Koon Yew Yin's Blog
Singapore’s rapid rise - Koon Yew Yin
Koon Yew Yin
Publish date: Mon, 15 Dec 2025, 04:33 PM
Malaysia was officially founded on 16 September 1963 with the formation of the Federation of Malaysia, which initially included:
Malaya (the 11 states on the peninsula) Singapore
Sabah (then called North Borneo) Sarawak
This union was created to bring together territories under one federation after independence from British colonial rule.
Timeline of Key Events
Why Singapore joined (1963): To gain independence from Britain while benefiting from a larger federation.
Why Singapore left (1965): Tensions over political representation, economic competition, and racial policies led to separation.
Bottom Line: Malaysia was founded on 16 September 1963 with Singapore included, but Singapore left just two years later on 9 August 1965 to become independent.
Singapore’s rapid rise from a poor, resource-scarce city-state in the 1960s to a global financial hub today is often explained by its guiding principles of Meritocracy, Pragmatism, and Honesty (MPH). These values shaped governance, economic policy, and social trust, enabling efficient leadership, disciplined development, and global competitiveness.
Why Singapore left (1965): Tensions over political representation, economic competition, and racial policies led to separation.
Bottom Line: Malaysia was founded on 16 September 1963 with Singapore included, but Singapore left just two years later on 9 August 1965 to become independent.
Singapore’s rapid rise from a poor, resource-scarce city-state in the 1960s to a global financial hub today is often explained by its guiding principles of Meritocracy, Pragmatism, and Honesty (MPH). These values shaped governance, economic policy, and social trust, enabling efficient leadership, disciplined development, and global competitiveness.
The MPH Formula Explained
How MPH Translated into Rapid Development
Economic Transformation: From a GDP per capita of less than USD 320 in the 1960s to over USD 60,000 today, about 190 times.
Global Trade Hub: Pragmatic policies turned Singapore into one of the busiest ports and aviation centres worldwide.
Education & Talent: Meritocracy ensured world class education and nurtured skilled professionals, fueling innovation.
Clean Governance: Honesty and anti-corruption measures made Singapore one of the least corrupt nations, boosting investor confidence.
Social Cohesion: Meritocracy and fairness helped maintain harmony in a multi-ethnic society.
Strategic Lessons
Adaptability: Pragmatism allowed Singapore to pivot quickly—e.g., from labour-intensive industries to high-tech and finance.
Trust Capital: Honesty built credibility, both domestically and internationally.
Talent Utilization: Meritocracy ensured that leadership and opportunities were based on competence, maximizing human capital.
Bottom Line: Singapore’s success story is not just about economic policies but about embedding MPH—Meritocracy, Pragmatism, and Honesty—into its governance and society. This formula created a virtuous cycle of trust, talent, and adaptability that propelled Singapore into first-world status within a few decades.
Economic Transformation: From a GDP per capita of less than USD 320 in the 1960s to over USD 60,000 today, about 190 times.
Global Trade Hub: Pragmatic policies turned Singapore into one of the busiest ports and aviation centres worldwide.
Education & Talent: Meritocracy ensured world class education and nurtured skilled professionals, fueling innovation.
Clean Governance: Honesty and anti-corruption measures made Singapore one of the least corrupt nations, boosting investor confidence.
Social Cohesion: Meritocracy and fairness helped maintain harmony in a multi-ethnic society.
Strategic Lessons
Adaptability: Pragmatism allowed Singapore to pivot quickly—e.g., from labour-intensive industries to high-tech and finance.
Trust Capital: Honesty built credibility, both domestically and internationally.
Talent Utilization: Meritocracy ensured that leadership and opportunities were based on competence, maximizing human capital.
Bottom Line: Singapore’s success story is not just about economic policies but about embedding MPH—Meritocracy, Pragmatism, and Honesty—into its governance and society. This formula created a virtuous cycle of trust, talent, and adaptability that propelled Singapore into first-world status within a few decades.
Ekonomi MADANI vs. Singapore’s MPH
Strategic Takeaways
Shared DNA: Both frameworks emphasize equity and pragmatism as pillars of resilience.
Governance Divergence: Malaysia’s model leans toward inclusivity and redistribution, while Singapore’s model leans toward efficiency and incorruptibility.
Global Positioning: Malaysia seeks to balance prosperity with fairness; Singapore prioritizes competitiveness and clean governance as its edge.
Bottom Line: Ekonomi MADANI and Singapore’s MPH formula share common ground in equity and pragmatism, but diverge in governance style—Malaysia focusing on inclusivity and redistribution, Singapore on efficiency and incorruptibility. Together, they illustrate two distinct pathways to national advancement in Southeast Asia.
Singapore consistently ranks as one of the least corrupt nations globally, scoring 84 out of 100 in Transparency International's 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), placing it third behind Denmark and Finland, and first in Asia, highlighting strong public sector integrity.
This consistent high ranking makes Singapore a leading example of integrity in the Asia Pacific region.
On February 11, 2025, Transparency International (TI) announced that Malaysia scored 50 points (50%) and ranked 57th out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). This ranking and score remained unchanged from 2023.
Official Website: Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia: General Contact Email (PMO): webmaster@pmo.gov.my
Official Website: Prime Minister’s Office Singapore: General Contact Email (PMO): contactus@pmo.gov.sg
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