Reasons for Separation Economic Reason Central Government delayed setting up a common market Singapore goods were still taxed Very few pioneer certificates were issued Wanted Singapore to increase its contribution from 40% to 60% Wanted to close down the bank of China All the above would not solve Singapore’s unemployment problem. Also affect Singapore’s industrialization programme and cripple the economy

Political Reason Communal Politics In Malaya the party that ruled is the Alliance made up UMNO, MCA and MIC Each party represented the needs of the respective race Singapore did not practice communal politics – PAP represented all races

1963 Singapore elections Alliance in Malaya set up branch in Singapore called the Singapore Alliance (SA) SA wanted PAP not to compete in places they were competing PAP rejected this because it did not practise communal politics SA did not win a single vote Central Government was unhappy

1964 Federal Elections This was for the Central Government PAP sent 17 candidates Campaigned on non-communal politics and criticized the MCA for not representing the urban Chinese PAP won only 1 seat but the Alliance saw them as a threat to their supremacy because of their non-communal politics

Social Reason PAP did not have special privileges for any race – all to be given equal education and industrialization so that standard of living would be raised Central Government wanted the Malays to be given special privileges because this was done in Malaya PAP refused

Some UMNO members began to play communal politics by inciting anti-PAP sentiments Claimed that the Singapore’s resettlement programme was anti-Malay This sentiment was fuelled further by the Malaya newspaper, Utusan Melayu This led to tensions between the Chinese and Malays

21 July 1964, there was a clash between the Malays and Chinese and race riots started Singapore was placed under curfew till August, but in September race riots started again Riots simmered down when both government parties agreed not to raise any racial issue However in October 1964, the Singapore Alliance reorganized itself and this was a challenge to PAP

In response, PAP formed the Malaysian Solidarity Convention Members were non-communal parties from Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak Wanted a Malaysian Malaysia Wanted equality for all Alliance was unhappy and some UMNO members wanted Lee Kuan Yew arrested Not wanting for any more race riots, Tunku decided to ask Singapore to leave the Federation