ABSTRACT
It is rare for a revolution to be carried out without a single shot being fired, but that is exactly what happened in the former British colony of Singapore. The Separation of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965 was a momentous event that offered Singapore and newly-created Singaporeans an opportunity to craft a popularly-endorsed constitution. However, initial plans to hold a constituent assembly to draft a Constitution were abandoned within a few months of nationhood. Instead, Singapore’s government opted to adopt the most practical solution by retaining the State Constitution of 1963 and augmenting it by appropriating provisions from the Malaysian Federal Constitution through the Republic of Singapore Independence Act. This decision, which favoured stability and gradual change, belied what was to happen to Singapore’s Constitution over the next 40 years.
