Persistence Pays

Our country was founded through determination and persistence.

Legend has it that a Sri Vijayan prince, Sang Nila Utama (Sri Tri Buana), was about to sail to the island Temasek during a hunting trip, when a great storm threatened to sink the ship. The crew threw all the heavy stuff on board into the sea and the storm only calmed when the prince eventually threw his heavy crown into the sea. The prince saw a creature resembling a lion and named the island Singapura (Singa means lion and Pura means city).

Then came Sir Stamford Raffles, who arrived in Singapore on 29 January 1819 and soon recognised the island as a natural choice for the new port. Raffles found a small Malay settlement, at the mouth of the Singapore River, headed by Temenggong Abdul Rahman. The island was nominally ruled by the Sultan of Johor, Tengku Rahman, who was controlled by the Dutch and the Bugis. However, the Sultanate was weakened by factional division and Temenggong Abdul Rahman and his officials were loyal to Tengku Rahman's elder brother Tengku Hussein (or Tengku Long) who was living in exile in Riau.

With the Temenggong's help and his persistence, Raffles managed to smuggle Hussein back into Singapore. He offered to recognise Hussein as the rightful Sultan of Johor and provide him with a yearly payment; in return, Hussein would grant the British the right to establish a trading post on Singapore. A formal treaty was signed on 6 February 1819 and modern Singapore was born.

In the national elections held on 1 June 1959, the People's Action Party (PAP) won 43 of the 51 seats in the legislative assembly. Singapore gained self-government with autonomy in all state matters except in defence and foreign affairs, and Lee Kuan Yew became the first prime minister of the state of Singapore on June 3, 1959, taking over from Chief Minister Lim Yew Hock.

On September 16, 1963, Singapore became part of the Federation of Malaysia. However, it was short-lived. In a televised press conference, Lee broke down emotionally as he announced the separation to the people:

"For me, it is a moment of anguish. All my life, my whole adult life, I believed in merger and unity of the two territories. ... Now, I, Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore, do hereby proclaim and declare on behalf on the people and the Government of Singapore that as from today, the ninth day of August in the year one thousand nine hundred and sixty-five, Singapore shall be forever a sovereign democratic and independent nation, founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of the people in a most and just equal society."

On that day, 9 August 1965, the Malaysian Parliament passed the required resolution that would sever Singapore's ties to Malaysia as a state, and thus the Republic of Singapore was created. Singapore's lack of natural resources, a water supply that was beholden primarily to Malaysia and a very limited defensive capability were the major challenges that Lee and the Singaporean Government faced. However, he persisted and this is where Singapore is today.

Persistence pays, need I say more?