8 events to separation Flashcards
September 1963 State election in Singapore
The Singapore branches of UMNO, MCA, and MIC joined forces with the Singapore People’s Alliance (SPA) to form the Singapore Alliance Party (SAP) to contest the election. SAP failed to win any seats while PAP won 37 out of 51 seats. The Alliance leadership was disappointed as they lost all seven seats held by SPA and UMNO-Singapore, and Malay candidates from SAP lost to Malay PAP candidates in Malay-majority constituencies (e.g., Geylang Serai). SAP’s poor performance shocked the Alliance leadership, leading them to vow to reorganize and defeat the PAP in the next election. This disappointment and the comments about reorganizing created ill feelings and strained relations between Singapore and Malaya.During the 1963 elections, the Alliance Party’s Singapore branch decided to contest.
Tunku Abdul Rahman himself turned up to speak at Alliance rallies in 3 overwhelmingly Malay constituencies, in a show of support for the party.
Lee Kuan Yew’s Thoughts
“The Tunku’s personal appearance to speak at Alliance rallies had been a most serious development… This meant that UMNO did not intend to allow Singapore to run its own affairs as was agreed”
Its policies and agenda were not well-received among the Singapore electorate
PAP 37 seats, barisan socialis 13 seats, singapore aliance 0 seats, united people’s party 1 seat
1963 SINGAPORE ELECTIONS:
TUNKU’S RESPONSE
“I think there must be a few traitors amongst the members who have brought about this change of heart of the people here.”
“The Malays in Singapore had betrayed UMNO in the election”
“the control of Singapore was not in the hands of Mr Lee or the PAP anymore but with the central government in KL”
1964 Federal election in Malaya
PAP’s decision to contest the federal election strained relations. During the campaign, PAP criticized the Alliance Party’s rule and promised a Malaysia governed without racial lines. The Alliance Party won, but PAP only won one seat, causing the Alliance Party to be unhappy with PAP’s challenge. The PAP’s criticism of the Alliance Party and its promise for a non-racial Malaysia was seen as a direct challenge, deepening the mistrust between the two governments and straining relations further.The PAP decided to contest in the 1964 Federal Elections, questioning the Alliance Party’s governance of Malaysia and advocating for multiracialism
Though the PAP was only able to secure one seat in the elections, the Alliance Party was upset with the PAP for even contesting in the elections
1964 FEDERAL ELECTIONS:
ALLIANCE PARTY’S RESPONSE
UMNO
Felt that the PAP was trying to challenge the MCA, their trusted Chinese partners, and trying to undo the Alliance Party’s communal approach to politics
UMNO feared that the PAP’s multiracial approach may lead to the PAP being discontent with simply having the support of the Chinese and begin competing with the UMNO for influence over the Malays as well
MCA
Felt that the PAP wanted to challenge MCA’s position as the representative of the Chinese in the Federation
Determination to win back the Malay vote in Singapore
UMNO leaders capitalized on the discontentment felt by the Malay community in Singapore and accused the PAP government of treating Malays as second-class citizens
Spread anti-PAP sentiments in the widely read newspaper, Utusan Melayu
1964 Rising tensions after the elections
UMNO focused on regaining Malay votes in Singapore, exploiting discontent among Malays who felt neglected by the PAP government. UMNO leaders accused PAP of neglecting Malay interests, and anti-PAP sentiments spread through Malay press like Utusan Melayu. UMNO Secretary-General Syed Ja’afar Albar’s anti-PAP speech escalated tensions, leading to public demands for removal of PAP leaders. Despite PAP’s efforts to address concerns, racial tensions continued. The racial tensions, exacerbated by UMNO’s accusations and the anti-PAP campaign, deepened the divide and set the stage for further unrest and strained relations between Singapore and Malaya.The UMNO’s Secretary-General, Syed Ja’afar Albar, made a fiery anti-PAP speech which accused the PAP government of oppressing the Malays in Singapore and called for them to boycott the PAP’s upcoming meeting for the Malay community
Riled up, the crowd even called for the killing of Othman Wok and Lee Kuan Yew
19 JULY 1964:
PAP’S RESPONSE
Lee Kuan Yew and Othman Wok responded by meeting over 100 non-political Malay organizations to assure them that the PAP would do their best to help Malays in the areas of education, employment, and housing
They also reiterated their focus on multiracialism – That all Singaporeans would have equal rights regardless of race
However, the Utusan Melayu continued to print articles accusing the PAP government of unfairly treating the Malays in Singapore
21 July 1964 First race riot
An estimated 20,000 Muslims gathered at Padang for Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, leading to clashes along Geylang Road. The violence resulted in 23 deaths and 454 injuries. The riot spread as news of the clashes spread. The riots disrupted peace and heightened distrust between Chinese and Malay communities. Malayan PM Tunku Abdul Rahman feared that such tensions could spill over into Malaya, which contributed to his proposal for separation to avoid further bloodshed and unrest.On 21 July 1964, during a procession to celebrate the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, a series of clashes broke out between Malays in the procession and Chinese bystanders.
As more people heard about the news of the initial clashes, communal violence spread across the island, resulting in 23 dead and 454 injured.
Goodwill Committees were set up to calm tensions and restore harmonious relations among the different races.
September 1964 Second race riot
A second round of riots broke out after the murder of a Malay trishaw rider, leading to an island-wide curfew. By the time the curfew was lifted, 13 people had died and 106 were injured. The continuation of violence and rising tensions contributed to the Malayan leadership’s concerns over security and stability, reinforcing the idea of separation as a solution.
However, tensions broke out again on 2 September 1964
The murder of a Malay trishaw rider prompted Malays to take retaliatory action against the Chinese.
By 4 September, the rioting had once again become widespread and an islandwide curfew was imposed by the police, but not before 13 had died and 106 injured.
WHO DID LKY BLAME FOR THE RACIAL RIOTS IN SINGAPORE?
On 23 May, an editorial in the Utusan accused the PAP and me of inciting non-Malays to demand the abolition of the special rights of the Malays.
On 11 June, the paper proclaimed, “Singapore UMNO directed to take steps to save PAP victims”.
The next day, another headline: “Malays in Singapore today facing threat, pressure and oppression by the government. Do not treat the sons of the soil as stepchildren”.
A week later, the Utusan urged all Malays to “stand solidly behind UMNO in making strong and effective protests against the PAP government”
WHO DID ALBAR BLAME FOR THE RACIAL RIOTS IN SINGAPORE?
“I am very happy today we Malays and Muslims in Singapore have shown unity and are prepared to live or die together for our race and our future generation. If there is unity, no force can trample us down, no force can humiliate us… Not one Lee Kuan Yew, a thousand Lee Kuan Yews… we finish them off!”
“there is a devil in Singapore who sets the Malays and the Chinese against each other… why is it that under the British, Japanese, David Marshall and Lim Yew Hock governments no incidents happened in Singapore… It is because Lee Kuan Yew has been trying to challenge our spirit of Nationalism…. He has challenged the Tunku”
Post-1964 Formation of Malaysian Solidarity Convention (MSC)
After the riots, the Alliance Party and PAP agreed not to raise racial issues or challenge each other in elections for two years. This agreement was short-lived as SAP announced plans to reorganize and defeat PAP. In response, PAP formed the Malaysian Solidarity Convention (MSC) with four opposition parties to campaign for a ‘Malaysian Malaysia’—promoting equal treatment regardless of race, in contrast to UMNO’s Malay supremacy. The MSC’s campaign was seen as a direct attack on the existing system, threatening the special rights of Malays. This heightened mistrust and anger towards the PAP, leading to calls for Prime Minister Lee’s arrest and deepening the tensions that contributed to the decision for separation.
To restore order, the Alliance Party and the PAP agreed:
Not to
1. Raise any matters that were racial in nature
2. Challenge each other in elections for the next 2 years
However, by October 1964, the Singapore branch of the Alliance Party announced that it planned to contest against the PAP in the next election!
1965
FORMATION OF MALAYSIAN
SOLIDARITY CONVENTION
The PAP then formed the Malaysian Solidarity Council (MSC) by bringing together 4 other Malaysian opposition parties
They campaigned for a “Malaysian Malaysia” where all would be treated equally, regardless of their race or religion
Impact
The Alliance Party was greatly displeased with the formation of the MSC
They saw the vision of a “Malaysian Malaysia” as threatening the special rights for the Malays
Some UMNO leaders even called for PM Lee’s arrest
HOW DID THE TUNKU SEE THE MSC?
Mr Lee Kuan Yew suggested that most of the differences could be overcome by combining in a coalition with the Alliance Government. I refuse to accept this.
The only coalition was what we had agreed before Singapore entered Malaysia - That was that Singapore should carry on with its own administration and Malaya would mind its own business, except in the matters of Internal Security and External Affairs, which being national and common concern to all
