Singapore Separating

From Malaysia

Economy Reasons Why Singapore Want to Separate From Malaysia

• Malaya still impose tariffs on Singapore-made goods traded to Malaya. The Central Government in Kuala Lumpur did this to protect their goods in the local market

• Malaya still treat Singapore as an economy rival even though they merged together. This caused Malaya to delay setting up the Common Market

• The Central Government also increases the tax from 40% to 60%

• The leaders in Singapore think that it was unfair because Singapore has complete restriction to trade with Malaya

• The Central Government order to close down the Bank of China The PAP don’t want to close down the Bank of China because it would affect the Chinese workers

• This caused strained relationship with the Central government and the PAP

Politic Reasons Why Singapore Wants to Separate With Malaysia

• Malaya and Singapore had different ways to form political partiesPolitical Party in Malaya

Political Party in Singapore

Racial lines Multiracial

Enjoyed special rights to improve the standards

of living

Support equal opportunities for all people regardless of

race or religion.. Believe that each race will

improve standards of living through

industrialization and education

Urge PAP to adopt the same political party

Hope that Malaysia will work towards multi-

racial

• The Alliance Party supported Singapore Alliance during the state election in 1963. However, the Singapore Alliance Party did not even win a seat in the Legislative Assembly.

• The PAP won 37 out of 51 seats. . The Leaders of the United Malay National Organization from the Alliance Party want the PAP to challenge the Singapore Alliance in the next election. This strained the relationship of the PAP and the Central government even more.

• In 1964, the PAP participated in the Federal Election . The PAP only win 1 seat out of 104while the Alliance Party won 89 seats out of 104 seats.

• The participation of the PAP in the election strained the relationship further

• The United Malayan Nation Organization start to organize the anti-PAP campaign. They published many articles in a Malay newspaper printed in the Jawi language.

• When the PAP want to redevelop areas like Crawfurd, Kampong Glam and Rochor. This caused more than 2500 families to move to other places. Out of these 2500 families, about 200 were Malay. The Malay newspaper then wrote rumors that 2500 Malay families were affected to shake up the Malays discontentment towards the PAP

• On the 12th of July1964, the United Malay Nation Organization secretary-general made a speech to 150 Malay organization in Singapore. They said rumors about the PAP that they neglect the interest of the Malays in Singapore and they are facing poverty

• On the 19th of July 1964, Lee Kuan Yew and 10 Minister for Social Affairs met 900 Malay representatives to relieve the racial tension. They also promised the Malays that they would help give them service for education, housing and jobs

• The racial tension was made worst and riots happened

• On the 21st of July 1964, more than 25000 Malays gathered in the Padang to celebrate Prophet Mohamed's birthday

• However, the Chinese policemen clashed with them and the Malay staged a riot

• On the 2nd of August 1964, a restriction was implemented

• 23 people were killed and 454 were injured

• Lee Kuan Yew and Tun Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia explored around the island to calm down the people

• A GoodWill community which consist community leaders fromn the different races was formed to restore the racial harmony in Singapore

• 6 weeks later, a Malay trishaw rider was killed and led to another riot.

• A restriction was implemented until the 11th of September 1964.

• 13 people were injured and 106 were injured

• The riots caused the Alliance Party and the PAP to agree not to do any thing that ay lead to racial riots

• They also agreed not to challenge with each other anymore

• However, in October 1964, the Alliance Party broke their agreement. They said that they would take part in the state election in 1967

• In May 1965, the PAP formed the Malaysian Solidarity Convention with 4 opposition party from Malaysia. This would advocate equal amount of opportunity for everyone regardless of race or religion.

• The campaign angered the United Malayan Nation Organization because it was viewed to question the special rights enjoyed by the Malays in Malaysia. They then called for the arrest of Lee Kuan Yew.

• The Tunku was worried that riots may happen again because there were many disagreement. He then thought that the best solution is that Singapore will separate from Malaysia.

Singapore Achieving Independence

• On the 6th of August 1965, Goh Keng Swee and other PAP members were informed about Tunku’s decision that Singapore should separate from Malaysia. Singapore and Malaysia then signed the separation agreement on the 7th of August 1965

• On the 9th of August 1965, Lee Kuan Yew announced before the television camera at Caldecott Hill that Singapore had completely separate with Malaysia and had achieved independence

• Singapore became a republic which was when the government representatives were elected by the people and the head of state is a president

• Yusof bin Ishak became the first president of Singapore.

• S. Rajaratnam wrote Singapore’s Pledge• The Legislative Assembly was renamed to

the Parliament and the members were known as the Members of Parliament

• On the 16th of September 1965, Singapore joined the United Nations

• On the 8th of August 1967, Singapore formed the Association of Southeast Asian Nation with Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines