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Chp 8: How Did Singapore Become an Independent Nation? Part 1 - Coggle…
Chp 8:
How Did Singapore Become an Independent Nation?
Part 1
1. Why Did the PAP Government Pursue Merger with Malaya?
PAP 1959 Election Promise:
PAP promised to achieve independence from British colonial rule
through merger with Malaya
1959 Election win for
full internal self-government
Political Independence:
due to Cold War fears of
communist expansion
in Southeast Asia
Britain was reluctant to grant full independence to Singapore
alone
British sought to provide
greater political stability
through the formation of a
larger federation
(Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo/Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei)
Economic Survival:
Lack of Resources:
Singapore lacked natural resources
Declining Entrepôt Trade:
Regional neighbours were developing their own ports to bypass Singapore.
Malayan Tariffs:
In the 1950s, Malaya introduced tariffs on Singapore goods, making Singapore exports expensive and reducing trade.
Need for a Common Market:
Merger would create a common market without tariffs, opening Malaya's hinterland (rubber and tin) to boost Singapore's manufacturing and job creation.
Rapidly growing population
- they need jobs.
2. Malaya's Response & Shift to Possible Merger
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Initial Hesitation
Cultural & Political Differences:
Will Singapore's Chinese population accept?
Malay Sultan as Head of State
Malay as national language
Islam as state religion
Fear of Communism:
Suspected many Singapore Chinese had communist sympathies due to 1950s strikes.
Racial Imbalance:
Adding Singapore's predominantly Chinese population would make
Chinese outnumber Malays
in the federation.
Reasons for his Shift in Position (1961):
Fear an Independent SG will become Communist:
SG gained independence on its own
Malaya would lose its seat on ISC
lose ability to control communist threats in SG
lose influence over security matters in SG
after 1959 elections
Internal Security Council (ISC)
set up to deal with SG internal security matters
representatives from
Britain
Malaysia
Local SG members
Communist Threats
concerned some PAP members
sympathetic towards communism
taking over
will lead to SG less willing to consider merger
on terms acceptable to Malaya
view SG as less dangerous
if it is part of Malaysia
communist threats can be controlled by Malaysia govt
confident becoz Malaya fought off communists
1 more item...
if SG become communist
it can influence others in the region to be communist
Hong Lim By-Election
Tunku
SIGNAL a change of heart
Inclusion of Borneo Territories:
Tunku proposed including North Borneo, Sarawak, and Brunei
speech on 27 May 1961
with SG ministers in the audience
highlighted prospect of merger Malaya-SG
This will help offset SG Chinese majority
Moderate PAP
want to bring about change gradually
through elections
moderate views
Radical
PAP
radical views
pushed for drastic changes
willing to take
more forceful measures
to achieve their aims
Ong's win make it seems like Radical PAP gaining infulence
might gain control of PAP
Fear
Radical PAP want to free PAP from British colonial rule
they may establish a Communist government
thru FORCEFUL means
also concerned SG will be a
*base to spread communist ideas
in Malaya
April 1961
represented by Ong Eng Guan
Hong Lim area
WON seat in Legislative Assembly in 1959
appointed
Minister for National Development
served as
Mayor of Singapore's City Council
Not in line with PAP
June 1960
Openly challenged PAP leadership at one of PAP's part conference
EXPELLED
from PAP
made to
RESIGN
seat in Legislative Council
By-Election triggered
Ong contested as
INDEPENDENT
candidate
defeated PAP candidate
winning 73.3% of the votes
Anson By-Election
April 1961
PM LKY
declared his support
for Tunku's suggestion
Radical PAP
OBJECTED
merger
AFRAID
Federal Government in Malaya will put down the radical members of PAP
becoz they control Internal Security
SABOTAGE
PAP, ask voters to support opposition in this by-election
PAP candidate
LOST
Anson By-election
Tunku
Anson by-election results
SEALED
his commitment to the merger
24 August 1961
PM LKY & Tunku came to agreement to the broad terms of merger
SG will have
special status
in Malaysia
3. Terms of the Proposed Merger
Government Report
Autonomy for Singapore
Singapore retained control over
Education
Labour
its own
Civil Service
Federal Control
Federal government in Kuala Lumpur controlled
Defence
Foreign Affairs
Internal Security
Financial Revenue
Singapore collected its
own revenue
agreed to pay
Kuala Lumpur
a sum for federal services.
Telecommunications
Defence
Security
Citizenship & Voting
Singapore citizens became
"federal nationals"
(not federal citizens)
SG citizens could only vote in
Singapore elections
SG will hold its
own elections
choose its own state government
Parliamentary Representation
based on population size
Seats in Federal Parliament
Singapore
24
15
North Borneo
7
16
Actual seats allocated
Sarawak
11
24
fewer than expected
in exchange for local autonomy in education/labour
Nov 1961
Head of State
SG to have its
own Head of State
4. The "Battle for Merger" (1961–1963)
Opposition from Barisan Sosialis:
Formation:
Radical PAP members (Lim Chin Siong, Fong Swee Suan) opposed merger terms, were expelled, and formed Barisan Sosialis (led by Dr Lee Siew Choh).
Key Objections:
"Federal national" status created second-class citizenship without equal job/business rights in Malaya.
Allocation of 15 seats was under-representation compared to Borneo territories (Sabah: 16 seats, Sarawak: 24 seats).
Tactics:
Organized student demonstrations, labor strikes, and radio forum debates.
The PAP's Campaign:
Radio Broadcasts:
PM Lee Kuan Yew delivered 12 radio talks titled
The Battle for Merger
in English, Mandarin, Malay, and later re-broadcast in Tamil, Hokkien, and Cantonese.
Exhibitions & Publicity:
Hosted the Malaysia Exhibition (1962) and distributed multi-lingual flyers highlighting merger benefits.
The 1962 Referendum (1 September 1962):
Option A (PAP's Choice):
Autonomy in labour and education, automatic Malaysian citizenship (Won
70.8%
of votes).
Option B:
Complete and unconditional merger on equal basis with Malayan states.
Option C:
Merger on terms no less favorable than Borneo territories.
Blank Votes Campaign:
Barisan urged voters to cast blank votes; however, blank votes made up only
25.7%
.
Weakening of Barisan Sosialis:
Operation Coldstore (2 Feb 1963):
Internal Security Council arrested 100+ suspected subversives, including Lim Chin Siong and 23 Barisan leaders.
1963 Singapore Election:
Weakened Barisan won only 13 seats, while PAP won 37 out of 51 seats.
5. Reactions Outside Singapore and Malaya
Brunei:
Decided against joining Malaysia after an armed uprising in 1962 (gained independence from Britain in 1984).
The Philippines:
Broke off relations with Malaysia in 1963, claiming ownership over North Borneo (Sabah).
Indonesia:
Strongly opposed merger as a British neo-colonial plot; launched
Konfrontasi (Confrontation)
in Jan 1963 involving military incursions, bombings, and economic sabotage.
Formation of Malaysia:
Signed on 9 July 1963 in London; officially proclaimed on
16 September 1963 (Malaysia Day)
.
6. Reasons for Separation from Malaysia (9 August 1965)
A. Economic Disagreements
Delay in Common Market:
Federal government delayed setting up the promised common market to protect Malayan industries.
Continued Tariffs:
Tariffs remained on Singapore-made goods entering Malaya.
Increased Revenue Contribution:
Federal government raised Singapore's revenue contribution from
40% to 60%
due to rising defence costs from Konfrontasi, which Singapore viewed as unfair.
B. Political Differences & Racial Tensions
Communal vs. Multiracial Politics:
Federal Alliance Party (UMNO-MCA-MIC) was race-based and offered special Malay privileges.
PAP was multiracial, advocating meritocracy, equal opportunities, and free education for Malays rather than special privileges.
1963 Singapore Election:
Singapore Alliance Party (SAP) backed by KL failed to win any seats in Singapore.
1964 Federal Election:
PAP participated in federal elections and won 1 seat, upsetting Alliance leaders in KL.
Racial Riots (1964):
UMNO leaders and
Utusan Melayu
accused PAP of neglecting Malay interests.
21 July 1964 Riots:
Clashes during Prophet Muhammad's birthday procession killed 23 and injured 454.
2 September 1964 Riots:
Triggered by murder of a Malay trishaw rider, killed 13 and injured 106.
Malaysian Solidarity Convention (MSC, 1965):
PAP and opposition parties campaigned for a
"Malaysian Malaysia"
(equal rights for all races), triggering extreme hostility from UMNO leaders.
7. The Proclamation of Independence
Secret Negotiations:
Tunku Abdul Rahman concluded differences were irreconcilable and negotiated Singapore's exit.
Signing of Agreement:
Independence of Singapore Agreement signed; Proclamation drafted by Law Minister
E. W. Barker
.
9 August 1965:
PM Lee Kuan Yew tearfully announced separation during a live televised press conference.
New Republic:
Singapore became a sovereign, democratic republic with
Yusof bin Ishak
as its first President.