### Instruction: When did Singapore achieve independence?
### Response: Singapore first achieved independence from British rule on 16 September 1963, through a merger with Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak. However, due to racial tensions, Singapore was abruptly expelled from this union on 9 August 1965. This decision was made through a 126-0 vote for a constitutional amendment at the Parliament of Malaysia. Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore, tearfully announced that Singapore had become an independent and sovereign state.