Major events of
this period
The Straits Times, June 2, 1965The Minister of Finance, Mr. Tan Siew Sin said today that co-operation with the Singapore Government was out of the question as long as Mr. Lee Kuan Yew remained Prime Minister in the island state.
He told the House of Representatives: "It would be far easier for the camel to pass through the eye of the proverbial needle than for the Central Government to co-operate with the Government of Singapore.
Mr. Tan made a scathing attack against Mr. Lee, whom he described as the "greatest, disruptive force in the entire history of Malaysia and Malaya."
He warned that Mr. Lee's idea of partitioning Malaysia would only lead to bloodshed, as had happened in India and Cyprus.
"Any man who can make these proposals, coolly and carefully," he said, "has boundless capacity for mischief. His statement is probably the most mischievous of the lot.
"I say this in sorrow rather than in anger. Only a warped mind, frustrated in its quest for power, can support this idea."
Dr. Tan Chee Khoon, said it was not correct to say the Opposition parties which formed the Malaysis Solidarity Convention -- the PAP, UDP, PPP and SUPP -- were a "threat" to the Alliance.
Quoting statistics of the last election, in which the Socialist Front scored 16.1% of the total votes and the PAP, UDP and PPP together getting over seven per cent of the votes, Dr. Tan asked: "How could these kachang puteh parties pose a threat?"
"Now externally we are being threatened by Indonesia and internally by Mr. Lee and his brand of politics"
--Dato V.T Sambanthan, Minister of Works, Posts and Telecommunications"It is clear that Mr. Lee regrets joining Malaysia because he is frustrated. He finds his avenue to power rather effectively blocked. He wants to clear this."
--Mr. Tan Siew Sin, Minister of Finance
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