| Proclamation of Singapore | |
|---|---|
 Proclamation of Singapore, published in the SingaporeGovernment Gazette No. 1824/1965 | |
| Created | 9 August 1965; 60 years ago (1965-08-09) |
| Location | National Archives of Singapore |
| Author | Edmund W. Barker |
| Signatories | Lee Kuan Yew |
| Purpose | Declaring Singapore's separation from Malaysia and its establishment as a fully sovereign state |
TheProclamation of Singapore[a] was the official declaration that markedSingapore's separation fromMalaysia and its emergence as anindependent andsovereign nation. The document was drafted byE. W. Barker,Minister for Law, and signed byLee Kuan Yew, the firstPrime Minister of Singapore, on 9 August 1965.[1] Its announcement marked the end of Singapore's status as a constituent state within the Federation of Malaysia, established on 16 September 1963, and signified the beginning of a new chapter of full sovereignty and national responsibility in both domestic governance and international affairs.
The Proclamation was broadcast nationwide overRadio Singapore at 10:00SST on the same day, with the official reading performed by announcer Steven Lee.[2] It was also published in theGovernment Gazette, reinforcing its legal and constitutional weight.[1] The original signed copy of the document is currently preserved in theNational Archives of Singapore, and remains an enduring artefact of the republic's founding moment.[3]
In 2015, to commemorateSingapore's 50th year of independence, a 2012 audio recording of the Proclamation read by Lee Kuan Yew was broadcast as part of the National Day celebrations.[2][4] Meanwhile, a distinct but related document, theProclamation on Singapore, was issued byTunku Abdul Rahman,Prime Minister of Malaysia, to formally acknowledge Singapore's independence. This Malaysian proclamation was appended to theIndependence of Singapore Agreement 1965 as an annex, affirming the bilateral and international recognition of Singapore's sovereign status.
