The island of Singapore, part of Johor, is ceded in 1819 to the British East Indian Company and it becomes a British protectorate. Britain merges in 1826 its colonies in present-day Malaysia and Singapore (Malacca, Penang, Singapore) into the Colony of Straits Settlements. The colony is administered by the British East India Company until 1858, is part of British India until 1867 and becomes a seperate crown colony in 1867. Between 1942 and 1945 the Straits Settlements are occupied by Japan.

Malacca and Penang merge in 1946 into the Federation of Malaya. Singapore becomes at that moment a seperate separate crown colony. Singapore is granted self-government in 1948, completed in 1955, and an own parliament. David Saul Marshall of the Labour Front (LF) becomes the first chief minister. He is succeeded in 1956 by Tun Lim Yew Hock. In 1959 the People's Action Party (PAP) of Lee Kwan Yew seizes power and although Singapore has a democratic constitution the opposition doesn't have a fair chance at elections. The crown colony becomes the State of Singapore in 1959, an autonomous British dependency. In 1963 Singapore joins the new independent federation of Malaysia. It withdraws from the federation in 1965 and the Republic of Singapore is proclaimed. Lee remains prime minister until 1990. That year he is succeeded by Goh Chok Tong. Goh rules the country until 2004, when he is succeeded by the son of Lee, Lee Hsien Loong.