Ministry of Foreign Affairs is established

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) was established shortly after Singapore separated from Malaysia and became an independent state on 9 August 1965.^[1] S. Rajaratnam, who was then the Minister for Culture, was also appointed as independent Singapore’s first foreign minister.^[2] The office of the MFA was first located at City Hall.^[3] The first foreign affairs act of the newly independent state was to name businessman Ko Teck Kin as Singapore's first high commissioner to Malaysia.^[4] The first diplomatic mission was established in Kuala Lumpur on 6 September 1965.^[5]

The immediate concern of the fledgling ministry was to secure the widest possible international recognition for the independence and sovereignty of Singapore.^[6] This was afforded by the admission of Singapore as the 117th member of the United Nations (UN) on 21 September 1965, with Abu Bakar bin Pawanchee, the first permanent secretary of the MFA, as Singapore's first permanent representative to the UN.^[7] Other highlights of the initial years include the admission of Singapore as the 22nd member of the Commonwealth on 15 October 1965, as well as the formation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Singapore is a founding member, on 8 August 1967.^[8]

Priority was given to the cultivation of friendly international relations with key countries. Between 1966 and 1969, diplomatic missions were opened in cities such as London, Phnom Penh, Canberra, Wellington, Bangkok, Washington D. C, Cairo, New Delhi, Jakarta, Tokyo and Manila.^[9] Within the same four-year period, the number of foreign missions in Singapore had increased from 3 to 36 full diplomatic missions and 14 consular missions.^[10]

References
1. State of Singapore. Government Gazette Extraordinary. (1965, August 9). (G. N. 1825). Singapore: [s.n.]. Call no.: RCLOS 959.57 SGG.
2. State of Singapore, 9 Aug 1965; Raja is named Foreign Minister. (1965, August 10). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG .
3. Foreign ministry at City Hall. (1965, August 26). The Straits Times, p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
4. Envoys named. (1965, August 11). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
5. Jamal and Ko hand in their credentials. (1965, September 7). The Straits Times, p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. Nathan, S. R. (2008). Singapore's foreign policy: beginnings and future (p. 19). Singapore: MFA Diplomatic Academy. Call no.: RSING 327.5957 NAT.
7. Singapore becomes member of UN. (1965, September 23). The Straits Times, p. 18. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Liu, G. (2005). The Singapore foreign service: The first 40 years (p. 33). Singapore: Editions Didier Millet. Call no.: RSING q327.5957 LIU.
8. Singapore. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (2012). History and achievements. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: http://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/aboutmfa/history_and_achievements.html
9. Liu, 2005, p. 43; Kwa, C. G. (Ed.). (2006). S Rajaratnam on Singapore: From ideas to reality (p. 28). Singapore: World Scientific Publishing and Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies. Call no.: RSING 327.5957 S.
10. Liu, 2005, p. 45.