Chapter 4 How did the British Govern Singapore Before WW2

Essential Questions

1)How does the structure of the government affect the welfare of the people?

2)What are the causes of lawlessness in a growing trading settlement?



1) How does the structure of the government affect the welfare of the people?

a) Formation of the Straits Settlements

• Anglo Dutch Treaty 1824 led to cessation of Dutch opposition to British occupation of Singapore
• Also resulted in exchange of British trading port of Bencoolen with that of Dutch trading port of Melaka

• John Crawfurd signed treaty with Sultan Hussein in August 1824 and handed the whole island to the British

• 1826, Penang, Melaka and Singapore was combined to form the Straits Settlements

• 1867 the Straits Settlements became a Crown Colony under the direct control of the Colonial Office in London


b) The System of Government in the Straits Settlements 1867-1942

REFER TO PAGE 60 of Textbook

c) Weaknesses of the System of Government in the Straits Settlements 1867-1942

REFER TO LESSON NOTES

d) Improvements to the System of Government in the Straits Settlements 1867-1942

• 1924 non-official members equal to the number of official members, hence more people involved in affairs of the country

• British officials had to pass exams and taught Malay & dialects

• Higher salaries and job prospects

• Increased powers of the Legislative Council in passing laws

• Dr Lim Boon Keng asked Legislative Council to pass law to control indiscriminate raising of house rents

• Eunos Abdullah asked Legislative Council to improve living conditions of the Malays.

• Kampong Melayu set aside provided Malays with cheap housing and small plots of land to grow vegetables and rear poultry.



2) What are the causes of lawlessness in a growing trading settlement?

a)Problems faced by the British government

•Chinese Secret Societies

•Many new immigrants were lured into joining because of promises of friendship and help

•They enjoyed the protection of the society. For poor members who died without anyone to bury them, the society would arrange for a proper burial

•Gang fights between rival groups were common over the collection of protection money

•Activities of these societies upset life in Singapore and disrupted trade


b) The Abuses of the Coolie Trade

• Too poor to pay for passage from China to Singapore

• Coolie agents pay for their passage and sell them to employers

• Coolies must work to pay off their debts for a year or more

• Coolie-ships were ‘floating hells’

• Treated like human cargoes packed like hundreds of pigs kepts in baskets

• Overcrowding and insufficient food and water

• Contaminated food and water leading to cholera

• Locked up in houses when they arrived in Singapore

• Without consent, they were sent to neighbouring countries

• Coolie-agents also resorted to kidnapping due to high demands for coolies


c) Piracy

• Why piracy increased?

• Coming of the Europeans brought wealth and trade to region

• Upset the prosperous archipelago trade

• Strict laws of the European traders like the British and Dutch forced archipelago traders to turn to piracy as a more profitable form of business

• Geography of the region suitable for piracy

• Thousands of islands in Malay Archipelago separated by narrow straits where ships had to sail through slowly

• Coasts covered with mangrove swamps provided hideouts

• Avoid easy detectin and capture.


d) Improving Law and Order in early Singapore

• Employing more policemen with higher pay and proper training

• Employing capable officials who could speak Malay & dialects

• Setting up of Detective Branch in 1862 later renamed as the CID in 1931

• Setting up of Chinese protectorate with William Pickering as first Protector of Chinese

• Served in China and speak fluent dialects like Cantonese, Teochew, Hokkien and Foochow

• Registration of chinese societies

• Registration of coolie agents and lodging houses with frequent inspection

• Rescuing girls from brothels