I am very happy to be here at Gardens by the Bay this morning to break ground for the Founders’ Memorial. This memorial honours our founding leaders and our nation-building journey. It will tell the story of how they overcame the odds to build a strong, united and independent Singapore; how they led the people of Singapore through successive battles first against colonialism, then communism, and finally communalism; and how they then built a nation based on the values and ideals embodied in the Pledge, launching us on the journey that has led to the Singapore we see today.
After World War II, the generation of Singaporeans who had survived the Japanese Occupation decided to take their future in their own hands. They were determined to be rid of the British colonial masters, and instead to be governed by themselves, for themselves. It was a time of great ferment and excitement, upheaval and anticipation.
There was intense political contestation, as different groups propounded diverse ideologies and views of Singapore’s future. But representatives of all political parties came together in the anti-colonial struggle, and settled the terms for decolonisation with the British government. In 1959, the Colony of Singapore became the State of Singapore.
We were now a self-governing state, though not yet a fully independent country. A general election was held, and for the first time, the People’s Action Party (PAP), led by Mr Lee Kuan Yew, was elected to power. On June 5, 1959,.