chapter 2 pad310
DESCRIPTION
am110TRANSCRIPT
Political Developments After Independence/02
59 | P a g e
Chapter Overview
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
Emergency
The Formation of Malaysia
National Integration
13th May 1969 incident and the political implication
Political compromise, patriotism
Regionalism and autonomy
POLITICAL
DEVELOPMENTS AFTER
INDEPENDENCE
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
60 | P a g e
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
1) Explain the historical of emergency era
2) Understand the evolution of formation of Malaysia
3) Understand the concept of unity and integration and what the
efforts towards integration
4) Explain and understand the 13th May 1969 incident and the
political implication towards this riot.
5) Explain the political compromise and spirits of patriotism
6) Understand the concept of regionalism and autonomy
Political Developments After Independence/02
61 | P a g e
2.0 INTRODUCTION The Malayan Emergency was declared on 18 June 1948, after three estate managers
were murdered in Perak, northern Malaya. The men were murdered by guerrillas of
the Malayan Communist Party (MCP), an outgrowth of the anti-Japanese guerrilla
movement which had emerged during the Second World War. Despite never having
had more than a few thousand members, the MCP was able to draw on the support of
many disaffected Malayan Chinese, who were upset that British promises of an easier
path to full Malayan citizenship had not been fulfilled. The harsh post-war economic
and social conditions also contributed to the rise of anti-government activity.
2.1 EMERGENCY
• EMERGENCY ERA - June 1948 – 12 July 1960
• The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth
armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA), the military arm
of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960.
• The Malayan Emergency was the colonial government's term for the conflict. The
MNLA termed it the Anti-British National Liberation War. The rubber plantations
and tin mining industries had pushed for the use of the term "emergency" since
their losses would not have been covered by Lloyd's insurers if it had been
termed a "war."
• Despite the communists' defeat in 1960, communist leader Chin Peng renewed
the insurgency in 1967; it would last until 1989, and became known as the
Communist Insurgency War. Although Australian and British armed forces had
fully withdrawn from Malaysia years earlier, the insurgency still failed.
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
62 | P a g e
Lincoln Bomber A73-33 of No 1 Squadron, RAAF, on a bombing mission over
the Malayan jungle.
• The violent war started in June, 1948 when Chinese Communists cold bloodedly
murdered three British rubber planters.
• The Malayan Communist Party (originally were termed as Chinese Terrorists
(CTs) but were later officially known as Communist Terrorists then conducted a
continuous terror campaign - murdering, butchering, maiming and torturing British
and native men, women and children. They sabotaged installations, derailed
trains, burnt buses and generated civil unrest. It was a deliberate campaign to
strike fear into civilians.
• The withdrawal of Japan at the end of World War II left the Malayan economy
disrupted. Problems included unemployment, low wages, and scarce and
expensive food. There was considerable labour unrest, and a large number of
strikes occurred in 1946 through 1948.
Political Developments After Independence/02
63 | P a g e
• The British administration was attempting to repair Malaya's economy quickly,
especially as revenue from Malaya's tin and rubber industries was important to
Britain's own post-war recovery.
• As a result, protesters were dealt with harshly, by measures including arrests and
deportations. In turn, protesters became increasingly militant.
• On 16 June 1948, the first overt act of the war took place when three European
plantation managers were killed at Sungai Siput, Perak.
• The British brought emergency measures into law, first in Perak in response to
the Sungai Siput incident and then, in July, country-wide. Under the measures,
the MCP and other leftist parties were outlawed, and the police were given the
power to imprison without trial communists and those suspected of assisting
communists.
• The MCP, led by Chin Peng, retreated to rural areas, and formed the MNLA, also
known as the Malayan Races Liberation Army (MRLA), or the Malayan People's
Liberation Army (MPLA).
• The MNLA began a guerrilla campaign, targeting mainly the colonial resource
extraction industries, which in Malaya were the tin mines and rubber plantations.
• The MNLA was partly a re-formation of the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese
Army (MPAJA), the MCP-led guerrilla force which had been the principal
resistance in Malaya against the Japanese occupation.
• The British had secretly trained and armed the MPAJA during the later stages of
World War II. Disbanded in December, 1945, the MPAJA officially turned all of its
weapons in to the British Military Administration.
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
64 | P a g e
2.1.1 Guerrilla War
• The MNLA commonly employed guerrilla tactics, sabotaging installations,
attacking rubber plantations and destroying transportation and
infrastructure. Support for the MNLA was mainly based on around
500,000 of the 3.12 million ethnic Chinese then living in Malaya.
• The ethnic Malay population supported them in smaller numbers. The
MNLA gained the support of the Chinese because they were denied the
equal right to vote in elections, had no land rights to speak of, and were
usually very poor.
• The MNLA's supply organisation was called "Min Yuen." It had a network
of contacts within the general population. Besides supplying material,
especially food, it was also important to the MNLA as an information
gatherer.
• The MNLA's camps and hideouts were in the rather inaccessible tropical
jungle with limited infrastructure. Most MNLA guerrillas were ethnic
Chinese, though there were some Malays, Indonesians and Indians
among its members.
• The MNLA was organized into regiments, although these had no fixed
establishments and each encompassed all forces operating in a particular
region. The regiments had political sections, commissars, instructors and
secret service.
2.1.2 British Response
• The initial government strategy was primarily to guard important economic
targets such as mines and plantation estates. Subsequently, General Sir
Harold Briggs, the British Army's Director of Operations in Malaya,
developed an overall strategy known as the Briggs Plan.
Political Developments After Independence/02
65 | P a g e
• Its central tenet was that the best way to defeat an insurgency such as the
government was facing was to cut the insurgents off from their supporters
amongst the population.
• The Briggs Plan was multi-faceted. However one aspect of it has become
particularly well known this was the forced relocation of some 500,000
rural Malayans, including 400,000 Chinese, from squatter communities on
the fringes of the forests into guarded camps called New Villages.
• These villages were newly constructed in most cases, and were
surrounded by barbed wire, police posts and floodlit areas, the purpose of
which was both to keep the inhabitants in and the guerrillas out.
• People resented this at first, but some soon became content with the
better living standards in the villages. They were given money and
ownership of the land they lived on.
• At the start of the Emergency, the British had a total of 13 infantry
battalions in Malaya, including seven partly-formed Gurkha battalions,
three British battalions, two battalions of the Royal Malay Regiment and a
British Royal Artillery Regiment being utilised as infantry.
• This force was too small to effectively meet the threat of the communist
terrorists and more infantry battalions were needed in Malaya. The British
brought in soldiers from units such as the Royal Marines and King's
African Rifles. Another effort was a re-formation of the Special Air Service
in 1950 as a specialised reconnaissance, raiding and counter-insurgency
unit.
• In 1951, some British army units began a "hearts and minds campaign" by
giving medical and food aid to Malays and indigenous tribes. At the same
time, they put pressure on MNLA by patrolling the jungle.
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
66 | P a g e
• The MNLA guerrillas were driven deeper into the jungle and denied
resources. The MRLA extorted food from the Sakai and earned their
enmity. Many of the captured guerrillas changed sides. In comparison, the
MRLA never released any Britons alive. In the end the conflict involved a
maximum of 40,000 British and Commonwealth troops against a peak of
about 7–8,000 communist guerrillas.
• British propaganda was distributed by the Psychological Warfare Section
of the Emergency Information Service (EIS).
Police officers question a civilian during the Malayan Emergency.
• Sir Gerald Templer also launched psychological warfare upon the
communist terrorists by taking a number of actions. This strategy can be
said one of the factors for the success of the government in ending
communist revolution. It encouraged the people of Malaya to work
together with the government to eliminate the communist terrorist;
• Among them were making conditions easier for non-Malay obtain
citizenship, pardoning in large number the MCP members who
surrendered, rewarding people who provided information on the
communist terrorist and giving out pamphlets calling the communist
terrorist to give up their fight;
Political Developments After Independence/02
67 | P a g e
• Beside that he introduced the system of ‘white and black areas”. The
white area is an area that is free from communist activities, while the black
area for the opposite case;
• Templer also introduced curfews in areas where soldiers were hunting for
the communists;
Soldiers of 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), in the
jungle north of Baling, near the Thai border, Malaya, 1960.
2.1.3 Resolving the Emergency
• 6 October 1951 the MNLA ambushed and killed the British High
Commissioner, Sir Henry Gurney.
• The killing has been described as a major factor in causing the Malayan
population to roundly reject the MNLA campaign, and also as leading to
widespread fear due to the perception that "if even the High
Commissioner was no longer safe, there was little hope of protection and
safety for the man-in-the-street in Malaya.
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
68 | P a g e
• MNLA leader Chin Peng stated that the killing had little effect, and that the
communists anyway radically altered their strategy that month in their
"October Resolutions.
• The October Resolutions, a response to the Briggs Plan, involved a
change of tactics by reducing attacks on economic targets and civilians,
increasing efforts to go into political organisation and subversion, and
bolstering the supply network from the Min Yuen as well as jungle
farming.
• Gurney's successor, Lieutenant General Gerald Templer, was instructed
by the British government to push for immediate measures to give
Chinese ethnic residents the right to vote.
• He also pursued the Briggs Plan, and sped up the formation of a Malayan
army. At the same time he made it clear that the Emergency itself was the
main impediment to accelerating decolonisation. He also increased
financial rewards for detecting guerrillas by any civilians and expanded
the intelligence network (Special Branch).
Political Developments After Independence/02
69 | P a g e
2.2 THE FORMATION OF MALAYSIA
• The idea of formation of Malaysia proposed by British in 1931 to protect their
interest.
• Suggested by Ghazali Shafie in 1954, by Tunku Abdul Rahman, David Marshall
and Tan Cheng Lock in 1955 and by Lee Kuan Yew in 1959.
• On 27 May 1961 Tunku revealed his aspiration and outlined clearly the benefits
to the press after meeting Lee Kuan Yew in January 1961.
• The announcement was also based on results of surveys conducted by Senu
Abdul Rahman in Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei.
• At the early negotiation, Sultan Brunei strongly supported the idea, but then
decided to withdraw from the proposal because of his dissatisfaction on:
- His position within the Council of Rulers
- Status of Brunei within Malaysia
- Financial-related Matters
• In 1955 Singapore was granted internal autonomy under the Rendel Constitution
and David Marshall was appointed the first Chief Minister. By 1959, Singapore
had achived full interbal self government and was led by the Peoples Action Party
(PAP) under Lee Kuan Yew. In sarawak, local elections were introduced in 1959.
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
70 | P a g e
• The first move towards the formation of Malaysia came in 1961 when the idea for
the formation of a wider federation comprising the Federation of Malaya,
Singapore, Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei was mooted by Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Tunku’s proposal was generally accepted by the people of Malaya and Singapore
but raised doubts in Sabah and Sarawak.
• However, the proposal was oppossed by the Philippines as they asserted a claim
over Sabah. The proposal also received oppositon from Indonesia where it was
vieved as a neo-colonialist plot by Sukarno and the powerful Indonesian
Communist Party.
• The proposal also had an immediate effect of accelaerating constitutional
development in Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei. Elections were held for the first time
in Brunei and in Sabah in 1962.
• A joint- Anglo-Malayan commission headed by a former of the bank of England,
Lord Cobbold, visited sabah and Sarawakin 1962 and reported that the majority
of the states favoured the formation of Malaysia.
• However, continued Philippine and Indonesian opposition led to the sending of a
United nations mission to Borneo in 1963, which also reported that the public
opinion was in favour of joining Malaysia.
2.2.1 Formation of Malaysia: External Oppositions
BY PHILIPPINES
1) President Macapagal claimed that Sabah was originally a part of
Philippines;
2) As an objection, he broke off diplomatic ties with Malaysia.
Political Developments After Independence/02
71 | P a g e
BY INDONESIA
1) President Soekarno claimed that Malaysia was a new way of colonization.
2) He launched confrontation policy against Malaysia.
3) It is believed that formation of Malaysia has aborted Soekarno scheme to
form the greater Indonesian empire
4) After Presiden Soeharto is on power, the peace between Malaysia and
Indonesia was resored.
2.2.2 Formation of Malaysia: Reality
• On 16 September 1963, the formation of Malaysia which consisted of the
Federation of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singaore was formally
promulgated. However, Brunei declined to join Malaysia. However, in 1965
Singapore ceased to be a member of the Federation of Malaya and
became an independent state.
• Malaysia was proclaimed on 16 September 1963, consisting:\
1) Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia)
2) Singapore
3) Sabah
4) Sarawak
2.2.3 Formation of Malaysia: Singapore’s Separation
• Lee Kuan Yew questions on Malay Special Rights hurt the Malays.
• He also accused that MCA failed to protect the interest of the Chinese in
Malaysia.
• MCA leaders felt uneasy with Lee Kuan Yew’s behaviors and suggested
Singapore to break away from Malaysia.
• All attempts to settle the problems fail when Lee Kuan Yew kept making
statements tha make the situation worse.
• On August 9, 1965, Singapore officially left Malaysia.
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
72 | P a g e
2.3 NATIONAL INTEGRATION
• The uniting of various groups that have different social and cultural backgrounds
– language, culture, religion, values, thinking and way of life - into one physical
entity.
• A process of uniting various groups in the society through a common identity by
putting aside major differences without ignoring the original identity such as the
good norms and values of the groups;
• A process uniting the members of a society and the country as a whole through
national ideologies so that the members of the society can build up an identity,
common values and sense of belonging;
• The restructuring of society through physical and spiritual approach to ensure
stability of the country.
a) The Concept of Unity
• Refers to the uniting of various groups that have different social and cultural
backgrounds
• Uniting Sabah, Sarawak and the Penisula into one country or federation, for
example is an effort at achieving national unity.
• The concept of unity as applied in Malaysia means “a process of uniting the
members of a society and the country as a whole through national ideologies
so that the members of the society can build up an entity, common values
and a sense of belonging”. (INTAN, 1982).
• The foundation of the national ideology (Rukun Negara).
• Also could be achieved through unity at territorial, economic, political,
educational, social and cultural.
Political Developments After Independence/02
73 | P a g e
b) The Concept of Integration
• A process of uniting groups with different backgrounds into one entity bound
by common norms, values and interests.
• Integration is a situation of spontaneous understanding and communication
that arises naturally without imposition.
• Has often been synonymously taken to mean national unity and solidarity -
Unity and solidarity are political concept that refers to a situation where the
aims are same, compromise and close cooperation to achieve the same
objective
• The process of uniting various groups in the society through a common
identity by putting aside major differences without ignoring groups’ original
identity, such as the good norms and values;
• The efforts of integrating and uniting the various ethnic groups in Malaysia,
so that they can build-up national identity, common values and sense of
belonging
c) The Objectives of National Unity and Integration
• In Malaysia, as in many other plural society, the main objective of the country
is to achieve national unity.
• The achievement of national unity is seem primarily in terms of social
integration and more equitable distribution of income and opportunities for
national unity and progress’
• The National Objective Is Aimed at:
a) Eliminating poverty
b) Eliminating identification of race with economic functions through the
creation of a Malay commercial and industrial community
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
74 | P a g e
• To integrate the various ethnic groups in Malaysia, so that they can build-up
national identity, common values and sense of belonging.
• To eliminate negative sentiments and attitudes of the society such as
prejudice, communalism and ethnocentrism;
• To eliminate racial jealousies by ensuring fair redistribution of economic
opportunities and share of wealth among groups.
d) Theory of Racial Relations
STAGE
PROCESS (CONTACT)
Segregation Splits occur whether consciously by law (de jure) or not based by law (de facto) due to separation of residential areas, school system, transportation and public facilities
Accommodation Live harmoniously and respect one another. Aware of each other’s norms and values but continue to protect their own living
Acculturation Cultural assimilation when minority groups accept the norms, values and patterns of behaviour (culture) of the majority group
Assimilation Structural assimilation – entry into a dominant society through friendship and close connection.
Amalgamation Culture or race mixes to form types of new culture and race – through inter-marriage between ethnic group.
e) Theory of Racial Relations
STAGE
PROCESS (CONTACT)
Co-Existence Rarely communicate.
Contact is limited to matters necessity only, especially in matter of economic significance.
Frequent Gradually frequent contact arose out of inter-dependence in
Political Developments After Independence/02
75 | P a g e
External Contact the interest to survive due to economic specialization.
Compromise Communities became conscious of their common interest and for the sake of looking after the common interest, basically in the economic and political areas.
Unity Cooperate as much as possible and the tendency to live united in social, economic, cultural and political areas.
Integration Gradual cooperation create a sense of belonging and strong ties, and relation not only based on interest but more on sense of responsibility and shared values.
f) The Obstacles of National Unity and Integration
i) Differences in descent, language and religion:
- Prejudice (stereotype)
- Racism/Communalism (favor own ethnic community)
- Ethnocentrism (Belief own superiority)
ii) Colonial Administration:
- Divide & Rule Policy
- Issues of special privileges and citizenship
- Distinct separation of space and function
iii) Post WW Animosity:
- Japanese cruelty provoked anger between races
iv) Physical and Social Distance:
- Competition in political power and economic opportunity
g) Challenges to Unity: Disintegration
i) Dissatisfaction towards one another created by:
- Scars of sentiment or ‘feeling inside’
- Unhealthy competition
ii) Problems:
- Ignorance of other groups
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
76 | P a g e
- Limited socialization process
- Communal politics
- Socio-economic differences
- Cultural differences
- Physical segregation
2.3.1 The Contributing Factors
• Differences in descendant, religion, language, custom and culture widen
the physical segregation;
• ‘Divide and Rule’ policy by the British that separated the three major
ethnic groups in Malaya based on space and function;
• Unfair treatment of Japanese towards Malays and Chinese instilled
jealousy, prejudice and animosity;
• Dispute over certain interests such as Malay Special Rights and
Citizenship in the implementation of ‘Malayan Union’;
• The failure of British to control the migration of Chinese and Indians into
Malaya that made the Malays became the minority in 1930s. The
Chinese and Indians formed their own communities and therefore feel
complacent and unnecessary to assimilate with local people and customs;
• The establishment of education systems based on curriculum of their
home countries contributed to greater communal identities
2.3.2 Strategies Towards Integration
• Political Efforts:
- National Ideology (Rukun Negara
- Federal Constitution
- Alliance Party
• Economic Efforts:
- New Economic Policy
- Vision 2020
Political Developments After Independence/02
77 | P a g e
• Social and Cultural Efforts:
- National Education Policy
- National Culture Policy
- National Social Policy
Political Efforts
Special provisions in the Constitution e.g. fundamental rights, BM as the
official language, freedom to practice religions, citizenship and special
rights for the Malays and indigenous;
Establishment of Alliance Party (later on Barisan Nasional) to facilitate
multi-racial cooperation and ensuring the interest of the groups are
protected e.g. through power sharing;
Implementation of rules and regulation to safeguard the internal security
e.g. ISA, UUCA, Sedition Act etc.;
Economic Efforts
Policies to eradicate poverty and restructure Malaysian society (NEP,
NDP) to reduce group identification;
Government agencies to help Malays to compete positively and have a
fair share of economic opportunities and e.g. MARA, UDA so that the
Bumiputra get the control of unless 30% of the capital of the country and
provide employment opportunities;
To develop all areas especially rural areas to uplift the economic and
social standing of the Malays;
Social and Cultural Efforts
Introduction of Rukun Negara as National Ideology;
Establishment of special ministries or departments to look over the
issues e.g. Ministry of National Unity and Social Development etc.;
Formation of special policies e.g. National Culture Policy, National
Education Policy for cohesive relation;
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
78 | P a g e
Encourage involvement of all groups in common programs and activities
such as National Service Programs, sports and social activities;
Conduct campaigns for better awareness.
Political Efforts: Rukun Negara
i) Background Rukun Negara was proclaimed by YDPA on 31st August 1970 the
13th
ii) National Day Aim to foster national integration in the wake of the May 13th 1969
communal conflict;
Devised with the intention of building a common Malaysian identity
in anticipation of the evolution of a Malaysian Race (Bangsa
Malaysia);
As a responsible citizen, each of us should make Rukun Negara a
guide in our day-to-day living;
iii) Rational Due to racial clash between Malays and Chinese, YDPA had to
declare a state of emergency in May 1969.
Basically these two races were already in bloody conflict more
than 50 year before that and the scar of sentiment remained. Time
alone had not been successful in removing the scar totally.
The attitude of taking things for granted and the abuse of
democracy led the emergence of volatile situation.
To tackle the problem Special Peace and Development Bodies
consisted of National Muhibbah Committee and National Unity
Department was formed in August 1969. Later on these bodies
were combined and known as Ministry of National Unity. On 29th
January 1970 Special Rukun Negara Committee was set up.
iv) Objectives Achieving greater unity among the people;
Maintaining a democratic way of life
Political Developments After Independence/02
79 | P a g e
Creating a just society in which a nation’s wealth can be enjoyed
together in a fair and equitable manner;
Ensuring a liberal attitude towards the rich and diverse cultural
traditions;
Building a progressive society which shall be oriented towards
modern science and technology.
THE PRINCIPLE OF RUKUN NEGARA
• BELIEF IN GOD
Emphasize the importance of religion because all religions provide positive teachings & practices.
• LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY
Develop the feeling of love and concern for the country and king and inculcate sense of responsibility and patriotism.
• HONOR (UPHOLDING) THE CONSTITUTION
Respect the Constitution as the social contract of all citizens.
• SOVEREIGNTY OF LAW
Laws as the mechanism to guarantee social order to control the behaviors of society members.
• COURTESY (DECORUM) AND POLITENESS
(MORALITY) Practice noble behavior such as respect one another, be fair, trustworthy, cooperative, tolerant etc to assure peace.
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
80 | P a g e
Strategies to Promote of Rukun Negara
• Rukun Negara song
• School to recite rukun negara pledge weekly during assembly
• Pledge reading after negaraku
• Reading of rukun negara compulory at official functions
• Rukun negara behind cover of exercise book
Efforts Towards Integration
• Formal Education
- Education reforms, syllabus reviews etc.
• Co-curriculum activities
- Involving all ethnics
• Continuous education
- Human-relation, ethnic relation etc
• Social group
- Involving all ethnics
• Social activities
- Games and sports, art & cultures, business etc
• Tourism within the country
- Better exposure to other communities
• Media Campaign
- bridging the gap to improve ethnic relation and avoid sentiment
and disintegration.
Political Developments After Independence/02
81 | P a g e
2.3.3 13th May 1969 incident and the political implication
• The May 13 Incident is a term for the Sino-Malay sectarian violences in
Kuala Lumpur (then part of the state of Selangor), Malaysia, which began
on May 13, 1969.
• The riots led to a declaration of a state of national emergency and
suspension of Parliament by the Malaysian government, while the
National Operations Council (NOC or Majlis Gerakan Negara,
MAGERAN) was established to temporarily govern the country between
1969 and 1971.
2.3.4 Events leading to 13 May 1969
• A bitter election campaign was fought by various political parties prior to
the general election of 10 May 1969.
• Party leaders stoked racial and religious sentiments in order to win
support. Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) accused the United Malays
National Organisation (UMNO) of selling the rights of the Malays to the
Chinese, while the Democratic Action Party (DAP) accused Malaysian
Chinese Association (MCA) of giving in to UMNO.
• The DAP promoted the concept of “Malaysian Malaysia” which would
deprive the Malays of their special rights under the Constitution. Both the
DAP and the People’s Progressive Party objected to Malay as the national
language and proposed multi-lingualism in its stead.
• Senior Alliance politicians including Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman,
accused the People’s Progressive Party of Singapore of involvement in
the campaign, as it had done during the 1964 general election campaign.
• The run-up to the election was marred by two deaths: that of an UMNO
election agent, who was killed by a group of armed Chinese youths in
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
82 | P a g e
Penang and that of a member of the Labour Party of Malaya (LPM), who
was killed in Kepong, Selangor.
• There was a contrast in the handling of these two deaths. The UMNO
worker was buried without publicity, the LPM casualty was honoured at a
parade on 9 May when some 3000 LPM members marched from Kuala
Lumpur to Kepong, violating regulations and trying to provoke incidents
with the police. Participants sang Communist songs, waved red flags, and
called upon the people to boycott the general election.
• Amidst this tension, the general election was held on 10 May 1969.
Election day itself passed without any incident and the result shows the
opposition had tied with the Alliance for control of the Selangor state
legislature.
• On 12 May, thousands of Chinese marched through Kuala Lumpur,
parading through predominantly Malay areas which hurled insults that led
to the incident.
A deserted street in KL after curfew, two days after 13 May
(Straits Times Image)
http://www.thenutgraph.com/surviving-13-may/
Political Developments After Independence/02
83 | P a g e
2.3.5 The events of 13 May
• Members of UMNO Youth gathered in Kuala Lumpur at the residence of
Selangor Menteri Besar, Dato’ Harun bin Haji Idris, on 13 May and
demanded that they too should hold a victory celebration; at the national
level the Alliance had gained a majority in Parliament, albeit a reduced
one, and in Selangor it had gained the majority by cooperating with the
sole independent candidate.
• While the UMNO Youth members were gathered in the compound of the
Menteri Besar’s residence, two cars containing a number of Chinese
suddenly drew up.
• The Chinese asked the gathering to disperse, saying that the residence
now belonged to the opposition leader. Meanwhile, news arrived that
Chinese groups had attacked Malays in Setapak. This triggered a wave of
violence resulting in loss of life and property.
2.3.6 Declaration of emergency
• Many people in Kuala Lumpur were caught in the racial violence. Dozens
were injured and some killed, houses and cars were burnt and wrecked.
The violence was largely limited to Kuala Lumpur although there were
isolated outbreaks in Melaka, Perak and Penang.
• The government ordered an immediate curfew throughout the state of
Selangor & Kuala Lumpur. Security forces comprising some 2000 Malay
Regiment soldiers and 3600 Police officers were deployed and took
control of the situation. Over 300 Chinese families were moved to refugee
centres at the Merdeka Stadium and Tiong Nam Settlement.
• On 14 May 1969, a state of emergency was declared throughout the
country, and on 16 May the National Operations Council (NOC) was
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
84 | P a g e
established by proclamation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of
Malaysia) headed by Tun Abdul Razak. With Parliament suspended, the
NOC became the supreme decision-making body for the next 18 months.
State and District Operations Councils took over state and local
government.
• The NOC implemented security measures to restore law and order in the
country, including the establishment of an unarmed Vigilante Corps, a
territorial army, and police force battalions. The restoration of order in the
country was gradually achieved.
• Curfews continued in most parts of the country, but were gradually scaled
back. Peace was restored in the affected areas within two months. In
February 1971 parliamentary rule was re-established.
2.3.7 Political compromise, patriotism
• Patriotism is love and devotion to one's country or homeland. Patriotism,
however, has had different meanings over time, and its meaning is highly
dependent upon context, geography, and philosophy.It is a related
sentiment to nationalism, but nationalism is not necessarily an inherent
part of patriotism.
• Patriotism is a love of and loyalty to one's country. A patriot is someone
who loves, supports, and is prepared to serve their country.
• The word patriotism comes from a Greek word meaning fatherland. For
most of history, love of fatherland or homeland was an attachment to the
physical features of the land. But that notion changed in the eighteenth
century, when the ideals of democracy, socialism, and communism
strongly emerged into political thought.
Political Developments After Independence/02
85 | P a g e
• Patriotism was still a love of one's country that included connections to the
land and people, but then also included its customs and traditions, pride in
its history, and devotion to its welfare.
2.3.8 Regionalism and autonomy
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
86 | P a g e
Sources: http://www.state.gov/p/eap/ci/my/
Definition
• Refers to cooperation between states occupying a common regional
space.
• Cooperation – form of inter-government or supranational
• Regionalism possesses a motherhood and apple –pie-value
• Regionalization describes the geographic manifestation of international or
global economic processes.
• Regionalism refers to the political structures that both reflect and shape
the strategies of governments, business corporations and a variety of non-
governmental organisations and social movements.
• Regions are both spatial (geography) and political.
• Karl Deutsch - define a region as a group of countries markedly
interdependent over a wide range of different dimensions.
• Often, but not always, indicated by patterns of economic and political
transactions and social communications those differentiate groups of
countries.
Political Developments After Independence/02
87 | P a g e
• Regions - they are more than the flow of goods and people across
physical space that we can assume to be represented directly and
accurately by cartographic depictions.
• Regions are also social and cognitive constructs that are rooted in political
practice.
• The effects of the international environment on regions can lead to 2 type
of regionalism:
- A relatively open (as in the 1990s) or closed (as in the 1930s).
• Regions can be peaceful and rich, or war-prone and poor.
• R can experience processes of enlargement and set standards for a
growing number of polities (as is true of NATO and the EU)
• Or suffer from retraction (as appears possible for ASEAN and APEC in
the wake of the Asian financial crisis).
Why did regional organizations continue to grow? Why did developing world prefer this than global arrangements?
1) The failure of G77 – led them to seek redress in regional arrangements.
2) Disappointed with the inefficient implementation of various dev by their
countries they turn to NGO
3) The political leaders perceived an opportunity to enhance their individual
profiles by participating in regional forum
4) World – increasingly independent – difficult to ignore the regional option.
States were not in position to solve their problems by themselves
5) Small countries – better represented in world forum as a regional
organization
6) Regionalism – renewed emphasis at the end of the cold war
7) Wh
8) Image of bipolarity no longer is usefu
9) Power politics – occurring in regional contexts
Malaysian Politics :: PAD 310
88 | P a g e
Regional Cooperation in SEA region
• The early 1960s saw the emergence of 2 regional groupings in SEA
- Southeast Asia Association (ASA)
- MAPHILINDO
i) ASA Formed in 196
Malaya, the Philippines & Thailan
ASA goals – develop intra regional markets, cultural copeartion
Limited m/ship, accused – as pro-western, anti-communist group
& political orientate
ASA’s activities disrupted - 1963
Federation of M’sia (S, S’wak & S’pore) T-P refused to recognize
the enlarged federation
ii) Maphilindo
Proposed by the Philippines- President Macapagal - August 1963
Attempt to find “regional solutions to regional problems”
To prevent Indonesia from falling into communist bloc,
Indo & t-P did not recognize the new M’sia federation – Indo –
launched guerrilla war against M’sia – Konfrontasi
Did not become vital org. because it emphasis on the common
Malay origins of its members
Limited appeal to other SEA countries.
SEATO – Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
SEATO – security arrangement
Emerged out of a conference in Manila in 1954 – after the Geneva
conference on Indochina
Only Thailand & the Philippines were 2 nations of SEA
Political Developments After Independence/02
89 | P a g e
Contained provisions for collective action in the event of an armed attack
on any SEA countries
US – commitment to provide collective defence to SEA against communist
aggression
SEATO became ‘dead in the water’.
Why – its members – reluctant commitment, widely criticized by
communist states & non – C states
SEATO – irrelevant as security org
Never had much relevance – in terms of regionalism
Dissolved in 1977.
ASPAC (Asian & Pacific Council)
Organized in 1966 – initiated by SK president
An example of multi regional org
Members ( A, Japan, M’sia, Taiwan, SK, NZ, t-P, Th, Vietnam) ..Indonesia
refused to join.
Had conflicting objectives – “should be nonmilitary, non ideological, not
anti communist”
Dissolved in 1973
Obstacles to prospects for regionalism
SEA had to look to themselves for developing a collective political
resistance for communism.
While the initial efforts were short lived, SEA countries moved towards a
more viable form of regionalism in 1967