Section 3: Road to Merger

Question 1

list the reasons for merger

SINGAPORE

dont elaborate

Answer 1

political + economical

Question 2

list the reasons for merger

MALAYA

dont elaborate

Answer 2

political, economical can be argued

Question 3

POLITICAL: political independence / security

SINGAPORE

Answer 3

merger was a means of gaining independence
* The British would only grant Singapore independence if it merged with anti-communist states like Malaya, thus a merger was deemed necessary for political independence
* convince British that Singapore would be able to maintain political security

Question 4

why were the british afraid to allow singapore full self-government?

POLITICAL: political independence / security

Answer 4

• In the midst of her constitutional changes, the Communists had succeeded to incite civil and industrial unrest.
• The PAP knew that since Singapore was still strategically important to the British and that the British would continue to maintain its control over external affairs, defense and internal security as they did not trust Singapore to be capable enough in maintaining political security, allowing only for full self-government under merger
• As long as the Communist remains a threat, the PAP government would find it difficult to win full independence.
• Malaya however had successfully contained the communist insurgents in their country through a jungle war and its emergency measures from 1948. Malaya could ward off communist threat in Singapore and serve as an opportunity to remove the leftist faction, maintaining political security.

Question 5

POLITICAL: breakaway from pro-communist faction

SINGAPORE

Answer 5

merger was a strategy to break away from the pro-communists faction that had become a threat to the PAP

Question 6

context

POLITICAL: breakaway from pro-communist faction

Answer 6

• PAP worked with the pro-communists towards the 1959 election victory with their shared goal of eradicating colonial rule
• PAP worked with them for their practical value since they were popular among the majority of the Chinese (strategic and practical approach in retaining popular appeal).

the leftists gained support from them due to the exploit of this deep sense of Chinese chauvinism the Chinese identifies with. due to the loyalties of the Chinese majority for the radicals, the PAP recognised that they would have to work and collaborate with them UNTIL they built a **strong enough moderate base **

Question 7

why did the PAP not trust the radicals

POLITICAL: breakaway from pro-communist faction

Answer 7

PAP knew the radical faction were loyal not to them but the goals of the illegal party - Malayan Communist Party
* given that the fundamental goal of the MCP was to seize power through subversion and armed revolution, it follows that its supporters would do the same
* working with the leftists carried a serious risk but the PAP could not simply flush out the pro-communists YET as then they would alienate the majority of the Chinese residents whose views still gravitated to those who appealed to their sense of Chinese chauvinism

Question 8

evidence that the pro-communists were working against people’s interest

POLITICAL: breakaway from pro-communist faction

Answer 8

• CHALLENGE TO PAP
• OPPOSITION TO MERGER: Barisan Sosialis was only opposing merger to ensure their own survival. merger would weaken BS credibility and hold over the people, retaining LKY’s hold over the PAP and guaranteeing his position as the PM

Question 9

SIGNIFICANCE

POLITICAL: breakaway from pro-communist faction

Answer 9

Breaking away from the pro-communist faction through the merger was imperative for Singapore to ensure its national security, political stability, and long-term governance stability, while distancing itself from radical elements and focusing on its own interests and development.

Question 10

ECONOMY: economic survival and common market

SINGAPORE

Answer 10

Singapore could not survive canonically without a merger.

Question 11

evidence of singapore’s unpromising economic future

ECONOMY: economic survival and common market

Answer 11

• it lacked natural resources and had a rapidly growing population in need of a job (unemployment was close to 9%)
• facing a decline in entrepôt trade (neighbors became independent, so directed their exports through their own ports, reducing Singapore’s importance as regional trading port)

Question 12

common market could fix trade between malaya and singapore

ECONOMY: economic survival and common market

Answer 12

• the British in separating Singapore, after it granted independence to Malaya, had in effect cut Singapore off from her lifeline as Malaya had served as an hinterland area that supplied Singapore with resources
• the Malayan government had introduced tariffs in the 1950s on good trade with Singapore, making goods entering Malaya from Singapore more expensive and thus less desirable to customers in Malaya; this reduced the amount of trade between Malaya and Singapore
• if a common market could be established through the merger, the malayan base would create a larger demand for Singapore’s manufactured goods. no tariffs applied on goods means benefitting on a larger market base, trade would increase and more jobs created

Question 13

POLITICAL: Tunku’s disinterest in merger

MALAYA

Answer 13

• the issue of racial imbalance (loss of power)
• fear of communist threat

Question 14

context of racial imbalance

POLITICAL: Tunku’s disinterest in merger

Answer 14

• Singapore has about one million (100,000) Chinese and the inclusion of this one million into the Federation will upset the racial balance of power in the Federation
• changes to the racial makeup

Question 15

tunku’s concern about racial imbalance?

POLITICAL: Tunku’s disinterest in merger

Answer 15

• There was an imbalance of percentage of Malays with Chinese in a merged Singapore and Malaya. Singapore would upset the racial balance, with Chinese now majority in the merged entity, outnumbering the Malays
• The predominantly Chinese in Singapore might be reluctant to accept the Malaya customs (Malay Sultan as their Head of State, Malay as national language, Islam as state religion)
• they would threaten the political dominance of the Malay ruling elite since a larger Chinese electorate may then vote in favor of Chinese candidates which means a potential loss of Malay political power

Question 16

context of fear of communist threat

POLITICAL: Tunku’s disinterest in merger

Answer 16

Singapore has too many pro-Communists who are supported by the Chinese in Singapore

Question 17

POLITICAL: Tunku’s change in mind

MALAYA

Answer 17

1. fear of an independent, communist Singapore
2. issue of racial imbalance addressed

Question 18

MALAYSIA POLITICAL STABILITY

POLITICAL: Tunku’s change in mind

Answer 18

• Believed that the Chinese majority sympathized with the communist leftists and that such pro-Communist attitudes may spread to the rest of the federation
• concern that PAP might be taken over by members who were sympathetic towards communism, resulting in a Singapore government that was less willing to consider a merger on terms acceptable to Malaya
• Malaya would no longer have a representative on the Internal Security Council and thus lose influence over security matters in Singapore, making the threat of communism in Singapore harder to contain

Question 19

HONG LIM BY-ELECTION

POLITICAL: Tunku’s change in mind

Answer 19

• PAP losses in the by-election was alarming as it signified an increasing divide within the PAP between the moderates (LKY) and the radical faction
• Tunku believed the loss of the moderates meant that moderates were beginning to lose their appeal in the PAP and that there was a possibility that other radicals like the pro-Communists in the PAP would capture power and establish a communist government through forceful means
• feared that a weakened PAP government could not withstand the challenge from the radical faction, making Singapore vulnerable to a Communist takeover

Question 20

NATIONAL SECURITY

POLITICAL: Tunku’s change in mind

Answer 20

• leaving Singapore alone as a communist hot-bed may ultimately be dangerous to Malaya since it was vulnerable to a communist takeover after independence
• if he kept Singapore close, he could help deal with the communist threat and eradicate it with Malaya being able to expand into a larger federation
• Singapore would become less dangerous because the government in Malaysia would help to curb the communist element in Singapore
• the loss of PAP in the Anson by-election in July 1961 sealed Tunku’s commitment to the formation of Malaya

Question 21

ISSUE OF RACIAL IMBALANCE ADDRESSED

POLITICAL: Tunku’s change in mind

Answer 21

sabah + sarawak joined merger. the inclusion of Sabah and Sarawak and Brunei was crucial to deal with racial imbalance since Malays would still be the majority race afterwards to offset Singapore’s Chinese majority.

Question 22

what is the opposition?

SUPPORTS AND OPPOSITION TO MERGER

Answer 22

1. barisan sosialis
2. external - philippines and indonesia

Question 23

reasons for barisan sosialis challenge

OPPOSITION OF MERGER

Answer 23

1. issue of survival
2. unequal merger terms
3. unfair allocation of seats

Question 24

issue of survival

BARISAN SOSIALIS CHALLENGE > OPPOSITION OF MERGER

Answer 24

issue of survival
* if Singapore became part of Malaysia, the federal government who controlled the internal security in Malaya would eliminate them
* the radicals tried to challenge LKY leadership and bring down the moderate faction within the PAP
* when they failed, they were later expelled and formed the Barisan Sosialis in 1961

Question 25

unequal merger terms

BARISAN SOSIALIS CHALLENGE > OPPOSITION OF MERGER

Answer 25

felt that Singapore would join the union on unequal terms
* *did not agree with the status of Singapore population within the new federation. *
citizenship not automatically granted to Singapore citizens
Singapore citizens as federal nationals, not full citizenship
Singapore citizens could only vote in Singapore elections, undermining their political influence

Question 26

unfair allocation of seats in federal gov.

BARISAN SOSIALIS CHALLENGE > OPPOSITION OF MERGER

Answer 26

Singapore would be under-represented in the federal government since it was not given number of seats proportionate to its population.
* sign of second-class status
* implied that SG would have limited influence and decision making power at federal level, despite its substantial population and economic significance

Singapore: 15/24
Sabah: 16/7
Sarawak: 24/11

Question 27

**

EXTERNAL

OPPOSITION OF MERGER

Answer 27

Philippines
* did not recognise Malaysia and insisted it had a rightful claim to Sabah; broke off relations with Malaysia in 1963

Indonesia
* opposed merger as it felt that it would give the British continued control over territories in the new federation and that Sabah and Sarawak should come under their influence instead; broke off relations with Malaysia in 1963

Question 28

PAP radio talks “Battle for Merger”

SUPPORT FOR MERGER

Answer 28

conducted radio talks called “the battle for Merger”
* aim was to convince the people to vote for the PAP‘s proposal for merger
* educated the public about benefits of merger while addressing concerns and opposition raised by BS and other groups
* through the talks, PAP exposed the communists for what they were as he presented the weaknesses of their arguments against merger
* convinced the public that by supporting merger, they would be on the winning side

Question 29

the Referendum (1962)

SUPPORT FOR MERGER

Answer 29

• find out if people wanted a merger and what type of merger they wanted
• PAP proffered option A while the Barisan Sosialis opposed all three, asserting that none would adequately protect Singapore’s interests or ensure the equality within the federation
• by designing the options for referendum in this way, the PAP was using it as an instrument against their opposition

it convinced Tunku and Singapore public that merger was preferred by the majority. it provided the PAP with a strong mandate to proceed with the merger on their terms

overwhelming majority of 70.8% voted in favor of option A which was the PAP preferred option
26% blank votes from the Barisan Sosialis attempt
provided the PAP with a strong mandate to proceed with the merger on their terms

Question 30

update on barisan sosialis [OPERATION COLDSTORE]

after PAP response

Answer 30

In February 1963, the PAP arrested and detained more than 100 people, including 23 members of the Barisan Sosialis including LCS for their involvement to sabotage the formation of Malaysia and plan to launch an uprising in Singapore during Operation Coldstore. This caused the Barisan Sosialis to weaken and suffered defeat in the subsequent 1963 elections.

Question 31

compromised aspects

NEGOTIATIONS FOR MERGER

Answer 31

1. common market terms to be worked out after signing of malaysia Agreement.
2. $50 million grant from SG to develop Sabah and Sarawak -> $150 million loan to develop Sabah and Sarawak
3. federal nationals -> automatic citizenship

Singaporean leaders including LKY believed that the burden of supporting the development of these states was disproportionately placed on Singapore, which was already dealing with its own economic challenges

Question 32

list all the points of The Malaysia Agreement-Compromise

Answer 32

1. SG citizens to automatically become citizens of the Federation of Malaysia
2. common market established in stages
3. SG to provide $150 million loan to develop Sabah and Sarawak
4. SG to collect its own revenue and pay Federal government 40% of revenue for tax (Malaya protects SG militarily, warranting tax + removal of tariffs)
5. Singapore to relinquish control over foreign affairs, defence and internal security to Federal government but would have control over education and labor matters
6. SG could hold its own elections to choose its own state government but Singapore citizens would only be able to vote in elections held in Singapore
7. SG may administer own finances, but Federal Government may intervene
8. SG to be allocated only 15 seats in Federal Parliament (*)
9. SG retains its own civil service, separate from Federal civil service

Question 33

when did SG and Malaya merge?

Answer 33

16th September 1963