ABSTRACT
Singapore owes much of its success as a stable and prosperous nation to its separation from Malaysia in 1965 to become a fully independent city-state. Given internal self-government by Britain in 1959, Singapore then became part of the newly formed Malaysia in 1963. It was a union that was not to be, however, because of fundamental differences with the regime in Kuala Lumpur. By 1965 separation was necessary. Since that time, Singapore has prospered more rapidly than it would have by remaining a small part of Malaysia. Strategically situated as an influential entrepÔt of foreign trade, it has in addition built up a strong industrial base and has seen an economic growth rate better than most of its East Asian neighbors. Like all nations in the region, Singapore was affected by the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s—and also by the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) scare of 2003—but overall, Singapore continues to be one of the strongest economies in East and Southeast Asia. Its strong economy enables this nation to afford a respectable armed force for its own protection and, importantly, for the security of the sea-lanes in and near the Malacca Strait. The new century had hardly begun when the worldwide threat of terrorism arose, and, again, Singapore rose to the task of doing its part to cope with the threat.
