Malaysians in Singapore

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Malaysians in Singapore
Rakyat Malaysia di Singapura (Malay)
Total population
952,261 (2019) [1]
Regions with significant populations
Singapore
Languages
Singapore English, Malaysian English, Chinese (Cantonese, Min Chinese, Malaysian Mandarin), Malaysian Tamil and Malay
Related ethnic groups
Various ethnic groups of Malaysia

Malaysians in Singapore refers to citizens of Malaysia or Singaporean citizens of Malaysian origin residing in Singapore. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the community had a population of 952,261 in 2019, making them the world's largest Malaysian diaspora community. [1] The community is also the largest foreign community in Singapore, constituting 44% of the country's foreign-born population [2] [3] and an additional 350,000 Malaysians cross the Johor–Singapore Causeway daily for work and school in the city-state. [4]

Contents

Many Malaysians in Singapore are usually expatriates, working in various industries of the Singapore economy since its rapid industrialisation in the 1970s. [5] [6] Malaysia and Singapore sharing similar historical and cultural roots and as well as cross-border familial ties, are some of the reasons for the huge community of Malaysians in the country. [7] [8] [9] Other reasons include the country's proximity to Malaysia [10] and the high exchange rate of the Singapore dollar over the Malaysian ringgit. [11]

History

With both Malaysia and Singapore being part of British Malaya during the British colonial rule, the people of both countries share similar cultural and historic roots, with similar multiracial populations consisting of Malays, Chinese and Indians. [8] On September 16, 1963 Malaysia was formed by the merger of the Federation of Malaya with the former British colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore. However, on August 9, 1965, due to distrust and ideological differences between the leaders of Singapore and of the federal government of Malaysia, Singapore was expelled from Malaysia and became an independent republic. [12]

Malaysian migration to Singapore began in the mid 1960s to 1970s after Singapore's independence as the government focused on transforming Singapore's economy to a export-oriented one and a manufacturing hub. Singapore experienced rapid industrialisation and Malaysians has been the main source of foreign unskilled labour for the Singaporean workforce, especially in the manufacturing and service sectors. [3] [13] In the early 1970s, the government of Singapore focused on developing its electronics industry and services sector and most Malaysian workers were concentrated in those areas. [14] By the late the 1990s, however, the number of unskilled Malaysian labourers decreased and foreign labourers from other Southeast Asian states were hired to offset the labour shortage instead. [13] The outflow of skilled Malaysians, mostly to Singapore, was identified as a problem by the Malaysian government in 1995 and various programs such as the 1Malaysia initiative were introduced to counter the issue. [15]

Today, Malaysian migration includes a mix of both white-collar workers and blue-collar workers, with the Singaporean government actively encouraging highly skilled workers to settle in the country and offering scholarship programmes to attract students to its educational institutions. [13] [16]

Demographics

Population of Malaysians in Singapore from 1990 to 2019. [1]

During the 1990s, as Singapore moved to diversify its economy from a manufacturing-based one into a knowledge-based economy, the government relied more on foreign labour to offset Singapore's small local workforce. [17] This resulted in the population of the Malaysian community to increase from a total of 195,072 in 1990, to 431,854 in 1995, a 121% increase within a five year period. [18] By the late 1990s, there were 80,000 employment pass holders and another 450,000 on work permits, with majority being Malaysians, which constitutes 20% of the Singaporean workforce. [17] [19]

There was a gradual increase of Malaysians migrating to Singapore from 2000 to 2005, increasing from 710,434 individuals to 818,337. In 2010, the total population of Malaysians in Singapore increased to 971,827 and according to the World Bank, Singapore residents, both permanent residents and Singaporean citizens, of Malaysian origin was at a population of 385,979, accounting for 46% of the Malaysian diaspora. It was also estimated that 81% of Malaysian emigrants to all countries from that year were Malaysian Chinese, and 57% of those ethnic Chinese emigrated to Singapore. [20] [21] By 2015, the population of Malaysians was at 1,123,654, accounting for 20.3% of Singapore's 5,535,000 population for that year. [22]

As of 2019, there are 952,261 Malaysians or Singaporeans of partial or full Malaysian origin residing in Singapore. In addition to the permanent population in the country, about 350,000 Malaysians cross the Johor-Singapore Causeway daily to commute to work or school. [4] The community includes white-collar workers, blue-collar workers and students studying in the city-state. [23] Factors contributing to the huge community of Malaysians in Singapore includes a stronger Singaporean currency, [24] [25] Bumiputera-race based policies, [26] [27] cross border marriages and admittance of students into Singaporean educational institutions through the ASEAN scholarship programme provided by the Singaporean government. [13]

Notable people

Singaporeans of Malaysian origin are well represented in all levels of Singaporean society. [8] Many notable Singaporeans have either partial or full Malaysian origin, as Malaysia and Singapore were both under British colonial rule from the 1820s to 1950s. [28] Below is a list of notable Singaporeans of Malaysian origin and Malaysians living in Singapore.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore</span> City-state in maritime Southeast Asia

Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It is located about one degree of latitude north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bordering the Strait of Malacca to the west, the Singapore Strait to the south, the South China Sea to the east, and the Straits of Johor to the north. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet; the combined area of these has increased by 25% since the country's independence as a result of extensive land reclamation projects. It has the third highest population density in the world, although there are numerous green and recreational spaces as a result of urban planning. With a multicultural population and in recognition of the cultural identities of the major ethnic groups within the nation, Singapore has four official languages – English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. English is the lingua franca, with its exclusive use in numerous public services. Multi-racialism is enshrined in the constitution and continues to shape national policies in education, housing, and politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Singapore</span>

As of June 2021, the population of Singapore stands at 5.45 million. Of these 5.45 million people, 4 million are residents, consisting of 3.5 million citizens and 500,000 permanent residents (PRs). The remaining 1.45 million people living in Singapore are classed as non-residents, a group consisting mainly of foreign students and individuals on work passes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peranakans</span> Chinese-descended ethnic group of Southeast Asia

The Peranakans are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to maritime Southeast Asia, known as Nanyang, namely the British Colonial ruled ports in the Malay Peninsula, the Indonesian Archipelago as well as Singapore. Peranakan culture, especially in the dominant Peranakan centres of Malacca, Singapore, Penang, Phuket and Tangerang, is characterized by its unique hybridization of ancient Chinese culture with the local cultures of the Nusantara region, the result of a centuries-long history of transculturation and interracial marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johor Bahru</span> State capital city and district capital in Johor, Malaysia

Johor Bahru, colloquially referred to as JB, is the capital city of the state of Johor, Malaysia. It is located at the southern end of Peninsular Malaysia, along the north bank of the Straits of Johor, opposite the city-state Singapore. The city has a population of 858,118 people within an area of 391.25 km2. Johor Bahru, which is the second largest GDP contributor among first and second tier cities in Malaysia in 2010, forms the core of Iskandar Malaysia, a special economic zone encompassing southern Johor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malaysian Chinese</span> Malaysian citizens of Han Chinese ancestry

Malaysian Chinese, alternatively Chinese Malaysians, are Malaysian citizens of Han Chinese ethnicity. They form the second-largest ethnic group, after the Malay majority, and are 22.4% of the Malaysian population. Most of them are descendants of Southern Chinese immigrants who arrived in Malaysia between the early 19th and the mid-20th centuries. Malaysian Chinese form the second largest community of Overseas Chinese in the world, after Thai Chinese. Malaysian Chinese are traditionally dominant in the business sector of the Malaysian economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese Singaporeans</span> Ethnic group

Chinese Singaporeans are Singaporeans of Han Chinese descent. Chinese Singaporeans constitute 75.9% of the Singaporean citizen population according to the official census, making them the largest ethnic group in Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Singapore</span> Singaporean history

The history of the modern state of Singapore dates back to its founding in the early 19th century; however, evidence suggests that a significant trading settlement existed on the island in the 14th century. The last ruler of the Kingdom of Singapura, Parameswara, was expelled by the Majapahit or the Siamese before he founded Malacca. Singapore then came under the Malacca Sultanate and subsequently the Johor Sultanate. In 1819, British statesman Stamford Raffles negotiated a treaty whereby Johor will allow the British to locate a trading port on the island, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Crown colony of Singapore in 1867. Important reasons for the rise of Singapore were its nodal position at the tip of the Malay Peninsula flanked by the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the presence of a natural sheltered harbour, as well as its status as a free port.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore in Malaysia</span> 1963–1965 Singaporean statehood in Malaysia

Singapore, officially the State of Singapore, was one of the 14 states of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965. Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963 by the merger of the Federation of Malaya with the former British colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore. This marked the end of the 144-year British rule in Singapore which began with the founding of modern Singapore by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. At the time of merger, it was the smallest state in the country by land area, but the largest by population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larut Wars</span>

The Larut Wars were a series of four wars started in July 1861 and ended with the signing of the Pangkor Treaty of 1874. The conflict was fought among local Chinese secret societies over the control of mining areas in Perak which later involved rivalry between Raja Abdullah and Ngah Ibrahim, making it a war of succession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singaporean nationality law</span> History and regulations of Singaporean citizenship

Singaporean nationality law details the conditions by which a person holds Singapore nationality. The primary law governing nationality requirements is the Constitution of Singapore, which came into force on 9 August 1965.

Immigration to Singapore is the process by which people migrate to Singapore for the purpose of residing there—and where a majority go on to become permanent residents and Singaporean citizens. Singapore is an attractive destination especially in the region as it is a country with a strong currency that offers high living standards, including in education, work, wages and safety as well as an overall far higher quality of life compared to its neighbours. High-net-worth or skilled immigrants worldwide are also attracted to Singapore's low tax rates and ease of doing business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singaporeans in the United Kingdom</span> Ethnic group

Singaporeans in the United Kingdom may refer to people who have full or partial Singaporean origin or descent, born or settled in the United Kingdom, or Singaporeans in Britain which are high-income expatriate professionals as well as skilled workers, with many still maintaining close ties with Singapore, especially those who continue to retain Singaporean citizenship while having permanent residency in Britain, as well as students.

Filipinos in Singapore consists of citizens of the Philippines residing in Singapore or Singaporeans of Filipino descent. According to a 2013 estimate by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, a total of 203,243 Filipinos live or reside in the country, with 44,102 permanent residents or persons of Filipino descent who are not citizens of the Philippines within the community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singaporeans</span> Nation and citizenship category

Singaporeans are an ethnic group comprising citizens who identify themselves as a nation with the sovereign island city-state of Singapore. Singapore is a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-religious, and multi-lingual country. Singaporeans of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian descent have made up the vast majority of the population since the 19th century. The Singaporean diaspora is also far-reaching worldwide.

The Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, established in 1905, is the first institution of higher learning in Singapore and the genesis of the National University of Singapore. The School is one of many who offer medical programmes in the Asia Pacific region. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019 by subject and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2019 list NUS Medicine as the leading medical school in Asia. Its distinguished alumni include cabinet ministers of Singapore, well-known doctors and a Prime Minister of Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Overseas Singaporean</span>

Overseas Singaporeans refers to citizens or people who identify as a nation with the sovereign island city-state of Singapore that are living outside the borders of Singapore. Most Singaporeans overseas are high-income expatriates bringing their expertise or skills to other countries while accompanied by their families or students temporarily studying abroad.

Chinese nationals in Singapore refers to Chinese people who are of Chinese nationality residing in Singapore. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the community had a population of 451,481 in 2019, with 52,516 originating from Hong Kong and 18,820 from Macau, the 2 special administrative regions of China. The community of Chinese nationals are the 2nd largest foreign community in Singapore, constituting 18% of the country's foreign-born population.

Anarchism in Malaysia arose from the revolutionary activities of Chinese immigrants in British Malaya, who were the first to construct an organized anarchist movement in the country - reaching its peak during the 1920s. After a campaign of repression by the British authorities, anarchism was supplanted by Bolshevism as the leading revolutionary current, until the resurgence of the anarchist movement during the 1980s, as part of the Malaysian punk scene.

References

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Bibliography