The end of another year is here, and it is time to look back on things that have come to pass.

Looking back, you might find that 2016 wasn’t the rosiest of years to live through.

But if you're willing to look back 30 years, 1986 had its fair share of ups and downs for Singapore too.

Here are just a few of the major events that occurred in 1986, thanks to a list compiled by Remembering Singapore.

Recovering from Singapore’s first post-independence recession

Singapore’s economy was slow in both 2016 and 1986.

1986 was a gloomy year that saw Singapore trying to recover from the economic recession that began in 1985.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="706"] Source: NAS[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="710"] Source: NAS[/caption]

The government of the day was helmed by none other than founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew with Goh Chok Tong and Ong Teng Cheong as First and Second Deputy Prime Minister respectively.

Lee Hsien Loong was the Minister of State for Defence and Trade and Industry, and was tasked to review and recommend to the government how the Singapore economy could be restructured.

The economic restructuring and measures, such as the implementation of wage flexibility in the labour market and changes to CPF, proposed by the Economic Committee, which Lee Hsien Loong headed, saw the Singapore economy recover in mid-1986.

Hotel New World’s Collapse

1986 saw one of worst disasters in Singapore's history since the Second World War.

On the morning of March 15, 1986, Hotel New World, located at the junction of Serangoon Road and Owen Road, collapsed in less than a minute, due to the building’s weak structural integrity and an overloaded roof.

Those who were inside the building at the time of the collapse were trapped beneath the rubble.

A search and rescue operation at the disaster area ensued.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1489"] Source: Mindef[/caption]

The operation saw the joint involvement of the SCDF, Singapore Fire Service, SAF, SPF, and experts from Britain and Japan who happened to be in Singapore to assist with the construction of MRT tunnels.

Some private organisations also lent their equipment and cranes to the search and rescue efforts.

In total, 17 survivors were rescued from the rubble, but the death toll hit 33.

The tragedy shocked the nation, but also united it in rendering help to victims and their families.

Visits by two notable Heads of State

1986 saw two firsts in visits by foreign Heads of State to Singapore.

Then Israeli President Chaim Herzog came to Singapore on a three-day official visit in November 1986. It was the first visit by an Israeli Head of State to Singapore. Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei protested the visit.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="765"] Chaim Herzog (1st from right) with then President Wee Kim Wee (2nd from right), Mrs Wee (2nd from left), and Mrs Herzog (1st from left). Source: NAS[/caption]

Two days after Herzog’s visit, Pope John Paul II arrived in Singapore on Nov. 20, 1986. He was the first Catholic pope and Head of State of the Vatican to visit Singapore.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Then PM Lee Kuan Yew (left) with Pope John Paul II (right). Source: NAS[/caption]

The pope was treated to a special welcoming ceremony held at the old National Stadium, which was attended by about 80,000 Catholics.

Conservation and demolition of old buildings

1986 saw the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) identifying historical places, such as Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India for conservation.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="727"] Chinatown 1986. Source: NAS[/caption]

Unfortunately, however, the same year also saw the demolition of the old National Theatre due to its bad structural integrity.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="460"] Source: Wikipedia[/caption]

Mysterious disappearance of two 12-year-olds

On May 14, 1986, two students from Owen Primary School, Toh Hong Huat and Keh Chin Ann, disappeared while on their way to school.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Source[/caption]

Investigations found that the boys unlikely to have run away, as they were well cared for by their respective families. Neither ransom notes nor the boys’ bodies were ever found.

The case remains unsolved.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

1986’s TFR stood at 1.82, which was the lowest level in the 1980s.

Well, fast-forward to 2015 and Singapore's TFR has dropped to 1.24.

2016’s TFR remains to be seen, but it is unlikely to rise very drastically from 2015’s.

Top image from NAS.

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