State of Singapore
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and national languageEnglish
State of Singapore | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959–1963 | |||||||||
| Motto: Majulah Singapura (Malay) (English: "Onward Singapore") | |||||||||
| Anthem: Majulah Singapura (English: "Onward Singapore") | |||||||||
 Location of Singapore | |||||||||
| Status | Self-governing colony | ||||||||
| Capital | City of Singapore 1°18′N 103°51′E / 1.30°N 103.85°E | ||||||||
| Official language and national language | English | ||||||||
| Common languages | |||||||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||||||||
| Monarch | |||||||||
• 1959–1963 | Elizabeth II | ||||||||
| Yang di-Pertuan Negara[1] | |||||||||
• 1959 | William Goode | ||||||||
• 1959–1963 | Yusof Ishak | ||||||||
| Prime Minister | |||||||||
• 1959–1963 | Lee Kuan Yew | ||||||||
| Legislature | Legislative Assembly | ||||||||
| Historical era | Cold War | ||||||||
| 3 June 1959 | |||||||||
| 21 June 1962 | |||||||||
| 1 September 1962 | |||||||||
| 16 September 1963 | |||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
| 1960 | 581.5[1] km2 (224.5 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Currency | Malaya and British Borneo dollar | ||||||||
| Time zone | UTC+07:30 (Malaya Standard Time) | ||||||||
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Singapore | ||||||||
| History of Singapore |
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 Singapore portal |
State of Singapore (Negeri Singapura (Malay), 新加坡自治邦 (Chinese)) was a new political system established on the island following Britain’s grant of full internal self-government to the Singapore Colony in 1958. During the transition to full self-government, the Straits Settlements legislation of 1946 was abolished, and the 1958 Singapore Constitution was instituted as the new legal framework. In the general election held on May 3, 1959, Lee Kuan Yew was elected as Singapore’s first Prime Minister. Subsequently, on June 3 of the same year, William Allmond Codrington Goode—who had previously served as the colony’s Chief Minister—was appointed Yang di-Pertuan Negara under the new constitution.
After taking office in 1959, Lee Kuan Yew made significant efforts to promote the economic development of Singapore. Because Singapore was perceived as an anti-colonial state, Western investors were hesitant to invest, which led to an economic downturn during the first few months of his administration. While preparing government institutions for economic development from 1959, the Singaporean authorities established the Economic Development Board in 1961 and began actively attracting both domestic and foreign investment from 1962 onward.
This 'self-governing colony' period is also regarded as a time when the foundations of modern Singapore were laid and the arts flourished. In December 1959, Singapore adopted its national flag and anthem, and through the 1958 Singapore Constitution Order in Council, it established its own legislative and executive bodies, solidifying a distinct national identity. Although racial tensions remained unresolved—culminating in the 1964 racial riots—the Lee Kuan Yew administration made efforts to respect and promote cultural diversity.
As Lee Kuan Yew and other Singaporean leaders began considering full independence from Britain, Singapore sought integration with the Federation of Malaya. The Malayan government had rejected several earlier proposals for integration during the 1950s. However, the recommendations of the Cobbold Commission and the enactment of the Malaysia Bill on November 15, 1961, created a more favorable atmosphere for unification. In a 1962 referendum, about 96% of Singaporean voters supported joining Malaya under terms granting Singapore internal autonomy. On July 9, 1963, Malaya, Singapore, the Crown Colonies of Sarawak and North Borneo, and the British government signed the Malaysia Agreement, aiming to establish the Federation of Malaysia. Although the agreement formally came into effect on July 31, 1963, it was on September 16, 1963, when it took practical effect, that Singapore officially became a state of Malaysia.