The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew

by Lee Kuan Yew

In my last broadcast, I re-emphasised the point: “Had there been no drought in Johor and water shortage in Singapore over the last three months, the communists might well have switched their line … to independence for Singapore alone. But nature reminded them of the utter absurdity of such a move.” It had been an exceptionally dry year with little rain and none at all since June. At the end of August, the water pressure suddenly dropped, causing many factories to close temporarily and badly affecting big hotels. Our three main reservoirs were almost empty – one of them, Seletar, had elephant grass covering its floor. Water was rationed to six hours a day. There was no need to remind people that Singapore had had to surrender in 1942 because the Japanese had captured the reservoirs in Johor. Water rationing in 1961 could not be lifted until the end of January the following year. The elements had conspired to help convince people that merger was the rational solution to Singapore’s problems.

Strategic importance of water reserves from Johor Malaysia