Three of Singapore’s landmark laws – the Citizenship Ordinance, the Women’s Charter, the Employment Act – now feature in new NLB exhibition
About seven decades ago, the identity and legal status of Singapore citizens did not exist, wives in Singapore were not treated as equal partners in marriage, and Singapore’s archaic employment laws were unsuited for a modern industrial economy. But all this changed with the introduction of three laws which will be featured in a refreshed exhibition by the National Library Board (NLB).
Opening to the public tomorrow (5 July 2024), the “Laws of Our Land: Foundations of a New Nation” exhibition puts a spotlight on the Citizenship Ordinance, the Women’s Charter, and the Employment Act. Through the 37 artefacts on display and new interactive features that will allow visitors to engage with characters such as a girl servant also known as mui tsai and a citizen voter in the 1959 general elections, visitors will learn about the historical circumstances that led to the passing of these laws.
The 37 artefacts are from the collections of the National Archives of Singapore (NAS), the National Library (NL) and partner institutions1, and includes the Supreme Court’s copies of these laws with original signatures of the Head of State. Visitors can also look forward to other digital elements in the exhibition, including interactive games, a digital rack of union magazines, and video screenings of key moments in Singapore’s journey to nationhood.
The exhibition is located at the former Chief Justice’s Chamber and Office in the Supreme Court Wing of National Gallery Singapore, the same historic space that housed NLB’s previous exhibition, “Law of the Land: Highlights of Singapore's Constitutional Documents” which explored the history of Singapore’s constitutional development from a British settlement to a sovereign republic. The space was offered to NLB by National Gallery Singapore and hosted the exhibition from October 2016 to January 2024. NLB is pleased to continue this partnership with National Gallery Singapore to present the refreshed exhibition, “Laws of Our Land: Foundations of a New Nation”.
NLB’s Chief Executive Officer Ng Cher Pong said: “As the key memory institution in Singapore, NLB aims to make history, including on the nation’s landmark laws, accessible to the wider public through this exhibition. This is in line with our LAB25 (Libraries and Archives Blueprint 2025) goal to be Singapore’s Storyteller, to bring more areas of our history to light and to inspire more to be storytellers too.”
Admission to the exhibition is free for all visitors. National Gallery Singapore is open daily from 10am to 7pm. Please visit https://www.nationalgallery.sg/admissions for more information. Visitors can also participate in guided tours of the exhibition.
Please refer to Annexes A and B for more information on the exhibition highlights and upcoming guided tours.
1Partner institutions are the Supreme Court and National Museum Singapore.
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About National Library Board
The National Library Board (NLB) nurtures Readers for Life, Learning Communities and a Knowledgeable Nation by promoting reading, learning and history through its network of 28 libraries, the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore. NLB also forges strategic partnerships that encourage awareness, appreciation and greater discovery of Singapore's history through its rich collections on Singapore and the region.
NLB achieves excellence through innovation, focusing on citizen engagement and co-creation, resource and digital innovation. This creates learning opportunities, greater access to library resources, services, and archival collections, as well as a continual development of innovative library spaces. Established on 1 September 1995 as a statutory board, NLB is under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).
For more information, please visit the NLB website, and NLB’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube channels.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Quah Jia Ling
Weber Shandwick
Tel: +65 9699 0830
Email: jquah@webershandwick.com
Cheyenne Chia
Weber Shandwick
Tel: +65 8298 4882
Email: cchia@webershandwick.com
Annex A — Highlights of the exhibition
Item | Details |
Women's Charter |
|
The Women’s Charter from State of Singapore Ordinances, Nos. 1–33 of 1961
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The Women’s Charter, passed on 30 May 1961, was a pioneering legislation that gave expression to the rights of women by introducing a unitary monogamous law governing civil marriages and consolidating previous legislation pertaining to the protection of girls and women. |
Civil Marriage Register Book, 1960 |
One of the key areas the Women’s Charter addressed was the diversity of Singapore’s marriage practices with regard to marriages prior to its introduction. It was not until the passing of the Women’s Charter that monogamy and compulsory registration of civil marriages was made compulsory. |
Identification Card of a Mui Tsai, 1930s |
The Women’s Charter incorporated the legislation relating to the protection of women and girls, one of which had its roots in the 1930s as the Mui Tsai Ordinance.
|
Employment Act |
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Employment Act from Republic of Singapore Acts, Nos. 1–47 of 1968 |
The Employment Act of 1968 was significant as a comprehensive consolidation of Singapore's labour laws and also laid foundations for Singapore's economic future.
|
Chinese Immigrants Ordinance, 23 March 1877, from Straits Settlements Government Gazette (January–June, 1877)
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After becoming a crown colony in 1867, the Straits Settlements experienced greater British political intervention. Chinese immigration was rising rapidly and so were instances of abuse and disorder, such as overcrowded steamers of coolies, kidnappings of xin ke (new immigrants) and riots by samsengs (gangsters) from secret societies. |
Singapore Traction Company Employees Union Suara
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The Singapore Traction Company (STC) ran tram, trolleybus and motor bus operations in Singapore from 1925 to 1971.
|
Citizenship Ordinance |
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Singapore Citizenship Ordinance, from Colony of Singapore Ordinances, Nos. 1–47 of 1957
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The Singapore Citizenship Ordinance of 1957 was a landmark legislation in Singapore’s nation-building history. Passed on 21 Oct 1957, it introduced the legal status of Singapore citizens which did not exist before. Prior to this, Singapore’s multiethnic peoples were either British or foreign subjects. It also marked the first time that our people pledged allegiance to Singapore.
|
White Paper on Education Policy
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Presented at the Legislative Assembly in April 1956, this white paper marked the culmination of intense public debates on Singapore’s education policy. British efforts to forge a common Malayan identity in Singapore through cultural integration in education had stirred widespread concern, especially among the Chinese, about the survival of vernacular education and culture. |
Poster showing elected assemblymen in 1959 General Election
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This poster shows the 51 people elected as Legislative Assembly members in the 1959 general election. A portrait of each elected Assembly member is displayed together with their constituency. |
Annex B — Guided Tours
Programme Title |
Details |
“Laws of Our Land: Foundations of a New Nation” Curator’s Tour |
On the third Friday of every month at 5.30pm – 6.30pm |
The “Laws of Our Land: Foundations of a New Nation” exhibition will also be included in National Gallery Singapore’s docent-led building history tours.