The secession of Singapore from Malaysia was planned by leaders on both sides of the causeway and not forced upon the island state, said a former Singapore left-wing leader.

Dr Lim Hock Siew, a former central executive committee member of the now defunct Barisan Sosialis, said in Dr Melanie Chew's Leaders of Singapore , it was stated that Singaporean minister Dr Goh Keng Swee persuaded Tun Abdul Razak, then Malaysian deputy prime minister, to allow Singapore to secede from Malaysia.

Hock Siew, who is now a medical doctor residing in Singapore, said Dr Goh admitted that the separation was well planned and was not foisted upon Singapore.