GOVERNMENT IN SINGAPORE

Gov. & System Development

Government
In Singapore

Singapores System of Government

IN THIS ISSUE

Parliament in Singapore
by Elizabeth Dial

The government of Singapore is currently known to be a Parliament, as inherited from their colonial parent, Britain. Here, we shall see the history of Singapores government, the organization of the government in Singapore, and the current leaders of Singaporean government.

History
The country of Singapore, when first taken by the British government, was a part of the Straits Settlements. In 1867, this Settlement became a Crown Colony, and on the 4th of February, Singapore was granted a Colonial Constitution. In this initial stage, power was granted to the Governor, who was assisted by an Executive Council and a Legislative Council. This remained the order of government up until 1946, when at the end of the Japanese Occupation, the Straits Settlements was dissolved and Singapore became it's own unique Crown Colony, where a new Colonial Constitution was passed, following up on the demands of the people to have more say in their government. Eventually, in 1953, it was proposed that local government be in-charge of trade and industry, health, education and housing.

The very first Legislative Assembly election happened in 1955, where automatic registration expanded the number of voters. A large number of the voters were Chinese, and the Labor Party won the election. This party decision resulted in the independence of the Singaporean government, and citizenship was offered to those born in Singapore or the Federation and to several British citizens. With self-government won, Singapore then became a State, and the first prime minister was elected. Singapore was granted full independence in 1965, with minor law changes to follow up on the various institutional changes in the region.

Leaders
The two greatest political figures in Singapore are the President and the Prime minister. The current President of Singapore is Tony Tan (left), and the current Prime Minister of Singapore is Lee Hsien Loong (right). Tony Tan is the seventh president of Singapore, and has been in office since 2011. He has been a member of the Singapore Parliament from 1979 to 2006, and in the late 1980s, was said to be the best possible successor for Prime Minister, though he declined. After his years at University, Tan planned to be a banker, but then moved to politics in 1979. Lee Hsien Loong is the third prime minister of Singapore, and is the eldest son of the very first prime minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew. He has been a member of parliament since 1984, and has been a member of the cabinet since 1987. According to Lee Kuan Yews biography, Loong had been interested in the affairs of Singapore since he was young, following in his fathers footsteps. He was oathed as prime minister in 2004.

Divisions
As a parliamentary republic, the government is divided into three sections: legislative, executive, and judicial. Here is a basic outline of the duties of each portion. Legislative - Creates the countries laws Executive - Executes the laws through ministries and civil service Judicial - Ensures laws are justly carried out

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