History chapter 8

Battle for merger

Separation

Malaya’s response to merger

Reasons for merger

Economic disagreements

Common market

Political differences

Events leading up to separation

Call for separation

Revenue contribution

Sg expectations:

  • tariffs on Sg-made goods to be removed

What Federal Govt did:

  • delay setting up common market > scared of competition of sg goods
  • continued to impose taxes on Sg-made goods to protect Malayan industries

Result:

  • Sg could not reap benefits of what were economic benefits expected
  • increased clashes and tensions > unhappiness

Sg expectations:

  • contribute 40% of revenuue to Fed Govt

What Federal Govt did:

  • increased Sg’s contrribution to 60% due to defence spendings risen from Kronfrantasi

Result:

  • Sg’s trade + economy disrupted by Konfrantasi > revenue decreased
  • Sg felt it was unreasonable/insensitive for Fed Govt to increase revenue contribution
  • increased tensions and strained relationship

Composition of political parties

What Sg did:

  • multi-racial polit parties
  • aimed to rep interests of all communities

Treatment of races

What Sg believed:

  • equal treatment and equal opportunity for all regardless of race
  • practice meritocracy
  • gave free education for equal chances to jobs

What Fed Govt did:

  • formed alliance party > 3 communal[race-based] parties to look at interests of each respective ethnic community

Results:

  • clash in the way things were done
  • diff polit beliefs > disagreements and tensions

What Fed Govt believed:

  • granted special priviledges to Malays to improve their economic and social positions > they were indigenous
  • eg certain number of jobs got reserved for Malays

Results:

  • fundemental difference in the way they ran the countries
  • increased tension and hostility > strained relationship

Rising tensions 1963-1964: Sg State Election 1963

1964 Racial Riots

Mid 1965 Tunku was convinced that differences of Sg Govt and Fed Govt could not be resolved

Sg branches of AP joined with Singapore People Alliance[SPA] to form Singapore Alliance Party[SAP]

SAP took part in Sg State Elections 1963
result:

  • SAP - 0
  • PAP - 37 seats out of 51
  • all 7 seats previously held by SPA and UMNO-SG lost to PAP
  • Malau candidates of SAP lost 3 constitutions with Malay Majorities

Impact:

  • AP in KL disappointed w results
  • vowed to return stronger and win back seats
  • increased resentment in KL Govt
  • strained relationship with PAP

Rising tensions 1963-1964: Federal Elections 1964

  • PAP decided to contest in 1964 Fed Elections
  • strained relationship with AP in KL
  • during campaign, PAP questioned how AP governed Malaya and promised to build Malaysia not governed by race

Result:

  • AP won
  • PAP 1 seat
  • AP leaders upset at PAP for contesting
  • after fed election win, UMNO focused on winning the malay votes in Sg
  • growing number of malays in Sg unhappy > especially those who saw little improvement to economic position

Impact:

  • Fed Govt not happy w PAP challenging the way they governed
  • PAP openly challenged the treatment of races
  • increased tensions and hostility > strained reltionship

21 July 1964 around 20,000 muslims gathered at padang to commemorate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday

  • UMNO leaders accused Sg of neglecing malay interests
  • used malay newspaper Utusan Melayu to spread anti-PAP sentiments
  • Utusan Melayu accused PAP of treating malays and “second-class citizens” and placed emphasis on Chinese education at expense of Malay education

Clashes broke out at various areas during the procession

As clashes spread, riots spread

Violence resulted in 23 dead, 454 injured

Curfew imposed to restore order

Goodwill committees formed to calm racial tensions

Another riot broke out on 2 Sept 1964 when a malay trishor rider was murdered

13 dead, 106 injured

Island-wide curfew imposed again

Impact:

  • AP and PAP agreed noot to raise any racial matters
  • agreed not to challenge each other for next two years in elections
  • agreement was cut short when SAP announced that they would contest in Sg elections on oct 1964 > directly challenging Sg
  • PAP responded by bringing 4 other opposition parties to set up Malaysian Solidarity Convention[MSC]
  • MSC aimed to create a Malaysian Malaysia[equal treatment of all races and religions]
  • MSC’s campaign upset AP leaders and deepened mistrrust for PAP
  • felt that idea of Malaysian Malaysia threatened the special rights granted to Malays
  • UMNO leaders called for arrest of LKY
  • escalated tension bt Fed Govt and PAP Govt

Concerned that 1964 racial clashes would make way to Fed Govt if differences persisted

Decided it was best for Sg to leave

July 1965, secret discussions of Sg’s exit begun

Independence of Sg agreement was signed on 9 Aug 1965

LKY annonced separation from Fed

Sg became a republic with Yusof Bin Ishak as first president meaning people could vote

Economic reason

Political reason

Need for hinterland

Need for common market

Gain indepenence from brit rule

Sg:

  • lacked natural resources
  • had declining entrepot trade
  • rapid growth in population demanding for more jobs
  • growth of industrialisation, needing more raw materials

Malaya’s raw materails and economic development would ensure Sg’s economic vibrancy

Malaya’s inependence in 1957 caused tariffs to be imposed on goods from Sg

Impact:

  • sg goods became more expensive > lower demand > less trade
  • with a merger, common market would be formed to goods could be traded without tariffs > sg goods priced competetively > higher demand > increased trade > create jobs > economy growth

Brit were not willing to grant Sg independence as it was too small a country and there were not confident of its survival

Brit also had a fear of communst threats during cold ware from Communist China turning Sg communist

Initial response:
before 1961 Tubku Abdul Rahman was not keen on merging

Saw differences in people outlook in Sg and Malaya

Concerned that Sg population was predominantly Chinese

Chinese may be reluctant to accept Malay Sultan as head of state

Concerned about racial number

Chinese would outnumber Malays

Concerned that Chinese sympathise with Communists

Worried communism would spread through Malaya

Response changes by May 1961

Fear that Sg may turn Communist

Impact of Hong Lim By-Election

Malaya had rep on Sg’s internal Security Council[ISC]

If Sg became indep Malaya would no longer have rep in ISC and may lose influence on Sg security matters

Tunku felt it would be harder to control communist activities in Sg > communist influence in Sg could grow and spread to Malaya

Believed it was better for two govs to join forces to fight communist threats

By-Elections: special election to fill vacancy

Hong Lim rep by PAP cantidate Ong Eng Guan > Ong Eng Guan fell out of PAP’s favour as he abused his position > expelled from PAP

By-Elections were held to fill his pos > Ong Eng Guan participated and won 73.3% of vote

Concerned Tunku as he was worried as it pointed to a divide in PAP > radical views

Worried a more radical PAP would lead to communism spread

Agreement on proposed merger

27 May 1961 Tunku signalled his change of heart through a speech

Highlighetd that merger would include Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak to offset Sg’s Chinese majority

LKY supported Tunku’s suggestion

Radical group in PAP rejected due to concerns being put down by Malaya Govt who controlled ISC

Radical grp sabo PAP by asking voters to vote opposition

PAP lost Anson By-Election inn July 1961

Further convinced Tunku of his commitment to merger

24 August 1961, Tunku and LKY came to agreement on broad terms of merger

Broad terms:

  • Sg citizens given title of ‘federal nationals’ instead of federal citizens
  • Sg citizens can only vote in Sg elections, not Federal elections
  • Sg collect own revenue and pay KL agreed sum
  • Sg control over edu and labour > given fewer seats in parliament
  • Fed Govt oversee Sg’s defence, ISC and foreign affairs

Reactions in Sg to proposed merger

Reactions were split in PAP

LKY and Toh CC welcomed merger

Radicals eg Lim Chin Siong+Feng Swee opposed merger

Feared that merger would disadvantage Sg+people in Sg would be discriminated and not enjoy same rights as those in Malaya

Eg Sg had 15 seats in federal govt as compared to Sabah and Sarawak > affected say/influence

Tried to get other PAP members to challenge PM Lee’s leadership

Radicals expelled from PAP

Expelled PAP members formed Barisan Sosials with Lee Sioh Choh as Chairman

September 1961 BS started campaign ro oppose merger by organising student demonstrations and labour strikes

Party leaders also participated in radio forums to debate issues on proposed merger

Both PAP and Barisan Sosials sought to win the support of the people for respective merger proposals - 1961-1962

PAP’s Campaign

BS’s Campaign

LKY gave series of radio talks called The Battle For Merger in 3 languages, was also broadcasted in Tamil, Hokkien and Cantonese

Enabled LKY to reach out to all people from Sg, Brunei, Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak

Used exhibitions to highlight benefits for merger eg Malaysian exhibition held at Victoria Memorial Hall

Exhibition showed close cultural and socialties among the territories

Tried to win support by giving speeches at mass rallies

Also accepted invitation to debate issues surrounding merger in radio forums alongside other parties

Results

Impact on BS

Referendum[1 sept 1962]

Reactions to formation of Malaysia outside of Malaya and Sg

Purpose as to find out what type of merger people in Sg wanted

3 options

Option A: merger with Sg autonomy in labour, education and other matter agreed previously

Option B: merger with Sg as a state on equal basis with 11 other states

Option C: merger with Sg on terms no less favourable than those given to Borneo territories

PAP prefered option A while BS opposed all options and urged people to cast blank votes

Option A had almost 71% votes, Blank votes had 25.7% votes

2 feb 1963 was Operation Coldstore

BS was further weakened

ISC launched island-wide arrest of those believed to be under communist influence

Detained more than 100 people including Lim Chin Siong and 23 other BS members

Accused of sabo formation of Malaysia and planning to launch an uprising in Sg

1963 Sept election BS sufferd further defeat when they only won 13 seats as compared to PAP who won 37 seats

Brunei decided against joining Malaysia - became indep in 1984

Philipines did not recognise Malaysia - claimed that North Borneo belonged to it and broke off relations with MY in 1963

Indonesia opposed merger as it felt that Brit would continue to control over territories and that Sarawak and N Borneo should come under its control

Broke off diplomatic and trade relations with MY in 1963

Launched policy of Konfrantasi on Jan 1963 with military attacks, bombings to cause instability in states

Formation of Malaysia

Sg. Foreign affairs and defence under control of Malaysia

Sg citizens not entitled to same rights as Malaysia citizens eg right to vote in MY elections outside Sg

Sg citizens were now Federal citizens

Agreed that Malaysian common market would be established in stages

United Malay National Organisation

Malaysian Chinese association

Malaysian Indian Congress