ABSTRACT
Singapore attained self-government in June 1959, when the People's Action Party (PAP) government assumed office after winning the May 1959 general election and after nearly 140 years of British colonial rule. The PAP government has governed Singapore for 45 years as it was reelected for the 10th time in the November 2001 general election. This article contends that the nature of public administration in Singapore is shaped by its British colonial heritage, its policy context, and the policies introduced by the PAP government.
