Road To Independence

Road To Independence
Reaction to the return of the British
Change in mindsets – After British lost, British powers lost their prestige and destroyed myth that British were “superior and unbeatable”.  Diminished fear and awe of Europeans  no longer felt helpless.  reminded of the British’s failure to protect them in times of need. Hence they harboured negative feelings towards British remaining in Singapore
Rise of Nationalism – Political awakening: Colonial powers will never place a colony as its first priority despite draining as much resources as possible from the country. This inspired the people to run SG by themselves.  combined with the suffering during the Japanese rule, Singaporeans were more determined than ever not to be subjected to the rule of another power with its own set of interests.  desire to step forward to run their country and fight for independence  do what they think is best.
Practical problems after WWII under the British Military Administration.
Disruption to Economy – Crime was common due to high unemployment rate.
Political Unstability – Rise of Communists which were basically anti-British and the way British gave priority to their own interests (again). Most were built too slowly, and were mainly English schools.
The MCP changed from anti-Jap to anti-British very quickly. They wrote articles in Chinese newspapers (we see the benefit of knowing a language your colonizers don’t) stirring up the large Chinese community against the British by blaming them for food shortage and pathetic living conditions.
Initiated strikes (as a form of defiance and attempt to cause chaos in the British colony) like Hock Lee Bus Riots.
Teachers in Chinese schools were not attended to by the British and hence was used as a platform for teachers to teach communist ideals to the students. (!)
Unlike those who were English-educated, Chinese (educated in their own language) could not get good jobs with good pay after completing education. They could not go for higher studies also. Communists propagated that this was greatly unfair and promoted the overthrow of the British government so as to appropriate Singapore’s resources themselves, to ensure equality for all. Hence Communists resented the British for lowering their opportunities and the British despised the Communists for causing chaos and threatening their position.
Social Unrest – Appalling slums, people packed in cubicles and dark airless tenements.
What the British tried to do, and what they really wanted
British tried to make laws and policies barring all other political parties from holding public meetings, arrested those responsible for the strikes.
They also tried re-establishing tin and rubber industries, repairing and rebuilding bridges, docks and warehouses and communication networks.
What they really wanted though, was economy, (Chambers of commerce) foreign affairs and defence. Basically draining Singapore economically and benefitting.
British giving in – The Elections

1948 election, SPP ( 6 members in Legislative Council) Internal law and affairs
SPP was led by British educated lawyers, but was not popular with the Chinese because it was Pro-British.
The Riots in 1950s as an expression of further Anti-British feelings
People continued to face social and economic problems  many blamed their discontentment to the British rulers  E.g. the Maria Hertogh Riots where the British interests were placed first and Malay culture disrespected. Sign of British failure to be sensitive to its colony’s culture.  E.g. Anti-NS riots: Students thought that the British were trying to disrupt their education and furthermore, they were not willing to defend a government they were trying to drive out.
Because British feelings were forcibly placed first  locals oppressed  people unhappy.
People saw it as discrimination and disrespect.
Reaction: Rendel Constitution 1953
Gave locals more autonomy in internal affairs and quality of life. (industry, education, health, housing)
British still retained control on internal security, economy, external defence, law.  British thought that SG could still be used as a free port and military base.
Step to self-government:
The party must prove they are able to put down Communists and are pro-British.

MERGER – 1961
Potential or Desired benefits from merger
Benefit/
Concern
Singapore
Malaya
Economic
More trade and job opportunities

SG government felt the best way to resolve unemployment was to merge with Malaya.

Resolving unemployment could go in tandem with an expansion of market.

Additionally, Singapore thought that expansion of market could go in tandem with making it a common market.  goods bought and sold freely without being taxed, bringing about not only a potential influx of customers, but enabling them to make more profit without the burden of additional tariffs which might drive away customers despite their efforts to keep selling prices low.

Singapore also hoped she could rely on Malaysia as an amicable source for raw materials, tapping on Malaysia’s natural reserves to foster a vicious cycle of economic expansion (cause) and profit (effect) which would be used to further expand the economy.

SG should not be an economic liability. SG had no resources and hence was dependent on Malaya.

However SG’s ambition for a common market meant that goods manufactured in Malaysia would face competition from SG. Indeed, the very act of taking Malaysia’s resources to make goods to compete in Malaysia was an act of exploitation, and was unbecoming of SG’s political position as a subordinate state under Malaysia’s control and protection.

Tactfully, Malaya wanted these economic details to be worked out after signing the Merger agreement, (essentially they didn’t want it printed in black and white) and were not prepared to make any concrete promises.

Yet Malaya wanted SG to give a grant of $50 million to the development of Sabah and Sarawak.

Collection of revenue from SG, leaving only what is necessary to run SG itself.
Political Security
Existing communist problems = British uncomfortable with letting SG go.
Anti-Communist Malaya + Communist-infested SG = no more Communists  British appeased  SG liberated
…or so everyone thought. (including Communists?)
(Did the Communists seriously think that the fact that Malaya was anti-communist posed a serious threat to their existence and ideologies, and what did they do to counter this?)
Tunku Abdul Rahman was worried about the Communists growing in Singapore, and might grow too strong for the PAP to deal with. He was even more worried about the fact that they were right at the doorstep of Malaysia. He pre-empted that SG was currently being used as a breeding ground for Communists and the former would be used as a base to spread Communism throughout Malaya, which he didn’t want.

Merger was a method of seizing authority of Singapore (on the pretexts of doing Singapore a favour?) so that Malaya, a country that wasn’t dominated mainly by Chinese which were mainly Communists (is there a better adjective to describe this?) could control the situation and their own fate, by (averting their peril at the hands of the Communists? [can we say that?])

Malaya wanted to have continued political dominance through racial outnumbering. Added Sabah and Sarawak to counter Chinese population in Malaysia.

Britain’s perspective

Britain did not object to the formation of Malaysia.
1. It would not seem as Britain was kicked out of their own colony, thus by amicably granting SG, Sabah and Sarawak to Malaysia, it would end their governance on a more positive note.
2. Britain believed that stability in these states would be secured if they joined Malaya.
3. (So Britain actually wanted to grant independence to SG?)

Communists’ perspective

Pro-communist members of PAP were against idea of merger, because the anti-communist government would probably arrest them.

Internal Struggle For Power

1. Lim Chin Siong led pro-communists to capture leadership of the PAP in order to reject merger.
2. Communists won over the support of some PAP legislative Assemblymen.
3. This however did not help them to overthrow LKY’s leadership, and the 13 Assemblymen involved were expelled.
4. They formed a party called Barisan Socialis in August 1961. Lim Chin Siong was Sec-Gen and this enabled him to secretly maneuver from behind.

CLASH OF IDEOLOGIES singapore malaya
Singapore was joining Malaya as an equal.
Not of equal status as the other states.

Malaya thought merger was where the weaker party (Singapore) sought the protection of the stronger party (Malaya).
Hence, Kuala Lumpur regarded Malaysia as an extension of the Federation of Malaya, with more states joining and not challenging the supremacy of the Malay ethnic groups and privileges.

Malayan leaders thought Singapore could not survive alone anyway.

What Both parties Demanded from Merger