“Asian Review 017” ― Singapore part3ーSir Thomas Stamford Raffles and Singapore’s “Geopolitical Importance”
In 1818, Sir Raffles, deputy governor of the British colony in Sumatra, focused on the geopolitical importance of a fishing village with the population of 200 people called Singapura located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. He focused on this village because if a ship from Europe wanted to head east of the Malay Peninsula such as China, it must go through the Strait of Singapore. Also, it was the intersection of the line connecting Malaysia and Java (Indonesia), and the line connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
In 1819, Sir Raffles landed in Singapura by taking advantage of the turmoil inside the Kingdom of Johor. He proceeded with the colonial construction, and opened it as a free trade port. In 1824 under the agreement with the Netherlands, East India Company succeeded in the acquisition of Singapura. It became an official British territory.
Some books, such as “History of Singapore” by Ikuo Iwasaki, and “Why Singapore Continues to Succeed?” by Masahiro Mineyama, describe in detail why Raffles found the geopolitical importance of Singapore and the reason he made a great effort to establish a free trade port of the British Empire. There was a British strategy that was fighting hegemony with the Netherlands. It was said that Raffles, a diligent and hard worker, persuaded the top of the East India Company and grasped the local conditions in detail. With such actions, he advanced the policy to securing Singapore. It is clear that this free trade port contributed greatly as the foundation for Singapore’s subsequent development.
Along the North Boat Quay, a monument of Sir Raffles still stands proudly with his arms folded.
