singapore

1. SINGAPORE
LitCom 6007: SOUTHEAST ASIAN LITERARY RELATIONS
Presented by:
PAMILA AMOR Z. POGAJA
Presented to:
DR. DONNA GRACE COTEJO
Professor
Singapore
Is a CITY STATE located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, about 85
miles (137 kilometres) north of the Equator. It consists of the diamond-shaped
Singapore Island and some 60 small islets. The main island is separated from Peninsular
Malaysia to the north by Johor Strait, a narrow channel crossed by a road and rail
causeway that is more than half a mile long.
It has the largest port in Southeast Asia and one of the busiest in the world.
It owes its growth and prosperity to its focal position at the southern extremity of the
Malay Peninsula, where it dominates the Strait of Malacca, which connects the Indian
Ocean to the South China Sea.
Once a British colony and now a member of the Commonwealth, Singapore first
joined the Federation of Malaysia on its formation in 1963 but seceded to become an
independent state on August 9, 1965.

2. The Land
Nearly two-thirds of the main island is less than 50 feet (15 meters) above sea
level. Timah Hill, the highest summit, has an elevation of only 531 feet (162 meters);
with other peaks, such as Panjang and Mandai hills, it forms a block of rugged terrain in
the center of the island.
Climate
Singapore is in the equatorial monsoon region of Southeast Asia, and its climate
is characterized by uniformly high temperatures and nearly constant precipitation
throughout the year. The wettest and windiest period is during the northeast monsoon
(November–March), with rainfall reaching an average monthly high of more than 10
inches (250 millimeters) in December. The period of the least amount of rainfall and the
lightest winds is during the southwest monsoon (May–September).
Plant and Animal Life
Tracts of scrub or cogon grass (called lalang locally) are common. The largest
native animals are the long-tailed macaque. The slow loris (a large-eyed tailless
nocturnal lemur), and the scaly anteater. Birds are numerous, especially those like the
Indian mynah bird. Reptiles, such as cobras and lizards, also are common
The people of Singapore: Ethnolinguistic composition
The Chinese predominate the country, making up some three-fourths of the
total. Malays are the next largest ethnic group, and Indians the third. Among the
Chinese, more than two-fifths originate from Fujian province and speak the Amoy
(Xiamen) dialect, about one-fourth are Teochew from the city of Shantou in Guangdong
province, and a smaller number are from other parts of Guangdong.
Linguistic differences are less pronounced among the Malays, but the group
includes Indonesians speaking Javanese, Boyanese, and other dialects. The Indian
group is most diverse, consisting of Tamils, Malayalis, and Sikhs; it also includes
Pakistani and Sinhalese communities.

3. Singapore: Ethnic composition
Language
Four official languages are recognized—English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, and
Tamil. English remains the main medium for administration, commerce, and industry,
and it is the primary language of instruction in schools. Mandarin, the official language
of China, transcends dialect barriers, and its use is strongly promoted. Malay is
designated as the country’s national language, and, like English, it is widely used for
communication among ethnic groups and plays a particularly useful role in view of the
close ties between Singapore and Malaysia.
Religion
About two-thirds of all Chinese profess some degree of attachment to
Confucianism, Buddhism, or Daoism. All Malays, and some Indians, adhere to Islam,
nearly all Christians are Chinese. Almost all of the remaining population practicing a
religion is Hindu, but there are also many Singaporeans who have no religious affiliation
The Economy
It has the most advanced economy in Southeast Asia and is often mentioned
along with other rapidly industrializing countries in Asia. Economic development has
been closely supervised by the Singaporean government, and it has been highly
dependent on investment capital from foreign multinational corporations.
Resources, Agriculture, and Fisheries
There are no natural forests remaining on the island. Cultivation is intensive, with
vegetables and fruits grown and poultry raised for local consumption. The local fishing
industry supplies only a portion of the total fresh fish requirement; most of the catch
comes from offshore fishing vessels.

4. Transportation
Singapore has one of the world’s busiest ports in terms of shipping tonnage. The
Port of Singapore Authority oversees all shipping activity and operates a number of
terminals on the island. Singapore is linked by rail to Peninsular Malaysia via the
connecting causeway at Johor. Singapore’s international airport, Changi, at the eastern
end of the main island, is a major regional and overseas air hub.
Government
Singapore is a unitary parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster
model. The parliamentary majority selects the prime minister, who is head of
government, and the cabinet from its own ranks, and they in turn form the government.
Education
Primary education is free and lasts from six to eight years; the language of
instruction is English, and students are required to learn any one of the other three
official languages as a second language. Students at the secondary level are placed into
academic or vocational and commercial tracks. Those on academic tracks are further
channeled into four- or five-year courses of instruction. Opportunities for higher
education are determined by academic performance. It usually involve two or three
years of preuniversity instruction followed by enrollment at a university or technical
college. The National University of Singapore, was founded in 1980 by a merger of the
University of Singapore and Nanyang University.
Cultural Life
Cultural activities in Singapore are largely derivative, springing from one or
another of the major civilizations of China, India, Indonesia, or the West. Traditional
Chinese and Indian music, painting, and drama are practiced by numerous cultural
societies and professional groups.

5. Several Chinese, English, Indian, and Malay newspapers serve a largely literate
population. The government-owned Singapore Broadcasting Corporation controls all
local radio and television broadcasting.
History of Singapore
Singapore Island originally was inhabited by fishermen and pirates, and it served
as an outpost for the Sumatran empire of Srīvijaya. The more-common name of the
island is Tumasik, or Temasek, from the Javanese word tasek (“sea”). Rajendra Chola I
ruler of the southern Indian Chola kingdom, attacked the island in 1025. The Javanese
epic poem Nāgarakṛtāgama (written 1365) includes Temasek among the conquests of
the Javanese empire of Majapahit. According to the Sejarah Melayu, a Malay chronicle,
the city was founded by the Srīvijayan prince Sri Tri Buana; he is said to have glimpsed
a tiger, mistaken it for a lion, and thus called the settlement Singapura.
Literature of Singapore
The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works by
Singaporeans. It is written chiefly in the country's four official languages: English,
Malay, Standard Mandarin and Tamil. The literature of Singapore is viewed as a distinct
body of literature portraying various aspects of Singapore society and forms a
significant part of the culture of Singapore.
Poetry
Singaporean literature in English started with the Straits-born Chinese community
in the colonial era. Verse anthologies have collected and captured various aspects of life
in Singapore. The poetry of the younger generation is often politically aware,
transnational and cosmopolitan, yet frequently presents their intensely focused, self-
questioning and highly individualized perspectives of Singaporean life, society and
culture. Some poets have been labeled confessional for their personalized writing, often
dealing with intimate issues such as sexuality.

6. Notable works
1. Singapore: Places, Poems, Paintings – featured poems, paintings and
reminiscences about 30 significant places ranging from Chinatown to Bukit Timah
Nature Reserve
2. From Boys To Men: A Literary Anthology Of National Service In Singapore (2002,
edited by Koh Buck Song and Umej Bhatia) examined the meaning of military
duty
3. Reflecting On The Merlion (2009, edited by Edwin Thumboo and Yeow Kai Chai)
brought together about 40 poems about the national tourism symbol
4. Writing Singapore: An Historical Anthology Of Singapore Literature (2009) edited
by Angelia Poon, Philip Holden and Shirley Geok-lin Lim, and published by NUS
Press - the most authoritative anthology to date.
Children's literature
Adeline Foo (The Diary of Amos Lee)
Jin Pyn (The Elephant and the Tree)
Don Bosco (Thor the Greatest)
Hidayah Amin ( The Mango Tree)
Edmund Lim (Where's Grandma)
Emily Lim (Prince Bear and Pauper Bear)
Drama
More recent plays have tended to revolve mostly around social issues, especially
causes such as gay rights
1. The Coffin is Too Big for the Hole (1984)
2. Lao Jiu (1990)
3. Stella Kon - Emily of Emerald Hill

7. Fiction
1. Goh Poh Seng - If We Dream Too Long (1972) – widely recognized as the first
true Singaporean novel
2. Han May – Star Sapphire (1985) won a High Commendation Award from the
Book Development Council of Singapore in 1986
3. Rex Shelley - The Shrimp People (1991) examines the regional Eurasian
community and their experience in Singapore
4. SuChen Christine Lim works consider varied themes surrounding issues of
gender, immigration and orthodoxy
TOURIST DESTINATIONS
MARINA BAY SANDS
BOTANIC GARDENS
ORCHARD ROAD
RAFFLES HOTEL SINGAPORE
SENTOSA ISLAND
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE
MERLION PARK
ASIAN CIVILIZATIONS MUSEUM
FORT CANNINGPARK
THE MARITIME EXPERIENTIAL MUSEUM