How far do you agree that the need to set up a Common Market was the most important reason for merger between Singapore and Malaya?

I strongly disagree that the most important reason for merger between Singapore and Malaya was the need to set up a Common Market. There are other important reasons behind the merging of Singapore and Malaya for example, Singapore wanted to provide a loan of $150 million for the development of Sabah and Sarawak and to collect its own revenue and then send an agreed sum of money each year to Kuala Lumpur as taxes. While Malaya wanted a $50 million grant from Singapore for the development of Sabah and Sarawak and to collect revenue in Singapore and then give Singapore what it needed to run the state.

Tunku Abdul Rahman was frustrated by the disagreements and threatened to call off the negotiations and to proceed with the idea of forming Malaysia without Singapore. Eventually, Singapore and Malaya came to an agreement with the economic terms that the Common Market would be established in stages, Singapore would provide a $150 million loan for the development of Sabah and Sarawak and Singapore would collect its own revenue and pay Kuala Lumpur an agreed sum of money. Although the setting up of a Common Market was one of the improtant reasons, there are two other reasons added for the merger.

The setting up of a Common Market was only Singapore's idea to bring out rapid economic growth and also to support Singapore's new industries. The merging of Singapore with Malaya was also PAP's idea and Malaya did not start it. Malaya also had its own reasons to agree with the merger. In my opinion, the setting up of a Common Market was not the most important reason for the merger of Singapore and Malaya as there were other reasons involving other countries like Sabah and Sarawak.