Why Singapore's Merger With Malaysia Failed | Inside The Albatross File - Part 1/2 | Podcast

When Singapore joined the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, hopes were high. But a secret file kept by then-Finance Minister Dr Goh Keng Swee, code-named the “Albatross File”, reveals a far more fragile union.

CNA producers Peh Yuxin and Clarisse Goh sit down with Janadas Devan, Senior Advisor at MDDI to unpack the historical reasons, political tensions, clashing economic visions, and rising racial politics that pulled the merger apart.

WATCH MORE
Inside The Albatross File Part 2:    • How Singapore's Separation From Malaysia H...  
Separation: Declassified Part 1:    • Secrets, Betrayals: How Singapore’s Split ...  
Separation: Declassified Part 2:    • How Singapore Navigated High-Stakes Politi...  
Merger To Separation:    • Hidden politics behind Singapore's split f...  

00:00 Introduction
01:45 Why Dr Goh Keng Swee started the Albatross file
06:22 Surprising revelations from the file
08:29 Why merger fell apart so quickly
09:59 First failed "merger": the Malayan Union
13:24 Other factors: terms of merger, race politics
17:47 On the racial riots of 1964
21:37 "Race riots as an instrument of intimidation"
24:08 Why Lee Kuan Yew rattled Malaysian leaders
25:44 Why PAP lost in Malaysia
29:46 True impact of the race riots in Singapore
33:20 What Lee Kuan Yew feared
34:28 Behind Tunku's idea to "hive off Singapore"
37:26 Why those negotiations collapsed
39:57 Why the British wanted Singapore to stay in Malaysia
42:09 Who informed the British of Separation?
43:49 Who wanted a "looser federation"?
46:35 What forced Tunku's hand in early 1965

#cna #cnainsider #Singapore #Malaysia #History #Separation #LeeKuanYew

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