HY EYA
1959 elections
Merger
separation
threats
Defence
significance
electorate changes
representation
1st time could elect for all seates in LA
winning party=fully elected gov
precursor which would lead to independence
more ppl eligible to vote
imigrants statis gained citizens
320,000 moreppl
22000 chinese
rite to vote
automatic registration
compulsory voting
Citizenship ordinance
voter turn out
92.9%
500,000 turnout
chinese & low income voters
PAP win
key election message
inpendence through merger
satisfy aspirations to be free from colonial rule
promote industrial development & set up economic development
industrial development and economic
more jobs
unemployment problem solved
appela to does who wanted more job security & stability
more schs
↑education standards & conditions
more access
british had neglected it
strong united trade union movement
low cost housing programe
raise status of women & introduce women's charter
comprehensive plan
clear strategy to achieve major improvements
included ppl in all areas
landslide victory
43/51 seats
economic
reasons
LKY views
inevitable as the rising and setting of sun
will cease to exist if you chop it from the main land
all my life, all my adult life, I have believed in the merger and unity of the 2 teritories
Political independance
means of getting independence
convince british that we can maintain political security
communist incite civil & industrial unrest
british continue to maintain control over
external/foreign affairs
difficult to gain independence due to communist threat
Malaya successfully contained communist threat
Jungle war
emergency
1948
strong central gov
merge with anticommunist
protect Singapore
keep communist under control (main reason)
economic survival
lacked natural resources
rapidly growing population
needed jobs
tariffs
1950s
made sg goods less desireable
needed common market
malaya hinterland
↑sg goods
↑trade, ↑jobs
reaction to merger
initial`
racial imbalance
sg 1mil chinese
upset balance
needed more malays
chinese may be communist
no merger 3.1mil malays - 2.3 mil chinese
if merge 3.4mil malays - 3.6 chinese
fear of communist threat
chinese majority sympathised with communist
due to china being communist
scared that including singapore would lead to communism spreading to rest of federation
eventual acceptance
racial imbalance adressed
add sabah sarawak
fear of independent communist Sg
loss of representation in internal security council
pap lost hong lim by-election
divide in PAP
moderates
LKY
radicals
Lim Chin Siong
Ong eng guan won
had been expelled
challenged LKY's leadership
moderates losing appeal
other radicals might capture power and gain control
Singapore might be used to spread communist ideas to malaya
opposition to Merger
Barisan sosialis
radicals
tried to challenge LKY's leadership
13 members on their side
got expelled
emergency Legislative assembly
debate motion of confidenece in gov
21 July
26/51 seats to pap
Mdm Sahorah binte Amat
left sick bed to vote
Lee Siew Choh
chairman
Lim Chin Siong
secretary general
why
malaya strongly anticommunist
would be suppressed (real reason)
claimed that merger proposed was unfair
status of population
not automatically citizens
just nationals
allocation of seats
under represented in terms of populations size
april 1961
73.3%
Signalled change of heart 27 May 1961 speech
1 moth post hong lim~
radical grp attempted to sabo pap
PAP lost Anson by-election to DM
2nd class status
Battle for merger
radio talks
referendum
only 15 seats
sabah sawarak smaller population but more seats
3 main languages
exhibitions
victoria memorial hall
1 sept
3 options
1st
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