----History Project-------
What did independence mean for Singapore?
What were the responses and feelings of people who went through independence? Why did they feel that way?
The problems that Singapore went through after independence.
Unemployment
Alot of people had jobs relating to the British . Such as cleaners and servents .Furthermore the wealth of Malaysia and Singapore was canceled for a while making people lose their jobs even more
Lack of houses
There was a lot of farmlands at that time which could be expanded . But at that time the workers did not build according to plan so it was built like a terrace . Therefore a lot of people did not have shelter.
Resources
Singapore was a small country thus had very little resource and Singapore could not just buy it from other countries since it came with a huge price.
What are sources that support the above?
The textbook "Singapore The making of a Nation-State , 1300-1975" had information of what were the feelings of the people during independence.
"Every time we look back to the moment we signed the separation document , it is for us a moment of anguish. All my life , my whole adult life , I have believed in merger and the unity of the two territories . We are connected by geography , the economy and family ties . It broke everything we stood for."
-Adapted from Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's Announcement of Singapore's independence , 9 August 1965
"The Singapore Cabinet was informed of the separation on 7 August when we met Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew at Temasek House , We were all very surprised . But in my heart I said , "That's the best news I have heard so far because in the two years since Singapore joined Malaysia , I could see the difficulties dealing with those people in Kuala Lumpur".
-Adapted froma an account by Othman Wok in 1982.
"I had no reaction beyond sensing that it was something important , I was not aware of the political issues than."
- Comment by S.Vijiayan , a Secondary 2 student 1965
These shows that some people had mixed feelings during independence about the separation.Some were devastated , happy or just didn't care
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"Housing
The housing Development Board (HDB) was formed in February 1960 to address the housing needs of the people . Over 26000 flats were built in three years . By the end of 1965 , about 23% of the population were living in flats built by the HDB"
"Employment
Between Jube 1959 and April 1963 Various factories manufacturing goods such as cotton wool , mirrors , clothing and condensed milk were set up."
"Education
Schools were built and teachers were recruited to provide more educational opportunities for the people . School enrollment increased rapidly from 1959 to 1963.For example , primary school enrollment rose from 267000 to 333000 , and secondary school enrolment nearly double"
Adapted from the same book
The above shows the changes Singapore went through after the independence , which also means those were also problems in the past.