20 unforgettable events that defined S’pore over the last two decades
As Singapore celebrates its 61st National Day while Stomp turns 20, we’re taking a trip down memory lane. Check out more stories of nostalgia, rage, madness and the biggest headlines on our microsite.
The past two decades in the Little Red Dot have been anything but quiet.
From landmark elections and billion-dollar developments to national milestones and once-in-a-generation events, these moments sparked conversations, dominated headlines and became part of Singapore’s collective memory.
Here are 20 unforgettable events that defined the nation over the past two decades.
PM Lee Hsien Loong passes first General Election as PM
Held in 2006, the General Election marked the first time then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong led the The People’s Action Party (PAP), after taking over from Goh Chok Tong in 2004.
PAP secured 66.6 per cent of the popular vote and won 83 of 84 seats.
The election also saw the launch of opposition rallies that drew large crowds, and a greater use of the internet in campaigning — setting the stage for a more politically engaged electorate in the years ahead.
Singapore welcomes the inaugural Formula 1 night race
Singapore became the first country in the world to host a Formula 1 race at night when the Singapore Grand Prix debuted in 2008.
The dazzling Marina Bay Street Circuit quickly became one of the sport’s most iconic venues, boosting tourism and cementing Singapore’s reputation as a global events destination.
The race was also remembered for the infamous “Crashgate” scandal involving Renault.
Navigating the Great Recession
The global financial crisis in 2009 triggered Singapore’s worst recession since independence. Exports plunged, businesses struggled and unemployment rose as economies worldwide slowed.
The Government rolled out a $20.5 billion Resilience Package, including wage support for employers, to protect jobs and help businesses weather the downturn.
Singapore returned to growth in 2010, recording one of its strongest economic rebounds.
Opening of Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands
Singapore’s skyline and tourism landscape changed dramatically in 2010 with the opening of Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands.
The integrated resorts brought casinos, luxury hotels, attractions and convention facilities, drawing millions of visitors each year.
While the projects generated debate over gambling, they also transformed Singapore into one of Asia’s leading tourism and entertainment hubs.
Singapore hosts the Inaugural Youth Olympic Games
The Republic made history by hosting the first-ever Youth Olympic Games in August 2010.
More than 3,500 young athletes from over 200 countries competed across 26 sports.
Beyond the competition, the games promoted cultural exchange and Olympic values, while showcasing Singapore’s ability to host major international sporting events.
GE2011: The ‘watershed’ election
Widely regarded as Singapore’s “watershed election”, the 2011 General Election marked a turning point in the nation’s political landscape.
The PAP recorded its lowest vote share since independence at 60.1 per cent, while the Workers’ Party made history by winning Aljunied GRC – the first GRC captured by an opposition party.
These results reflected voters’ growing desire for more diverse voices in Parliament and signalled a shift in the country’s political climate.
First HDB flat to be sold for $1 million
A 1,615sqft executive apartment at Block 149 Mei Ling Street in Queenstown became Singapore’s first Housing Board flat to sell for $1 million in 2012, fetching exactly $1,000,000 and was located around the 16th to 18th floor.
Shortly after, in October 2012, a second million-dollar milestone was crossed when an executive maisonette at Block 194 Bishan Street 13 was sold for $1.01 million.
These early landmark transactions sparked widespread debate over public housing affordability and paved the way for increasingly common million-dollar HDB sales in the years that followed, especially in prime locations with long remaining leases.
Little India Riot
Singapore witnessed its first riot in more than 40 years when violence broke out in Little India on Dec 8, 2013 after a fatal traffic accident involving a private bus and in Indian national.
The incident prompted a Committee of Inquiry and led to tighter measures, including restrictions on alcohol sales in public areas.
The passing of founding PM Lee Kuan Yew
Singapore came to a standstill after the death of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on March 23, 2015, aged 91.
Hundreds of thousands queued for hours to pay their respects during a week of national mourning, while millions around the world watched the State Funeral.
His passing marked the end of an era and prompted reflection on the nation’s remarkable transformtation since independence.
Botanic Gardens named UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Singapore Botanic Gardens became the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2015.
Founded in 1859, the 82-hectare gardens were recognised for their historical significance and contributions to tropical botany and rubber cultivations.
The honour placed Singapore alongside some of the world’s most treasured cultural and natural landmarks, and remains the country’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site today.
Joseph Schooling bags Singapore’s first Olympic gold
Singapore witnessed sporting history when Joseph Schooling stunned the world at the 2016 Rio Olympics, beating his childhood idol Michael Phelps to win the men’s 100m butterfly on August 13, 2016.
His victory secured Singapore’s first-ever Olympic gold medal and sparked nationwide celebrations.
Thousands turned up to cheer Schooling on when he made his victory parade in Singapore in an open-top bus that travelled from Old Airport Road to Raffles City.
Halimah Yacob becomes Singapore’s first female president
Singapore made history when Halimah Yacob became its first female president.
Sworn in as the nation’s eighth president in 2017 following the Republic’s first reserved election for Malay candidates, her appointment marked a milestone in the country’s political landscape.
To contest, she had to resign from her position as a Member of Parliament — but her rival candidates failed to meet eligibility criteria, leading to her walkover victory.
The Oxley Road dispute dominates headlines
In 2017, a public disagreement between then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his siblings, Lee Hsien Yang and the late Lee Wei Ling, over the fate of their late father Lee Kuan Yew’s Oxley Road home became one of Singapore’s most closely watched political and family disputes.
The site was gazetted as a national monument on Dec 13, 2025.
The government formally acquired 38 Oxley Road on July 31, with the National Heritage Board committing to “undertake a detailed study of the site and the options for how it can be developed into a public space in a manner that respects Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes for privacy”.
NDP ‘middle finger kid’ goes viral
A young boy from Henry Park Primary School became an internet sensation overnight after television cameras captured him raising his middle finger during the 2017 National Day Parade. The brief moment quickly spread online, spawning countless memes and becoming one of Singapore’s most memorable viral clips.
Following the incident, the school released a statement saying the boy was “deeply apologetic” and had been counselled on his faux pas.
Jewel Changi Airport opens its doors in 2019
Jewel Changi Airport opened to the public in April 2019 before its grand opening in October. The 135,700 sqm complex boasts the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, the iconic Rain Vortex.
Combining retail, dining, nature and entertainment, the development quickly became one of Singapore’s most popular attractions for both locals and tourists.
It has been featured in one of British band Coldplay’s music videos and has been the subject of many cheeky online comments from netizens claiming it as part of their homeland.
Covid-19 reshapes Singapore — from Circuit Breaker to a new prime minister
The Covid-19 pandemic transformed life in Singapore, from the Circuit Breaker that shut schools and workplaces in 2020 to the country’s eventual shift towards living with the virus as endemic.
The period also saw the first General Election held under pandemic restrictions, where the Workers’ Party made historic gains — winning its second Group Representative Constituency in Sengkang — and Pritam Singh became Singapore’s first official Leader of the Opposition.
Lawrence Wong was subsequently chosen in 2022 to lead the 4G team and succeed Lee Hsien Loong as prime minister.
Parliament repeals Section 377A
After years of public debate and advocacy, Parliament voted to repeal Section 377A of the Penal Code on November 29, 2022, ending the criminalisation of sex between men in Singapore.
At the same sitting, constitutional amendments were passed to protect Parliament’s authority to define marriage — a union between a man and a woman — marking one of the country’s most significant social and legal milestones in recent years.
Deadly turbulence on Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321
Passengers described scenes of chaos after Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 from London to Singapore encountered extreme turbulence over the Irrawaddy River, Myanmar, on May 21, 2024.
The plane eventually made an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, at around 3.45pm local time. The Boeing 777 operating the flight was carrying 18 crew members and 211 passengers. A 73-year-old British man was the only fatality on the flight that left 79 others injured.
A relief flight carrying 131 passengers and 12 crew members was dispatched the next morning.
Migrant workers lauded as heroes for River Valley fire rescue efforts
Singapore mourned the death of a 10-year-old Australian girl after a fire broke out at a children’s cooking school in a River Valley shophouse on April 8, 2025. There were 21 others injured in the fire, including adults aged between 23 and 55, and children aged between six and 10.
Amid the tragedy, migrant workers working nearby risked their own lives by climbing ladders to rescue children trapped on the upper floors — one worker estimated he had saved about 10 children, but could not reach three.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the following day that fire safety breaches were found in the shophouse.
Yishun murder over neighbour noise dispute
On Sept 24, 2025, Nguyen Phuong Tra, a 30-year-old Vietnamese woman was allegedly stabbed to death by her 66-year-old neighbour Koh Ah Hwee following a long-running dispute over noise.
Koh was accused of killing her outside a unit on the sixth floor of Block 323 Yishun Central. Tra’s husband also suffered serious injuries while attempting to stop Koh.
The case drew national attention after it emerged that she had applied for mediation in June 2025, but it did not proceed because Koh allegedly did not respond, sparking discussions about neighbour disputes and conflict resolution.
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