Possible Clues:

• Lee Kuan Yew's place
• South China Sea island
• Country spelled with the only nine letters used in this puzzle's answers
• Asian city-state
• Major Southeast Asian financial hub
• Former British crown colony
• Go astray with Persian in Asian country
• Musically perform comic opera in Eastern state
• Far Eastern island state
• Entertain, having been given an opening in the big city