Singapore became the 117th member state of the United Nations (UN) on 21 September 1965. This was an important milestone for the country as membership in the UN conferred international recognition of Singapore as a sovereign and independent state. On the occasion, ...
The China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (CSFTA) marks Singapore as the first Asian country to have a comprehensive bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China. This is a major milestone in Singapore’s relationship with China since diplomatic ties were officially ...
The landmark India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) is India’s first-ever such agreement and the first between Singapore and a South Asian country. It came into effect on 1 August 2005. The first review of the pact was concluded on ...
On 12 June 2018, Singapore hosted a historic meeting between the United States President Donald Trump and leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Chairman Kim Jong Un. Both leaders discussed denuclearisation and how to ease military tensions. ...
The “elephant statue” is a bronze monument located at the High Street entrance of the Old Parliament House (formerly known as the Old Court House, now The Arts House) in the Downtown Core of Singapore’s Central Region. It was a gift from Thailand’s King Chulalongkorn ...
The Growth Triangle is a concept of mutual cooperation in economic development among three ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries – Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore – focusing on Singapore, the Riau province in Indonesia and southern Johor in ...
The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) are a series of ongoing defence agreements between Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. First signed in 1971, the underlying rationale for the arrangements was that the defence of Singapore ...
The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act, 1968, was a piece of legislation that sought to define clearly the management rights of employers over employees through changes to the Industrial Relations Ordinance, 1960. The act was passed along with the Employment ...
Balaji Sadasivan (Dr) (b. 11 July 1955–d. 27 September 2010) was a former senior minister of state for foreign affairs and a member of parliament for the Ang Mo Kio group representation constituency (GRC). As Singapore’s first and only US board-certified neurosurgeon, ...
The Industrial Relations Ordinance, 1960, was a piece of legislation that sought to regulate relations between employers and employees in Singapore at a time when the country was embarking on an economic makeover following the institution of self-government in ...
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an international organisation founded by Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. Its objective is to promote economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the Southeast Asian ...
The Maintenance of Parents Act provides for Singapore residents aged 60 years old and above who are unable to subsist on their own, to claim maintenance from their children who are capable of supporting him but are not doing so. Parents can sue their children for ...
Ida Mabel Murray Simmons (b. 1881 or 1888, unknown–d. 7 January 1958, Stirling, Scotland) was a public health matron who transformed maternal and infant health care standards in Singapore. She improved facilities and services in rural areas, and educated families ...
Echigoya was a Japanese fabric store established around 1907 on Middle Road. It was famous for its fine fabrics and garments, and tailoring of Japanese fashionwear. Echigoya closed down following the Japanese surrender in 1945 during World War II. It resumed business ...
A co-founder of Fraser & Neave (F&N), the world-famous bottler of fizzy drinks, John Fraser (b. 1843, Wigtown, Scotland–d. 14 February 1907, Farnham, England) was a Scotsman who made his fortune in Asia. His diverse business interests included printing and publishing, ...
Sellapan Ramanathan (b. 3 July 1924, Singapore–22 August 2016, Singapore), commonly known as S. R. Nathan, served as the sixth president of Singapore from 1 September 1999 to 31 August 2011. He is Singapore’s longest-serving president. Prior to his presidency, ...
Abdul Rahim Ishak (b. 25 July 1925, Singapore–d. 18 January 2001, Singapore) was a former envoy and senior minister of state for foreign affairs. The youngest brother of Singapore’s first head of state and later president, Yusof Ishak, Rahim came from a large family ...
Stanley Toft Stewart (b. 13 June 1910, Penang–d. 9 February 1992, Singapore) was a long-serving public official in Malaya and Singapore who achieved many “firsts”. At the peak of his career, Stewart was the head of Singapore’s civil service, and after serving as ...
The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (originally GSIC, now known as GIC) is a private investment company wholly owned by the Government of Singapore. Incorporated on 22 May 1981 under the Companies Act, GIC was set up as the government’s principal ...
Chilli crab is a popular seafood dish among locals and foreigners in Singapore and consists of mud crabs deep-fried in a sweet, savoury and spicy gravy. It has been referred to in various food publications as Singapore’s national seafood dish or even Singapore’s ...