Incumbents

Events

30 May – The 1959 General Elections was held. Lee Kuan Yew was elected as Prime Minister of Singapore.^[1]^[2]

3 June – The 1958 State of Singapore Constitution is adopted, allowing for self-governance in Singapore.^[3]
5 June – The first Cabinet is sworn into power.^[4]
8 June – A campaign against decadent lifestyles is launched.^[5]
20 June – The Ministry of National Development will start a team with seven Assembly members from 22 June, with many departments to be consolidated under MND. The Singapore Improvement Trust will also be brought under the Ministry in future.^[6]
25 June – The Ministry of National Development forms the Primary Production Department to better serve farmers and fishermen.^[7]^[8]

23 October – Various departments of the City Council and Rural Board will be absorbed into the Ministry of National Development, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labour and Law.^[9]

3 December – Encik Yusof bin Ishak is sworn in as Singapore's second Yang di-Pertuan Negara.^[10] On the same day, the National Flag of Singapore,^[11] the Coat of arms of Singapore and the national anthem, Majulah Singapura, are unveiled.
12–17 December – Singapore participates in the 1959 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, the first SEAP event. It came in fourth with 33 medals.

9 February – Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Trade and Industry.
26 February – Lim Hwee Hua, former politician, first woman in Singapore's Cabinet.
26 March – K. Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law.
24 June – Raymond Lim, former politician.

^ "LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY GENERAL ELECTION 1959". Singapore Elections. Archived from the original on 29 November 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
^ "1959 Legislative Assembly General Election". NLB. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
^ "1958 State of Singapore Constitution is adopted". NLB. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
^ "The First Cabinet is sworn in". NLB. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
^ "Campaign against yellow culture is launched". NLB. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
^ "Ong sets up seven-man team to hear grouses from the public". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 21 June 1959. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
^ "Dr. THAM IS HEAD OF NEW DEPT. OF PRIMARY PRODUCTION". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 26 June 1959. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
^ "Primary Production Department is formed". NLB. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
^ "Three Ministries absorb Council departments". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 24 October 1959. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
^ "Yusof bin Ishak". National Library Board. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
^ Singapore State Arms and Flag and National Anthem Ordinance 1959 (No. 70 of 1959), now the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Act (Cap. 296, 1985 Rev. Ed.).

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