The white statue of Sir Stamford Raffles that can be found by the Singapore River behind the Parliament House is said to be the site where Sir Stamford Raffles had landed on his first visit to the island on 29 January 1819. This site was aptly termed by Raffles as South Point. There is a dispute however as some believe that the actual spot should have been close to the Rochor River instead, further east of the Singapore River. There are various interpretations of the series of events that had led to the official founding of Singapore through the signing of a treaty for the creation of a trading settlement on the island by the East India Company on 6 February 1819. In general however, negotiations had been conducted between Raffles, Farquhar, Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdur Rahman since the day they landed until the Union Jack was finally raised. Several agreements had been made to allow for the British trading company to conduct free trade at the mouth of the island in return for tokens of money as well as recognition of the power status of the local leaders within the region.


Upon achieving independence in August 1965, a decision was made by the new government to recognise Sir Stamford Raffles as the official founder of modern Singapore. This decision was deemed unpopular especially during the period of strong anti-colonial sentiments and had caused quite a debate among the people. Some scholars argued that the decision to honour the very man who first colonised us was queer and probably ironic since the nation was seeking freedom from their stranglehold. Nevertheless this was considered necessary due to the political, social and economic situation of that period. Issues such as communist threat, context of the global Cold War, racial disharmony among the many races in the country, lack of natural resources, and the need to appeal to the strength and economic sovereignty of the British empire are some of the more crucial reasons behind the naming of Raffles as the ultimate founder of modern Singapore. Alternative founders would include Sang Nila Utama, the man who gave us our name in the 14th Century, the local Malay leaders who had agreed on the opening up of the port to the British settlement as well as other significant contributors from Asia, Europe and the Middle East in the early days of Singapore. Sceptics also raised the question of responsibility as it has been noted and acknowledged that Raffles, despite having called Singapore his child, did little in the early periods of the settlement as he had returned to attend to other responsibilities elsewhere and left most of the caretaking to William Farquhar, the good natured General whom he later banished rather inconsiderably.


Nonetheless, Sir Stamford Raffles is now widely acknowledged and accepted as the natural founder of this young nation and it is openly declared to the public and indoctrinated into the nationalistic sentiments of the people through education and honorary salutation of the majestic statue by the river. To name Raffles as its founder and to heighten the prominence of its former colonial master, Singapore has certainly taken a different path in creating its history when compared to other former colonies in the region. It could have been a gamble then, but it has proved to be a wise decision now when perceived in retrospect.

Labels: 1819, Founder of Singapore, Raffles Landing Site, Sir Stamford Raffles

posted by Muse

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