Independence of Singapore Agreement 1965 in the context of "National Day (Singapore)"

The president of Singapore, officially the President of the Republic of Singapore, is the head of state of Singapore. The president represents the country in official diplomatic functions and possesses certain executive powers over the government of Singapore, including the control of the national reserves and the ability to revoke and appoint public service appointments.

After Singapore achieved full internal self-governance from the British Empire in 1959, the ceremonial office of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara (lit. 'Lord of the State') was created, where it was first held by the governor of Singapore William Goode. The office was later succeeded by the president of Singapore following Singapore's independence from Malaysia in 1965. The initial role of the president was predominantly a ceremonial institution, serving as the representative of the Singaporean state both at home and abroad. It carried limited residual powers, and prior to 1991, the president was solely appointed by the parliament of Singapore. Singapore follows a non-executive model of the Westminster parliamentary system whereby the president is not the head of government but rather the head of state; these powers are instead vested in the Cabinet, which is led by the prime minister.

Peninsular Malaysia, historically known as Peninsular Malaya or simply Malaya prior to 1963, and also known as West Malaysia and the Malaysian Peninsula, is the southern part of the Malay Peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia along with the nearby islands that are part of Malaysia. Its area totals approximately 131,956 km (50,948 sq mi). It makes up nearly 40% of the total area of Malaysia; the other 60% is on the island of Borneo, also known as East Malaysia.

The present-day land border with Thailand to the north originates from the Anglo–Siamese Treaty of 1909, while a maritime border with Singapore to the south was established following the independence of Singapore in 1965. To the west, across the Strait of Malacca, lies the island of Sumatra, and to the east, across the South China Sea, lie the Natuna Islands, both part of Indonesia. At its southern tip, across the Strait of Johor, lies the island country of Singapore. Most of Peninsular Malaysia's interior is forested, mountainous and rural, while the majority of the population and economic activity are concentrated along the coastal western half, where the country's major urban centres are located.

The People's Action Party (PAP) is a major conservative political party in Singapore and is the governing contemporary political party represented in the 15th Parliament, followed by the opposition Workers' Party (WP).

The PAP was established in 1954 as a conventional centre-left party. Following its initial electoral success in 1959, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew sought to reposition the party ideologically toward the centre. In pursuit of this objective, he expelled the party's leftist faction in 1961, during the period of Singapore's merger with Malaysia. Over the course of the 1960s and since then, the PAP continued its ideological shift towards the centre-right. After Singapore's separation from Malaysia and subsequent independence in 1965, the majority of opposition parties, excluding the WP, boycotted the 1968 general election. Consequently, the PAP secured all parliamentary seats in that election. In the ensuing decades, the PAP consolidated its political dominance through successive electoral victories. It consistently formed the executive branch of government and exerted substantial influence over key national institutions, including the country's sole trade union, the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), which is affiliated with the party, as well as the civil service.

Lee Kuan Yew GCMG CH SPMJ DK (born Harry Lee Kuan Yew; 16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015), often referred to by his initials LKY, was a Singaporean statesman and barrister who was the first prime minister of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. A founding father of the modern Singaporean state, his political leadership transformed post-independence Singapore into a highly developed country and one of the four Asian Tigers.

Born in Singapore during British colonial rule to a family of Chinese descent, Lee studied law in England at Cambridge University and was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1950. Shortly after, he returned to Singapore and practised law, founding the law firm Lee & Lee. In 1954, Lee co-founded the People's Action Party (PAP), which won significant support among the working class and trade unions in the lead up to the 1955 general election, securing him a seat in the Tanjong Pagar division and making him the de facto leader of the opposition. In 1959, Lee led the PAP to its first electoral victory, becoming Singapore's first prime minister. Seeking sovereignty from the British Empire, Lee led Singapore to a merger with Malaya along with Sarawak and Sabah, forming Malaysia in 1963. Racial strife and ideological differences later led to Singapore's expulsion from Malaysia and consequent independence in 1965.

The Federated Malay States (FMS, Malay: Negeri-Negeri Melayu Bersekutu, Jawi: نݢري٢ ملايو برسکوتو) was a federation of four integrated protectorates in the Malay Peninsula comprising Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang. It was established in 1895 by the British government and lasted until 1946. In that year, these states joined with two of the former Straits Settlements (Malacca and Penang, excluding Singapore) and the Unfederated Malay States to form the Malayan Union. The union was short-lived and in 1948 was replaced by the Federation of Malaya, which gained independence in 1957. This federation later became Malaysia in 1963 following the inclusion of North Borneo (now Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore. Singapore was eventually separated from Malaysia and became a sovereign state on 9 August 1965.

Unlike the Unfederated Malay States, which retained greater internal autonomy, the real authority in the FMS resided with the four British Residents and the Resident-General. The powers of the local rulers were significantly restricted and were largely confined to matters "touching Malay religion and customs". The administration of the FMS represented a more centralised and interventionist colonial governance model in contrast to the comparatively decentralised arrangements in the Unfederated States. Nevertheless, the FMS remained nominally more autonomous than the Straits Settlements, which were directly governed by Britain through its Governor.

General elections were held in Singapore on 13 April 1968 to elect all 58 members of Parliament. They were the third general elections since Singapore attained self-governance in 1959 and the first since gaining independence in 1965. The ruling People's Action Party (PAP), led by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, won a landslide victory, securing all 58 seats in Parliament. Of these, 51 were uncontested, as opposition parties either failed to field candidates or withdrew altogether. As a result, the outcome of the elections was effectively determined before polling day.

The political context of the elections was shaped by a weakened and fragmented opposition. Barisan Sosialis (BS), the main opposition party formed by former PAP members, had boycotted Parliament after independence and subsequently withdrew from electoral politics altogether, citing concerns over political repression and the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) against dissenting voices. Other minor parties joined the boycott or were either inactive or lacked the organisational capacity to mount a significant challenge. The PAP, in turn, used its control over state institutions and media to reinforce its message of stability, development and national unity during a time of regional uncertainty.

The Singapore Civil Service is the bureaucracy of civil servants that supports the Government of Singapore. Along with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), statutory boards, and other independent government bodies, the civil service makes up the overall public service of Singapore. As of 2022, the civil service has about 87,000 employees.

Thomas Friedman of The New York Times considers the Singapore Civil Service to be one of the most efficient and uncorrupt bureaucracies in the world, with a high standard of discipline and accountability. In Singapore, Confucian values and meritocratic principles shape the nation's public administration, with the government promoting a culture that reveres education, discipline, and respect for authority. According to the Singapore government, this dual emphasis has enabled individuals from modest backgrounds to rise to leadership positions; helped build an efficient, corruption‑free bureaucracy; and upheld public trust in government institutions. It is also considered a key contributor to the success of Singapore since its independence from Malaysia.

The 1964 race riots in Singapore were a series of communal disturbances and racial conflicts between the Malay and Chinese communities in Singapore. They occurred just months after Singapore's merger with Malaysia on 16 September 1963 and were regarded as the most serious and prolonged racial violence in the nation's post-war history. Although 1964 was marked by general racial tension, the term specifically refers to two major outbreaks on 21 July and 2 September, particularly the former, which was more severe and resulted in 23 deaths and 454 injuries.

The riots had significant political consequences and raised concerns about Malaysia's racial stability following Singapore's inclusion. Around this period, secret negotiations were initiated between the Malaysian federal government and the Singaporean state government on the possibility of separation. The events were later regarded as pivotal in leading to the independence of Singapore in 1965, shaping its national policies of multiracialism and multiculturalism. It also provided continued justification for laws such as the Internal Security Act (ISA) to monitor and curb potential incitement of racial or religious hostility.