With intensive usage of media, campaigns are launched to achieve certain particular goals, usually in a political, social or commercial sense. Sometimes, a campaign represents an era, and some of its posters go on to become iconic representations that are even remembered after decades. One of the examples is the United States’ “I Want You For U.S. Army” poster in 1917.

Campaigns are meant to have a long term impact. However, human errors, wrong judgement or a lack of foresight during the introduction of campaigns can sometimes lead to failures or even disasters to the country. In 1958, the new China launched the Four Pests Campaign in a bid to eliminate rats, flies, mosquitoes and sparrows. The sparrows were targeted because they ate the farmers’ grain seeds. In a short time, millions of Chinese were mobilised for the campaign. Sparrows, as well as other birds, were shot, with their nests and eggs destroyed. Soon, the Chinese government realised that, besides eating grains, sparrows were also natural predators to many insects. It was too late then. By 1960, rice farms in China were swarmed by locusts, leading to the Great Chinese Famine in which millions died of starvation.

Singapore had launched over 200 campaigns in the seventies and eighties. Many of these campaigns had positive effects, even till today, such as water-saving, anti-smoking and anti-littering. Below are some of the most memorable Singapore campaigns of the past.

National Courtesy Campaign (1979-2001)

Started by the Ministry of Culture (later Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, and now Ministry of Communications and Information) in June 1979, the objective of the campaign was to promote a pleasant living environment filled with kind, considerate and polite Singaporeans.

The courtesy campaign was actually kicked off much earlier in the seventies, when Singapore was focusing in developing its tourism sector. Launched by the Singapore Tourism Promotion Board (STPB) to encourage Singaporeans to be polite to the tourists, the successful campaign was “extended” to all aspects so that courtesy and thoughtfulness could be spontaneous characteristics in Singaporeans’ everyday life.

In 1982, the National Courtesy Campaign adopted Singa the Courtesy Lion as their official mascot to replace their Smilely logo. Singa went on to become one of Singapore’s most recognisable mascots in the eighties and nineties, and the designer even added a female companion and three little cubs for Singa in 1987.

Since its debut, the National Courtesy Campaign has introduced many catchy slogans. The first was “Courtesy is our way of life. Make courtesy our way of life.” in 1979, while other popular ones included “A little thought means so much. Bring on a smile. Say “Please/Thank You” (1985) and “Courtesy begins with me” (1989).

A song named “Make courtesy our way of life” was also composed in 1980 by De Souza J.J.

“Courtesy is for free,

Courtesy is for you and me.

It makes for gracious living and harmony.

Giving a friendly smile,

Helping out where we can.

Trying hard to be polite all the time.

Courtesy is for free,

Courtesy is for you and me.

It makes for gracious living and harmony.

Living could be a treat,

If people are awfully sweet.

Courtesy could be our way of life.

It is rude to be abusive,

Just to prove we’re right.

Instead we could be nice about it if we tried.

Courtesy is for free,

Courtesy is for you and me.

It makes for gracious living and harmony.

Living could be a treat,

If people are awfully sweet.

Courtesy could be our way of life.

Make courtesy our way of life!”

The music clip is available at http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/music/music/track/ebdd7595-bd86-4f7c-8b4d-f7f9c47e83b0.

In March 2001, the National Courtesy Campaign was officially replaced by the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM). Former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong highlighted in the New Year of 1996 that Singapore aimed to become a gracious society by the 21st century.

Stop At Two (1970-1986)

The poster with two sisters sharing an apple under an umbrella was perhaps the most iconic media representing Singapore’s population control campaign of the seventies and eighties.

After the Second World War, Singapore experienced a post-war baby boom. Overcrowding became a social issue, leading to various problems in housing, education, medical and sanitation. After Singapore’s independence, former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was concerned that the uncontrolled growing population would put stress on the economy of a developing Singapore. Thus, the National Family Programme was launched with the Family Planning and Population Board (FPPB) established in 1966.

The campaign reached its peak after 1970, when abortion and sterilisation were legalised. Women deemed low-educated with low incomes were urged to go for sterilisation after their second child, and a range of disincentives, such as lesser benefits in maternity leaves, housing allocations, tax deductions and children’s educations, was implemented for those had three or more. The campaign also aimed to discourage families to stop trying for a boy after having two girls.

It was perceived that the “Stop At Two” campaign was targeted at the uneducated batch of citizens who were deemed to contribute lesser to the economy. The introduction of the Graduate Mothers’ Scheme in 1984 provided further proof when the government encouraged the male Singaporeans to choose higher-educated wives and gave out more incentives for higher-educated mothers to have three or more children. Causing an uproar in the public and press, the scheme was eventually scrapped a year later.

The Graduate Mothers’ Scheme was the beginning of the reversal of the population control scheme. In 1986, the Family Planning and Population Board was abolished, and a new campaign “Have Three or More, if you can afford it” was launched. It was predicted that Singapore’s birth rate would recover by 1995. But it never did.

Some critics note that even without the population control campaigns, Singapore’s birth rate would still decline as the society became more developed. The rising number of higher-educated individuals who were less willing to start a family at an early age would be unavoidable. In any case, it was obvious that the campaign had lasting effects even till today. In recent years, the government relaxed its immigration policy in a bid to battle against an aging population and a shrinking workforce in Singapore, a move that proves to be hugely unpopular among the Singaporeans.

Speak Mandarin Campaign (since 1979)



The Speak Mandarin Campaign was officially started in September 1979 by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Originally designed as a ten-year program, the campaign was headed by Dr Ow Chin Hock and was targeted at the Singaporean Chinese, which made up almost 3/4 of the country’s population.

The early Chinese immigrants in Singapore largely came from the southern provinces of China, and spoke mainly in dialects such as Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka, Hainanese and Hockchew. In the 19th century, different Chinese communities often clashed against each others over territories and businesses. One of the major conflicts was the Hokkien-Teochew Riots in 1854, which lasted 10 days and caused 500 casualties. The differences between the various dialect groups became less defined by the late 1930s, when the oversea Chinese united together to aid China financially against the invasion of Japan.

In the late seventies, English was determined as the mainstream for a bilingual education in Singapore, with “mother tongue” used as the second language. Mandarin was deemed as the mother tongue for all Singaporean Chinese. Slogans and posters were put up in public places, while civil servants were ordered not to use dialects during working hours. Parents were encouraged to use hanyu pinyin names for their children, instead of names in dialects. Dramas, movies and radio programs in dialects were gradually phased out, with only a few exceptions.

The classic theme song of the early Speak Mandarin Campaign “大家说华语” was definitely memorable for many Singaporeans growing up in the eighties. The song was composed in 1980 by Taiwanese composers Feng Qingxi (music) and Sun Yi (lyrics), and performed by Taiwanese songbird Tracy Huang Yingying.

国家要进步 语言要沟通

就从今天起 大家说华语

不分男和女 不分老和少

不再用方言 大家说华语

听一听 记一记

开口说几句 多亲切 多便利

简单又容易

The government attempted to change the names of some places in Singapore to the standard Chinese hanyu pinyin format in the late eighties. The move was, however, backfired, when there were numerous complaints about the renaming of Nee Soon, Tekka and Bukit Panjang to Yishun, Zhujiao and Zhenghua respectively.

By the nineties, the Speak Mandarin Campaign had a change of objective. It was targeted at a growing number of working class and professionals who preferred to use English solely as their spoken language. The government became worried that this group of Singaporean Chinese, who had received the mainstream English education in their early days, were beginning to lose their roots in the Chinese heritage and culture. It also created a divided society, where the English-speaking population looked down on their fellow Chinese-educated and lower-income Singaporeans.

Chinese dialects, along with Malay and some local expressions, largely make up Singlish, the localised language that is easily identifiable among the Singaporeans themselves. In order to encourage Singaporeans to speak proper English, former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong launched the Speak Good English Movement (SGEM) in 2000. However, studies had shown that many Singaporeans are able to switch between standard English and localised English (Singlish) easily, and therefore Singlish, as an unofficial yet important ingredient of a unique Singapore identity, should not be suppressed or eliminated.

The Speak Mandarin Campaign has been a controversy since its introduction. Some critics view it as a propaganda tool to eliminate the Chinese dialects. It was a dilemma for the Singapore government in the seventies. While it was great foresight to predict the rise of China and the importance of Mandarin as a common language, the danger of Chinese-dominated institutes being used as breeding grounds for communist ideas meant that the authority was always quick to act.

Chinese dialects in Singapore has been in an awkward status for many years. While the likes of Cantonese operas and Teochew wayangs were not restricted in public places, mainstream media such as television and radio were banned, with few exceptions, from broadcasting programs in dialects since the early eighties. Hong Kong and Taiwanese dramas are not allowed to be shown on TVs in their original Cantonese and Taiwanese Hokkien (Minnan), and have to be dubbed in Mandarin. Such rules, however, are not applied on foreign-language dramas from Japan and Korea, which gave audiences an option in dual sounds. Likewise, J-pop and K-pop music are allowed to be aired on radio, but not Cantopop and Taiwanese Hokkien songs.

In just two decades between 1980 and 2000, the usage of Chinese dialects at home had dropped from 80% to 30%, resulting in the current situation where the majority of the new generation of Singaporeans having difficulties to engage in conversations with their grandparents.

Keep Singapore Clean Campaign (1968-1990)



Started as early as October 1968 by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, the Keep Singapore Clean Campaign was one of the first campaigns launched by the government. Various ministries and non-government organisations were involved, led by then Health Minister Chua Sian Chin, to instill the importance and awareness of environmental cleanliness to the public. The objective was to make Singapore the cleanest city in the region, in order to boost tourism and the attraction of foreign investment.

The Keep Singapore Clean Campaign had a positive impact throughout the years, tackling many issues such as mosquitoes, pollution, inconsiderate littering, street hawkers and sanitation. Posters and banners were displayed, while seminars and spot checks were carried out. Competitions such as the cleanest offices, toilets, buses and taxis were organised. On the other hand, the dirties places were also named in the media so as to apply social pressure to their owners.

A decade-long campaign was also launched between 1977 and 1987 to clean up the Singapore River and the Kallang Basin. By the mid-eighties, most tongkangs and twakows in the Singapore River were cleared, and garbage in the waters removed. The river was clean enough that a mass swim was organised in 1984.

The success of the campaign ensured its continuity till today. It was merged with the Garden City Campaign in 1990, and into the 2000s, it evolved to become the Clean and Green Singapore, which aims to inspire Singaporeans in caring and protecting the living environment.

Public Health Campaign (since 1969)

Public health was one of the top priorities in the government’s agendas after independence. It first covered areas such as dental, heart, disease control, anti-drug abuse, and later extended to anti-smoking, AIDS, mental, workplace health promotion and healthy lifestyle.

Dental Health

The Ministry of Health kicked off the Dental Health Programme in 1969. The standard of dental hygiene was poor in the sixties, with reports indicating that half of Singapore’s population was unaware of proper tooth-brushing, and half of the students did not own toothbrushes. Compulsory tooth-brushing was therefore carried out in all primary one across the country. Students were supplied with toothbrushes and mugs, while teachers were trained to teach proper techniques to their classes. The exercise was a success; in 1973, the programme was extended to all kindergartens in Singapore.

National Heart Week

With the establishment of the Singapore National Heart Association (present-day Singapore Heart Foundation) in 1970, the National Heart Week has been held annually till today. The aim was to promote the awareness of heart disease, its causes and the preventive measures. Deaths related to cardiovascular diseases had been one of the top killers in Singapore. The campaign touched on various aspects in anti-smoking, a balanced and healthy diet, exercises and effective stress management to help reduce the likelihood of high blood pressure and stroke.

Anti-Drugs

Drug abuse had been a major concern in the seventies. The Ministry of Health worked with the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association to launch a series of anti-drug abuse campaigns to emphasize the dangers and consequences of drugs. From the “Youth Anti-drug” (1971) and “Against Glue-Sniffing and Inhalant Abuse“(1985) to the annual National Anti-Drug Campaign (since 1995), the campaigns had invited showbiz celebrities such as Andy Lau, James Lye and Chen Hanwei to spread the message.

Wash Your Hands

By the seventies, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, leprosy and cholera were still plaguing the society. The Ministry of Health introduced “Wash Your Hands” campaign to promote self hygiene, disease control and the proper handling of food, especially after visiting the toilets. The relocation of street hawkers took place in the early seventies, with the first hawker centre built (1971) at Yung Sheng of Jurong.

By the eighties, most hawkers plying their trades on the streets were resettled at the new wet markets and hawker centres across the island. There was also significant improvement in the sanitation system. The nightsoil removal service was phased out in January 1987, with the bucket latrine becoming a thing of the past. The measures implemented by the Keep Singapore Clean and Public Health campaigns had greatly improved the cleanliness, hygiene and public health of Singapore.

As the standard of living in Singapore gradually improved in the eighties, the focus of public health shifted towards keeping fit, healthy diets, anti-smoking and the benefits of breastfeeding.

Anti-Smoking

One of the campaigns that had little impact since its introduction was the National Smoking Control Programme, started in December 1986 with an objective to make Singapore a nation without smokers. The sale of cigarettes rose dramatically in the seventies and eighties, reaching more than 4 million kg per year. The number of smoke-related deaths, caused by heart disease, lung and nose cancer, also jumped, prompting the Ministry of Health to act.

Other than the aggressive campaign of anti-smoking, the government also issued bans of smoking in certain public places, as well as tobacco advertisements on newspapers, magazines and television. In the later years, more measures continued to be carried out, such as the compulsory printing of graphic photos of the effects of smoking on cigarette boxes, higher taxes of tobacco and extensive banning of smoking in all public places.

Breastfeeding

In the seventies, breastfeeding by Singaporean mothers had fallen to an all-time low. Studies show that it was due to many women entering the working sector. In 1971, only 28% of high income mothers, and 51% of low income mothers, initiated breastfeeding to their babies, as compared to 85% and 90% in the fifties.

Thus a campaign to promote the benefits of breastfeeding was carried out, but with limited success. While the percentage of high income women who breastfed their babies had increased to 70% by 1980, the low income breastfeeding women dropped to less than 40%.

AIDS Control

While the infectious diseases in tuberculosis, leprosy and cholera were gradually taken under control, the rise of AIDS (Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome) became a concern in the mid-eighties. AIDS was first discovered by the United States scientists in 1982. The first AIDS-positive case in Singapore was reported in 1985, and the number of such cases increased in a worrying trend. Soon after the first case, the Ministry of Health launched the National AIDS Control Programme to raise awareness of AIDS and HIV (Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus). Many activities were carried out, such as the lifting of the ban of condom advertisements, conducting of blood tests and training of medical and healthcare personnel.

Healthy Lifestyle

The Ministry of Health had consistently encouraged Singaporeans to adopt a healthy lifestyle by emphasizing in food nutrition and regular exercises. One of the first campaigns launched was the Better Food For Better Health Campaign in March 1975. Studies in the eighties show that Singaporeans’ increasing intake of fats had led to a rise in heart diseases and cancers. In 1989, Nutrition Week was introduced. Customers dining in hawker centres were encouraged to request for lesser oil and salt, while school canteens were asked to sell healthier food to students in a bid to battle against obesity.

A series of other health-related campaigns were also launched between the seventies and eighties, such as immunisation for babies, understanding leprosy, awareness against cancer, detection of mental illness and prevention of venereal diseases.

Other than the campaigns mentioned above, there were also dozens of campaigns in other aspects:

Road Safety Campaigns

1970 “Queue Up for Safety and Speed”

1971 “Pedestrian Safety”

1971 “Safe Cycling”

1972 “Road Courtesy”

1974 “Reduce Peak Hour Travel”

1974 “Keep Singapore Accident Free”

1977 “Road Safety For You”

1981 “Seat Belts Save Lives“

Environmental Campaigns

1970 “Tree Planting and Gardening”

1971 “Save Water”

1973 “Keep Our Water Clean”

1973 “National Save Energy”

1974 “Safe Water”

1977 “Energy Conservation”

1981 “Let’s Not Waste Precious Water”

1985 “Let’s Save Precious Water“

Social Campaigns

1970 “Crime Prevention”

1972 “Campaign Against Long Unkempt Hair Among Males”

1973 “Home Safety”

1974 “Police Week“

1974 “Keep Singapore Crime Free”

1983 “Home Accidents Cause Injuries“

Workplace Campaigns

1972 “Industrial Safety and Health”

1974 “Building Construction Safety and Health”

1977 “Safety Month for Metal Workers”

1981 “National Productivity Campaign”

1986 “Civil Service Productivity“

Other Campaigns

1974 “Anti-Profiteering Against Shopkeepers”

1974 “Go-Metric”

1978 “Eat Frozen Fish”

1983 “School’s Saving Campaign”

1983 “Blood Donation Campaign”

1985 “Prevent Unwanted Litters (Pet Sterilisation)”

1985 “Eat Frozen Pork”

1985 “Minimise Cash Transactions (ATM)”

1985 “Do Not Misuse Accident And Emergency Departments“

(Credit: All pictures from the National Archives of Singapore unless otherwise stated)

Published: 18 January 2013

Updated: 08 August 2020