Topic 6

"How far do you agree that the need to set up the Common Market was the most important reason for merger between Singapore and Malaya."

I agree moderately. As Singapore wanted a merger with Malaya is to gain independence, however, Malaya wanted to merge with Singapore because they did not want Singapore to fall into the radicals hands.

The PAP government saw that Singapore's best hope to gain independence was through a merger with Malaya. Even though Singapore lack natural resources and faced a declining entrepot trade and a growing population which needs more jobs. The PAP government felt that a merger with Malaya would rapidly improve Singapore's economics. With this merger, Singapore hoped that a Common Market would be set up to support Singapore's new industries. Which is to say that its main aim is not to have a Common Market but something else.

The reason Malaya wanted a merger was to prevent the spread of Communism in Malaya due to the PAP candidate being defeated in the Hong Lim by-election by Ong Eng Guan. The Tunku was concerned that the split would weaken the moderates within the PAP and allow the radicals to gain control of the party. If the radicals captured power from the PAP, they would form a Communist government in Singapore and use Singapore as a base to spread Communism in Malaya.

Therefore, in conclusion, setting up of the Common Market is not the most important reason for the merger between Singapore and Malaya.

Topic 5

"Singapore struggle to achieve internal self-government in the period 1945-1959 had its costs. Was it worth it? Give at least two reasons to support your answer."



Even though there was death, injuries and damaged done due to the riots for internal self-government, I think it was worth it because they managed to gain internal self-government in year 1959.


Riots such as the Hock Lee Bus Riots and the 1956 Students' Riots made the British recognise the needs of workers and students and also to let the British government know that the communists are doing so to gain internal self-government for Singapore even with 4 people killed and 31 injured for the Hock Lee Bus Riot and 13 people died and more than 100 injured for the Students' Riot.

After the first Merdeka talk, where David Marshall failed to gain internal self-government for Singapore in 1956 because the British government sees that David Marshall's government could not protect British interests and prevent Singapore from falling into the Communist hands in the Hock Lee Bus Riot. However, Lim Yew Hock gained internal self-government for Singapore in the second Merdeka talk in 1957 after the Students Riot in 1956 where he had the police to arrest almost all the union leaders, including Lim Chin Siong and Fong Swee Suan to stop all communist activities. These actions done by him pleased the British government as it shows the success in suppressing the strikes and riots. Therefore, it gained trust from the British government to let Singapore have internal self-government.

In conclusion, events that had happen from 1945-1959 is worth it as Singapore gained internal self-government form the British government through actions done by the leaders of Singapore at that time to control strikes and riots by workers and students.

Topic 4

In your opinion, what could have prevented the Maria Hertogh riots in 1950? Give at least 2 suggestions.

As your have know, the Maria Hertogh riots was caused by the rejection of Che Aminah appeal. Fellow Malays felt betrayed by what they saw as the British taking sides with the Dutch caused the supporters of Aminah at the Padang started to riot.

However, I believe that the riot could be prevented.Measures such as ordering the army or police forces to surround the Padang beforehand or even forbid anyone to crowd around the Padang when they are making the verdict.

By surrounding the Padang with the army or police forces, it could at least prevent any possible threat done when the verdict was made. Having the army or police forces there, could have reduce the damage done as they are properly equipped and well prepare to deal with the problem.

By forbidding the crowd to gather outside the Padang, the place would not be crowded with people. When there is no people, even when there is a rejection for the appeal, no one would be able to stage any riot as there are no people there. If they want to stage a riot, they would have to find time and place to gather which is troublesome.

Therefore, the suggestions above could at least prevent large damage done to both the humans and the public.

Topic 3

Did the Industrial Revolution affect the way people lived and worked in the 19th century for the better or the worse? Explain your answer

I think that the Industrial Revolution affected the way people lived and worked greatly as during that time, many new machines were created and the discovery of new sources of power.During the 18th century,people could only produce enough cloth for oneself but however, during 19th century, the invention of the spinning machine greatly changed the ways goods were produce and it shortened the production time.

Secondly, the invention of the steam-engine causes railway trains and steamship to be invented soon after the discovery of the steam-engine.This help people travel a longer distances and to reach a place in a shorter time. However,the building of this machines needs raw material and they began to look East for raw materials and one place they turned to was Asia.Singapore was the most visited port during that time as it was because the Europeans obtained the raw material and needed markets to sell them and therefore,Singapore had a growth in its trade.Singapore also became a port-of-call as ships stopped to refuel and obtain food supplies.

However, during the Industrial Revolution,working conditions were unsanitary and dangerous,education drop due to work demands,women have double burden of factory work and domestic chores,men have higher pay than women,pollution of environment,growth of material wealth and the workers proposes that child and female should not work.

Therefore,I concluded that the Industrial Revolution had its own good and bad points and it did not affect it for the better or worse.

If you are working for the museum,who would you choose and why?

The National Museum has decide to erect a statue in front of its entrance.They have to choose between Stamford Raffles and Tan Tock Seng.Who would you choose and why?

I would choose to have the statue of Tan Tock Seng erected in front of the National Museum entrance. The reason I choose Tan Tock Seng is because Singapore already have two of Sir Stamford Raffles statue erected in front of the Victoria Memorial Hall and Theatre and the old Parliament House.

By erecting Tan Tock Seng's statue, the younger people would be able to known other contributions our early pioneers had done. Tan Tock Seng had contributed by giving medical help for poor people for little or no cost at all. He also uses his own money to pay for the funeral expenses of unclaimed bodies that die in the streets and verandahs. By doing so, he supplied 1,032 coffins.

Tan Tock Seng helps in settling problems and disputes in the Chinese community as he was appointed the leader of Chinese community with the title of Kapitan of the Hokkien clan. Even after his death, his descendants like Tan Kim Ching, Tan Teck Guan and Tan Chay Yan continued his legacy in helping the poor Chinese and each of them became leaders if the Chinese community.

Therefore, I would choose to erect Tan Tock Seng's statue in front of the National Museum entrance.

Who really 'founded' Singapore?

Everyone would know that the one who started to make Singapore famous during the 19th century is Sir Stamford Raffles. But however, have any one thought of who really 'founded Singapore? In my point view, a founder would be someone who found some thing or a country.

To me,the real founder of Singapore would be Sir Stamford Raffles.The reason I said that Sir Stamford Raffles was the founder because he found the island Singapore and he started an excavation once he landed on Singapore.The excavation was done because Sir Stamford Raffles wanted to know the history of Singapore at that time.After the excavation was done,he found that it is a good place for British trading settlement as the Dutch was not on the island yet.Raffles was happy as at that time, European trading companies such as the British and the Dutch East India Companies were competing fiercely outside of Europe for profit and monopoly of trade routes.

After Raffles decided, to start a trading port on Singapore, they went to the Temenggong Abdul Rahman.Raffles found out that the Temenggong did not have full control of Singapore and recognised Tengku Hussein as the rightful sultan.On the 6 of February 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles,Temenggong and Tengku Hussein signed the treaty that allowed them to build a settlement in the southern part of Singapore.This made Singapore a world know trading port in the future.

So,the island Singapore was found by Sir Stamford Raffles.