 Tunku's chief consideration was the need to maintain the racial balance in the Federation, UMNO’s position in the Alliance Party, and Malay political dominance.Including Singapore with its large Chinese population would result in the Chinese (at 3.6 million) outnumbering the 3.4 million Malays in the new union, and put it "at-risk".Balanced against this risk was his even greater fear of an independent Singapore outside the federation, particularly if it fell under the control of an unfriendly government.