ROLE OF TAMILS IN THE HISTORY OF SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE SURGES AHEAD

N.Nandhi Varman

Role of Tamils in history of Singapore

 “The second successful six year term of unanimous choice for President Sellappan Ramanathan of Singapore is a silent revolution. It denotes recognition could be earned by constitutional means by peace loving Tamils anywhere in the world” said Director of Pondicherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture Dr.Marudhanayagam. Pondicherry has many a contact with Singapore. The handloom weavers of Muthialpet for long had been exporting to Singapore. Pe.Tha.Rasan of Tirumalairayanpattinam of Karaikal region went to Singapore made a fortune and participated in that country’s politics. He wrote a monumental book Singaporin Varalatril Vazhukinra Thamizhargal. Pondicherry Chief Minister N.Rangasamy had lauded this book as “a fruit of many years toil and hard research “

  

Chinese named Singapore as Pu-luo-chung, which meant "island at the end of a peninsula" in third century. Javanese language book Nagarakretagama' of 1365 calls as Temasek, or Sea town. Vietnamese source for that name is there. But from 14th century Singapuram which means Lion City is commonly used indicating the predominance of Tamil settlers.

On 29 January 1819 Sir Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen landed in the island to establish a trading station at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula after having surveyed other nearby islands. Along with him came Narayana Pillai and Pe.Tha.Rasan records the contribution of Narayana Pillai in building of Singapore. Singapore proved to be a prized settlement. 

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 made Singapore a major port of call for ships navigating between Europe and East Asia. Rubber planting, especially after the 1870s made Singapore the main exporter for rubber in the world. At the end of the 19th century Singapore experienced unprecedented prosperity with eightfold trade expansion between 1873 and 1913. This prosperity attracted immigrants from countries around. The population grew to 80,792 by 1860 with Chinese 61.9 per cent the Malays and Indians 13.5 and 16.05 per cent respectively; and others, including the Europeans, 8.5 per cent.

Dravidian Movements impact on Singapore

 In that island nation the unity of the multi ethnic society did not come over night. It had been a long and strenuous period with visionaries shaping the destiny of that nation. Its Union with Malaya, subsequent independent nationhood, all was passing phases. In that phase the political movements of Tamil Nadu played an important role. Periyar visited Malaya in 1929 to inaugurate Malaya Tamil Congress. In later years after he parted company with Congress, Singapore Dravida Kazhagam and subsequently Singapore Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam came up as independent outfits. They were not extensions of the Tamil Nadu based political outfits. They were independent parties dedicated to the country and they never had extra territorial ambitions. Leaders like Anna advised Tamils to be loyal to the country of settlement. This mature guidance led to amalgamation of Tamils in that country’s national mainstream. Pe.Tha.Rasan was the General Secretary of Singapore Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. In his time even in Ceylon there was a separate Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam unit with A.S Manavaithambi as General Secretary, so was the case of Malaysia Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. They waning of the influence of Indian nationalists, communists and Dravidian movement in the South East Asian countries where Tamils went as settlers created a vacuum which was occupied by militancy in Srilanka, but in Malaya and Singapore though these parties lost relevance, the ground they prepared helped Tamils gaining national identity, Tamil language getting official language status, and now Tamil heading a multi ethnic country like Singapore.

As settlers from Europe amalgamated into American society Tamils and Indians became Singaporeans and Malaysians. Peace prevails in a multi linguistic and ethnic country unlike other places of turmoil. Immediately after independence doubts over its very survival were raised in international media. The pressing issues were unemployment, housing, education, lack of natural resources and lack of land.

Singapore lacked national unity among most of the population, with people still attached to their countries of origin. Chinese identifying as being from China, Indians from India and so on rather that were being citizens of Singapore. Singapore dealt with each of these problems separately.

 Its leaders decided that the population would need to be fluent in English and English was made the medium of education for all schools. Education, at least for primary schooling was made compulsory. The education system was designed to be rigorous and intensive, with emphasis on immediately practical, rather than intellectual, applications, such as on the technical sciences as opposed to political discussion or philosophy. A large portion, around one-fifth of Singapore's budget was devoted to education to facilitate a large and competent work force upon graduation.

 Language Policy Evolution in Tamil Nadu and Singapore

 It is pertinent to note that DMK founder C.N.Annadurai’s visit to Singapore and Malaysia in 1965 was an eye opener to the leader who later introduced the two language formula without diluting the importance of English. His visit and meeting with Lee Kuan Yew played an influential role in his later day policy perceptions on language as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

 The leadership of Lee Kuan Yew achieved a miracle. After dominating political scene for longest period in office now Lee is looking back at his past policies in a mode of introspection. 

In spite of all that Lee still has soft corner for his mother tongue. Lee expressed concern about the declining proficiency of Mandarin among younger Singaporeans. In one of his parliamentary speeches, he said: "Singaporeans must learn to juggle English and Mandarin". Subsequently, he launched a television program in January 2005, in an attempt to attract young viewers to learn Mandarin. In June 2005, Lee published a book, Keeping My Mandarin Alive, documenting his decades of effort to master Mandarin, a language which he said he had to re-learn due to disuse. The racial unity was fostered well during Lee Kuan Yew’s regime.

TAMIL PRESIDENT OF SINGAPORE

S.R.Nathan

Now an ethnic Tamil had been chosen for a second term. Mr. Sellapan Rama Nathan received a walkover on nomination Day i.e. 18 August 1999 for his first Presidential election. The Presidential Elections Committee said in the second Presidential election in August 18 2005 that Mr. Nathan has all the credentials for the office. “Not only is Mr. Nathan well regarded and respected for his public service, he is also a man of integrity, good character and reputation”.

The Tamil becoming unopposed again as President of Singapore has generated lot of interest in Pondicherry and  The students of Dr.Ambedkar Law college launched a signature campaign in various colleges to urge Pondicherry University to confer Honorary doctorate on S.R.Nathan citing the precedent of Maldives President getting doctorate from Pondicherry University at an earlier period. The author of the book that records all the services of Tamils in nation building of Singapore Pe.Tha.Rasan after 45 years in Singapore is back to Karaikal and presides over Kamban Kazhagam of Karaikal. It is irony of fate.

Courtesy: New Indian Express 17.09.2005