Racial Problems

1
Racial Problems

• Divide rule policy

• Education System during British colonization

• different religions customs

• Japanese Occupation

2
Efforts Toward Racial Unity

• Inter-Racial Relations Committee, 1949
• - enabled leaders of various groups to find a
  solution to the existing racial problems
• - proposed non-Malays be involved in local
  politics
• more opportunities be given
  to the Malays in the business
  industrial sections

• Member System, 1951
• - enabled people from various ethnic groups to
  get involved in the administration of the
  government hold portfolios in areas such as
  Home Affairs, Agriculture, Land, Health etc.

3
Education System
- 1949, Central Advisory Committee English -
sole medium of education opposed by the
Federal Legislative Council - Barnes report,
1952 standardization of all primary
schools (English Malay medium of
instruction) secondary level - English as
medium of instruction -
Dr.W.P.Fenn Dr.Y.T.Wu studied the status
of Chinese vernacular
education in Malaya to incorporate it into a
unified education system - Education ordinance,
1952 based on the Barnes Report - Razak
Report, 1956 ethnic bargain
4
United Malays National Organization (UMNO)

• 11th May 1946

• Dato Onn bin Jaafar

• objectives
• to unite Malays to oppose Malayan Union
• to protect Malays interests
• to gain independence from the British

5
Dato Onn
independent Malaya truly inter-racial
proposed non-Malays be allowed to
join UMNO
UMNO members UMNO stood for Malays
right, could not be multi racial
Sept. 1951, Dato Onn resigned was replaced by
Tunku Abdul Rahman
6
Malayan Chinese Association (MCA)

• 27th Feb 1949
• Leong Yew Koh
• objectives
• to protect Chinese interest
• to co-operate with the government
  oppose Communism during the Emergency years
• to propose more liberal citizenship

( recruitment of the Chinese into the police
armed forces resettlement of the local
community into New Villages )
7
Malayan Indian Congress (MIC)

• August 1946
• John Thivy
• objectives
• to protect Indians interest
• to propose more liberal citizenship

• in the earlier years of its information, did not
  receive much support because it was dominated by
  Indian from the upper class

• received full support when the Tamils took over
  the party in 1954

8
The Fight For Independence
The Elections

• 1952, elections for local government town
  councils, UMNO-MCA Alliance won 9 out of the12
  seats contested

• general elections in 1955, the Alliance
  (UMNO-MCA-MIC) 51 out of 52 seats contested

• 10 Alliances members - Ministers
• Tunku Abdul Rahman - Chief Minister

• majority of the Legislative Council - Alliances
  members

9

• High Commissioner - veto power
• Executive Council - dominated by British
  officials who had the most senior posts

• January 1955, Merdeka Mission ( 4 Alliances
  representative 4 sultans ) London to persuade
  the British to give full independence

• British agreed to give independence on 31st
  August 1957

10
The Reid Commission

• drew up constitution that set up a new
  democratic unified Malaya with a firm
  government - had to consider the right of Malays,
  non-Malays the Sultans

• 131 memorandums were received from individuals
  various organizations

• the draft of the constitution did not satisfy
  the Alliance especially the proposals on religion
  citizenship

11

• Another delegation to London - to clarify
  certain matters amend the draft of the
  constitution

• Merdeka Constitution - ethnic bargain
• MIC MCA agreed to give special right to the
  Malay Bahasa Melayu as the national language
• UMNO allowed Chinese Indian to receive
  citizenship involvement in politics

12
Independence of Malaya 31st August 1957,
Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Tunku Abdul
Rahman
First Prime Minister --- Tunku Abdul Rahman
First YDPA --- Sultan of Negeri Sembilan,
Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman ibni almarhum Tunku
Muhammad
First general election --- 1959, Alliance won 74
out the 104 seats contested
13
The Federation of Malaysia

• Singapore suggested idea of merger in 1955
  1959 - was rejected by Malaya - 2 reasons
  racial composition the threat of Communism

• 27th May 1961, Tunku proposed to merge Malaya,
  Singapore Borneo territories of Sabah, Sarawak
  Brunei

14
Reasons Why Malaya Proposed the Idea of Merger
Malayan Confidence

• experienced 4 years of independence
• - steady economy development
• - standard of living

• success to overcome the communist threat in
  Malaya

15
Communist Threat

• Singapore strikes unrest in the
• mid-1950s - Lee Kuan Yew brought
  some of the communists into his
  government - hoping to win their support
  moderate their views - failed
• communists were forced to resign -
  formed Barisan Sosialis

• Sarawak communists - underground associations
• exerted its influence on workers
  associations, students farmers

16
Economic Advantages

• Singapore 1.7 million population
• 250 manufacturing firms
• most importance port in South East
  Asia

• Borneo territories petroleum, natural gas,
  timber, pepper, rubber etc.

Cultural similarities

• ethnic balance

17
To encourage independence

• Singapore had a large degree of self-governing
• Sabah Sarawak still under British
  colonization
• Brunei ruled by its Sultan but with a High
  commissioner to advise him

A merger with these colonies with Malaya would
speed up independence from the British
18
Response from Singapore the Borneo States
Singapore

• Reacted with enthusiasm

• opposition came from the Communist-dominated
  party, Barisan Socialis

• Lee Kuan Yew actively campaigned to get the
  support from the people

• 1 Sept. 1962, referendum - 71.1 - voted in
  favor of merger

19
Sabah Sarawak

• at first reluctant to join
• Malays feared of losing authority in the
  administration of their government
• non-Malays feared that the Malays in Sabah
  Sarawak would be even more dominant

• Tunku flew to Sabah Sarawak in June 1961

• July 1961, Malaysia Solidarity Consultative
  Committee -inform

20
Brunei

• at first was keen on the merger - Sultan Ali
  Saifuddin hope to gain protection from a larger
  country like Malaya

• A.M.Azahari, Party Rakyat - strongly opposed -
  led a revolt against the government - wanted to
  merge all the Borneo territories place them
  under the reign of Brunei - failed

• Eventually, Brunei decided not to merge,
  because
• Sultan of Brunei was not given a higher rank in
  the seniority list of Sultans than was proposed
• disagreed with the amount of its petrol
  revenues that be allowed to keep

21
The Cobbold Commission

• Lord Cobbold

• to investigate the reaction of the people in
  Sabah Sarawak towards merger

• spent 2 month, listening to opinions
• interviewed gt 4,000 people
• held gt 50 public meeting
• receive gt 2000 letters
• met representatives from wide range of
  political non-political organizations

22

• result
• 1/3 -- rejected the merger, hoping to join
  Malaya only after they achieved their
  independence
• 1/3 -- supported the idea of merger
• 1/3 -- supported the idea of merger on the
  grounds that their rights be maintained

16th Sept. 1963, Malaya, Singapore, Sabah
Sarawak join to form Malaysia
23
Reaction from Neighbour Country
Indonesia

• supported Azahari in his rebellion

• form Malaysia -- maintaining British colonialism
  in South-East Asia

• favoured the formation of an independence Negara
  Kalimantan Utara (Brunei, Sabah Sarawak)

• Indonesia Raya -- Malaya Indonesia

• confrontation policy, Jan 1963 -- August 1966

24
Philippine

• claimed ownership of Sabah
• ( belong to Kesultanan Sulu Philippine)

• President, Macapagal, cut of the diplomatic ties
  with Malaysia