1819 Singapore Treaty

The signing of the Treaty of Singapore on 6 February, 1819 is officially recognised as the founding of Singapore.[1][2] The Treaty allowed the British East India Company to open up a trading post in Singapore, marking the beginning of a British settlement.[3] And because Singapore was also a major trading port in ancient times,[4][5] it is often referred to as the founding of modern Singapore to reflect this fact and the long history of Singapore actually stretches way back.[5][6]

Founding of modern Singapore
  • penubuhan Singapura moden (Malay)
  • நவீன சிங்கப்பூர் நிறுவப்பட்டது (Tamil)
  • 现代新加坡开埠 (Chinese)
Singapore from the Rocky Point, 1819
FrequencyCommemorated for specific major anniversaries
Location(s)Singapore
Founded6 February 1819
Most recent2019 (Bicentennial)
Websitewww.sg/sgbicentennial
(official bicentennial webpage)
1819 Treaty of Singapore
Formal Name1819 Treaty of Friendship and Alliance
Signed6 February 1819
LocationPadang, Singapore
ReplacesProvisional treaty signed on 30 January 1819
Replaced by1824 Treaty of Friendship and Alliance
SignatoriesSir Raffles, Temenggong Abdul Rahman, Sultan Hussein
LanguagesEnglish, Malay

The government of the Republic of Singapore has twice held major commemorative events to mark the 150th and 200th anniversaries of 6 February 1819 as Singapore's modern founding.[7][5] The colonial government also did so in the past.[8]

But there has been disagreement about what 6 February 1819 represents and means for Singapore. Some are critical about it while others with more positive views.[9]

History
1819 Singapore Treaty is located in Indonesia
Singapore
Singapore
Malacca
Malacca
Penang
Penang
Kedah
Johor
Pahang
Malacca
Strait
1819 Singapore Treaty
Riau
Archipelago
Bengkulu
Bengkulu
Padang
Padang
Singapore and its surrounding areas

In the late 18th century, the commercial and trading activities between the British Empire and the Qing Empire became more and more frequent, and the need for setting up British bases in the middle of the navigation routes was also increasing. As a result, the UK started looking for ways to set up trading posts in the region. In 1786 and 1791, the British East India Company signed treaties with the Sultan of Kedah to acquire Penang in the Malay Peninsula.[10] And in 1795, during the First Coalition War in Europe, William V of the Netherlands was in exile in England. He issued a series of letters, later known as the "Kew Letters", to overseas Dutch colonies, instructing the local governors to temporarily transfer the control of the Dutch colonies to the UK for safekeeping, including Malacca, Padang, and other places.[11]

In 1811, the death of Sultan Mahmud Shah III of Johor immediately triggered the question of which one of his two sons would succeed to the throne as the new sultan.[12] The elder son, Tengku Hussein, was not in Johor at that time because he was having his wedding in Pahang.[12] His younger brother, Tengku Abdul Rahman, then took the opportunity and ascended the throne.[12] Tengku Hussein was subsequently sent into exile in Penyengat Island of the Riau Archipelago.[12]

In 1814, the situation in Europe stabilised. Britain and the Netherlands signed an agreement to return the original Dutch colonies back.[13] Later, the influence of the Netherlands in the region gradually recovered and increased, and they began levying heavy taxes on ships anchored in their colonies in the area, including British ships.[14] Consequently, the British East India Company began to look for another base in the region.[12]

Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles

On 22 March 1818, Sir Stamford Raffles became the Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen, now known as Bengkulu, in Indonesia.[15] In the autumn of that same year, in order to counter the Dutch influence in the region, he went to India and successfully persuaded the governor there to support him in finding a suitable location in the southeast of the Strait of Malacca to open up a new British post.[15]

On the other hand, on 28 November of the same year,[16] the Netherlands reached an agreement with Sultan Abdul Rahman, the younger son, to establish a garrison camp in Riau,[14][17] giving the Netherlands the control over the main shipping channels in the Malacca Strait.[14]

Then, Sir Raffles arrived in Singapore on 28 January 1819.[1] He immediately arranged to meet with the Temenggong, Abdul Rahman,[1] the local noble in charge of maintaining law and order.[18] They signed a provisional agreement two days later to allow the UK to establish a trading post there, and the Union Jack was hoisted.[1] Since the Temenggong was subordinate to the sultan, the sovereign of Johor, the approval of the sultan was needed to finalise the treaty.[12]

However, the younger son Abdul Rahman was the sultan at that moment and had a close relationship with the Netherlands.[12] It was near impossible for Sir Raffles to get the signature from Sultan Abdul Rahman.[12]

Yet, Sir Raffles was aware of the succession dispute, and so he decided to made good use of it.[12] He arranged the elder son Tengku Hussein to be brought in to Singapore from Riau. Tengku Hussein was, then, declared the rightful heir and proclaimed as Sultan of Johor.[12]

On 6 February 1819, Sir Raffles, Sultan Hussein, and Temenggong Abdul Rahman signed the Treaty of Singapore in a public ceremony, and the Union Jack was once again hoisted afterwards.[1] This is now recognised as the official founding of modern Singapore.[1]

1819 Singapore Treaty
This section is about the treaty of establishing a colonial trading post. For other uses, see Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks.
1819 Singapore Treaty (signature page)

The Treaty of Singapore was written in both English and Malay.[19][20] The treaty authorised the British East India Company to "maintain a factory or factories on any part of His Highness’s hereditary Dominions".[20] Here, the word "factory" had a different meaning in the past. It used to mean "an establishment for factors and merchants carrying on business in a foreign country"[21][22][23] or more simply "trading post".

In exchange, the British were obliged to provide monetary compensation for Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul Rahman.[20] The UK would need to respectively pay 5,000 Spanish dollars and 3,000 Spanish dollars every year to Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul Rahman.[20]

Sultan Hussein also assured that the company would be protected from enemies in return for the same commitment from the UK, but Britain was not to get involved in internal conflicts.[20]

In addition, Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul Rahman guaranteed the UK that they would “not enter into any treaty with any other nation… nor admit or consent to the settlement in any part of their Dominions of any other power European or American”.[20]

Disputes

Not long after the signing of the treaty, both Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul Rahman sent letters to Bugis Viceroy Raja Jaafar and the Dutch about them having been forced to enter into the treaty.[24] It was also said that Sultan Hussein had been pressured into accepting the sultanship.[24]

But less than a month, on 1 March 1819, the UK demanded Temengung Abdul Rahman and Sultan Hussein to sign a statement saying they gave their consent to the British to start a trading post there.[24] Temengung Abdul Rahman also told Britain that he had made the complaint to try to prevent retaliation from the Dutch.[24]

Commemoration for major anniversaries

The Singapore government has organised different commemorative activities to mark major anniversaries of Singapore's modern foundation. The last one was in 2019 for the bicentennial.[5]

Bicentennial: 200th Anniversary (2019)
Decorations celebrating both the Lunar New Year and Bicentennial

To coordinate and organise activities to commemorate the 200th anniversary, the government established the Bicentennial Office in late 2017, more than a year earlier.[5] When 2019 came, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong held a ceremony to launch the year-long commemoration on 28 January, the day when Sir Raffles landed in Singapore for the first time.[25][26] The government and more than 200 organisations, along with 3,800 volunteers, jointly coordinated and prepared various commemorative events.[26][27] These included concerts, light festivals, historical exhibitions, and many more.[28][29][30] Commemorative stamps and banknotes were also specifically designed and issued.[31][32] The government also handed out special bicentennial social and tax benefits to those in need.[33]

Sesquicentennial: 150th Anniversary (1969)

The year 1969 saw the 150th anniversary of the foundation of modern Singapore and the fourth year of independence from Malaysia. At that time, the Singaporean government had already been arranging and organising different celebrations for a year.[34]

External video
video icon YouTube logo Princess Alexandra in Singapore (1969)

The then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew decided to deliver a speech on 6 February to start the year-long series of celebrations,[35] corresponding to the date when the Treaty of Singapore was signed. The government did not only issue commemorative stamps[36] and gold coins[37] but also notably invited the British royal family to attend commemorative events.[38] Princess Alexandra accepted the invitation to visit Singapore on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.[38] During the seven-day visit, Princess Alexandra attended the Singapore National Day Parade and interacted with Singaporeans in addition to participating in commemorative events for the sesquicentennial.[38]

Moreover, there were different exhibitions, concerts, sports competitions, and other programmes to celebrate the 150th anniversary.[39][34]

Centennial: 100th Anniversary (1919)
The plaque on the bronze Raffles Statue was unveiled on Centenary Day

The colonial government formed two special committees a year prior to the centennial to come up with ideas for the occasion.[8] One of the committees, the Centenary Memorial Committee, decided to set up a fund for higher education and building a local university. The fund then led to the establishment of Raffles College,[40] which would ultimately become today's National University of Singapore.[40]

The anniversary was designated as a public holiday and named "Centenary Day".[41] In the morning, Governor Arthur Young unveiled a new commemoration plaque on the plinth of the existing bronze Statue of Raffles to kick off the celebration, [8] recognising the role that Sir Raffles had played in the foundation of modern Singapore.[42] Commemorative events on Centenary Day included a thanksgiving service at St Andrew's Cathedral, boat races, parades, and others.[8] Festivities were held and enjoyed by every major ethnic group in Singapore, including Arab, Tamil, Muslim, Eurasian, and Jewish communities.[8]

Semicentennial: 50th Anniversary (1869)
Cavenagh Bridge at night

Cavenagh Bridge was opened in 1869 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the modern foundation of Singapore.[43] It was named after the last Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1859-1867, Sir William O. Cavenagh.[43]

The bridge is the oldest surviving suspension bridge across the Singapore River.[44] In August 2019, the bicentennial year, the government designated the bridge a national monument.[45]

Debate

In Singapore, there have been debates and different opinions about 6 February 1819 and its meaning and whether it should be celebrated or commemorated at all.[9]

For some, the historical event represents the start of colonisation, and therefore, unethical and repressive[46] and any commemoration of it amounts to glorification of oppression.[46]

Others have more positive views about the colonial rule with the positive outcome in various areas, such as the development of Singapore's economy by converting it as a free port leading to increased trade in the early years[46] and providing good education and legal systems.[47]

References
  1. "Stamford Raffles's landing in Singapore". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. 28 Jan 1819: The Indiana and Enterprise anchor at St John's Island. Raffles and Farquhar meet the Temenggong...30 Jan 1819: A draft agreement is penned between the Temenggong and the British, and the Union Jack is raised with little ceremony...6 Feb 1819: The Singapore Treaty is signed between Raffles, the Sultan and the Temenggong, with commanders from the accompanying seven ships witnessing the event... The Union Jack is officially raised. This date is recognised as the official founding of Singapore.
  2. Lee Kuan Yew. "SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER AT THE BANQUET GIVEN BY THE SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO MARK THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF SINGAPORE - 6TH FEBRUARY, 1969" (PDF). National Archives of Singapore. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2021.
  3. "SINGAPORE TREATY IS SIGNED: 6th Feb 1819". HistorySG. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 28 July 2022. On 6 February 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles, Temenggong Abdur Rahman and Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor signed a treaty that gave the British East India Company (EIC) the right to set up a trading post in Singapore. In exchange, Sultan Hussein received a yearly sum of 5,000 Spanish dollars while the Temenggong received 3,000 Spanish dollars. It was also on this day that the British flag was formally hoisted on Singapore, marking the birth of Singapore as a British settlement.
  4. "China trade". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Temasek, the name for Singapore, emerged as an important port in the early 14th century.
  5. "Plans to mark 200th anniversary of the founding of modern Singapore in 2019: PM Lee". The Straits Times. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. The Singapore story did not begin in 1965, the year of independence. Instead, it stretches back 700 years, telling a tale of ebb and flow...Even before Raffles' arrival at St John's Island on Jan 28 that year, Singapore had a rich history, harking back to the 14th century when it was a maritime emporium.
  6. "Farquhar & Raffles: The Untold Story". BiblioAsia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. 31 January 2019. Archived from the original on 15 January 2023. Farquhar deserves as much credit as Raffles in the founding of modern Singapore.
  7. "150th Anniversary of the Founding of Singapore". National Archives of Singapore. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023.
  8. "Centenary Day". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. The Centenary Day saw celebrations held by each major ethnic group, such as the Arab, Tamil, Muslim, Eurasian and Jewish communities...The Centenary Memorial Committee proposed the formation of a Centenary Day Committee to look into celebrations on the event day...Official celebrations began with the arrival of Governor Arthur Young at Victoria Memorial Hall at 7.30 am...After addressing the crowds, Young unveiled a commemoration tablet on the plinth of the newly relocated statue of Raffles...This was followed by the reading of addresses and congratulatory messages from the various ethnic and business communities in Singapore and abroad, and a choral service of thanksgiving at St Andrew's Cathedral...After the unveiling ceremony, sea sports held at the Singapore harbour commenced. Spectators thronged to Johnston's Pier to catch a view of the boat races, which featured vessels bedecked with flags and decorations. A procession of over 8,000 schoolchildren carrying flags and banners walked along the main roads towards the Serangoon Road Race Course where the festivities continued.
  9. "Raffles bicentennial anniversary ruffles Singapore". Asia Times. 26 April 2019. Archived from the original on 3 August 2022.
  10. "HISTORY PENANG PORT". Penang Port Commission. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022. Prior to the English, Penang was originally part of the Malay Sultanate of Kedah . It's known as a harbour for pirates at that time. In 1786, Francis Light established Penang the first British trading post in the Far East . Light had persuaded the Sultan of Kedah to cede Penang to the British East India Company in exchange for military protection from the Siamese and Burmese armies who were threatening Kedah. On11 August 1786, Captain Francis Light, known as the founder of Penang, landed in Penang and renamed it Prince of Wales Island in honor of the heir to the British throne. In 1790, when Sultan Abdullah of Kedah heard that the British would not give protection, he formed an army to get rid of the Dutch and the English. He assembled his men at Prai to retake the island of Penang but was defeated. Captain Francis Light had carried out night raids on the enemy's fortress. In 1791, Sultan Abdullah signed a treaty with the British handing over Penang Island to the British. Light promised to pay the Sultan 6,000 Spanish dollars annually. Today, almost two centuries later, the Penang State Government still pays RM 18,800.00 to the Sultan of Kedah annually.
  11. Porter, Andrew (2001). The Oxford History of the British Empire: Volume III: The Nineteenth Century. Oxford University Press. p. 374. ISBN 0199246785. The French Revolutionary Wars drastically reduced the Dutch position in South-East Asia but increased the French challenge to Britain. After the French invaded the Netherlands, William V fled to England and issued the Kew Letters (1795) instructing Dutch Governors overseas to transfer their territories to British safe-keeping. Britain consequently occupied the Cape, Ceylon, Padang (Sumatra), Malacca, Ambon, and Banda.
  12. "William Farquhar Correspondence and Other Malay Letters (1812-1832) at the Library of Congress". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 15 January 2023. 1811: Sultan Abdul Rahman ascended the throne of the kingdom of Johor at the expense of his older half-brother Tengku Hussein who was away in the kingdom of Pahang for his wedding at the time of the passing of their father. Despite the support of certain members at court, Tengku Hussein was unable to claim the throne, and relegated to a quiet existence on an island (Pulau Penyengat). 1818: With the return to power of the Dutch in the region following the Napoleonic Wars, the British East India Company began to look for a base in the Malay archipelago that would grant them advantage. 1819: The British sought out the noble who controlled Singapore, Temenggung Abdul Rahman, to negotiate a treaty to allow the British to set up a station on the island of Singapore, which was under Johor's sway. To lend legitimacy to their agreement, the British needed the Malay sovereign's approval. It was unlikely that Sultan Abdul Rahman, backed by the Bugis faction at court, and allied to the Dutch, would grant such an endorsement. Knowing that Tengku Hussein was backed by certain quarters as the true heir to the throne of Johor, the British brought in Tengku Hussein to Singapore. With the backing of Temenggung Abdul Rahman, Tengku Hussein was proclaimed the Sultan of Johor, and took the title Sultan Hussein Muadzam Shah, Raja of Johor. In return, the British were granted the rights to a settlement in Singapore. On February 6th 1819, Raffles, Temenggung Abdul Rahman and Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor signed the Singapore Treaty. The Temenggung and Sultan Hussein Shah received a handsome sum of money annually to uphold the agreement. On the day of the signing of the treaty, Farquhar was installed as the first British Resident and Commandant of Singapore.
  13. "Convention Between Great Britain And The Netherlands". UK Parliament. 9 June 1815. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022.
  14. "Singapore: A Country Study". Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. By 1818 the Dutch had returned to the East Indies and had reimposed their restrictive trade policies. In that same year, the Dutch negotiated a treaty with the Bugis-controlled sultan of Johore granting them permission to station a garrison at Riau, thereby giving them control over the main passage through the Strait of Malacca. British trading ships were heavily taxed at Dutch ports and suffered harassment by the Dutch navy.
  15. Hamilton, John (1896). "Raffles, Thomas Stamford" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 47. pp. 161–165, see page 163. In 1817 the court of directors confirmed him in the governorship of Bencoolen, and he took up his appointment there on 22 March 1818...Having received information that the Dutch were fitting out expeditions with the view of occupying all the most commanding situations in the Archipelago, Raffles urged upon his superiors the necessity of taking counter steps. Proceeding to Calcutta in the autumn of 1818 to confer with the government of Bengal, a voyage on which he was shipwrecked at the mouth of the Hooghly, he obtained authority to assume charge of British interests to the eastward of the Straits of Malacca, as agent to the governor-general, and prevailed upon the Marquis of Hastings, who had now been brought to express approval of his conduct in Java, to allow the occupation of Singapore. This almost uninhabited island he had selected even before leaving England as highly fitted for preserving to British trade free access to the eastern islands, and preventing the Dutch from securing the exclusive command of the eastern seas. He had discovered its capabilities in the course of his Malay studies. It was unknown alike to the European and to the Indian world, and it had been overlooked by the Dutch, who conceived themselves to have occupied every place available for securing the only two practicable approaches to the Archipelago—the Straits, namely, of Malacca and Sunda.
  16. Marks, Harry J (1959). "Anglo-Netherlands Rivalry in the East to the End of 1819". The First Contest for Singapore 1819-1824. Vol. 27. Brill. p. 47. JSTOR 10.1163/j.ctvbqs8tb.5. By this time, of course, Van der CapeIlen had heard of the British occupation of Singapore and had discussed it with Elout, Buyskes, and Wolterbeek. On 25 February 1819 he drew up a document summarizing his views and decisions. "From the somewhat confused reports sent in by the Governor of Malacca," Van der CapeIlen concluded that "it appears almost certain" that a British force under Raffles and Farquhar "has indeed set foot upon the island of Singapore." This island was "a dependency of the empire of Linga, Djohor, Pahang, Riouw, etc.," with which on 28 November 1818 the Netherlands government had signed a treaty wherein the sultan "acknowledged being a vassal of H.M. the King of the Netherlands and as receiving his empire as a lawful and permanent feudal tenure." This document perpetuated the treaty of 1784 which had "never been nuIIified or altered," as the action of former Governor Couperus in ceding Riouw was nuIl and void, never having been ratified by the government. Malacca upon reverting to the Dutch therefore included all the prewar dependencies. Farquhar's "so-called treaty" of the previous August was null and void, the sultan lacking authority to sign such an agreement, and it was expressly outlawed when the sultan in the treaty of 28 November 1818 (Articles 22 and 23) obligated himself never to cede any part of his territories nor to conclude treaties with other powers without consent of the Netherlands government, and abrogated all prior treaties.
  17. "A Royal Wedding Gone Wrong: The 1820 Uprising in Riau That Brought the Bugis to Singapore". BiblioAsia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. No such premonitions were apparent to Königsdorffer when the Dutch frigate Tromp dropped him in Tanjung Pinang on Bintan island. Sometime in November 1818, the Dutch had returned to their former possessions in the East Indies (Malay Archipelago) and were eager to renew their old alliances. Arriving in a show of military force on Pulau Penyengat, they promptly signed a treaty with the reigning Bugis Viceroy or Yang Dipertuan Muda Raja Jaafar, which was sealed with the stamp of Sultan Abdul Rahman Muazzam Shah of the Johor-Riau Sultanate. The flag of the Netherlands was raised on the island, and Königsdorffer was appointed Resident and Commandant over the small garrison of 150 men.
  18. "Men in Blue: A History of the Singapore Police Force". BiblioAsia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Before the arrival of Raffles, Singapore's minuscule population of barely 150 was ruled by the temenggung, a subordinate of the sultan of Johor...A temenggong is the local Malay chieftain responsible for maintaining law and order.
  19. "Record of the 1819 Treaty of Friendship and Alliance, Singapore, 1841, ink on paper". National Heritage Board (Singapore). Archived from the original on 15 January 2023. The Treaty of Friendship and Alliance was signed on 6 February 1819 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, representing the British East India Company (EIC) and Singapore's Malay rulers, Sultan Hussein and the Temenggong Abdul Rahman. The treaty granted the British EIC the exclusive right to establish a 'factory', or trading post on Singapore island in exchange for monetary compensation and British military protection for the Malay rulers...The treaty was written in English and Jawi with text in both languages presented side by side.
  20. "1819 Singapore Treaty". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 15 January 2023. On 6 February 1819, Stamford Raffles, Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman and Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor signed a treaty that gave the British East India Company (EIC) the right to set up a trading post in Singapore. In exchange, Sultan Hussein was to receive a yearly sum of 5,000 Spanish dollars while the Temenggong would receive a yearly sum of 3,000 Spanish dollars...Sultan Hussein, who was in Riau at the time, was then brought to Singapore for the signing of the Singapore Treaty...On 6 February 1819, Stamford Raffles, Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman and Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor signed a treaty that gave the British East India Company (EIC) the right to set up a trading post in Singapore...The ceremony during which the treaty was signed was attended by the people on the island at the time. Among those present were Chinese planters, Malays, as well as the orang laut...The treaty was written in English on the left side and Malay on the right. It gave legal backing for the EIC to "maintain a factory or factories on any part of His Highness's hereditary Dominions"...The British pledged to assist the Sultan in the event of external attacks but not to get involved in internal disputes. The Sultan, in turn, agreed to protect the EIC against enemies. The Sultan and Temenggong also agreed that they would "not enter into any treaty with any other nation… nor admit or consent to the settlement in any part of their Dominions of any other power European or American". Thus, the treaty protected the interests of both the British and the Malay rulers.
  21. "factory". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. 3: (formerly) an establishment for factors and merchants carrying on business in a foreign country.
  22. "factory". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. 1: a station where factors reside and trade
  23. "factor". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. 1: one who acts or transacts business for another
  24. "Temenggung Abdul Rahman". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 15 January 2023. "Temenggung" is a traditional Malay title of nobility for the third highest official after the ruler in the old Johor empire. The Temenggung served as a minister for defence and public security, who sought and punished criminals...Before the arrival of the British, the Temenggung governed several settlements in Singapore comprising sea nomads such as the Orang Laut, Orang Seletar and Orang Kallang...The Temenggung signed the preliminary treaty and allowed for a British settlement in Singapore provided the terms were approved by his patron, Tengku Husain. This agreement that was drafted on 30 January 1819 stated that the Temenggung was the "Ruler of Singapore, who governs the country of Singapore in his own name and in the name of Sree Sultan Hussein Mahummud Shah"...After the Singapore Treaty was signed, the Temenggung and Sultan Husain wrote to the Bugis Viceroy Raja Ja'afar about them being unwilling participants of what was perceived to be a forcible acquisition of Singapore by the British...In the Temenggung's letter to Raja Ja'afar and Adrian Koek (a leading Dutch merchant of Melaka), he highlighted that he had been taken aback by the British arrival in Singapore and that Sultan Husain had been forced to accept sultanship...Subsequently, on 1 March 1819, Farquhar demanded that the Temenggung and Sultan Husain sign a declaration stating that they consented to the British settlement in Singapore...He acknowledged that he had written those letters to Raja Ja'afar and Koek as a way to insure himself against Dutch retaliation.
  25. "1819 marked start of modern, multicultural Singapore: Lee Hsien Loong". The Straits Times. 28 January 2019. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022.
  26. Lee, Hsien Loong (28 January 2019). "Speech by PM Lee Hsien Loong at the launch of the Singapore Bicentennial on 28 January 2019". Prime Minister's Office (Singapore). Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Hence I am glad that for the Bicentennial, over 200 groups and organisations are holding commemorative events.
  27. "新加坡开埠200年工作组将招募3800名志工". Lianhe Zaobao (in Chinese). 21 April 2018. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018.
  28. "城里的乐光 | 新加坡开埠200周年纪念演唱会". 新浪網新聞 (in Chinese). 9 June 2019. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023.
  29. "i Light Singapore — Bicentennial Edition x Community". MND Link. Ministry of National Development (Singapore). Archived from the original on 16 January 2023.
  30. "政府在探讨是否延长开埠200年展览". Lianhe Zaobao (in Chinese). 6 August 2019. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020.
  31. "New $20 Note to Commemorate Singapore's Bicentennial". Monetary Authority of Singapore. 5 June 2019. Archived from the original on 3 August 2022.
  32. "Values that have shaped Singapore's history are vital for the future: Heng Swee Keat". The Straits Times. 22 June 2019. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Alongside North East District Mayor Desmond Choo, Mr Heng also launched a set of 10 stamps commemorating the Bicentennial by SingPost at the roadshow. The 10 stamps depict key milestones of Singapore's 700-year journey from the arrival of the British to independence before ending with a vision of Singapore's future.
  33. "1.4 Million Singaporeans to Receive Bicentennial Bonus Benefits in November 2019". Ministry of Finance (Singapore). 24 October 2019. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022.
  34. "150th Anniversary of the Founding of Singapore". National Archives of Singapore. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. National celebrations came under the Ministry of Culture (MC) during the early years. Thus, MC drove the plans to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the founding of Singapore in 1969, on a grand scale and work began in early 1968 following a Cabinet directive. Key programmes included the issue of gold and silver commemorative coins; a series of commemorative stamps depicting key achievements and historical highlights; a commemorative book on the political, economic and social history of Singapore spanning the period 1819-1969; exhibitions; concerts; and other organised activities. Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (PM LKY) chaired the first meeting to discuss the contents of the commemorative book. A Central Steering Committee with representatives drawn from key ministries and agencies under the chairmanship of Permanent Secretary MC, oversaw the planning and organising of the activities. File contents cover these activities, the ideas that were generated as well as minutes of meetings and letters of invitation to organisations (public and private) to participate actively with their own programmes.
  35. Lee, Kuan Yew. "SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER AT THE BANQUET GIVEN BY THE SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO MARK THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF SINGAPORE - 6TH FEBRUARY, 1969" (PDF). National Archives of Singapore. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2021.
  36. "Stamping History". BiblioAsia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. The 150th anniversary of the founding of Singapore series in 1969 was the first time that stamps were issued in 12-by-12 centimetre miniature sheets, and featured different designs for each of the six values. To commemorate the milestones in Singapore's modern history, Eng and Han Kuan Cheng, who were colleagues at Radio Television Singapura, used a semi-abstract graphic style to depict the country's industrialisation (15 cents), entry into the United Nations (30 cents), merger with Malaysia (75 cents), self-government in 1959 ($1), the Japanese Occupation ($5) and the landing of Sir Stamford Raffles ($10).
  37. "The Story of Gold in Singapore". Roots. National Heritage Board (Singapore). Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. This is the first commemorative gold coin commissioned by the Board of Commissioners of Currency and minted by the Singapore Mint in 1969 to mark the 150th anniversary of Singapore's founding by Sir Stamford Raffles.
  38. "FROM THE ARCHIVES: PRINCESS ALEXANDRA VISITS SINGAPORE". Royal Over-Seas League. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Fifty years ago in 1969, Singapore marked its 150th anniversary in a high-profile manner too and in a link of special interest to the Royal Over-Seas League, Vice-Patron HRH Princess Alexandra was invited by the Singapore Government to represent HM the Queen to attend the commemoration activities. It was noted by the then-British High Commissioner, Sir Arthur de la Mare, that then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew wanted to give the visit 'all possible trappings', including 'as many guns as it [was] possible to fire', and to 'take the opportunity to make manifest [Singapore's] connection with Britain'. Such was the warmth and enthusiasm Singapore had towards the British back then! Princess Alexandra's visit to Singapore lasted for seven days, during which she interacted with everyday Singaporeans, officiated the opening of a reservoir, and most notably attended Singapore's National Day Parade as the principal guest. Throughout the visit, she was warmly received by Singaporeans.
  39. "东南亚国术邀请赛 : 庆祝新加坡开埠150周年纪念, 1819-1969". SG Books (in Chinese). National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023.
  40. "Raffles College". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Raffles College was set up in 1928 at 469 Bukit Timah Road as a college for higher education in the arts and sciences. Its formation was the result of a scheme to commemorate the centenary of the founding of Singapore by Stamford Raffles (Sir). In 1949, Raffles College merged with King Edward VII College of Medicine to form the University of Malaya, which became known as the University of Singapore in 1962, and then the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1980 after merging with Nanyang University.
  41. "About: 1919 - The Singapore Centenary and Its Celebration". National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 2 October 2022. Centenary Day took place on 6 February 1919 and marked Singapore's hundredth year as a colonial port-settlement. It was celebrated as a public holiday filled with official festivities and fanfare.
  42. "Statue of Stamford Raffles". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. A tablet was placed at its plinth to recognise the role that Raffles had played in the founding of modern Singapore. The plaque reads: "1819–1919. This tablet to the memory of Sir Stamford Raffles, to whose foresight and genius Singapore owes its existence and prosperity, was unveiled on February 6th, 1919, the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Settlement."
  43. "The Earliest Thoroughfares". Memories of Two Cities. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 4 July 2022. Completed in 1869 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Singapore, the bridge is named after William Orfeur Cavenagh, who was the last governor of the Straits Settlements (1859–1867) before Singapore became a crown colony.
  44. "Singapore River Bridges: Cavenagh Bridge, Anderson Bridge and Elgin Bridge". Roots. National Heritage Board (Singapore). Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Cavenagh Bridge is the oldest surviving suspension bridge across the Singapore River.
  45. "Cavenagh Bridge". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board, Singapore Government. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. In August 2019, it was announced that Cavenagh Bridge, Elgin Bridge, and Anderson Bridge would be collectively gazetted as a National Monument.
  46. "Pirate or hero? Raffles bicentennial fuels Singapore debate". Al Jazeera English. 28 January 2019. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. "Colonialism did bring trade, laws and infrastructure – for the prosperity of the British. For many of our forebears, it also marked poverty, pain and humiliation," columnist Tee Zhuo wrote recently in the Straits Times. "Few nations would fondly remember, much less glorify a former oppressor," he added...While art student Goh Hui Ying has heard elders criticise Raffles as a "legal pirate", she reflects a prevailing view that by creating a free port – without duties or taxes, midway between India and China – Raffles laid the foundation for what is now one of the richest cities in the world...."Colonialism was always inherently, fundamentally, structurally unethical and corrupt, even in its supposedly most 'enlightened' manifestations," Hannigan told Al Jazeera. "A proper inspection of Raffles's record in Southeast Asia makes it plain that any claims made for his own enlightenment and benignity are shaky, to say the least."
  47. "Singapore Bicentennial - The History And Debate Around It". Discover SG. 20 February 2019. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Some have highlighted the positive impact that the British left on Singapore's education and legal systems, and the way in which our colonial past has helped foster our amicable relations with Britain in the present.
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