2001

 

The surrendered document

 

 How did the surrendered of the British affect my life in Singapore?

 

Life's were not the same after Japanese took over Singapore... Everything changes over the time and life were tough for people and people were treated cruelly because of the minor mistake they make....

 

 

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_525_2005-01-25.html  ( 14 Feb 2013)

 

 

 

 

 

Operation Clean Up (Sook Ching)

During the early days of the Japanese occupation, an extensive clean-up operation to purge anti-Japanese elements -- including former members of Dalforce, Force 136, and supporters of the China Relief Fund -- known as Sook Ching was undertaken. The massacres were executed under the supervision of the Kempeitai with the Hojo Kempei being employed to carry out the actual shooting under order of a Kempeitai officer. Although the exact figures will never be fully known, it was estimated that a total figure between 25,000 and 50,000 victims were massacred according to the post-war trial testimonies in 1947.^[9]
Masanobu Tsuji was identified by Japanese army commanders as the man responsible for the Sook Ching massacre during the Singapore Chinese Massacre Trial in 1947.^[10] Tsuji was appointed as the Chief Planning and Operations Officer of the 25th Army, which was led by Tomoyuki Yamashita during the Malayan Campaign. He had close links with the Imperial Headquarters in Tokyo and enjoyed certain privileges that officers of more senior ranks were not allowed.^[10]
Overstepping his authority, he had issued orders during the massacre of thousands of Chinese civilians in Singapore and Malaya with Yamashita's knowledge but without his approval. He was also responsible for the slaughter of thousands of American and Filipino prisoners-of-war in the Philippines.^[11] Tsuji was in Myanmar at the time of Japan's unconditional surrender to British forces in August 1946 and made his getaway to Thailand disguised as a wandering Buddhist monk. He later spent a short spell in China during its the Chinese Civil War. He was pursued by the British but they were unable to get him, as he was sheltered by the United States for political reasons when he resurfaced in Japan in 1947.^[11] He was cleared of any war crimes in 1950 and later became one of Japan's most prominent post-war parliamentarians.^[11] In 1961, Tsuji disappeared mysteriously in Indochina and was officially declared dead in 1968.^[12


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kempeitai_East_District_Branch (14 Feb 2013)

World War I (1914)

World War I started in 1914. With a few European countries at loggerheads initially, the war soon spread to the other parts of the world. It was estimated that some thirty countries were involved in the war. Effects of the war proved destructive. About 8.5 million people were killed and another 21 million wounded. How did the war affect Singapore? Singapore was not very much affected during the war. This was because it was far away from Europe and the countries around it were either friendly to Britain or neutral to either sides in the war. There was only a temporary inflation of food prices as people rushed to buy food for storage. The problem was solved when the government forbade huge export of foodstuff from Singapore. The government also imported rice from Siam and Vietnam. Effects of the war only emerged when two major incidents happened…… How did Singapore help the British? At the Singapore government’s appeal, Tan Jiak Kim donated $18 000 to the British war funds. He also joined a committee to help raise war funds. Some rich Straits Chinese in Singapore contributed money to buy fighter planes to help Britain. Among them was Tan Jiak Kim, who donated a fighter plane, Malaya No. 21. Other donors included the Chinese merchants and Straits Chinese ladies. Altogether, Singapore and Malaya donated 53 warplanes to Britain. When World War I ended?   World War I ended on 11 November 1918. The war, which started in 1914, lasted 5 years.The end of the war marked the start of a new period of peace and prosperity.  Scene of World War I Flight plane at that time   World War I gun How did World War One affect my life in Singapore after that? People live peacefully and prosperously after that... And we could hear the laughter of people almost every day after the war... http://library.thinkquest.org/12405/world.htm ( 14 Feb 2013)