Why Hong Kong’s struggle for autonomy cannot follow Singapore’s path to independence
Zuraidah Ibrahim says localists should know the circumstances of the Lion City’s separation from Malaysia before drawing inspiration from Singapore
If Singapore could do it, why can’t Hong Kong? It is a line one hears now and then in this city’s policy debates.
The two have always invited comparisons. In the past, Hongkongers looked south with contempt at Singapore’s state-led development and its lack of political freedom. Many have become a little more wistful. Buffeted by unforgiving economic forces and unable to afford decent homes, they have a new appreciation for the nanny state.
More recently, though, the comparison has taken a less rational turn. The Lion City has become a symbol to some of what an independent Hong Kong could be.
“If Hong Kong and China can separate, as Malaysia and Singapore did in 1965, this is good for both sides,” Martin Oei, 38, a localist told foreign media. A young friend suggested to me that, given their comparable size, Hong Kong can tread the same path as the Lion City. Another commentator argued: “When Singapore left the Malaysian Federation in the 1960s to go it alone, it didn’t go thirsty or hungry.”
New party seeks Hong Kong’s independence, via return to British rule
Singapore is the only majority-Chinese society outside the People’s Republic of China whose sovereignty is unquestioned. So it is not surprising that it would enter the consciousness of those desperate to protect Hong Kong from Beijing’s dominance.