The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) was appointed by the government in August 2005 as part of Singapore's national framework to address the issue of problem gambling. Its functions include raising public awareness of problem gambling. It also has the ...
Even before the two casinos in Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa opened in 2010, Singaporeans had been gambling away billions of dollars each year.
Gambling activities, also known as gaming, in colonial Singapore attracted different opinions from the British administrators. Stamford Raffles abhorred it and set out to ban gambling, while Residents William Farquhar and John Crawfurd saw gambling as critical ...
In 1959, a new state flag was created to represent Singapore shortly after it became a self-governing state under British rule. Developed by a committee led by then Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye, the flag was unveiled on 3 December 1959, the day when Singapore’s ...
The Singapore national anthem, Majulah Singapura, was composed in 1958 by Zubir Said, a prolific songwriter, as the official song of the City Council of Singapore. After Singapore became a self-governing state under British rule on 3 June 1959, the song was shortened ...
In 1966, Singapore celebrated its 9 August National Day for the first time. It was a week-long string of festivities that included a big parade, fireworks displays, cultural shows, and dinner parties. It was actually Singapore’s second National Day. The very first ...
The National Courtesy Campaign was launched on 1 June 1979 by the then prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. The aim of the campaign was “to create a pleasant social environment, with Singaporeans considerate to each other and thoughtful of each other's needs”.
Chap ji kee (which means “12 cards” in Hokkien) is an illegal lottery that was widespread in Singapore until the late 1960s. During chap ji kee’s heyday, the lottery’s popularity spawned a system of promoters and their agents, bet collectors, accountants, cashiers ...
Since 1948, general elections have been held to elect representatives to Singapore’s legislature. The first election was held in 1948 to elect six unofficial members to the 22-seat Legislative Council. The electorate was, however, limited to British subjects. Over ...
Singapore’s earliest attempt to introduce compulsory conscription was in 1952. The endeavour was unsuccessful as it was vigorously resisted by Chinese middle school students and their parents, who did not see the need to support the British colonial government’s ...
National service (NS) was introduced in post-independence Singapore when the National Service (Amendment) Act came into effect on 17 March 1967. Then Defence Minister Goh Keng Swee justified the government’s decision to introduce compulsory conscription of male ...
Since gaining independence in 1965, Singapore has conducted many national campaigns. These have covered a wide range of topics such as public cleanliness, family planning, courtesy and workplace productivity. Other campaigns include ones that encourage people to ...
The National Reference Library (NRL) was located on the third floor of the National Library building at Stamford Road. It was formed on 16 January 1998, concurrently with the re-opening of the National Library that was closed for nine months of upgrading works. ...
Launched by then prime minister Goh Chok Tong at the National Stadium on 3 October 1993, the Great Singapore Workout is a fitness routine that formed part of the month-long National Healthy Lifestyle Programme. The workout is a specially designed low-impact aerobic ...
Between 1980 and 1995, the National Library embarked on the computerisation of its library operations and services. To keep abreast with the information technology (IT) revolution, new audiovisual, multimedia and online services were also launched. Decentralisation ...
The Casino Control Act was enacted in 2006 to regulate the operations and gaming in casinos in preparation for the opening of the Integrated Resorts (IRs). It establishes and makes provision for the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore (CRA) to administer and ...
The finalised version of the national pledge was largely drafted by then Minister for Foreign Affairs S. Rajaratnam in February 1966 as a way to promote national loyalty and consciousness among citizens following Singapore's separation from Malaysia on 9 August ...
The Ministry of Health launched the National Healthy Lifestyle Programme in 1992 to promote a healthy lifestyle among Singaporeans. It was officially inaugurated by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. The programme is focused on an annual, month-long campaign, the ...
The National School Savings Campaign (NSSC) was introduced to government and government-aided schools in 1969 to cultivate thrift in students and to encourage them to save with the Post Office Savings Bank (POSB). The campaign was also part of a domestic savings ...
The Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) was launched in 1997 in response to the then prime minister Goh Chok Tong’s call for Singapore to become a gracious society by the 21st century. The objectives of the movement are: “to encourage Singaporeans to be kind and ...