1819 Singapore Treaty

In the late 18th century, the commercial and trading activities between the British Empire and the Qing Empire became more and more frequent, and the need for setting up British bases in the middle of the navigation routes was also increasing. As a result, the UK started looking for ways to set up trading posts in the region. In 1786 and 1791, the British East India Company signed treaties with the Sultan of Kedah to acquire Penang in the Malay Peninsula. And in 1795, during the First Coalition War in Europe, William V of the Netherlands was in exile in England. He issued a series of letters, later known as the "Kew Letters", to overseas Dutch colonies, instructing the local governors to temporarily transfer the control of the Dutch colonies to the UK for safekeeping, including Malacca, Padang, and other places. In 1811, the death of Sultan Mahmud Shah III of Johor immediately triggered the question of which one of his two sons would succeed to the throne as the new sultan. The elder son, Tengku Hussein, was not in Johor at that time because he was having his wedding in Pahang. Later, the influence of the Netherlands in the region gradually recovered and increased, and they began levying heavy taxes on ships anchored in their colonies in the area, including British ships. Consequently, the British East India Company began to look for another base in the region. In the autumn of that same year, in order to counter the Dutch influence in the region, he went to India and successfully persuaded the governor there to support him in finding a suitable location in the southeast of the Strait of Malacca to open up a new British post. the Netherlands reached an agreement with Sultan Abdul Rahman, the younger son, to establish a garrison camp in Riau, giving the Netherlands the control over the main shipping channels in the Malacca Strait. They signed a provisional agreement two days later to allow the UK to establish a trading post there, and the Union Jack was hoisted. Since the Temenggong was subordinate to the sultan, the sovereign of Johor, the approval of the sultan was needed to finalise the treaty. However, the younger son Abdul Rahman was the sultan at that moment and had a close relationship with the Netherlands. It was near impossible for Raffles to get the signature from Sultan Abdul Rahman. Yet, Raffles was aware of the succession dispute, and so he decided to made good use of it. He arranged the elder son Tengku Hussein to be brought in to Singapore from Riau. Tengku Hussein was, then, declared the rightful heir and proclaimed as Sultan of Johor. On 6 February 1819, Raffles, Sultan Hussein, and Temenggong Abdul Rahman signed the Treaty of Singapore in a public ceremony, and the Union Jack was once again hoisted afterwards. This is now recognised as the official founding of modern Singapore. == 1819 Singapore Treaty ==

The Treaty of Singapore was written in both English and Malay. The treaty authorised the British East India Company to "maintain a factory or factories on any part of His Highness’s hereditary Dominions". or more simply "trading post". In exchange, the British were obliged to provide monetary compensation for Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul Rahman. It was also said that Sultan Hussein had been pressured into accepting the sultanship. But less than a month, on 1 March 1819, the UK demanded Temenggong Abdul Rahman and Sultan Hussein to sign a statement saying they gave their consent to the British to start a trading post there. Temenggong Abdul Rahman also told Britain that he had made the complaint to try to prevent retaliation from the Dutch. == Commemoration for major anniversaries ==

The Singapore government has organised different commemorative activities to mark major anniversaries of Singapore's modern foundation. The last one was in 2019 for the bicentennial. It was named after the last Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1859 to 1867, Sir William O. Cavenagh. In August 2019, the bicentennial year, the government designated the bridge a national monument. Centennial: 100th Anniversary (1919) The colonial government formed two special committees a year prior to the centennial to come up with ideas for the occasion. One of the committees, the Centenary Memorial Committee, decided to set up a fund for higher education and building a local university. The fund then led to the establishment of Raffles College, which would ultimately become today's National University of Singapore. In the morning, Governor Arthur Young unveiled a new commemoration plaque on the plinth of the existing bronze Statue of Raffles to kick off the celebration, Commemorative events on Centenary Day included a thanksgiving service at St Andrew's Cathedral, boat races, parades, and others. The then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew decided to deliver a speech on 6 February to start the year-long series of celebrations, corresponding to the date when the Treaty of Singapore was signed. The government did not only issue commemorative stamps and gold coins but also notably invited the British royal family to attend commemorative events. Moreover, there were different exhibitions, concerts, sports competitions, and other programmes to celebrate the 150th anniversary. The government and more than 200 organisations, along with 3,800 volunteers, jointly coordinated and prepared various commemorative events. These included concerts, light festivals, historical exhibitions, and many more. Commemorative stamps and banknotes were also specifically designed and issued. The government also handed out special bicentennial social and tax benefits to those in need. == Debate ==

In Singapore, there have been debates and different opinions about 6 February 1819 and its meaning and whether it should be celebrated or commemorated at all. For some, the historical event represents the start of colonisation, and therefore, unethical and repressive and any commemoration of it amounts to glorification of oppression. == References ==