• Steps to nurture a sense of belonging 3 December 1959 i) Installation of Yang di-Pertuan Negara ii) The following National Symbols were introduced, * National flag * State Crest * National Anthem

THE PEOPLE’S ACTION PARTY GOVERNMENT 1959-1960’S (PAGE 93)

MEASURES TO IMPROVE PEOPLE’S LIVING CONDITIONS

PUBLIC WORKS AND GENERAL WELFARE

Street lamps and standpipes builtGas and telephone services

HOUSING

The Housing Development Board (HDB)Formed in 1960By end of 1965, 23% of population living in HDB flats

EDUCATION

Schools builtTeachers recruitedSchool enrolment increased

EMPLOYMENTFactories manufacturing goods were set up to provide jobs.

PROPOSALS FOR A MERGER WITH MALAYA

Malaya’s initial rejection of merger

Tunku Abdul Rahman(Malayan PM)

Not keen. WHY ?

1)Too many Singapore Chinese

would upset racial balance

2) Suspected many S’pore Chinese

sympathetic to Communists.

HOWEVER THIS FEAR OF COMMUNISTS LED TUNKU TO CHANGE HIS MIND.

Race Fed. of Malaya

Fed of Malaya including

S’pore

Malay 3.1million 3.4million

Chinese 2.3million 3.6million

TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN’S PROPOSED MERGER

▪ He proposed bringing in Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak into the Federation

▪ The Malays would then form a larger number than the Chinese .

Estimated number of Malays and Chinese in 1960

Race Federation of Malaya Federation of Malaya Federation of Malaya,

including S’pore including S’pore,Sabah and

Sarawak

Malay 3.1 million 3.4 million 4.0 million

Chinese 2.3 million 3.6 million 3.7 million

PROPOSED MERGER: FEDERATION OF MALAYA., SINGAPORE, SABAH, SARAWAK AND

BRUNEI

ADVANTAGES OF MERGER

1. British more open to granting independence to S’pore if it became part of the Federation of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak

2. Establishment of a COMMON MARKET Malayan government had imposed taxes on goods traded between S’pore and Malaya. With merger it was hoped that trade would increase creating more jobs.

3. Merger would enable both Malaya and Singapore to join hands against the Communist threat.

OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED MERGERHowever , there was opposition to the proposed merger.Who? Some PAP members , like , Lim Chin Siong and Fong Swee SuanWhy? Felt that proposed merger would disadvantage Singapore in the Federation. People in Singapore would not enjoy the same rights as those who stayed in Malaya.

13TH August those PAP members who opposed broke away to form the BARISAN SOCIALISChairman of the party was Dr. Lee Siew ChohSecretary was Lim Chin Siong

PAP and Barisan Socialis carried a campaign to win support of people for their respective proposals

PAP’S CAMPAIGN1. Radio talks by Lee Kuan Yew known

as “Battle for Merger”2. Exhibitions to explain benefits of

merger

BARISAN SOCIALIS’ CAMPAIGN1. Mass rallies2. Debates ,in radio forums, with other

parties

PEOPLE’S DECISION ON THE MERGER, 1962

▪ OPTIONS (page 104 Source 31)

▪ PAP urged people to vote for Option A

▪ Barisan Socialis were against the 3 options.

Urged people to cast blank votes to show their opposition to merger.

▪ RESULTS (page 105)

▪ Option A --- 71%

▪ Option B --- 0.9%

▪ Option C --- 1.4%

▪ Blank votes ---25%

▪ Rejected --- 1.7%

A REFERENDUM was held on 1 September 1962 to find out the type of merger the people in Singapore wanted.The people were presented with 3 options.

OPERATION COLDSTORE

▪ 2 February 1963, the Internal Security Council arrested more than 100 people believed to be under communist influence.

▪ Key Barisan Socialis leaders (Lim Chin Siong and Fong Siew Suan) and some members of trade unions were arrested.

▪ Detainees accused of trying to sabotage the formation of Malaysia and planning to launch an uprising in Singapore.

▪ Barisan Socialis suffered further defeat in the 2 September election. when it won only 13 seats out of 51 seats

SINGAPORE IN MALAYSIA (16 SEPTEMBER 1963)

▪ CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN

Kuala Lumpur control over

Internal

Security External Defence

Affairs

▪ Singapore STATE GOVERNMENT

▪ Elections to chose own state government

▪ Control over Education and Labour

▪ All Singapore citizens automatically become citizens of Federation of Malaysia.

TERMS OF MALAYSIA AGREEMENT

PROBLEMS FACED DURING MERGER ( PAGE 109-110)

▪ COMMON MARKET

NOT FORMED

Central government concerned

this would lead to greater

competition from Singapore

as goods from Singapore would

no longer be taxed.

Singapore had hoped to enjoy

economic benefits.

TAXATION

Singapore had to contribute 40% of its revenue to the Central government.

This was later increased to 60%.

Singapore felt that this was unfair.

Singapore was out of Malaysia in 1965. WHY?DIFFERENCES AND DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

MORE DIFFERENCES AND DISAGREEMENTS

DISAGREEMENTS IN POLITICAL BELIEFS PRIVILEGES FOR THE MALAYS

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

Malays enjoyed special privileges to help improve their social & economic positions ( free education and government jobs)

PAP GOVERNMENT

Focused on free education for Malays to enable them to get better job opportunities.

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

Alliance Party made up of

UMNO

MCA MIC

Malays Indians

Chinese

( represented interests of their respective communities)

PAP GOVERNMENT

Represented interests of all communities regardless of race

EVENTS LEADING TO SEPERATION

▪ Differences and Disagreements created Tensions

1. 1963 ELECTION IN SINGAPORE

UMNO, MCA, MIC formed SAP (Singapore Alliance Party) with Singapore People’s Alliance, to contest election.

Failed to win any seats UNHAPPY

2. 1964 FEDERAL ELECTION IN KUALA LUMPUR

PAP decided to contest. Alliance unhappy with PAP campaign

3. UMN0 leaders accused PAP of neglecting Malay interests in Singapore.

4. July 1964 Riots broke out when Malays and Chinese clashed during Prophet

Mohammed’s birthday celebrations at the Padang. Curfew imposed.

5. Tensions remained . In Sept 1964, another racial riot broke out. Curfew imposed.

SEPARATION 9 AUGUST 1965

▪ May 1965, PAP together 4 Malaysian opposition parties formed the

MALAYSIAN SOLIDARITY CONVENTION ( MSC )

Aimed to achieve a “Malaysian Malaysia”

Equal treatment for all

• UMNO and Malays were upset with MSC as it challenged the special

position of the Malays.

• Growing unrest convinced Tunku that differences could not be

resolved . Best for Singapore to leave Malaysia..