ROCKY ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE - geocities.ws · ss2204hy topic 1 : rocky road to independence 1 rocky road to independence • lee kuan yew was of the generation who were in their late

SS2204HY Topic 1 : Rocky Road to Independence

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ROCKY ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE

• LEE KUAN YEW WAS OF THE GENERATION WHO WERE INTHEIR LATE TEENS WHEN WAR AND JAPANESE OCCUPATIONCAME TO MALAYA.

• LEE WAS ENGLISH-EDUCATED, THE ENGLISHMAN WAS HISROLE MODEL.

WAR AND OCCUPATION CHANGED LEE’SGENERATION INTO MALAYAN NATIONALISTS

• THE ENGLISH COLONIAL MASTER HAS BEEN DEFEATED.• THE JAPANESE CONQUERORS WERE BRUTAL.• LEE WAS DETERMINED THAT MALAYA SHOULD NOT BE

UNDER ANY FOREIGN RULE

WHO WOULD LEAD MALAYA?

• TO BE A LEADER ONE HAS TO FIRST QUALIFY ONESELF• AS SOON AS WAR ENDED LEE SET OFF TO CAMBRIDGE TO

READ LAW• HIS YEARS IN BRITAIN EXPANDED HIS POLITICAL HORIZON


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LEE CAME TO KNOW COMMUNISTS,SOCIALISTS,DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS

• HE JOINED THE MALAYAN FORUM (SEE LECTURE READING 1)• LEE’S ADDRESS TO THE MALAYAN FORUM SHOWED THE

KIND OF NATIONALIST HE WAS SHAPING UP TO BE.

• HE WAS WILLING TO COME FORWARD TO FIGHT FORINDEPENDENCE

• HE BELIEVED IN A MALAYAN MALAYA, IN WHICH ALL WHOREGARDED MALAYA AS HOME WOULD BE EQUAL CITIZENSA MALAYAN MALAYA WOULD CREATE SOCIAL COHESION

• A MALAYAN MALAYA WOULD CREATE A SENSE OFBELONGING IN ALL ITS PEOPLE.A MALAYAN MALAYA MUSTBE THE BEDROCK OF MALAYAN INDEPENDENCE.

• LEE’S VISION RUNS COUNTER TO ANOTHER ONE WHICHARGUES FOR A MALAY-DOMINATED MALAYA.

LEE BELIEVED IN CREATING A MORE JUST ANDEQUAL SOCIETY

– HE TALKED OF MUCH NEEDED SOCIAL REFORM AND OFTHE NEED FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE.

• LEE WAS REALISTIC IN HIS APPRAISAL OF THE SITUATIONFACING THE RETURNED STUDENT WHO WISHED TO TAKE UPTHE CHALLENGE TO FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE.

LEE SAID THE COMMUNISTS WERE ALREADYPRESENT IN MALAYA

• THE RETURNED STUDENT WOULD HAVE TO COMPETE WITHTHE COMMUNISTS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE.

• THE COMMUNISTS THAT LEE TALKED ABOUT WEREORGANISED AS THE MALAYAN COMMUNIST PARTY.


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WHO WERE THESE COMMUNISTS?HOW DID THEYCOME TO MALAYA?

• THE COMMUNISTS CAME TO MALAYA FROM CHINA.THEYCAME AS AN EXTENTION OF POLITICAL INFLUENCES FROMCHINA TO THE IMMIGRANT CHINESE COMMUNITY LIVING INMALAYA.

POLITICAL PARTIES IN CHINA

• 1 THE NATIONALISTS LED BY CHIANG KAI-SHEK• 2 THE COMMUNISTS LED BY MAO ZEDONG

• THE NATIONALISTS WERE THE GOVERNMENT IN CHINA.THECOMMUNISTS WERE HUNTED BY THE NATIONALISTGOVERNMENT’S ARMY.TO ESCAPE BEING DESTROYED MAOZEDONG LED THE COMMUNISTS ON A 6000-MILE LONGMARCH IN 1934-1935.

THE JAPANESE INVASION CHANGED THE PICTURE

• IN 1937,THE JAPANESE ATTACKED CHINA• CHIANG KAI-SHEK’S NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT WAS WEAK

,CORRUPT, UNABLE TO WITHSTAND THE JAPANESE.• THE JAPANESE SURRENDERED IN 1945 AFTER AMERICA

DROPPED 2 NUCLEAR BOMBS ON JAPAN.

MAO ZEDONG PROCLAIMS THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLICOF CHINA

• MAO ZEDONG’S COMMUNIST FORCES DEFEATED CHIANGKAI-SHEK’S NATIONALISTS ARMY, DRIVING CHIANG TO THEISLAND OF TAIWAN IN 1949.

• MAO PROCLAIMED THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (PRC)


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THE SITUATION IN MALAYA

• THE JAPANESE ATTACKED MALAYA IN DEC.1941.• THE BRITISH MADE A PACT WITH THE MALAYAN COMMUNIST

PARTY (MCP). THE MCP WOULD SEND PEOPLE TO AGUERRILLA TRAINING SCHOOL OPENED BY THE BRITISH .

• THE MCP’S MALAYAN PEOPLE’S ANTI-JAPANESE ARMY WASTHUS FORMED.

THE MCP AS WAR HEROES

• WHEN THE JAPANESE SURRENDERED IN 1945,THE MCP’SGUERRILLAS,THE MALAYAN PEOPLE’S ANTI-JAPANESEARMY WERE WAR HEROES.

• THEY RECEIVED MEDALS FROM THE BRITISH AND WEREASKED TO RETURN THEIR WEAPONS.THEY RETURNED THEM,BUT ALSO HID SOME IN SECRET PLACES.

THE MCP HOPED TO WIN THROUGH POLITICALMEANS

• THE BRITISH WERE INDEED GOING TO INITIATE A NEWPOLITICAL PLAN FOR MALAYA.THIS WAS THE MALAYANUNION.

• THIS PLAN INCLUDED THE MALAY STATES AND PENANGAND MALACCA.

• SINGAPORE WAS EXCLUDED, AND WAS CONSTITUTED AS ASEPARATE CROWN COLONY.

WHY SINGAPORE WAS EXCLUDED

• ITS BECAUSE THE BRITISH WANTED TO GIVE THE CHINESEAND INDIANS WHO WERE LIVING IN MALAYA ASIMMIGRANTS CITIZENSHIP UNDER MALAYA UNION SO THATTHEY HAVE RIGHTS,E.G. THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

• IF SINGAPORE WAS INCLUDED IN MALAYAN UNION THENUMBER OF CHINESE BECOMING CITIZENS WOULDOUTNUMBER THE MALAYS.


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THE MALAYS OPPOSED MALAYAN UNION

• THE MALAYS OPPOSED MALAYAN UNION IN SPITE OFSINGAPORE’S EXCLUSION.

• WHY? BECAUSE THE MALAY RULERS OR SULTANS WERECAJOLED TO SIGN AWAY THEIR SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY TOTHE BRITISH KING.

MALAYAN UNION CITIZENSHIP WAS UNACCEPTABLETO THE MALAYS

• MALAYAN UNION CITIZENSHIP IMPLIED EQUALITY. ITMEANT THAT CHINESE,INDIANS AND MALAYS WERE EQUALAS CITIZENS OF MALAYAN UNION.

• THE MALAYS COULD NOT ACCEPT THIS.

THE MALAYS SAID THERE WAS NO ECONOMICEQUALITY

• THE MALAYS SAW THEMSELVES AS ECONOMICALLYBACKWARD COMPARED TO THE CHINESE AND INDIANS WHOWERE IMMIGRANTS.

• TO GIVE THESE IMMIGRANTS CITIZENSHIP ,IN EFFECTVOTING RIGHT, WOULD MEAN THEY WOULD HAVEPOLITICAL POWER TO ADD TO THE ECONOMIC POWERWHICH THEY ALREADY HAVE.

WHERE WOULD THIS LEAVE THE MALAYS?

• THE MALAYS FEARED THEY WOULD BE SWAMPED BY THEECONOMIC AND POLITICAL POWER OF THE CHINESE ANDINDIANS.

• THE UNITED MALAYS NATIONAL ORGANIZATION WASFORMED TO RALLY MALAYS IN THE FIGHT AGAINSTMALAYAN UNION.


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THE UNITED MALAYS NATIONAL ORGANIZATION(UMNO)

• THE UMNO SIGNIFIED A MALAY AWAKENING IN MALAYA.MALAYS USED TO THINK OF BELONGING TO THEIR STATEONLY,E.G. AS A SELANGOR MALAY. THE UMNO UNITED THEMALAYS ACROSS ALL THE MALAY STATES IN A BATTLE FORTHE POLTICAL SURVIVAL OF MALAYS.

THE BRITISH GAVE IN TO MALAY PROTEST

• THE BRITISH SCRAPPED THE MALAYAN UNION.• THE BRITISH WORKED WITH MALAY LEADERS ON AN

ALTERNATIVE PLAN –THE FEDERATION OF MALAYA.• IN THIS PLAN SINGAPORE REMAINED EXCLUDED.

THE FEDERATION OF MALAYA

• IN THIS PLAN,THE SULTANS WERE RESTORED TO THEIRTHRONES.

• THE MALAYS ACCEPTED THAT ALL THE MALAY STATESMUST BE UNITED AS A FEDERATION,WITH THE CENTRALGOVT. LOCATED AT KUALA LUMPUR.

• WHAT ABOUT CITIZENSHIP UNDER THIS PLAN? MALAYLEADERS WOULD DECIDE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FORGIVING CITIZENSHIP TO THE CHINESE AND INDIANS.ONETHING IS CERTAIN: NO EQUAL CITIZENSHIP.MALAY CITIZENSWOULD HAVE SPECIAL RIGHTS NOT GIVEN TO CHINESE ANDINDIAN CITIZENS.

• THE FEDERATION OF MALAYA WAS LAUNCHED IN 1948,REPLACING THE MALAYAN UNION WHICH LASTED ONLYFROM 1946 TO 1948.

• THE FEDERATION OF MALAYA WAS A POLITICAL VICTORYFOR THE MALAYS.


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THE MCP OPPOSED THE FEDERATION OF MALAYAPLAN

• WHY? THE MCP SAW IT AS A BRITISH AND MALAY PLAN TODENY EQUAL RIGHTS TO THE CHINESE AND INDIANS.THEMCP COULD NO LONGER HOPE TO WIN POWER WITH THESUPPORT OF CHINESE VOTERS.

• MOST OF THE MCP’S SUPPORTERS WERE CHINESE.

THE MCP STARTED AN ARMED REVOLT

• THE MCP DECIDED TO CHANGE FROM THE POLITICAL ROADTO POWER TO THE MILITARY ONE.

• THE MCP BEGAN A GUERRILLA WAR IN JUNE 1948. INSINGAPORE THIS WAS SEEN IN ARSON AND WORKERSDIRECTED BY THE MCP TO GO ON STRIKE.

THE BRITISH DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY

• THE BRITISH HAD TO RESPOND TO THE MCP GUERRILLASWITH COUNTER MILITARY ACTION.

• THE BRITISH PASSED EMERGENCY LAWS WHICH WERE VERYTOUGH,EG ARREST AND DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL;POLICESEARCH OF VEHICLES AND PERSONS;REGISTRATION FOR IDCARDS.

THE BRITISH INTRODUCED ELECTIONS

• ALONGSIDE THE REPRESSIVE LAWS AND THE MILITARYCOUNTER-ACTION, THE BRITISH PLANNED THE HOLDING OFELECTIONS SO THAT PEOPLE COULD VOTE FOR THEIRLEADERS TO REPRESENT THEM IN THE GOVT.THESE ELECTEDLEADERS WOULD WORK WITH THE BRITISH UNTILINDEPENDENCE.


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THE ALLIANCE PARTY OF MALAYA WON THE 1955ELECTION

• THE ALLIANCE PARTY CONSISTED OF 3 PARTIES. (1 )THEUMNO,THE PARTY OF THE MALAYS (2)THE MALAYANCHINESE ASSOCIATION,THE PARTY OF THE CHINESE (3) THEMALAYAN INDIAN ASSOCIATION,THE PARTY OF THE INDIANS.

THE UMNO WAS THE DOMINANT PARTY IN THEALLIANCE PARTY

• WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT UMNO WOULD HAVE HAVE MOREMEMBERS IN THE GOVT.,MOST OF THE MINISTERS WEREUMNO LEADERS. THE MCA AND MIC WERE IN A MINORPOSITION, AND HAD TO ACCEPT THIS. AS UMNO WAS THEMALAY PARTY THIS MEANS THE MALAYS WEREPOLITICALLY SUPERIOR.

TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN WAS THE ALLIANCELEADER

• THE TUNKU WAS THE UMNO PRESIDENT AS WELL AS THEALLIANCE LEADER.

• AFTER THE ALLIANCE VICTORY IN THE 1955 ELECTION,THETUNKU PRESSED THE BRITISH TO GRANT INDEPENDENCE TOMALAYA.

THE TUNKU WAS STRONGLY ANTI- COMMUNIST

• HE CALLED FOR A MEETING WITH THE MCP LEADER CHINPENG AT BALING.

• CHIN PENG WANTED RECOGNITION FOR THE MCP AS A LEGALPARTY SO THAT IT COULD TAKE PART IN ELECTIONS.

• THE TUNKU FIRMLY REFUSED.HE OFFERED ONLY AMNESTY.


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THE BRITISH NOTED THE TUNKU’S HARD LINEAGAINST THE MCP

• THE TUNKU TOLD THE BRITISH THAT INDEPENDENCE WOULDKILL THE MCP’S CLAIM THAT THE COMMUNISTS WEREFIGHTING TO RID MALAYA OF BRITISH COLONIALISM.

• WHAT THE TUNKU SAID MADE SENSE. THE BRITISH TRUSTEDHIM.

THE BRITISH AGREED TO GRANT INDEPENDENCE TOMALAYA IN 1957

• THE MAIN CONDITION FOR INDEPENDENCE AS FAR AS THEBRITISH WERE CONCERNED WAS THAT THE COMMUNISTSWOULD NOT TAKE OVER.

• THE TUNKU AND UMNO MET THIS CONDITION THROUGHTHEIR STRONG STAND AGAINST THE MCP.

MALAYA GAINED INDEPENDENCE IN 1957

• SINGAPORE REMAINED A BRITISH COLONY.• THE MCP RE-FOCUSSED TO SINGAPORE.HERE THEY COULD

MAKE UP FOR THEIR DEFEAT IN MALAYA, BOTH INGUERRILLA WAR AND IN FAILURE TO GET OFFICIALRECOGNITION TO OPERATE.

SINGAPORE WAS FERTILE GROUND FOR THE MCP

• WHY? SINGAPORE WAS 75% CHINESE.• THE MCP COULD COUNT ON PRIDE IN THE PRC AND MAO

ZEDONG.• THE MCP COULD IDENTIFY WITH CHINESE LANGUAGE AND

EDUCATION AND CULTURE.


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THE CHINESE OPENED AND FUNDED SCHOOLS AND AUNIVERSITY

• THEY GOT NO HELP FROM THE COLONIAL GOVT. WHICHONLY SUPPORTED EDUCATION IN ENGLISH.

• THE MCP PLAYED ON THIS.• THE MCP HELPED WORKERS TO ORGANISE UNIONS TO FIGHT

FOR A FAIR DEAL FROM EMPLOYERS.

THE MCP AROUSED THE CHINESE AGAINST THEBRITISH COLONIAL GOVT.

• AS THE MCP WAS A BANNED PARTY,IT HAD TO MAKE USE OFFRONT ORGANISATIONS. IT ORGANISED WORKERS’ UNIONS,UNIONS OF RURAL DWELLERS AND FARMERS, ANDENCOURAGED CHINESE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO FORM AUNION.

THE MCP RECRUITED CADRES OR LEADERS

• THE RECRUITS WERE FROM THE CHINESE HIGH SCHOOLS ANDFORMER STUDENTS NOW WORKING AS UNION LEADERS. LIMCHIN SIONG AND FONG SWEE SUAN WERE 2 LEADING CADRESOR LEADERS.THEY WOULD DIRECT THE WORKERS TO DOWHAT THE MCP WANTED.

THE MCP LOOKED FOR POLITICAL PARTIES TO USEAS FRONTS

• THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY THE MCP COULD EXERCISEPOLITICAL INFLUENCE.

• THE PAP WAS THE MAIN MCP POLITICAL FRONT.(SEETUTORIAL READINGS FOR THE FIRST TUTORIAL)


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THE APPEAL OF COMMUNISM

• THE COMMUNISTS WANTED TO REMAKE SOCIETY,SO THATWEALTH AND WORK WOULD BE EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED.E.G.IN MAO’S CHINA THE PEASANT FARMER WOULD BE THESAME AS THE FORMER LANDLORD.THE LANDLORD CLASS NOLONGER EXISTED.

IN SINGAPORE, COMMUNISM WOULD DO AWAY WITHCAPITALISTS

• THE CAPITALISTS WERE THE BRITISH COMPANIES AND THECHINESE AND OTHER BUSINESS FIRMSWHICH WEREPRIVATELY OWNED.

• THE MCP AS THE GOVT. WOULD FORM COMPANIES WHICHWOULD NOT EXPLOIT WORKERS.

This is the ideal society where man is not the hunter and the hunted• SOUNDS GREAT DOESN’T IT?• IT HAS BEEN SAID:IF YOU ARE 20 YEARS OLD AND NOT A

COMMUNIST YOU HAVE NO HEART.• BUT WHEN YOU REACH 40 YEARS AND• ARE STILL A COMMUNIST, YOU HAVE NO HEAD.

MANY YOUNG CHINESE WERE ATTRACTED TOCOMMUNISM

• THEY WERE IDEALISTIC,BELIEVED THE CLASSLESS NON-EXPLOITATIVE SOCIETY WAS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE.

• TO REACH THIS GOAL THEY WERE PREPARED TO USEVIOLENCE,SEEING IT AS A PRESENT NECESSITY.

RIOTS AND STRIKES IN SINGAPORE

• STREET VIOLENCE WAS AT ITS HEIGHT IN MID 1950’SSINGAPORE.

• THE MCP DIRECTED WORKERS AND STUDENTS TO PROTESTAGAINST

• INJUSTICES UNDER BRITISH RULE,EG POOR PAY ANDWORKING CONDITIONS.


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THE AIM WAS TO DRIVE THE BRITISH OUT

• TO DESTABILISE THE SITUATION SO MUCH THAT THE BRITISHWOULD GIVE SINGAPORE INDEPENDENCE AND QUIT.

• SINCERE ,FIERCE MEN WERE WITH THE COMMUNISTS,SHARING THIS AIM.

SOME PEOPLE WANTED THE BRITISH TO STAY

• THESE WERE THE MANAGERS AND COMPANY DIRECTORSAND PROFESSIONAL MEN, WHO WERE ENGLISH-EDUCATEDAND WHO BENEFITTED FROM THE BRITISH PRESENCE.

BRITISH RESPONSE TO THE COMMUNISTCHALLENGE

• 1 MILITARY COUNTER-ACTION AGAINST THE GUERRILLAS• 2 TOUGH LAWS• 3 POLITICAL CONCESSIONS—EXPERIMENTS WITH ELECTIONS

TO LET PEOPLE VOTE THEIR OWN LEADERS INTOGOVERNMENT

A NEW CONSTITUTION FOR SINGAPORE

• THIS WAS THE RENDEL CONSTITUTION PUT INTO EFFECT IN1955.

• 25 SEATS IN THE 32-SEAT LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY WOULD BEUP FOR ELECTION.

• THE REMAINING SEATS TO BE FILLED BY THE BRITISHGOVERNOR’S NOMINATIONS.


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AN EXPERIMENT IN POWER-SHARING

• THE PARTY WINNING THE MAJORITY OF SEATS APPOINTS 6MINISTERS FROM AMONG THE ELECTED MEMBERS.ONE WILLDOUBLE AS CHIEF MINISTER.

• THEY WILL SIT IN A COUNCIL OF MINISTERS WITH 3 BRITISHOFFICIALS WHO WOULD ACT AS MINISTERS TOO.

THE GENERAL ELECTION OF 1955

• THE LABOUR FRONT PARTY WON 10 OF THE 25 SEATS UP FORELECTION.

• THE PAP WON 3 SEATS.LEE KUAN YEW DECIDED ON WINNINGA SMALL NUMBER OF SEATS. THIS TOKEN NUMBER PUT PAPIN THE OPPOSITION.

THE LABOUR FRONT GOVT.

• THE SINGAPORE BRANCHES OF UMNO AND MCA JOINED THELABOUR FRONT AFTER THE ELECTION.

• THE BRITISH GOVERNOR NOMINATED 2 LABOUR FRONTMEMBERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.

• THIS WAS HOW THE LABOUR FRONT HAD ENOUGH SEATS,18,TO FORM THE GOVT.

DAVID MARSHALL BECOMES CHIEF MINISTER

• THE OTHER LABOUR FRONT MINISTERS INCLUDED LIM YEWHOCK AND FRANCIS THOMAS.

• ALL THESE GENTLEMEN HAD NO CONTACT WITH THECHINESE—EDUCATED WORLD OF COLONIALSINGAPORE.THEIR SUPPORTERS WERE ENGLISH-EDUCATEDCLERKS ,TEACHERS,ETC.


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THE CHINESE –EDUCATED WORLD• LEE KUAN YEW SAID THIS WAS

“A WORLD TEEMING WITH VITALITY, DYNAMISM AND REVOLUTIONIN WHICH THE COMMUNISTS HAD BEEN WORKING FOR OVER THELAST 30 YEARS WITH CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS.”

MARSHALL FACES THE STORM• THE HOCK LEE BUS RIOTS,1955 IN WHICH THE COMMUNISTS

UNITED WORKERS AND CHINESE SCHOOL STUDENTS INTO APOWERFUL FORCE.

• MARSHALL’S DILEMMA.THE COMMUNISTS SCORED AVICTORY.

MARSHALL’S PANACEA FOR POLITICAL ILLS

HE BELIEVED INDEPENDENCE WAS THE CURE FOR THE THEPOLITICAL DISEASE OF THE DAY.

PEOPLE WERE DEAD AGAINST COLONIAL RULE AND WERE INREBELLION.THE BRITISH SHOULD RECOGNISE THIS ANDGRANT INDEPENDENCE.

MARSHALL EMULATES THE TUNKU

• IF TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN WAS GOING TO GET MERDEKAFOR THE FEDERATION OF MALAYA,MARSHALL FELT HESHOULD ALSO GET THE SAME FOR SINGAPORE.HEDISCOUNTED THE FACT THAT THE SITUATION IN MALAYAWAS DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF SINGAPORE.

WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE?

• IN MALAYA,THE TUNKU COULD RELY ON THE MALAYS TOCOUNTER COMMUNIST EXPANSION.

• IN SINGAPORE MARSHALL HAD NO NATURAL BULWARK LIKETHIS.INSTEAD HE HAD A CHINESE POPULATION WITH MANYWHO WERE PRO-COMMUNIST.


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THE BRITISH AGREED TO HOLD TALKS WITH HIM

• MARSHALL LAUNCHED A SIGNATURE COLLECTION DRIVEAND HELD A BIG RALLY PRIOR TO THE TALKS IN LONDON.

• HE EVEN PUT HIS POSITION AS CHIEF MINISTER ON THELINE,SAYING HE WOULD RESIGN UNLESS HE OBTAINEDINDEPENDENCE.

MARSHALL FAILS IN HIS QUEST FOR INDEPENDENCE

• BRITISH LEADERS IN LONDON HAVE BEEN ASSESSINGMARSHALL’S PERFORMANCE.

• THEY DID NOT THINK THE TIME HAD COME TO GRANTINDEPENDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT SINGAPORE WOULDEASILY FALL INTO COMMUNIST HANDS.

INTERNAL SECURITY A PROBLEM

• THE BRITISH PROPOSED SETTING UP AN INTERNAL SECURITYCOUNCIL WITH 3 BRITISH MEMBERS ,ONE OF WHOM WAS THECHAIRMAN, AND 3 SINGAPORE MEMBERS.

• THE BRITISH CHAIRMAN TO HAVE DISCRETIONARY POWERS.

MARSHALL REJECTS BRITISH CHAIRMAN

• HE FELT HAVING A BRITISH CHAIRMAN COMPROMISEDSINGAPORE’S INDEPENDENCE.

• HE REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT HE NEEDED THEBRITISH TO HELP HIM CONTROL THE COMMUNISTS INSINGAPORE.

• HE RESIGNED.


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MARSHALL’S PART IN NATION-BUILDING

• MARSHALL PROPOSED A SINGAPORE CITIZENSHIP PLAN.• HE INITIATED AN ALL-PARTY COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO

THE PROBLEM OF CHINESE SCHOOLS.• IT RECOMMENDED BI-LINGUALISM,TEXTBOOKS WITH

MALAYAN CONTENT,EQUAL TREATMENT AND FUNDING

LIM YEW HOCK TAKES OVER AS CHIEF MINISTER

• LIM YEW HOCK WAS CHIEF MINISTER FROM 1956 FOR THEREMAINING PERIOD THAT THE RENDEL CONSTITUTION WASIN FORCE.

• HE WAS VERY HARD ON THE COMMUNISTS,CLOSING DOWNTHEIR UNIONS,ARRESTING AND DETAINING THEIRLEADERS,INCLUDING LIM CHIN SIONG AND FONG SWEESUAN.

LIM YEW HOCK REOPENS TALKS WITH THE BRITISH• THE BRITISH LIKED HIS HARSH MEASURES AGAINST THE

COMMUNISTS.• LIM BELIEVED IT WAS HIS DUTY,EVEN THOUGH IT WAS

POLITICALLY SUICIDAL.• HIS PARTY THE LABOUR FRONT WOULD LOSE THE NEXT

ELECTION.

LIM YEW HOCK’S LONDON TALKS

• THE TALKS IN 1957 WENT WELL.• LIM ACCEPTED THE CONDITION TO HAVE AN INTERNAL

SECURITY COUNCIL WITH A BRITISH CHAIRMAN.• AN INTERESTING TWIST WAS THAT THERE WOULD BE A

MALAYAN MEMBER .HE WAS THE 7TH MAN MEANT TO BE ATIE-BREAKER.


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THERE WILL BE A PRIME MINISTER

• THE BRITISH OFFERED CONCESSIONS.THE POST OF CHIEFMINISTER WILL BE CHANGED TO PRIME MINISTER.

• SINGAPORE WILL HAVE A HEAD OF STATE,A LOCALMAN.(YUSOF ISHAK)

• THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY WILL BE ENLARGED TO 51MEMBERS, ALL TO BE ELECTED.

THE STATE SINGAPORE CONSTITUTION

• ALL THESE TERMS WERE WRITTEN INTO A NEWCONSTITUTION WHICH WOULD COME INTO EFFECT IN1959.SINGAPORE WOULD HAVE INTERNAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

• THERE WOULD BE A GENERAL ELECTION IN 1959 TO HERALDTHIS NEW CONSTITUTION.THE RENDEL CONSTITUTIONPERIOD WOULD BE OVER.

THE PAP WINS THE 1959 ELECTION

• THE PAP CONTESTED IN ALL 51 COSTITUENCIES , WINNING 43.• AFTER WINNING, LEE ASKED THE BRITISH TO RELEASE THE

PAP MEMBERS WHO WERE COMMUNISTS AND HAD BEENARRESTED BY LIM YEW HOCK.

WHO WERE THE COMMUNISTS IN THE PAP?

• HOW AND WHY DID LEE AND THE PAP GET INVOLVED WITHTHEM? THAT IS COVERED IN THE TUTORIAL READINGS FORTHIS (ODD)WEEK AND THE NEXT(EVEN) WEEK.

• LEE FELT OBLIGED TO RELEASE THEM AFTER HIS ELECTIONVICTORY AND BEFORE HE TOOK OFFICE.


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THE PAP’S TASK AHEAD• LEE HAD SPENT MANY HOURS TRYING TO CONVINCE THE

COMMUNISTS IN THE PAP THAT SINGAPORE SHOULD MERGEWITH MALAYA.

• NOW THAT THE PAP WAS THE GOVT. AND HE WAS THE PM, HEINTENDED TO PURSUE THE MERGER.

THE BRITISH SUPPORTED LEE ON THE MERGER

• MERGER OF SINGAPORE AND THE FEDERATION OF MALAYAWOULD END THE EXCLUSION OF SINGAPORE WHICH THEBRITISH HAD CAUSED IN THE MALAYAN UNION PLAN OF 1946,AND THEN IN THE FEDERATION OF MALAYA PLAN OF1948,WHICH REPLACED THE MALAYAN UNION.

MERGER WOULD RE-UNITE SINGAPORE ANDMALAYA

• THE BRITISH WERE CONFIDENT THAT THE ANTI-COMMUNISTGOVT. OF MALAYA COULD CHECK THE COMMUNISTS INSINGAPORE AFTER THE MERGER.

• LEE KUAN YEW WAS ALSO HAPPY WITH THIS ARRANGEMENT.IT MEANS PUTTING THE TUNKU IN CHARGE OF INTERNALSECURITY IN SINGAPORE.

SINGAPORE CANNOT BE INDEPENDENT

• TOO SMALL, ECONOMICALLY NOT VIABLE, A CENTRECANNOT EXIST WITHOUT THE HINTERLAND.

• MORE IMPORTANT, IT WAS FEARED THAT THE COMMUNISTSWOULD TAKE OVER IF THE BRITISH MADE SINGAPOREINDEPENDENT AND QUIT.

THE COMMUNISTS WANT INDEPENDENCE• THEY WANTED THE BRITISH TO JUST GIVE SINGAPORE

INDEPENDENCE AND LEAVE.• THEY WANTED ABOLITION OF THE INTERNAL SECURITY

COUNCIL IN THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS DUE IN 1963.


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THE PRO AND ANTI MERGER LINE-UP

• THE BRITISH AND LEE (PAP) WERE PRO-MERGER.• THE COMMUNISTS WERE ANTI-MERGER.• THERE WAS ONE MORE PLAYER IN THE MERGER GAME, A

VERY CRITICAL ONE.

TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

• HE HELD THE KEY TO THE MERGER• AFTER THE PAP WON THE 1959 ELECTION,LEE ASKED THE

TUNKU ABOUT THE MERGER OF SINGAPORE ANDMALAYA,BUT HE SAID NO.

THE TUNKU WAS MOST RELUCTANT

• MERGER WOULD MEAN THAT THE 75% CHINESE POPULATIONOF SINGAPORE WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE MERGEDTERRITORY,A NEW FEDERATION WITH SINGAPORE IN IT. THETUNKU WAS MOST UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT THIS.

THE TUNKU’S DILEMMA

• IF THERE WAS NO MERGER, AND SINGAPORE FELL TO THECOMMUNISTS HE WOULD HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM.

• THE TUNKU FINALLY CAME ROUND TO AGREEING ONMERGER.

THE BRITISH THROW IN BORNEO TERRITORIES

• THE BRITISH HELPED THE TUNKU TO DECIDE BY INCLUDINGTHE BORNEO TERRITORIES WHOSE INDIGENOUS PEOPLEWOULD OFFSET SOMEWHAT THE OVERWHELMINGLYCHINESE SINGAPORE.


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THE PAP BREAK WITH THE COMMUNISTS

• WHEN THE TUNKU SAID YES TO MERGER IN MAY,1961, ITSIGNALLED THE THE BREAKING-POINT OF THE PAP-COMMUNIST PARTNERSHIP (UNITED FRONT).MERGER WASTHE FAVOURABLE ISSUE ALLOWING THE PAP TO BREAKWITH THE COMMUNISTS AND STILL RETAIN THE PEOPLE’SSUPPORT.

THE COMMUNISTS FIGHT HARD AGAINST MERGER

• THE COMMUNISTS BROKE AWAY FROM THE PAP,ANDFORMED THE BARISAN SOCIALIS SINGAPURA.

• THEY SET OUT TO DESTABILISE THE PAP GOVT. AS THEY HADDONE THE LABOUR FRONT GOVT. OF MARHALL AND LIM YEWHOCK IN 1955-1956.

THE COMMUNISTS COULD NOT PREVENT MERGER

• INSTEAD,THEY BROUGHT DISASTER ON THEMSELVES.THEBRITISH, THE MALAYAN GOVT. AND THE PAP GOVT. HELD AMEETING ON THE INTERNAL SECURITY COUNCIL AND MADEA LONG LIST OF COMMUNISTS IN SINGAPORE PLUS ANUMBER IN MALAYA TO ARREST AND DETAINED.

OPERATION COLD STORE

• THE ARREST PROGRAMME CODE-NAMED OPERATION COLDSTORE WAS LAUNCHED IN FEBRUARY 1963.

• IT ARRESTED AND DETAINED A LARGE NUMBER OFCOMMUNIST CADRES, AND BROKE THE COMMUNISTNETWORK IN SINGAPORE.


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SINGAPORE COMMUNIST NETWORK SMASHED

• WHAT DID THIS MEAN FOR THE MERGER? IT MEANT ONEVITAL REASON FOR THE MERGER WAS NO LONGER THERE.

• IRONICALLY,THIS DID NOT AUGER WELL FOR RELATIONSBETWEEN THE CENTRAL GOVT. AND THE SINGAPORE GOVT.AFTER MERGER.THEY WOULD NOT HAVE A COMMON ENEMYTO UNITE THEM.

TENSIONS BETWEEN LEE AND THE TUNKU• THE 2 PRIME MINISTERS HAD A BATTLE OF WILLS IN THE RUN

UP TO MERGER.• LEE WANTED TO VISIT COMMUNIST COUNTRIES,EASTERN

EUROPE,SOVIET UNION ,PRC.THE TUNKU OBJECTED.

THE TUNKU’S PRINCELY STYLE

• ONCE THE TUNKU ACCEPTED SINGAPORE INTO HIS MERGERPLAN, HE EXPECTED OBEDIENCE FROM LEE AND THESINGAPORE GOVT. IT WAS AS IF LEE WAS A COURTIER IN THETUNKU’S COURT.BUT LEE COULD NOT, AND WOULD NOT BESUBSERVIENT.

SINGAPORE DECLARES INDEPENDENCE

• THIS WAS A SHOCKER.THE DAY OF MERGER (MALAYSIA DAY)WAS SET AT 31 AUGUST 1963.

• THE TUNKU POSTPONED IT TO 16 SEPT. TO ALLOW A UNITEDNATIONS TEAM TO SURVEY OPINION IN THE BORNEOTERRITORIES.

• LEE FELT HE HAD TO DO SOMETHING DRAMATIC ON 31AUGUST.DECLARE SINGAPORE INDEPENDENT.

WHY THE DRAMATIC GESTURE?• LEE DID NOT LIKE THE POSTPONEMENT ,BECAUSE A THING

POSTPONED WAS A THING LOST.(FRENCH SAYING).• THE TUNKU WAS DISPLEASED BECAUSE IT SHOWED THAT

LEE WAS DEFIANT.


22

SINGAPORE JOINS MALAYSIA ON 16 SEPT.

• SINGAPORE MERGED INTO THE NEW FEDERATION OFMALAYSIA ON 16 SEPT.1963 .

• WHAT LAY AHEAD?• NO SERIOUS COMMUNIST THREAT TO SERVE AS COMMON

ENEMY.• SOURED RELATIONS BETWEEN LEE AND THE TUNKU.

COMMUNAL TENSIONS ROSE

• POLITICAL CONTESTS IN ELECTIONS IN EACH OTHER’STERRITORY.

• SYED JAAFAR ALBAR AND UMNO LAUNCHED COMMUNALBLAST AGAINST THE PAP GOVT.LEADING TO MALAY-CHINESERIOTS IN SINGAPORE IN JULY AND SEPT.1964.

LEE PLANS TO UNITE OPPOSITION PARTIES

• LEE SET OUT TO CREATE A COALITION OF OPPOSITIONPARTIES WHICH SHARED THE PAP’S VISION OF A MALAYSIANMALAYSIA.

• THIS MAY BE RELATED TO THE MALAYAN MALAYA IDEA INHIS SPEECH TO THE MALAYAN FORUM

A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO MALAY DOMINANCE

• LEE ARGUED THAT MALAYSIA COMPRISED MANY MORERACES THAN MALAYA DID. THEREFORE MALAY POLITICALDOMINANCE IN MALAYA SHOULD CHANGE TOWARDSEQUALITY BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT RACES, TOACCOMMODATE THE NEW SITUATION.


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UMNO SEES POLITICAL DOMINANCE CONTINUING

• UMNO SEES MALAY POLITICAL DOMINANCE CONTINUING INMALAYSIA.

• A DANGEROUS SITUATION BUILDING UP , CALLS FOR LEE’SARREST RAISED.

THE TUNKU’S DECIDES TO EXPEL SINGAPORE

• THE TUNKU FELT THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY.HE DID NOTWANT TO TAKE DRASTIC MEASURES,SUCH AS ARRESTINGLEE WHICH WOULD LEAD TO MORE TROUBLE.

SINGAPORE INDEPENDENT ON 9 AUG 1965

• SINGAPORE WAS IN MALAYSIA JUST SHORT OF 2 YEARS.• THE COMMUNIST THREAT WITHIN SINGAPORE WAS UNDER

CONTROL.• IT WAS REPLACED BY THE COMMUNAL THREAT AS UMNO

WHIPPED UP MALAY FEELING IN SINGAPORE AGAINST THEPAP GOVT.

SINGAPORE PLEDGES MULTIRACIAL EQUALITY

• ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THE GOVT. DID, ONINDEPENDENCE, WAS TO GUARANTEE THAT THE MINORITYRACES WOULD HAVE EQUAL STANDING WITH THEMAJORITY RACE.

• THIS WAS THE FIRST TENET OF NATION-BUILDING INSINGAPORE.

Next Topic: Nation-Building and Economic Development

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ROCKY ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE - geocities.ws · ss2204hy topic 1 : rocky road to independence 1 rocky road to independence • lee kuan yew was of the generation who were in their late