Why
Lee cried
-- Columnist Tan Sai Siong explains
Major events of
this period
The Straits Times, Aug 9, 1965"For me it is a moment of anguish. All my life, my whole adult life, I have believed in merger and unity of the two territories..." "It broke everything we stood for."
Singapore's Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, this afternoon called on the people to remain firm and calm -- three hours after Singapore ceased to be part of Malaysia.
His eyes brimming with tears, Mr. Lee declared: "What has happened has happened. But be firm and calm.
We are going to have a multi-racial nation in Singapore. This is not a Malay nation, not a Chinese nation, not an Indian nation.
"Everybody will have a place in Singapore, and we will continue helping the Malays in competition with Umno.
"We unite regardless of race, language, religion or culture."
And with grim determination, Mr. Lee said his Government would fight to survive within its declared policy of non-Communist, democratic socialism.
"We are prepared to trade with anybody, including Russia, China and even Indonesia if they want to trade with us -- just trade," he said.
In pursuance of this policy, Mr. Lee immediately announced that the Bank of China taken over by Bank Negara last week, would be allowed to continue operations on a purely commercial basis.
All the bank's staff must be local people not classified as security risks.
At the same time, he announced that turnover tax -- long criticised by Singapore for its injurious effects on trade, economy and the cost of living -- would be scrapped immediately.
Payroll tax would be revoked and replaced by an unemployment insurance scheme with both employer and employee participation.
The emotion-filled conference before television cameras led off with a query on Singapore's attitude towards Indonesia.
Mr. Lee said: "We want to be friends with Indonesia. We have always wanted to be friends with Indonesia, and we would like to settle any difficulties and differences, with Indonesia.
"But we must survive. We have got the right to survive, and to survive we must be sure that we cannot be invaded or knocked out by rockets.
"But the important thing is, in spite of all that has happened, which was largely due to ideological differences between the Alliance Government and us -- we want to cooperate with them on the most fair and equal basis. The emphasis is cooperation.
"Within the limits of our position we would like to bring about a settlement both between Indonesia and ourselves, and between Indonesia and Malaysia. Settlement can only be on that basis."
Mr. Lee said this was an attitude which stemmed from a realistic appraisal of Singapore's position.
Pressed for a more definite answer, Mr. Lee said that Indonesia must first recognise Singapore as an independent, sovereign state "with a capacity and strong will of its own."
Of the economic future of the island, the Prime Minister said: "The years ahead will require that our two Governments -- Malaysian and Singapore -- work in the closest cooperation, not just in defence and security, but also in commerce and industry.
"And I say I was greatly relieved when the Tengku told me in my second discussion with him yesterday morning that he appreciated this point.
"And he assured me that economic cooperation between our two countries was most necessary if either of us is to survive the pressures from common enemies."
Mr. Lee thought there might have to be a quid pro quo for certain goods like tyres.
Dunlop tyres were used as an example. These, he said, came to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur freely, while Singapore-made Bridgestone tyres were restricted from going up.
This, he said, was not in conformity with the realities of the situation, which was that Singapore had 40% of the purchasing power while the rest of Malaysia had 60%.
"I don't want to rush these things...but there must be a quid pro quo," he said.
He reminded newsmen that an ordinary Singaporean had double or treble the purchasing power of a similar worker in Malaya.
Again, Mr. Lee said he was gratified by the Tengku's words.
He said the Tengku told him as he left yesterday:
"Well, you know, when you are no longer in Malaysia, we are not quarreling in Parliament or in the constituencies, we shall be friends again. We shall need each other and we shall cooperate..."
Mr. Lee added: "It is my earnest desire that this be so."
Between Singapore and Malaysia there was an inexorable nexus between commerce and industry and stability and security, he pointed out.
If, for instance, economic co-operation did not keep pace with defence co-operation, whatever Government -- be it capitalist or socialist -- that Government must seek a living for its people by trading with the devil, Mr Lee said.
"These are the facts of life...that's what I feel about it. I may be wrong.
"You might get an anti-Communist Government here which is prepared to see workers unemployed, discontented and kept discontented by repression.
"But you know the PAP. We can't do that. We don't believe that it is the final solution...
"If Singapore could have been governed by the gun indefinitely, I think it would have been tried by the British before, or I think by us, or by the former Central Government."
But a people could not be kept down. Co-operation was the alternative, Mr. Lee said.
He continued: "And we can help Malaysia's development on a fair basis.
"We don't want all the industries. It is not fair. Last year change in the identity cards...net gain to Singapore of 10,000 people, most of whom are in the 20 to 30 age group. Just about 25% of our population is in that age group"
Would the Government consider immigration changes to stop people from coming in from Malaya?
Mr. Lee replied: "We continue as usual. Why change it? People come in from the Federation, they work here...but they don't get the benefits.
"Within limits this doesn't matter. Whilst we are not altogether happy about the net gain of 10,000, in that 10,000 must be 100 to 150 able, trained technocrats -- engineers, doctors, teachers -- able men who for various reasons seek a living in Singapore. But of course, we can't have a flood."
Mr. Lee was then asked to recount the events which had led to the final break.
He said that on Saturday afternoon, he was not convinced in spite of what Dr. Goh Keng Swee had told him, that there was no alternative to the break-up.
"I didn't believe that there was no other way. I believed then that I could still convince the Tengku that there were a number of other ways to reduce communal tension, such as a looser Federation.
"After what he told me when we were alone, I realised that there was no other way, and I asked if that was the solution.
"I knew from what he said -- and he has an intuition about these matters -- that we would all be in for big communal trouble if Singapore or if I and my colleagues insisted on going on with Malaysia as it is.
"Any other kind of Malaysia than a Malaysian Malaysia is unacceptable. Perhaps now with Singapore out there may be a Malaysian Malaysia because the pressure will be much slower."
They might have thought that a highly urbanised city with two million people like Singapore was too rapid for them, he added.
But with all the outpourings in the Jawi Press, it was felt that unless a stand was made, all would be lost.
But the Tengku told him that he could not go on holding the situation much longer, and that he could see real trouble in Malaysia if Singapore continued to be in it.
"I met the Tengku again yesterday morning because a number of my colleagues felt very strongly against this.
"A number of my colleagues feel passionately about what they feel is their homeland. They were born and bred there."
Dr. Toh Chin Chye, Mr. Lee said would not have signed the agreement if the Tengku was not convinced that there was no other way.
Mr. Rajaratnam and Mr. Ong Pang Boon had close ties with the Federation too and were also against this move.
"Everytime we look back to the moment we signed this document it is for us a moment of anguish.
"For me it is a moment of anguish. All my life, my whole adult life, I have believed in merger and unity of the two territories..."
His voice faltering, Mr. Lee added: "We are connected by geography, economics and ties of kinship...It broke everything we stood for."
Mr. Lee broke down. Tears rolled down his cheeks. For a moment he buried his face in his hands. He started to speak, then broke down again.
Apologetically, he said he was far too angry to go on with the subject.
After a 20-minute break, he was asked about plans for diplomatic representation abroad.
He said Mr. Rajaratnam would be in a better position to answer this.
But he thought it likely that missions would be set up initially in Cairo, Addis Ababa, Delhi, Rangoon, Phnom Penh, Japan and the Commonwealth countries.
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