I can't help but always think back about that painful history that took place on 9th August 1965. People say that separations just like in any relationship are painful but moving on and being in a position where you have accomplished your goals is the best feeling one could have.
In the beginning, Singapore was a barren land, a jungle to be honest with very limited resources, food, and water and it was nothing like one could imagine today. Lee Kuan Yew’s People Action Party believed that joining Malaysia, which was a larger and resource-rich country, would provide Singapore with the economic and political stability it needed for long-term development.
The merger was also seen as a way to forge a common identity among the ethnically diverse populations of Singapore, Malaysia, and other territories like Sabah and Sarawak. The leaders of both Singapore and Malaysia envisioned a united and harmonious nation that would be able to overcome racial and religious differences and work together for progress.
However, challenges in the Merger of Singapore and Malaysia posed problems. The PAP championed multiracialism, while UMNO was Malay-centric and favoured affirmative action policies to protect the Malay majority. These ideological differences led to tensions and disagreements over various issues, including language policies, citizenship rights, and economic policies.
The separation from Malaysia had a profound impact on Singapore’s trajectory as a nation. Initially, there were concerns about Singapore’s viability as an independent state, given its small size, lack of natural resources, and limited economic prospects. However, under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew and his government, Singapore embarked on a remarkable journey of nation-building and economic development. [Source: FAIR]
When I read about Singapore's achievements in technology, education, political stability, tourism, etc., and how it surpassed Malaysia in other fields, I wondered if it was because Singapore had no racial politics or religious issues that enabled it to be on par with other countries and not be considered a third-world country like its Southeast neighbours. Perhaps, it's because Singapore's governing system is based on meritocracy while Malaysia is more on the kleptocracy side.
Singapore became the envy of other Southeast Asian countries because it is the only country in the Southeast Asia region to become a first-world country with state-of-the-art technology, high GDP growth, a strong economy, good quality of education (Malaysia's education system is a failure if I'm to compare it to Singapore), low crime rates, no politicians playing the race card, and good governance. How did an island country transform itself from a breakaway island state few considered viable, wracked with ethnic tension, political and economic problems, to a thriving economic hub and global financial centre?
Perhaps, the road to becoming a first-world nation is to elect a non-Muslim PM? Would we then be able to achieve the same level of success as Singapore? Would the blockades to being on par with other first-world nations be removed?
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