Singapore in the 1990s
The 1990s in Singapore was a time without smartphones, when messages were sent using pagers and internet access was via dial-up connections. Join librarian Rebecca Tan as she explores key personalities and events from the materials collected, preserved and made accessible by the National Library Board.
As I was born in 1997, I don’t have any memories of the notable events of the decade. However, with the help of the National Library Board’s rich collection of digitised newspapers, books and photographs, I was able to travel back in time and explore the key personalities and events that took place during the decade. Here are just four notable ones:
Goh Chok Tong Becomes Prime Minister
On 28 November of 1990, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew handed over the reins of leadership to Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. “The Next Lap” was a document that set out Singapore’s long-term development plans for the next 25 years. In 1991, it was published as a book titled Singapore: The Next Lap in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil.¹ The book was also released in other languages such as Japanese and German.²
Goh promised to deliver a more consultative style of government during his tenure. During his speech at the swearing-in ceremony, Goh called on Singaporeans to join him and “run the next lap together”.³
Singapore’s New President
In July 1999, President Ong Teng Cheong announced that he would not seek re-election. As the other two candidates were found ineligible to run, S.R. Nathan was elected unopposed and was sworn in as Singapore’s sixth president on 1 September 1999 (he was re-elected for a second term without contest on 17 August 2005).⁴
During his term as president, Nathan initiated the President’s Challenge in 2000, an annual community outreach and fundraising campaign for beneficiaries selected annually by the President’s Office.⁵
Changi Airport Terminal 2 Opens
Changi Airport Terminal 2 became operational on 22 November 1990 and was officially opened on 1 June 1991. All Singapore Airlines flights moved to the new terminal, along with several other carriers. The first flight to land at Terminal 2 was Singapore Airlines flight SQ23 from Amsterdam and Zurich.⁶
The new terminal had more than 100 shops and restaurants, a number of supermarkets, hair salons, banks, 56 dayrooms with ensuite bathrooms for travellers and even a business centre. Projected to handle 10 million passengers annually, it was envisaged to help ease congestion at Terminal 1.⁷
Asia’s Largest Oceanarium
Underwater World Singapore in Sentosa opened in May 1991. At the time of its opening, the tourist attraction was Asia’s largest oceanarium with more than 2,300 marine specimens. It cost over $20 million to build and included marine life from places such as the Maldives, Indonesia and the South China Sea.⁸
The highlight of the oceanarium was the 100-metre-long curved acrylic tunnel, which provided visitors with a unique viewing experience. “It is the ultimate way of viewing marine life because, instead of looking in from the outside, you actually become a part of the panorama,” said Tony Morrell, chief executive of Underwater World Sentosa.⁹
The oceanarium’s long list of notable visitors in the 1990s comprised royalty and various heads of state, including Hungarian Prime Minister Gyula Horn, President of the People’s Republic of China Jiang Zemin, President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso and Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.¹⁰
The oceanarium closed in June 2016 and its pink dolphins, fur seals and otters were re-homed at the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Zhuhai, China, while suitable new locations were found for the other animals.¹¹
Digitisation and Preservation
The National Library Board (NLB) is the official custodian of Singapore’s published and documentary heritage, archival materials of national and historical significance, government records and broadcast archives. As part of the Libraries and Archives Blueprint 2025, NLB aims to collect, preserve and make accessible digital content about Singapore.
After trawling through all the digitised materials relating to the 1990s, I was able to explore and have a better insight into the decade when I was born. Through NLB’s digitisation and preservation efforts, successive generations of Singaporeans can access a treasure trove of memories and stories.
Rebecca Tan is an Associate Librarian (Children and Teens) at the Toa Payoh Public Library. Previously, she was part of the Digital Heritage team at the National Library, where she worked on curating and promoting access to the library’s digital collections.
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[1] Singapore: The Next Lap (Singapore: Times Editions, 1991), 13. (From National Library, Singapore, call no. RSING 959.5705 SIN-[HIS]); “Government Unveils Its Vision of a Future Singapore,” Straits Times, 23 February 1991, 3. (From NewspaperSG)
[2] “Japanese ‘Must Strengthen Ties with Asian Nations’,” Straits Times, 26 March 1992, 22; “Kohl to Visit Singapore in Late October,” Straits Times, 8 May 1992, 25. (From NewspaperSG)
[3] Bertha Henson, “PM Goh’s Plan for S’pore,” Straits Times, 29 November 1990, 1; Jacky Ho, “My Mission: To Keep Singapore Thriving and Growing,” Straits Times, 29 November 1990, 21. (From NewspaperSG)
[4] Zuraidah Ibrahim, “Nathan Elected President,” Straits Times, 19 August 1999, 1. (From NewspaperSG)
[5] “What We Do,” President’s Challenge, last updated 29 September 2022.
[6] “SIA Flight from Europe First To Use Terminal 2,” Straits Times, 22 November 1990, 22. (From NewspaperSG)
[7] Leong Chan Teik, “Sneak Preview of Terminal 2,” Straits Times Weekly Overseas Edition, 13 October 1990, 6. (From NewspaperSG)
[8] “Underwater World Scores with Range of Marine Life,” Straits Times, 14 May 1991, 1. (From NewspaperSG)
[9] Jacqueline Wong, “Sentosa Oceanarium Will Be Asia’s Biggest,” Straits Times (Overseas Edition), 15 October 1988, 7. (From NewspaperSG)
[10] Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Visits Singapore Underwater World, 16 April 1996, photograph, Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, National Archives of Singapore (media-image no. 19990000216–0039); Hungarian Prime Minister Gyula Horn Visits Sentosa, 18 April 1997, photograph, Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, National Archives of Singapore (media-image no. 19990000345–0037); President of People’s Republic of China Jiang Zemin Visits Sentosa, 10 November 1994, photograph, Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, National Archives of Singapore (media-image no. 19990000125–0091); President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso Visits Sentosa, 25 May 1996, photograph, Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, National Archives of Singapore (media-image no. 19990000224–0119)
[11] Melissa Lin, “Crowds Throng Underwater World on Its Last Day of Operations”, Straits Times, 26 June 2016.
