Quora Answer: Is There Any Movement, in Malaysia, to Reincorporate Singapore?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Is there any movement in Malaysia trying to reincorporate Singapore?”

It would not make political sense to do that.  One of the reasons why Singapore was removed from Malaysia was because of the Malay-nationalists about the racial balance. Singapore was one of two Chinese-majority states then.  The other was Penang.  Singapore had a significantly larger population, and a higher ratio of non-Malays.  We must also remember that UMNO never had a significant following in Singapore.  The parties in Singapore, whilst largely Chinese-dominated, were plural.  The PAP campaigned on a “Malaysian Malaysia”, as opposed to a “Malay Malaysia”.  This is the historical baggage there.

In the fifty years since, the divergent political philosophies between these two nations have become especially stark.  The population of non-Malays in Malaysia has shrunk tremendously.  The bumiputera policy, and the concept of Ketuanan Melayu, is deeply entrenched. Singapore rejoining that would immediately threaten that.

Leaving aside this fantasy, Singapore itself has no incentive to rejoin Malaysia.  Considering the huge discrepancy in wealth, Singapore would end up subsidising Malaysia.  Singapore’s leadership also has no desire to rule Malaysia, just like the Malaysians.  We are better off as neighbours, and distinct polities.