There was this rally at the old airport. There was tremendous enthusiasm for Marshall largely supported by the left wing. I was there with Tony Schooling. We were watching this great meeting when suddenly the platform collapsed and everybody started running.
David Marshall organised a petition and a public rally in Singapore in an attempt to demonstrate the depth of public feeling. There was tremendous excitement for the rally in the Chinese press, which hoped that it would demonstrate the ‘fierce longing for independence’ among the people.98 There was a massive turnout, but the rally went poorly. Difficulties with the amplifying equipment were followed by the collapse of the main platform as Marshall was speaking. Pandemonium erupted and clashes broke out. A group of visiting British MPs had to be quickly ferried away to safety.1 Since the Malayan Communist Party was pro independence, they lacked the motivation to sabotage the event.
Marshall later led the first Merdeka Mission, the All-Party delegation negotiations with the British for the independence of Singapore. Constitutional discussions began in London in April 1956. He was accompanied by Lim Chin Siong and Lee Kuan Yew who were representatives of the P.A.P. Marshall insisted on both independence and control of internal security.
Marshall had offered that the British and Singaporeans both have three representatives on the Defence and Security Council, and the Chairman to be a Malayan appointed by the Federation. However Lennox-Boyd, fearing that the three British members would be outvoted, insisted on the High Commissioner
being the Chairman and holding the casting vote.
Marshall and Lim Chin Siong argued that there was no difference between partial self-government and the lack of self-government. As long as the British held the final say, systemic imperialism and discrimination would continue unchecked.
The mission returned in failure. David Marshall resigned and Lim Yew Hock took over as Chief Minister. First he had to prove to the British that Singapore was able to resist Communism and secondly he wanted to purge the trade unions, schools and Left Wing leaders.
1 Pingtjin Thum ‘LIVING BUDDHA’ Chinese perspectives on David Marshall and his government, 1955–1956