CHAPTER 3 : BRITAIN PULLS OUT

In this chapter LKY narrated how Singapore under his leadership navigated the intrigues about the imminent withdrawal of the British troops from Singapore and indeed the Asia because of its need to cut cost and also focus on Europe. The presence of the British forces in the South East Asia was a stabilizing factor for the region especially  to Singapore who looked vulnerable to attack from her neighbours and also the communist China and Russia who were ready to step into any vacuum that would be created with the exit of Britain from the region. The United States was already involved in Vietnam and was not in the position to deploy more forces to secure the South East Asia.

Singapore had wanted Britain to retain its forces in the region because of its stabilizing factor and the confidence it generated among the people especially for investors which Singapore greatly needed.

Britain wanted to withdraw its forces guardian Malaysia due to a number of reasons, both economic and strategic. Britain was facing serious economic problems leading to the devaluation of the British pound. LKY wanted the British to stay till into the ’70s when Singapore could have built its army to a level to withstand Indonesian Confrontation or any external aggression or threat.  There had been the Anglo-Malayan Defense Agreement which with the withdrawal of British forces would no longer be effective. Singapore apart from being vulnerable to attack from her neighbours, would also lose about 20 percent of its  GDP with the end of British military spending.

To resolve these security and economic challenges LKY adopted the following statesman brinkmanship.

1. LKY engaged both the British government both the ruling labour party and the opposition Conservative Party. He emphasized the need for Britain to adopt gradual withdrawal of the British forces till the 70s.
2. Got the then British Prime Minister Harold Wilson to visit Singapore and shared its government plan to build the defense capability of Singapore with timeline.
3. LKY faced with the reality that Britain was concerned with its overriding aim of total withdrawal , he negotiated so hard to get the date of withdrawal extended till end of 1971.
4. LKY used coercion, plea and diplomacy to get the best bargain for Singapore . LKY had written ” I tugged at the heart -strings of the British people , that our long and fruitful association should not end in an unseemly way which would damage Singapore’s future. I had put on the best face possible”. LKY was talking on the British television and to the press, a style which ultimately made Britain to revise its military regulations requiring it to destroy surplus military equipment that could not be dismantled during withdrawals and handed them over to Singapore for training and other uses.
5. LKY had stated that ” I needed the goodwill and cooperation from the British to execute the withdrawal with minimum friction and the maximum of goodwill and not have the military workshops stripped bare as had happened in Guinea ( West Africa) when the French left in the 1960s.
6. LKY at a point also reminded Britain that Singapore too “could put her interest first and foremost and protect its money (sterling) balances by moving them out of London which could have further worsened the devaluation of the British pound”.
7. Got the government of Australia and New Zealand to be interested in the security of the region as Australia was also contemplating withdrawing her forces from the region.
8. LKY agreed to cooperate with Malaysia seeing that Malaysia- Singapore cooperation was fundamental to the Australian defense planning and other powers for the region. LKY had said any attack on Malaysia would be regarded as a threat to Singapore. Malaysia had tried for a bilateral agreement with Australia which was rebuffed by the Australian government.
9. This deft diplomacy led to both Singapore and Malaysia admitting and agreeing that the security of both countries are inseparable. Both realized that Malaysia could not afford the heavy military expenditure and Singapore being a small island vulnerable to sneak attacks should concentrate on its air defense capability while Malaysia with long coastline would concentrate on its navy. This way both complemented each other.
10. The Five Power Defense Arrangement (FPDA) was negotiated to replace the Anglo-Malayan Defense Agreement ( AMDA) which was in force during the colonial era and after independence. The FPDA states ” In the event of any form of attack ……or threat of such attack against Malaysia or Singapore, the governments would immediately consult together for the purpose of deciding what measure should be taken jointly or separately in relation to such attack or threat.” 
11. The FPDA involved United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.
12. Thereafter the integrated air defense system was established in 1 September 1971 and the FPDA also came into force on 31 October 1971.  

LESSONS TO BE LEARNT FROM THIS CHAPTER 3

1. LKY in pursuance of their agenda as discussed in Chapter 2 to secure Singapore embarked on series of shuttle diplomacy.

2. LKY admitted the bare truth that Singapore must learn to survive without the British military umbrella and without a hinterland.

2. LKY also emphasized that Asian solutions to Asian problems but small countries would have the right to ask their friends from West.

3. LKY was also emphatic that agriculture or light industry was not at all promising for Singapore growth.

4. LKY having identified the overriding aim of Britain to withdraw her forces due her national interest set forth to get the best out of the situation by re-strategizing to negotiate for delayed withdrawal. One of such strategies was to engage the ruling Labour Party  and the opposition Conservative Party which paid off because during the negotiation the Labour Party was voted out of office in June 1970.   

3. LKY was very clear in his belief that security was their main concern as it was critical to attracting investment into Singapore which it badly needed to support and build the economy.

4. LKY  was able to buy time for the purpose of building her own army

5. LKY was able to secure regional treaty that was also binding on Malaysia hitherto considered as a threat to Singapore and a destabilizing factor to its steady growth.

i. Many words and sentences were taken from the book in order to clearly communicate what the author is saying. As much possible most of the borrowed words and sentences are in italics and quotes.

Comments and contributions are welcomed.  Chapter 4- Surviving Without  a Hinterland is next in our discussion.