Quora Answer: Do Singaporeans Want to Reunite with Malaysia Just Like Koreans?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Do Singaporeans want to reunite with Malaysia just like Koreans?”

That is a very strange question.  I was not aware that the Koreans wanted to “reunite” with Malaysia.  On a more serious note, Singaporeans, by and large, have no incentive to want a merger with Malaysia.  Malaysia and Singapore went very different routes in national development.  Singapore is a Chinese-majority state with an emphasis on meritocracy.  Malaysia is a Malay-majority state mired in race politics and Malay apartheid.

Economically, Singapore is far wealthier than Malaysia, even though Malaysia is blessed with abundant natural resources.  Corruption, racism, and religious extremism robbed Malaysia of its potential.  A merger between Singapore and Malaysia would mean Singapore subsiding Malaysia with none of the benefits.  We would have race riots, a hung parliament, and have to entertain the whims of petty kings, the sultans.