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How did Singapore become an independent nation? - Coggle Diagram
How did Singapore become an independent nation?
Why did PAP Government pursue a merger with Malaya?
Political Independence
Evidence:
Britain deemed Singapore unready for independence
SG was too small to survive independently
Britain feared communist takeover of Southeast Asia
Explanation:
Federation ensured political stability, security.
Merger reassured Britain, gained independence
Economic Survival
Evidence:
Belief SG couldn't survive without merger
Why?
Lacked natural resources
Rapidly growing population in need of jobs
Declining entrepot trade
neighbours directed exports through their own trading ports
Expensive to buy goods from Singapore in Malaya
Explanation:
Merger established tariff-free common market.
No taxes on Singapore's trade
Malayan hinterland increased manufacturing demand
Trade will increased
More jobs created
Did Malaya agree to the proposal of merger?
Reasons for Malaya’s initial reluctance
Racial Imbalance + suspected communist influences
(Majority Chinese population in SG)
Tunku Abdul Rahman's views:
Chinese population may refuse Malay Sultan
Use Malay as national language
Accept Islam as state religion
Chinese population outnumber Malays
Chinese suspected of communist sympathies
Worried it would spread to Malaya
Tenku Changed Mind
Why?
Malaya would lose influence over Singapore’s security matters
British leaving
more likely for SG turning communist
might influence others turning towards Communism
Will merger be a better decision?
Malaysia can control communism in SG
Merger strengthened anti-communist government control
Hong Lim By-Election
Why?
Ong Eng Guan challenged PAP leadership
Then resigned
Ong Eng Guan
contested as an independent candidate
Ong Eng Guan defeated PAP candidate
together w some PAPs
sought forceful political measures
Radicals threatened PAP leadership control
PAP
moderate, gradual political change
Tunku finally agrees to Merger
Discussions for Merger began
Barisan Socialis opposed merger fears
Radicals sabotaged election through opposition
Lee and Tunku agreed merger terms
(24 August 1961)
