Recently studied this in history. This is the first and only referendum held in Singapore. It was supposedly held to show that people support merger with Malaya to form Malaysia. But there is one fatal flaw - there isn't any option to vote no. All the options point to "YES" to merger.

On the voting slip, there are three options:

• Option A: All Singapore citizens would automatically become citizens of Malaysia, and Singapore would retain a degree of autonomy and state power, such as over labour and education. Singapore would also get to keep its language policies, such as to retain using all four major languages, English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.

• Option B: Singapore would become a federal state like that of the other eleven states, with no more autonomy than the other states would, thus ceding control over issues such as labour and education policies to the federal government in Kuala Lumpur. This also meant that there would be less multilingualism - only English and Malay would be used for official purposes, and possibly education. Only those born in Singapore or descended from the Singapore-born would become citizens of Malaysia. There would also be proportionate representation in Parliament from Singapore.

• Option C: Singapore would enter on terms no less favourable than the Borneo territories, Sabah and Sarawak, both whom were also discussing merger with Malaysia. This was to ensure that Malaysia would not discriminate along racial lines, as that would mean discriminating against Sabah and Sarawak, which were predominantly Bumiputra as well.

So, what our grandparents were voting were just how they wanted Singapore to join Malaysia. But the PAP government use the results of this referendum to say that they have the mandate of the populance to join Malaysia.

Looking at the options, all pragmatic people will of course choose, and so 71.1% of the votes.

And if you think that you can voice your objection by handing in a blank vote, PAP has preemptive our grandparents. They inserted a clause whereby all blank or defaced votes would be counted as a vote for option A.

What type of voting is this?????