THE SINGAPORE PASSPORT A Short Presentation of Its History from Colonial Times to Independence

BY

GIL SCHNEIDER

Regional Map

History 1

1819: Sir Stamford Raffles secures Singapore for the British

1826: “Straits Settlements”: Singapore, Malacca, Penang

administered by British East India Company, from Calcutta

1867: Straits Settlements become a Crown Colony, from London

Free Port: -> immigration (China, India, Malaya) – 100’000

population by 1869

Feb 1942 – Aug 1945: Japanese occupation

Aug 1945 – Mar 1946: British Military Administration

1 Apr 1946: Singapore becomes separate Crown Colony,

headed by Governor

History 2

1955-1959: Partial Internal Self-Government

Chief Minister (David Marshall)

Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Head of State) replaces Governor

1959-1963: Full Internal Self-Government (State of Singapore)

Prime Minister (Lee Kuan Yew)

1963: Federation of Malaysia

Merger of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah

Brunei does not join

History 3

Why: Singapore had no raw materials, merger to benefit the

economy (common free market, eliminating trade tariffs, solving

unemployment woes and to support new industries)

However: social unrest and disputes (policies favouring ethnic

Malays; communist subversion; interests of main political parties)

9 August 1965: Parliament of Malaysia expelled Singapore from

the Federation -> Singapore became independent (“Republic of

Singapore”)

Status of Singapore from 1867

1867-1942: Straits Settlements (Crown Colony)

1942-1945: Japanese occupation (“Shonan-to”)

1945-1946: British Military Administration

1946-1959: Crown Colony

1959-1963: State of Singapore

1963-1965: Federation of Malaysia

Since 1965: Republic of Singapore

Straits Settlements (1, 1921)

UK Passport of 1919

Straits Settlements (2, 1921)

Straits Settlements (3, 1931)

Straits Settlements (4, 1931)

Military Administration (1)

Military Administration (2)

Crown Colony (1, 1951)

Crown Colony (2, 1951)

Crown Colony (3, 1959)

State of Singapore

Federation of Malaysia

Republic of Singapore (1)

Republic of Singapore (2)

Republic of Singapore (3)

Republic of Singapore (4)

Republic of Singapore (5, 1967 )

Republic of Singapore (6, 1970 )

Republic of Singapore (7, 1981)

Republic of Singapore (8, 1987)

Republic of Singapore (9, 1997)

Biometric (10, 2007)

Restricted Passports (1)

Restricted Passports (2)

Restricted Passports (3)

Restricted Passports (4, final)

Restricted Passports (5)