Quarantine was formally introduced as a public health control measure in Singapore in 1868. It was an important method of disease control before the widespread adoption of vaccination and antimicrobial therapy. As a cosmopolitan port settlement, Singapore was particularly ...
The Environmental Public Health Act became law on 2 January 1969. The act was aimed at setting up a standard code to govern health-related matters in public cleansing services, markets, hawkers, food establishments and the general environment. It also integrated ...
The Parliament of Singapore passed the Administration of Muslim Law Bill on 17 August 1966. The resultant Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966 (AMLA), which came into operation almost two years later on 1 July 1968, provides for a centralised system of administration ...
After the split in the People’s Action Party (PAP) that led to its left wing setting up the Barisan Socialis, the Singapore Trades Union Congress (TUC) also split into two rival factions: the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore Association of ...
The Legislative Council was one of the predecessors to today’s Parliament of Singapore. Established in 1867, its core function was to enact laws for Singapore. It was replaced in 1955 by the Legislative Assembly.
The first Cooling-off Day was implemented for Singapore’s general election in 2011. No campaigning activities are allowed on Cooling-off Day, which is designated as the day before polling day to give voters time to think rationally and reflect on the issues that ...
The Singapore Green Plan (SGP) is Singapore's first environmental blueprint. Released in 1992 by the then Ministry of the Environment (now known as the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources or MEWR), its objective is to ensure that Singapore could develop ...
The Keep Singapore Clean campaign was one of Singapore’s first national campaigns as an independent nation. Launched on 1 October 1968 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, the month-long campaign aimed to make Singapore the cleanest and greenest city in the region ...
Daren Shiau Vee Lung (b. 1971, Singapore–) is a writer, lawyer and an environmental activist. He won the Singapore Literature Prize Commendation Award in 1998 for his debut novel, Heartland. Shiau also received the National Arts Council’s Young Artist Award in ...
The Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) provides an opt-out organ donation system that allows for the removal of kidneys, livers, hearts and corneas from deceased Singapore citizens and permanent residents, for the sole purpose of transplantation. Administered by ...
Tang Da Wu (唐大霧; b. 12 May 1943, Singapore–) is an iconic figure in contemporary Asian art. Though he works in a variety of media, he is best known for his performances and installations. He studied art at the Birmingham Polytechnic and Goldsmiths College, University ...
Ahmad bin Mohamed Mattar (Dr) (b. 13 August 1940, Singapore–), better known as Ahmad Mattar, is a former academic and People’s Action Party (PAP) politician. As the minister-in-charge of muslim affairs, Ahmad spearheaded the formation of the Mendaki Foundation ...
Tan Sri Datuk Professor Ahmad Ibrahim (b. 12 May 1916, Singapore–d. 17 April 1999, Gombak, Malaysia), also known as Ahmad bin Mohamed Ibrahim, was Singapore’s first attorney-general. He was a key player in the merger talks between Singapore and Malaysia in the ...
The Factories Ordinance, 1958 (Ord. 41 of 1958), was a piece of legislation that sought to set minimum standards for the health, safety and welfare of workers in factories. In 1960, factory workers numbered about 120,000 and made up one-quarter of Singapore’s total ...
Bashir Ahmad Mallal (b. 26 February 1898, Domel, Pakistan–d. 5 September 1972, Singapore) founded, edited and published the Malayan Law Journal (MLJ). In addition, he was an eminent law scholar and benefactor of the University of Singapore’s (now National University ...
Edmund William Barker (b. 1 December 1920, Singapore–d. 12 April 2001, Singapore), commonly known as E. W. Barker, was the minister for law from 1964 to 1988. He played a significant role in Singapore’s secession from Malaysia in 1965 by drawing up the separation ...
Kenneth Michael Byrne (b. 13 May 1913, Singapore–d. 14 May 1990, Singapore), or K. M. Byrne, was Singapore’s first minister for labour and law. He was one of nine ministers who made up the first cabinet of the People’s Action Party (PAP) government, which was also ...
The Internal Security Act (ISA) is a law that enables the government to swiftly act against what it deems to be threats to national security by employing various measures. The law is carried out by the Internal Security Department (ISD), a body under the purview ...
On 6 February 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles, Temenggong Abdu’r Rahman and Sultan Husain Shah (also spelt as 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 Husain ...
On 18 July 1967, Britain announced that it would withdraw its troops from Singapore by the mid-1970s. Six months later, the deadline was brought forward to 1971. The sudden pullout of British forces presented serious problems to Singapore’s defence and economic ...