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Lee's only chance of saving himself from political extinction in his fight with the Barisan Socialists is to maneuver Singapore into the federation as soon as possible. Under the terms he proposes, the island would maintain a certain measure of autonomy by controlling its own labor and education policies, would let Malaya provide for internal and external security. Communist subversion would therefore be the responsibility of Malaya's powerful and expert police system. Naturally the Barisan Socialists rant that Malaya's government is "reactionary, repressive and misguided." scream that the Malaysia Federation plan is a "sellout" that would make Singapore's Chinese "second-class citizens."
Lee is committed to a referendum on the federation question and is campaigning hard to rally his dwindling support behind his program for partial merger. Aware that time is running out, he bluntly lays on the line the alternative to Singapore's joining Malaysia. "I'm not threatening chaos," he says. "I'm predicting it."