Unit 3: Merger with Malaya

Question 1

Main Topics

Answer 1

1. PAP’s reasons for Merger
2. Political Reasons
   - Political Security & Independence - territory
   - Merger as the only means of gaining independence
3. Economic Reasons
   - Economic Survival
   - Tariffs, Common Market & Manufacturing Industry
4. Reactions to Merger (Malaya’s Response to Merger)
5. Initial reluctance of Malaya/Tunku Abdul Rahman
   i. Issue of Racial Imbalance
   ii. Fear of the spread of the communist threat from SG to MY
6. Malaya’s eventual acceptance of merger proposal
   i. Issue of racial imbalance addressed (inclusion of Sabah and Sarawak in merger)
   ii. Tunku’s fear of an independent, Communist-influenced Singapore
   - loss of (PAP moderate factions) representation in the Internal Security Council
   - PAP’s loss in the Hong Lim by-election
   - Formation of the Barisan Sosialis
7. Opposition towards Merger
8. Internal
   - Barisan Sosialis
9. Reasons for Opposition towards merger
   i. status of Singapore population within the new Federation (‘second class citizens’)
   ii. allocation of seats (‘second class status)
10. PAP’s response
    i. 12 Radio Talks, Referendum (1 Sept 1962)

The Malaysia Agreement

2. External (enrichment)
   - Indonesia and the Philippines

Question 2

1. PAP’s reasons for Merger (2 main pts, 2 subpt, 2 subsubpt)

Answer 2

1. PAP’s reasons for Merger
2. Political Reasons
   - Political Security & Independence - territory
   - Merger as the only means of gaining independence
3. Economic Reasons
   - Economic Survival
   - Tariffs, Common Market & Manufacturing Industry

Question 3

2. Reactions to Merger (Malaya’s Response to Merger) (2mainpt, 4subpt - 2 2, 2 subsubpt + 1 ssspt)

Answer 3

2. Reactions to Merger (Malaya’s Response to Merger)
3. Initial reluctance of Malaya/Tunku Abdul Rahman
   i. Issue of Racial Imbalance
   ii. Fear of the spread of the communist threat from SG to MY
4. Malaya’s eventual acceptance of merger proposal
   i. Issue of racial imbalance addressed (inclusion of Sabah and Sarawak in merger)
   ii. Tunku’s fear of an independent, Communist-influenced Singapore
   - loss of (PAP moderate factions) representation in the Internal Security Council
   - PAP’s loss in the Hong Lim by-election
   - Formation of the Barisan Sosialis

Question 4

3. Opposition towards Merger (2 main pt, 1 subpt, 2 subsubpt, 3 ssspt)

Answer 4

3. Opposition towards Merger
4. Internal
   - Barisan Sosialis
5. Reasons for Opposition towards merger
   i. status of Singapore population within the new Federation (‘second class citizens’)
   ii. allocation of seats (‘second class status)
6. PAP’s response
   i. 12 Radio Talks, Referendum (1 Sept 1962)
7. External (enrichment)
   - Indonesia and the Philippines

Question 5

1. PAP’s Reasons for Merger
   background

Answer 5

1. PAP’s Reasons for Merger
   * The PAP’S 1959 Election promise included achieving independence for Singapore through merger with Malaya.
   * The idea of merger was not new as many people in Singapore had advocated for a merger with Malaya since 1948. Singapore’s fate was thought to be inseparable from Malaya, which made the PAP pursue merger.

Question 6

1. PAP’s Reasons for Merger
   Political Reasons
2. Merger as a means of gaining independence
   Singapore’s motivation for merging with Malaya (1pt, 3 subpt)

Answer 6

1. Merger as a means of gaining independence
   Background
   * Singapore’s quest for merger is inextricably linked/related to PAP’s aim of obtaining independence from colonial rule
   - Rationale behind merger was to convince British that Singapore would be able to maintain its political security and become politically secure/independent.

• The PAP knew that the British would continue to maintain its control over external/foreign affairs, defence and internal security (shared) - hence allowing only for full self-government - especially since the British regarded Singapore as strategically important to her = PAP would find it difficult to win full independence for Singapore as long as the Communist threat remained a threat.
• Since Malaya successfully suppressed the Communists and had a strong central government, PAP proposed merger to convince the British government that merging with a staunchly anti-Communist nation would protect Singapore and keep the Communist threat under control.

Question 7

1. PAP’s Reasons for Merger
   Political Reasons
2. Merger as a means of gaining independence
   British motivation (3pt)

Answer 7

• British motivation to grant independence to SG: they feared that SG would fall under communist control (due to the Communists’ success in inciting civil and industrial unrest) during the cold war due to the influences from Communist China and rising communist movements in nearby Indonesia and Vietnam.
• To safeguard Singapore and the Borneo territories (North Borneo and Sarawak) from the spread of Communism, the British sought to provide greater political stability through the formation of a new federation comprising Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo (later known as Sabah), Sarawak and Brunei (Brunei rejected them though).
• Singapore was of strategic importance (needed as a base to protect British’s defence and economic interests).
• Singapore was needed as long as the British had strategic interest and importance in Singapore. They would not give up internal security, defence and external (foreign) affairs as the British was not yet convinced that Singapore could deal with internal threats (therefore merger was the only means to gain independence).

Question 8

1. PAP’s Reasons for Merger
   Economic Reasons
   Economic Survival
   6pt, 2 subpt (no.), 2 subpt

Answer 8

• The PAP’s belief was that once Singapore was independent it could not survive economically without a merger with Malaya.
• Singapore did not appear to have a promising economic future if left on its own.
  1. It lacked natural resources and had a rapidly growing population in need of jobs.
  2. It was also facing a declining entrepôt (import – export) trade.
• As its neighbours became independent, they wanted to direct their exports through their own ports, reducing Singapore’s importance as a regional trading port.
• Moreover, the Malayan government had introduced tariffs in the 1950s on goods traded with Singapore.
• The tariffs made 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.
• Singapore had no raw materials and no consumer market (too small), and thus had to turn to the manufacturing industry to earn revenue.
• problem: if the main source of economy is manufacturing, then the implementation of tariffs would have a great impact as sg have no raw materials and has no consumer market. any form of heavy tariffs on its products would harm its economic survival. = products become more expensive, but they cant sell at a competitive rate. Hence, they form a common market = products imported and exported can be done without any or minimal tariffs.
• If a common market could be established through the merger, the Malayan hinterland would create a larger demand for Singapore’s manufactured goods.
• Trade would increase and more jobs could be created for the people = more economic revenue
• Tariffs = tax imposed by govt on goods entering or leaving the country. This increases the price of such goods.
• Common market - an agreement between territories allowing goods produced in one territory to enter another territory without tariffs or restrictions.
• Hinterland - an inland area from which a country obtains its raw materials and other supplies

Question 9

2. Reactions to Merger
3. Initial Reluctance of Malaya / Tunku Abdul Rahman - Political Implications
   i) Issue of Racial Imbalance

3pt

Answer 9

• w/ SG only = Chinese > Malay → racial imbalance = loss of Malayan representation (as ↑ Chinese voters would vote for Chinese parties), Tunku wanted majority Malay population = rejected
• w/ SG, North Borneo, Sarawak & Sabah = Malay > Chinese (North Borneo, Sarawak & Sabah = ↑ Malay to offset the Chinese from SG to ensure Malay > Chinese) = Fulfilled Tunku’s requirement = accepted
• Ruling Party of Malaya = UMNO (United Malay National Organisation) → they were afraid that they wont be the majority in government (↑ Chinese voters = ↑ votes for Chinese parties = ↑ Chinese representation in govt = ↓ Malay representation in govt)

Question 10

2. Reactions to Merger
3. Initial Reluctance of Malaya / Tunku Abdul Rahman - Political Implications
   ii) Fear of Communist Threats
   1pt, 1subpt

Answer 10

• Tunku believed the Chinese majority in Singapore sympathised with the communists/leftists.
• worried that inclusion of Singapore would lead to the spread of pro-Communist activities to the rest of the Federation

Question 11

2. Eventual Acceptance of Merger Proposal
   1) Issue of Racial Imbalance addressed
   2pt

Answer 11

• The inclusion of Sabah and Sarawak was crucial to changing Tunku’s mind about merger.
• w/ SG, North Borneo, Sarawak & Sabah = Malay > Chinese (North Borneo, Sarawak & Sabah = ↑ Malay to offset the Chinese from SG to ensure Malay > Chinese) = Fulfilled Tunku’s requirement (of predominantly malay population) = accepted

If Malaya merge w/ Singapore only: Malay = 3.4mil, Chinese = 3.6mil

If Malaya merge w/ Singapore, North Borneo (Sabah) & Sarawak: Malay = 4.0mil, Chinese = 3.7mil

Question 12

2. Eventual Acceptance of Merger Proposal
   2) Fear of an Independent, Communist-influenced SIngapore
   I) loss of representation in the Internal Security Council (ISC)
   2pt

Answer 12

• ISC → 7 ppl, 3 British, 3 Locals, 1 Malayan Official (bc they gained independence in 1947 before SG → has casting vote) (basically Malaya was part of Singapore’s ISC and knew what was happening)
• Tunku feared that if Singapore was left alone, radical elements would take over which might spread and overwhelm Malaya.

Question 13

2. Eventual Acceptance of Merger Proposal
   2) Fear of an Independent, Communist-influenced SIngapore
   II) PAP’s loss in the 1961 Hong Lim by-election (April 1961)
   background - 2pt

Answer 13

• By-Election – an election held to fill a seat that becomes empty between general elections. Occurs when the representative occupying the seat is expelled from the party, resigns or passes away.
• The PAP lost the by-election to Ong Eng Guan, an independent radical candidate who had been a party member but was expelled and had openly challenged the PAP leadership.

Question 14

2. Eventual Acceptance of Merger Proposal
   2) Fear of an Independent, Communist-influenced SIngapore
   II) PAP’s loss in the 1961 Hong Lim by-election (April 1961)
   Tunku Abdul Rahman’s concerns - 3pt

Answer 14

• To Tunku Abdul Rahman, the loss was alarming as it signified an increasing divide within the PAP between the moderate faction (led by Lee Kuan Yew and his colleagues) and the radical faction.
• Tunku Abdul Rahman believed the loss of the PAP in the Hong Lim by-election meant the moderates were beginning to lose their appeal.
• His main concern - the possibility that other radicals like the pro-Communists in the PAP would capture power from the moderates/gain control of the party and then establish a communist government.
• If this happened, Singapore could be used as a base to spread communist ideas to Malaya.

Question 15

2. Eventual Acceptance of Merger Proposal
   2) Fear of an Independent, Communist-influenced SIngapore
   II) PAP’s loss in the 1961 Hong Lim by-election (April 1961)
   Composition of the PAP 5pt

Answer 15

• The PAP had a radical faction as once they won the 1959 Elections, they released the communists from prison immediately (Lim Chin Siong, Devan Nair, Fong Swee Suan etc) → they were willing to be in the PAP until PAP proposed merger
• PAP - moderates/moderate factions and radical factions/pro-communist members
• merger = break out from the radicals
• moderates led by LKY - believed that gaining independence via merger is the only way to independence
• radicals believed in more extreme methods - if merger is formed, it’s only a matter of time till they are kicked out = wanted to challenge the moderates and move the moderates out to ensure that merger wont be formed = passed a vote of confidence for LKY as a strategy but PAP moderate faction survived by 1 vote

Question 16

3. Opposition to Merger
4. Internal Opposition
   The Barisan Sosialis
   background - 2pt

Answer 16

• July 1961 Legislative Assembly By-election: the Communists did every effort to make sure PAP did not win = no merger = worked (DM from WP won) but didn’t (they got expelled) → PAP passed a notion for a no-confidence vote against their leader (LKY) = LKY expelled the pro-communist PAP members for breaking ranks and pulling support away to Communist opponents = the expelled members then formed the far-left Barisan Sosialis (BS) to protest against merger.
• They opposed merger as it was an issue of their survival & merger would spell their ability to survive (they were strongly against merger – exploited the 2 reasons below) – not on equal footing.

Question 17

3. Opposition to Merger
4. Internal Opposition
   The Barisan Sosialis
   Why did the Barisan Sosialis claimed that Singapore would be entering a union with Malaya on unequal terms / (2pt, 3subpt, 2subpt)

Answer 17

• The Barisan Sosialis claimed that Singapore would be entering a union with Malaya on unequal terms as:

i) status of Singapore population within the new Federation
- citizenship not automatically granted to Singapore citizens
- Singapore citizens – called “federal nationals” (bc tunku was still concerned about political position in govt - he wanted to make sure that sg cannot dominate the government bc he still want a majority Malay govt which was the reason for disagreement later)
- second-class citizens
ii) allocation of seats
- claimed that Singapore would be under-represented in the Malaysian Parliament/federal government - not given number of seats proportionate to its population
- second-class status

State
Singapore Sabah Sarawak

No. of seats that should be allocated based on population size
24 7 11

No. of seats allocated
15 16 24

Question 18

3. Opposition to Merger
4. Internal Opposition
   The Barisan Sosialis
   PAP’s response - challenge Barisan Sosialis’ arguments against merger
   i) radio talks
   2-3pt

Answer 18

• PAP conducted 12 radio talks to say and convince the people that the Barisan Sosialis had no ground.
• The main aim of the radio talks was to convince the people to vote for the PAP’s proposal for merger.
• These were pivotal in exposing the communists for what they were as Lee presented the weaknesses of their arguments against merger. In other words, he convinced the general public that by supporting merger, they would be on the winning side.

Question 19

3. Opposition to Merger
4. Internal Opposition
   The Barisan Sosialis
   PAP’s response - challenge Barisan Sosialis’ arguments against merger
   ii) the Referendum
   3pt

Answer 19

• Referendum – a direct vote by people of the country to decide on
  a particular issue, instead of the government making the decision.
• Results - 71% of the people supported what PAP wanted.
• Option (A): 397,626 votes (71%) – PAP Preferred option
• Option (B): 9,422 votes (1.7%)
• Option (C): 7,911 votes (1.4%)
• Blank votes: 144,077 votes (25%)
• (BS persuaded the people to submit blank votes to protest against merger)
• Option A won the majority, with the Barisan defeated - The majority showed how the people had sanctioned the PAP’s proposal for merger. PAP was using the referendum as an instrument against their opposition.

Question 20

2. External Opposition (enrichment)
   Indonesia & The Philippines

2pt, 2subpt

Answer 20

2. External Opposition (enrichment)
   Indonesia & The Philippines
   * Indonesia
   - Confrontation
   * The Philippines
   - claimed that they should have control over Sabah because they said that its nearer to their country than Malaya)

Question 21

Weakening of the Barisan Socialis (3pt)

Answer 21

• With the conditions in place to remove the threat of the pro-Communists, the PAP on 2 February 1963 activated the Internal Security Council to detain more than 100 people, including Lim Chin Siong and 23 other Barisan Sosialis members on grounds that they had attempted to sabotage the formation of Malaysia and were attempting to stage an uprising in Singapore.
• This operation was code-named Operation Coldstore.
• The weakened position of the BS can be seen in how they suffered a severe defeat in the next 1963 Singapore state election. The PAP won 37 of the 51 seats in the Legislature with the BS winning only 13 seats.

Question 22

The Malaysia Agreement terms
9pt

Answer 22

• Common Market established in stages
• Singapore to provide $150 million loan
• Singapore to collect its own revenue and pay Federal Govt an agreed amount as taxes
• Singapore to relinquish control over foreign affairs, defence and internal security to Federal Govt
• Singapore given autonomy over labour and education (+ve)
• Singapore govt may administer own finances, but Federal Govt policies may intervene
• Singapore to be allocated only 15 seats in federal parliament (not proportional to population)
• Singapore retains its own civil service, separate from Federal civil service (+ve)
• Singapore to contribute 40% of income from revenue to Federal Govt as taxes

Question 23

Why did merger also present a strategy to break away from the pro-communists faction that had become a threat to the PAP? (background before bs was formed and why bs oppose merger (1pt) total 8+1 pt

Answer 23

While PAP’s quest for merger was meant to address pressing political and economic issues, in a sense, merger also presented a strategy to break away from the pro-communists faction that had become a threat to the PAP.

Why had this become necessary at this stage?
* They had worked with the pro-communists towards a 1959 election victory. Working together had been possible as both then had the common goal of rejecting colonial rule.
* The PAP had worked with the pro-communists based on the practical value the pro-communists provided.
◦ Theirs had been based on a strategic and practical approach in retaining popular appeal - they recognised that not only was the loyalties of the majority ethnic group, the Chinese, characterised by a certain degree of Chinese chauvinism (that is, it denotes how the Chinese identified with mainland China and placed more esteem on their Chinese cultural roots), the pro-Communists was also gaining a mass appeal among this group based on exploiting this deep sense of Chinese chauvinism.
* Hence, the PAP could not survive by making enemies of the pro-Communists as yet - until they built a strong enough moderate base, the PAP recognised that they would have to work and even collaborate with the more leftist elements of the time.

• In other words, the PAP was also well aware that the radical faction were loyal not to the PAP but to the goals of a party that had been declared illegal - the Malayan Communist Party (MCP).
• 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.
• This had been evident in so many instances even in the midst of the Labour Front and the PAP gaining constitutional changes for Singapore:
  ◦ 12 - 14 May 1955: After the 1955 elections and the establishment of the first popular assembly - the 1955 Hock Lee bus riots led by pro-Communist trade union leaders that derailed efforts at full self-government.
  ◦ Oct 1956: After gaining full self-government in 1956 - the 1956 Singapore Chinese Middle Schools Student Union riots broke out, whose protest escalated when trade unionists instigated the students further.
• It was clear that working with the radical pro-communist faction carried a serious risk - Yet the PAP could not simply flush out the pro-communists - they ran the risk of being alienated by the majority of the Chinese-speaking residents whose views still gravitated to those who appealed to their sense of Chinese chauvinism.
• They had to wait until conditions were right.
• The battle for merger and the opposition of the Barisan Sosialis therefore presented those conditions, that is demonstrable evidence of how far the pro-communists were working against the interests of the people.

How did the PAP weaken the appeal of the Barisan Sosialis through the merger campaign?
* While their arguments appeared plausible, Lee and his fellow PAP members knew the BS was only opposing merger to ensure their own survival.