Blog Topic Six (6)

How far do you agree that the need to set up a Common Market was the most important reason to a merger between Singapore and Malaya?
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I agree to a great extent that the need to set up a Common Market was the most important reason to a merger between Singapore and Malaya but I also believe that gaining complete freedom was also the one of the important reason.

Singapore lacked of natural resources and faced a declining entrepot trade and a growing population which required jobs. Entrepot in other countries were growing and it caused a decline in Singapore's entrepot. Meanwhile, Malaya introduced tariffs on goods traded between two countries and the PAP government felt that a merger with Malaya would bring a rapid economic growth as Common Market would be set up to support Singapore's new industries. Thus, this would increase trade, expand industries and create more jobs.

The PAP government also saw that Singapore's best hope for complete freedom was through a merger with Malaya. Although internal self-government was grant in 1959, there were still some areas such as defence and internal security under the British control. Thus, I think that the PAP government wanted to gain independence through the merger.

Therefore, although Common Market was a important reason for the merge, gaining complete freedom was also a important reason.