Back when... Malaysia kicked out Singapore

Today Singapore is its own independent country, but we don't need to go much back in time before that's no longer the case

Until 9 August 1965, Singapore was under Malaysia, but why did they get kicked out of Malaysia? Before answering that, let's take a look at what led up to the events

British rule

The British helped Tengku Long back into what would later be known as Singapore in 1819. The different factions acknowledge him as the ruler, making Singapore it's own territory. There was a population of about a thousand people living on the island, most of the which was indigenous Malays and a few Chinese. With the Sultan Tengku Long at power, the British was given rights to open a trading post in Singapore

A few years later, the Sultan went into further treaties with the British and the entire island becoming under British possession. Which led to Singapore joining Straits Settlements, that was under British India jurisdiction

The populations continued to grow and by the 1860's, there where over 80,000 people living on the island and more than half being Chinese. In 1867 Singapore came under straight rule of Britain, as the Straits Settlements were separated from British India

After the First World War had ended, which Singapore wasn't much affected by. The British started building, what would become the worlds largest Naval base when completed. The base had enough fuel to provide 6 months of operation, without refueling the base. The naval base was mostly empty, as the British did not afford to build another fleet to have full time stationed at the Singapore navy base. Instead the British Navy base was stationed in Europe and the plan was to quickly move the based to Singapore if it was needed there

This approach ended leaving Singapore vulnerable when World War II broke out, as the British Navy was fully occupied in Europe and wasn't able to proper man the Singapore Navy Base. When the Japanese invasion of Malaya reached Singapore, it ended with 60,000 British soldiers surrendering

The British and it's Empire losses in Singapore was massive, nearly 85,000 people captured and 5,000 people killed, most of which was Australians. This war signed a major turning point for many Nations, including Britain and Singapore. Before the British had a chance to send it's fleet to get back Singapore, the war ended and the Japanese surrendered

Steps to independence

Guerilla war broke out in the 1950's by the Chinese communists, against the government. Which further pushed the government to push Britain for full self rule, their first attempt was declined by the British. The second attempt was granted and Singapore was granted full internal self-government, with the exception of defense and foreign affairs

Malaysia unification

The British government believed the merger would prevent Singapore becoming a haven for communism. In 1963, Singapore joined Malaya, the North Borneo, and Sarawak to form the new Federation of Malaysia. Singapore retained a relative high autonomy under the Malaysia Agreement, compared to the other nations who joined

Not all was happy with this new federation and Indonesia opposed of it, as it believed it had rights to Borneo. Causing Indonesian saboteurs to plant bombs in Malaysia, causing great damage and lost life's. The saboteurs was eventually caught and excecated

Roses have thorn's

With talks breaking down and the 1964 race riots breaking out in Singapore, between Chinese and Malays, over disagreement of joining Malaysia. Malaysia's Malaysian prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman saw no other way, than to expel Singapore from Malaysia to stop the bloodshed. Malaysian Parliament voted 126 to 0 to create a bill to expel Singapore from Malaysia in 1965

Independence