Singapore held a grand ceremony on January 28 to mark the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles 200 years ago, an important turning point in Singapore’s modern history.
Statue of Sir Stamford Raffles in Singapore (Photo: Al Jazeera)
Singapore (VNA) – Singapore held a grand ceremony on January 28 tomark the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles 200 years ago, an important turningpoint in Singapore’s modern history.
Addressing at the event, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stressedthat Singapore’s history goes back hundreds of years before Stamford Raffleslanded on its shore, however, his arrival is billed as a “crucial turningpoint” that set Singapore on a trajectory leading to where it is today-amodern, outward-looking and multicultural society.
On the occasion, the PM called on his people to think of how the country canmove forward together.
“For we are never done building Singapore. It is every generation’s duty tokeep on building, for our children and for our future. So that in another 50 or100 years, Singaporeans not yet born will have a richer and greater SingaporeStory to tell, and one that we will have helped to write together”, he said.
Stamford Raffles went on an expedition andset his foot on Singapore on January 29, 1819. Seeing the island’s potential,he persuaded the Sultan of Johor to allow the British East India Company toestablish a trading post there, which then opened a new development chapter inthe country’s history.-VNA
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Statue of Sir Stamford Raffles in Singapore
