Malaysian Studies CHAPTER 1
Malaysian Studies CHAPTER 1
Malaysian Studies CHAPTER 1
Struggle for
Independence
1
TRADITIONAL MALAY
The Malay society
that is rich in
culture and
customs, and not
forgetting noble
courteous values,
that existed
before
colonialism.
Emergence of
several traditional
Malay kingdoms.
2
Melaka suitability
A centre for maritime trade
and spread of Islam.
Suitable location for
collecting, channeling and
exchanging of goods through
an entrepot system.
An alternate system of
monsoon winds, which
determined the course and
direction of sailing ships.
Facilities
4
Laws in Melaka
Hukum Kanun Melaka:
A criminal and civil law that
detailed in 44 Articles such
things as roles, duties and
responsibilities of the ruler and
the ruled.
Combination of traditional law
and customary lawLaut
Undang-undang
Melaka
As a result..
From
China
against
the
Siamese
Protectio
n
Java, India
and Siam
Diploma
tic Ties
At
reasonable
rate
Taxation
Coinage
system to
replace
barter
system
Currenc
y
6
Lacked of
efficient leader
Defamation
and bribing
discovery of
Cape of Good
Hope
Struggles for
powers
Weak
administration
-Tun Mutahir.
Portuguese
Gold, Gospel
and Glory.
Weak leader
Misunderstandi
ng and
disputes
Internal conflict
and high taxes
COLONIZATION ERA
PORTUGUESE (1511-1641)
DUTCH (1641-1824)
BRITISH (1824-1941)
JAPANESE (1941-1945)
KOTA BAHRU
JAPANESE (19411945)
MELAKA
PORTUGUESE (15111641)
DUTCH (1641-1824)
PERAK
BRITISH (18241941)
10
They
Retain the
introduced
posts of
an economic
Bendahara,
system
Temenggung
called
and
Mercantile
Syahbandar.
Policy
Introduced
their own
system.
to control
the maritime by Alfonzo
trade in the
de
east and to Albuquerque
spread
in 1511
Christianity
PORTUGUESE (1511-1641)
Mercantile Policy
Introduced coinage
system tin, copper,
silver, gold
11
Buildings
and
churches
Intermarria
ges
IMPAC
TS
Languag
es
12
DUTCH (1641-1824)
United
Dutch East
India
1824, with
Company
The
the signing
was formed monopoly of
of the
to unite all trade in Asia Anglo-Dutch
the Dutch
Treaty.
enterprises
in Asia
13
15
Naval
Base
Suitab
le port
16
Straits Settlements
1st April
Singapore,
1867, the
Melaka and administratio
Penang
n of Straits
Efficient
Island
Settlements
Began to pay
administratio
(1826), first
was
attention to
n,
capital in
transferred
the Malay
commercial
Penang and from Calcutta
states.
agriculture
then
to the
Singapore in
Colonial
Office in
1832.
London.
17
What is Residential
System?
18
Peace and
Order
Economic
Development
Revenue
Collection
Difficulties
Little help
from Britain
Limited
power
No specific
guidelines
Sultans and
followers
resistant to
changes
20
Effective
government
Law and
order
Peace and
security
Increase in
population
Communicati
on
Cash crop
Benefits
Demerits
No
uniformity
Residents
became
powerful
Different
economic
growth
21
22
High
Commissioner
(Singapore)
Resident General
(Kuala Lumpur)
4 Sultans
(Perak, Selangor,
N.Sembilan &
Pahang)
Unofficial
Members
Residents
23
Rapid
economic
developme
nt
Cheaper
and
efficient
administrati
on
Increase in
population
Streng
ths
24
Administratio
n
WEAKNES
SES
Econo
mic
25
DURBAR:
Allowed Malay Sultans and Chiefs to
meet British officials to put forward their
views on important matters.
Durbar has no real power.
Had more ceremonial and symbolic
meanings than policy making functions:
the Sultans had to discuss all issues with
the Residents before they could be raised
in the durbar
DECENTRALIZATION:
The formation of FMS had led to
economic prosperity in some states, but
had resulted in centralization at the
expense of the Sultans.
When there was a slump in economic
development in the 1920s, the Sultans
complained even more bitterly about
their lack of power.
Britain, therefore, began to look at ways
to decentralize power.
JAPANESE (1941-1945)
Occupied Malaya for only three and a half
years from 15 February 1942 to 15
August 1945.
The main aim of the Japanese was to
establish a New Great East Asia
government.
32
Japanese Victory
Well
planned
Well
prepared
Experienc
ed
command
er
To free
India from
the British
Propagan
da
Asia for
Asians
Excellent
tactics
33
Decline in
economy
Nipponizati
on
Shortage
of food &
other
necessities
IMPAC
TS
paper
money and
the black
market
Poor public
health
services
34
STRUGGLE FOR
INDEPENDENCE
Outside influences
Struggle
against
Holland.
Indones
ia
Young
Turkish
movement
and Revival
of Islam
Egypt
Defeated
Russia in
1905.
Japan
Mass media
Organizations
Malay nationalism can be divided into
3 stages
Religious stage : 1900-1926
Social and economic stage : 19271936
Political stage : 1937-1941
Al-Imam
The first newspaper that carried the
message of Islamic modernism in the
Malay-Muslim world.
Analyzed the ills of the state of Islamic
society, pointing to the backwardness of
the Malays, their domination by aliens,
their ignorance of modern fields of
knowledge, their laziness, their
complacency (self-satisfaction), their
Eunos Abdullah
Already being appointed as a
member of Legislative Council for
Straits Settlements.
Attempted to gather support for his
role in the Council.
The only Malay appointed to the
Council.
Formed in 1938
Radical left-learning party
Formed by Ibrahim Yaacob and Ishak
Hj Muhammad, and a group of proIndonesia
Aim: to seek independence for
Malaya and Indonesia
1940- leaders were arrested by the
British
Replaced KMM
Formed by Burhanuddin Helmi,
Ibrahim Yaacob, Onan Hj Siraj etc
Plan to merge Malaya + Indonesia =
Indonesia Raya
Halted with the Japanese surrendered
Successor of KRIS
Ahmad Boestamam led the Youth
wing-Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API)
Shamsiah Fakeh led Angkatan Wanita
Sedar (AWAS)
When API was banned, replaced by
Pembela Tanah Air (PETA)
MALAYAN UNION
On 10 Oct 1945, the British
Parliament presented a white paper
with the content that the British
aimed to create a new system of
administration in Malaya.
The Malayan Union that was
proposed including the Malay states,
Penang and Melaka
Demonstrati
ons
Mass Media
Organization
s
Former
British
Officers
Malay Rulers
Min Yuen
Declaring the
emergency,
introduce Briggs
Plan, military
steps and
psychological
warfare.
Actions
taken
Declaration of Emergency
17 June 1948
A state of
emergency was
declared on the
whole of Malaya
Psychological Warfare
Making easier for the non-Malays to obtain
citizenship
Pardoning the large numbers of the MCP
members who surrendered
Rewarding people who provided info on
the communist terrorists
Giving out pamphlets calling the
communist terrorists to give up
Introduced the black and white areas
Introduced curfews.
NEGOTIATIONS FOR
INDEPENDENCE
77
Home Affairs
Dato E.E.C.
Thuraisingam
Dr Lee Tiang Keng
Education
Tengku Yaacob
Health
Constitution of Federation of
Independence Malaya 1957
Lord Reid headed the Reid Commission to
draw up a constitution for independent
Malaya.
Comprised of the following members:
Principles
Head of Government
Shall be the PM, who shall be
appointed by the King from among
Members of Parliament.
PM is to form a Cabinet, which he
shall head and they will be
responsible to the Parliament.
Parliament
To be composed of 2 Houses: Dewan
Rakyat and Dewan Negara.
Members of Dewan Rakyat will be
elected every 5 years in the general
elections.
Members of Dewan Negara will be
appointed by the King, including 2
members who will be nominated by
each state legislature.
State level
Sultan/Yang di-Pertua Negeri shall be
the Head of the State
Menteri Besar is the Head of the State
Govt
Members of the State Govt will be
elected every 5 years in a state general
elections.
There should be a clear division between
the power to make law between the
State and the Federal Level.
Citizenship
Other provisions
Special positions and rights of the Malays
should be reviewed by the Legislature
after 15 years.
Malay shall be the official language after
1967.
Islam shall be the official religion but the
practice of other religions is to be
guaranteed.
Rights and freedom of movement,
assembly and speech are guaranteed
subject to certain limitation and
FORMATION OF MALAYSIA
Security Theory
Was tied up with the Singapore
problem - losing its political grip.
PAP candidates were thrashed by the
opposition candidates.
Tunku suggested that Malaya &
Singapore would make a better
position to combat communists
activities.
Expansion Theory
Around 1956, Tunku and some UMNO
leaders were well disposed towards
bringing the Borneo territories into an
enlarged Federation of Malaya.
Before 1961, Tunku approached the British
govt about the incorporation of British
Borneo but were informed that the
Federation could not have these territories
unless she agreed to also take Singapore
off Whitehalls hand.
Singapo
re
Brunei
Sabah
Sarawa
k
Federation of Malaya
Basically the people of Malaya
supported the formation of
Malaysia.
Singapore
Singapore reacted with enthusiasm to the
proposed merger.
Lee Kuan Yew met with Tunku in Aug 1961
and reached agreement.
If Singapore joined Malaya, the central
govt would be in Kuala Lumpur, but
education, revenue and labor policies
would still be dealt with in Singapore.
Lee KY campaigned in
Singapore to get agreement
from the people for merger
with Malaya.
Although Barisan Sosialis
and other communistdominated groups
campaigned against joining
Malaysia, the majority
supported their Prime
Minister.
Brunei
Was at first in favor of joining Malaysia.
Sultan Ali Saifuddin saw Brunei coming
under the protection of the much larger
Malaya.
Parti Rakyat (A.M.Azhari) wanted to see
the 3 Borneo territories join together and
form their own joint govt.
Started a revolt against the Sultan in Dec
1962; was defeated and fled to Indonesia.
Bruneis Withdrawal
the number of seats in the Legislature and in Parliament
the control on oil and other materials
monetary autonomy
Bruneis earlier investments
method of taxation
authority in the area of education and welfare
matters of religion
citizenship
the security of Brunei
the position of the sultan and the status of Brunei within Malaysia.
External Oppositions
Indonesia
The Philippines
Indonesia
Did not welcome merger but WHY?
Saw merger as an attempt by the British
to maintain its power in Southeast Asia
since the British bases would remain in
Singapore after Malaysia was formed.
Its territory, Kalimantan, shares a border
with Sabah and Sarawak.
The Philippines
Claimed Sabah to be its territory.
Broke off diplomatic reasons with
Malaysia on the day it was officially
proclaimed.
Relations were only restored in June
1966 after President Marcos came to
power.
Observations made:
Some representatives of the Borneo states
opposed Malaysia because of fear of Malay
domination.
Favored independence first then considered
merger with the Federation.
British Governors for Sabah and Sarawak, and
British High Commissioner of Brunei preferred to
have better relations
Opposition decreased after the 1st Meeting of
MSCC
Cobbold Commission
Was formed in Jan 1962; comprised
of 5 members (3 British officials and
2 Malayan officials)
Function was to get the views of the
people of Sabah and Sarawak and to
make recommendation.
Inter-Governmental Committee
IGC was formed to work out the
details by which Sarawak and Sabah
were to become constitutional states
within the Federation of Malaysia.
Chaired by Lord Lansdowne and
assisted by Tun Abdul Razak.
Had met 24 times to look at the
rationale behind the merger of Sabah
and Sarawak in Malaysia.
SINGAPORE REFERUNDUM
Alternative A
Based on the
terms set forth
earlier in the
White Paper
Nov 1961.
Alternative B
Singapore
would be
subjected to
the policies of
the Federation
- only English
and Malay
would be used
for official
purposes, and
possibly
education.
Only those
born in
Singapore or
descended
from the
Singaporeborn would
become
citizens of
Malaysia.
There would
Alternative C
On terms no
less favorable
than those of
the Borneo
states
Lee KY launched
Malaysian
Malaysia
campaign.
Singapore form
United Opposition
Front to fight for
equal rights and
Malaysia for
Malaysians.