Abstract
This paper examines the political history of the relationship between Malaysia and Singapore, focusing on the notion of citizenship and its ethnic, civic and political dimensions. It analyses the extent to which the merger of Singapore with Malaysia redefined the citizenship boundaries of the Malaysian national political identity. The incorporation of Singaporean citizens into the Malaysian political community was controversial, as it was closely related to electoral stakes. The ruling People’s Action Party and the Alliance Party attempted to delineate the political sphere of the population of each political unit through the demarcation between ‘citizenship’ and ‘nationality’. However, the citizenship crisis continued to trouble the relationship of these states to the point that both parties breached the perceived agreement not to interfere with the other’s political sphere of influence. This sphere of influence was delineated on the basis of race, thus cutting across political territory rather than territorial attributes. The ideological clashes over the meaning of citizenship that arose during the political merger of Singapore and Malaya, show that a truly Malaysian citizenship could not be developed-only a Malaysia of citizens.
Highlights
Citizenship is a frontier of sorts, defining political membership in a nation-state
In devising a constitutional method to differentiate the political rights of the citizens of Singapore, the writers of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement developed the distinction between ―a Singapore citizen‖ and ―a citizen who is not a Singapore citizen‖ in the citizenship provisions of the Malaysian constitution. exclusion of Singaporean citizens from Malaysian citizenship raises three important questions
What is the relationship between the state and nation, and why is this distinction important in light of what happened in Singapore and Malaysia? Second, what can be learned about the relationship between race, state and nationality? Third, what are some of the particularities of the case between Singapore and Malaysia regarding the generalised relationship between citizenship and nationality?
Summary
Citizenship is a frontier of sorts, defining political membership in a nation-state. The question of citizenship was ―one of the thorniest issues‖ that troubled Singapore‘s Prime. Lee Kuan Yew during Singapore‘s merger with Malaya to form the Federation of Malaysia. The citizenship issue relating to Singapore‘s merger was caused by restrictions on the political activities of Singaporean citizens on the island. To achieve this aim, the two states carefully drafted the 1961 Singapore White Paper, which resulted in granting Malaysiannationality without citizenship‘ to the citizens of Singapore. Though drafters of the White Paper did not intend to create inequality among the citizens of Singapore, the merger deal between Malaya‘s Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman (Tunku) and Lee Kuan Yew created pre-merger havoc. What is the relationship between the state and nation, and why is this distinction important in light of what happened in Singapore and Malaysia? What is the relationship between the state and nation, and why is this distinction important in light of what happened in Singapore and Malaysia? Second, what can be learned about the relationship between race, state and nationality? Third, what are some of the particularities of the case between Singapore and Malaysia regarding the generalised relationship between citizenship and nationality?
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