Malaysian Studies U1

iUNIT 1

History and the struggle for independence

WLA 103/03

Malaysian Studies

History and the Struggle for Independence

Unit 1

ii WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY

WLA 103/03 Malaysian Studies

COURSE TEAM

Course Team Coordinator: Ms. Vickneswarinee Ganisha

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Rogers and Associate Professor Jatswan Singh

Instructional Designer: Professor Dr. Ng Wai Kong

Academic Members: Ms. Rabikha Hasni Suparman and Ms. Jasmine Selvarani Emmanuel

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Dr. S. Nagarajan

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Dato Dr. Sharom Ahmat

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First revision 2011

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iiiUNIT 1


Contents

Unit 1 History and the Struggle for Independence

Course overview

Unit overview

Unit objectives

Chapter 1: The early history of Malaysia

Objectives

Introduction

The administrative structure of the Malacca Sultanate

Colonial era

Suggested answers to activities

Chapter 2: The struggle for independence

Objectives

Introduction

The struggle for nationalism


Chapter 3: The formation of Malaysia

Objectives

Introduction

Reaction towards the idea of Malaysia


1

3

3

5

5

5

7

8

12

13

13

13

14

17

19

19

19

20

23

iv WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY


Summary of Unit 1

Suggested answers to self-tests

References

25

27

31

1UNIT 1


Course Overview

Welcome to WLA 103/03 Malaysian Studies. This course aims to nurture and produce thinking Malaysians who are patriotic to the nation, visionary and proud to be Malaysians. The course is also intended for you to appreciate and

confront challenges associated with achieving peace and prosperity in nation

building, and appreciate the roles of Malaysia in the international arena. In this

course, you will learn about our nations history and struggle for independence,

its system and structure for governance and the constitutional and political

processes. This will be followed by the key issues in forming a bangsa Malaysia

and discussions on key national policies.

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. Explain the history and development of the nation and its ethnic groups.

2. Discuss the development of the society from the socio-cultural, political

and economic perspectives.

3. Discuss the contributions of the heroes associated with the struggle and

defence of the countrys independence and sovereignty.

4. Analyse the formation process of Malaysia and its impact on nation

building.

5. Identify the main system of government and national administrative

structure.

6. Analyse the roles and contributions of Malaysia in the international arena.

7. Identify patriotic values that will enhance your role as loyal Malaysians.

2 WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY


3UNIT 1


Unit Overview

Welcome to the first unit of WLA103/03, History and the Struggle for Independence.In this unit, you will learn about our nations early history, the struggle for

independence and the formation of Malaysia. You will also discover information

about the lives of the early inhabitants in Malaysia and the ancient kingdoms

here. This will be followed by the intervention of foreign powers, the colonial

era, the struggle for independence and the eventual formation of Malaysia.

Make sure you have your textbook beside you as we will be referring to it quite

often.

Unit Objectives

By the end of Unit 1, you should be able to:

1. Describe the key developments in the history of our nation.

2. Evaluate the effects of the Japanese invasion in Malaya and the

consequences of the struggle for independence.

3. Discuss the rationale for the formation of Malaysia and the process

involved.

5UNIT 1


Chapter 1: The Early History of Malaysia

Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Illustrate with examples the contribution of the Malay empire to the

Malacca Sultanate.

2. Evaluate the causes for the downfall of the Malacca Sultanate.

3. Discuss the factors for British intervention in the states of Malaya.

Introduction

Before we proceed to Chapter 1, let us look at the evidences of early settlements

in Malaysia: the Niah caves burial sites, the Perak Man and artefacts of Hindu

civilisation abound in Malaysia. Even now we are still finding new evidences of

smelting of tin and other metals that were used, to assist in the construction of

candi in Merbok Valley.

Figure 1.1 Candi in Lembah Bujang

Source: Muhd. Bashsyar bin Abdullah, 2009



Web References

Please read the following articles:

1. Perak Mans bones tell his story, http://allmalaysia.info/news/

story.asp?file=/2003/10/4/state/6340195&sec=mi_perak

(Accessed 13 May 2009).

2. Perak Man, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenggong#Perak_Man

(Accessed 13 May 2009).

Come on a journey with us as we trace the early history of Malaysia. Humans

have inhabited in Malaysia for thousands of years since the Stone Age. The human

activities evolved from hunting and gathering to primitive farming, subsistence

agriculture, trading and manufacturing. Ancient ports also thrived along the

seashores and river mouths.

Activity 1.1

Why do you think early civilisations centred on seashores or river

mouths? Which were the ancient ports in Malaysia?

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Since the early part of the first century, powerful kingdoms existed in the Malay

Archipelago. They include Old Kedah of the 5th century which was an important

entreport influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism, Gangga Negara (5th century) in

Parak, Langkasuka in Patani, Chih-Tu (6th century) in Kelantan and Tan-Tan in

Terengganu. Other powerful kingdoms include Sirvijaya in Sumatra, Mataram in

Java and Majapahit in Java (Nazaruddin et. al, 2003).

Vocabulary 1.1

Do you know what is an Archipelago?

7UNIT 1


The Malay Archipelago which was the geopolitical region of the Malays, was

characterised as a nation with one Malay language and culture. As a result,

even today, we can see similarities in the languages spoken by the Malays

in Malaysia, Indonesia, Kampuchea, Patani and the South of Mindanao.

However, with the arrival of the colonialists from the Western world, the

Malay Archipelago was fragmented according to trade, economy and political

interests.

The following table shows the colonisation of the various parts of the Malay

Archipelago.

Colonisers Parts of Malay Archipelago

English Peninsular Malaysia, Part of the Borneo Island

Dutch Indonesia

French Indochina

Spanish The Philippines

Now, let us look at the Malay Kingdom of Malacca, an empire of advanced

civilisation. After Malacca was founded by Parameswara in 1403 A.D., it grew to

a great empire in the Malay Archipelago. The empire of Malacca was particularly

renowned for maritime trade and the spread of Islam. Because of its famed

trading traditions, the fairness afforded to all participants in trades and the

reputed administration of its citizenry, Tom Pires, an apothecary from Lisbon,

Portugal (Refer to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Pires) wrote positively

of Malaccas development and influence. Even the roving envoy Admiral Cheng

Ho from China had entered in his travelogue, good observations of the Malacca

Sultanate.

Vocabulary 1.2

What is an apothecary?

The administrative structure of the Malacca Sultanate

The organised system of government was based on the Malacca Law and the

Malacca Law of the Sea. The following diagram illustrates the governance of that

time.



Sultan

(King)

Bendahara Laksamana TemenggungPenghulu

Bendahari

Points to ponder

Do you know the roles of these officials? What do you think are the similarities

and differences between the system of administration of Malacca and the current

system of administration in Malaysia?

When you read the textbook, pages 6 to 9, pay attention to the factors that

contributed to the rise and fall of the Empire of Malacca. What do you think are

the lessons to be learnt here?

Web Reference

Please read the following article about Melaka, http://www.

melaka.net/history2.htm (Accessed 13 May 2009).

Colonial era

Pages 26 and 27 of the textbook provides the list of powers that have colonialised

Malaysia. If you were to observe the features of dominations, it will be apparent

that our nations natural sources were much sought after by these colonial powers.

This would be mainly tin and spices, and as the Industrial Revolution cranked

up, there was demand for more resources and colonies came in handy to support

the industrial developments in Europe.

As a Commonwealth country, the effects of British colonisation is profoundly felt

in Malaysia. The details of the history of British intervention in the Malay states,

are provided in pages 33 to 42 of your textbook.

9UNIT 1


Activity 1.2

Can you trace the domination of the British in our country? What

do you think are the effects of British colonisation in Malaysia?

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

As a result of the colonisation, the Straits Settlements, Federated Malay States

and the Non-Federated Malay States were born. Although the decade between

1910 and 1920 were years of peace, the decentralisation of power in the 1930s

brought about dissatisfaction. Besides this, do you know why the distribution

of power was unsuccessful? This was because during World War II, the Japanese

invaded Malaya in 1942. When you read page 50 in the textbook, you will

realise that the Japanese occupation was an important event in the history of our

nation. It caused much upheaval on the social, economic and political arenas

in our country. The Japanese administration, purportedly in support of the

Imperial Japanese edit of a Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere, however

was brutal and caused great sufferings amongst the populace especially those in

urban and suburban areas. Food, education and businesses were affected as the

Japanese occupiers repatriated rubber, timber and mineral resources to Japan to

support its war efforts.

Figure 1.2 Japanese troops mopping up in Kuala Lumpur during their advance

through Malaya

Source: Imperial War Museum Collections (No. HU 2776), 1942, http://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/File:Japanese_troops_mopping_up_in_Kuala_Lumpur.jpg



Points to ponder

Have you heard from the older generation about their experiences during the

Japanese occupation? What do you think was the general feeling towards the

Japanese? Do you think such sentiments still prevail?

With the return of the British when the Japanese army surrendered in Singapore

on 15 August 1945, the local populace started to agitate for more powers to look

after their own affairs. The subsequent agitation for bigger roles in governance

and the emergence of Communist Party of Malaya added to the difficult years of

British rule culminating with the declaration of Emergency by the British High

Commissioner on 16 June 1948.

Refer to page 52 of the textbook to know more about the Era of Emergency and

how it expedited the process of achieving independence. Do try out the exercises

at the end of Chapter 1 to check your understanding of The Early History of

Malaysia. We will meet again in Chapter 2 to know more about The Struggle for

Independence.

Summary

The Malay Kingdom of Malacca greatly influenced our countrys

social, cultural and political systems. With the invasion of the

colonialists, the Malay Archipelago was divided into two different

entities: the British were given control over the north (Malaysia)

while the Dutch had control over the south (Indonesia). The

influence of the colonists left a great impact on the country. The

various forms of British administration introduced, constitute

the attempt of the colonialists to take over the economy of the

country. The Japanese occupation caused uncertainty and chaos

for the local citizens. After independence, there was a period of

emergency and the local citizens rejected communism. These

experiences formed the basis of building our nation.

11UNIT 1


Self-test 1.1

1. List the five Early Kingdoms of the Malay Archipelago.

a. ____________________

b. ____________________

c. ____________________

d. ____________________

e. ____________________

2. What were the internal factors that led to the decline of the

Malacca Empire?

a. ____________________

b. ____________________

c. ____________________

d. ____________________

e. ____________________

f. ____________________

3. What is the significance of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty 1824?

4. Beginning 1919, the states in Malaya were under three

political units known as:

a. ____________________

b. ____________________

c. ____________________




Feedback

Activity 1.1

Water was needed for daily activities i.e., consumption, washing,

cleaning, farming etc. The rivers/seas also formed the basis for

transportation as well as trade.

The ancient ports in Malaysia were Kuala Selinsing (Perak),

Jenderam Hilir (Selangor), Santubong (Sarawak).

Activity 1.2

Go to WawasanLearn for the feedback.

13UNIT 1


Chapter 2: The Struggle for Independence

Objectives


1. Discuss the features of the Malayan Union and the factors that brought

about its dissolution.

2. Compare the roles of the various organisations and individuals who were

involved in the struggle for our nations independence.

3. Describe the role of the Malayan Union in awakening the spirit of

nationalism.

Introduction

Let us now look at Chapter 2, The Struggle for Independence. As you know we

celebrate Merdeka on the 31st of August every year. I am sure you know where

and who declared Merdeka. Have you thought about the processes and struggles

before we attained our Merdeka?

Figure 1.3 The declaration of independence of the Federation of Malaya by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:History_merdeka.jpg#filehistory



Our nations struggle for independence can be divided into 2 stages:

Stage 1

Armed/bloodshed stage

Began with the struggle of the Malays against the

Dutch and the Portuguese.

Opposition against the British colonialists.

Stage 2

Spirit of nationalism stage

Literature

Negotiations

For more information about Stage 1, refer to pages 43 to 48 of the textbook for

an outline of our peoples armed struggle against the colonialists.

Activity 1.3

What are the factors that contributed to the local inhabitants to

revolt against the colonialists?

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

The struggle for nationalism

The nationalist struggle took a different turn by the 20th century. Table 3.2 in

page 63 lists the various channels of influence and sources that brought about this

change. An important event in the course of our nations history is the formation

of the Malayan Union. You will notice that this is a recurring theme throughout

this unit. Read pages 66 to 68 in the textbook to know about the formation of the

Malayan Union to its dissolution in 1946.

15UNIT 1


Activity 1.4

Discuss the factors that led to the failure of the Malayan Union?

1. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

4. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

5. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

The Malayan Union was replaced with a new form of government the Federation

of Malaya. This system of administration also received opposition from various

groups such as AMCJA and PUTERA.

Points to ponder

Why do you think there was opposition from these groups?

When you read pages 69 to 73, pay attention to what happened following the

opposition to the formation of Federation of Malaya. You should also note that,

in the wake of patriotism, there was a marked growth of political parties in

Malaya. Following this, the negotiations for independence began.

Do you know the events that took place before the Proclamation of Independence?

Read pages 72 to 73 for more information, especially on the pre-independence

elections. Remember to try out the questions at the end of the chapter to check

your understanding of The Struggle for Independence.

By reading the chapter on the struggle for independence by the Malays and

subsequently the Chinese and Indian communities, you would have run away

with the idea that quest for independence was an isolated Malayan story. This

however is not true. You must remember that after the defeat of Japan and

Germany at the end of the Second World War, many of the existing colonies

saw the return of the British, Dutch and Spanish colonial masters who continued

from where they left off, so to say. However, after the traumatic experiences with

the departure of these colonists during the war, the local populace had begun

questioning if these colonial masters had looked after their welfare during these



trying times. The post-war era saw the rapid moves toward independence starting

with India and Burma from Britain, Indonesia from Dutch, and the French

colonies in Vietnam. Key figures of Asian independence movements you would

like to take note of will be Mahatma Ghandi, Nehru, Chandra Bose, Ho Chi

Minh, Sukarno and many others.

Summary

The struggle for independence in our country can be divided

into two stages; through bloodshed and through the spirit of

nationalism. The struggle and opposition gained momentum with

the proposal of the Malayan Union. The Federation of Malaya

then replaced the Malayan Union. Although the locals were given

opportunities in the administration of the government through

the Member System, political parties still took a communal

stance. The victory of the Alliance (UMNO, MCA and MIC)

paved way for negotiation with the British for independence.

The Reid Commission was set out to draw the Constitutional

framework for an independent Malaya. On 31 August 1957,

Malaya was declared independent.

Self-test 1.2

1. Discuss how foreign influence fanned the spirit of nationalism

among the locals.

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

2. What were the four principles of PUTERA?

a. _______________________________________________

b. _______________________________________________

c. _______________________________________________

d. _______________________________________________

17UNIT 1


3. What are the fundamental principles of our Constitution?

a. _______________________________________________

b. _______________________________________________

c. _______________________________________________

d. _______________________________________________

e. _______________________________________________


Feedback

Activity 1.3

The local inhabitants were unhappy that they had no control over

their own country. The colonisers exploited the natural resources

and imposed high taxes. The British were also ignorant of the

local customs which invoked the wrath of the locals.

Activity 1.4

1. Strong opposition from the Malays.

2. No strong support from the non-Malays.

3. Wrong timing.

4. Wrong introduction.

5. Opposition from former British administrators in Malaya.

19UNIT 1


Chapter 3: The Formation of Malaysia

Objectives


1. Identify the factors that brought about the formation of Malaysia.

2. Discuss the various reactions to the idea of the formation of Malaysia.

3. Discuss why there were oppositions from Indonesia and the Philippines

towards the formation of Malaysia.

4. Analyse the reasons that led to the separation of Singapore from Malaysia.

Introduction

We have finally arrived at the final chapter for this unit. In this chapter, The

Formation of Malaysia, you will learn how and who pioneered the concept of

Malaysia. It is notable that Tunku Abdul Rahman proposed the Malaysian

concept before the idea was followed up until Malaysia was inaugurated as a new

nation in 16 September 1963.

The following are factors that contributed towards the formation of Malaysia.

Understanding

for developmentIndependence

through

unification

Ethnic balance

and unity

Factors that contributed to the

Formation of Malaysia

United

international

relations

Collective fight

against

communismEconomic

cooperation

Refer to pages 80 to 82 in your textbook for further information about these

factors.



How do you think some of our neighbouring countries and Britain reacted

towards the formation of Malaysia? Singapore generally accepted the formation

of the new country. Reaction from the people in Sabah and Sarawak was most

encouraging, though Brunei did not unanimously agree to the new country.

Meanwhile, there was mixed reaction from the people in Malaya.

Activity 1.5

What was the reaction from Britain towards the formation of

Malaysia? What was the reason for such reaction?

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Reaction towards the idea of Malaysia

As there were various reactions to the proposals to form Malaysia, special measures

had to be taken towards the formation of Malaysia. You can refer to pages 86 to

88 in the textbook for more information. It is important to pay attention to the

objectives of the steps taken and the effects they brought about.

Bruneis withdrawal from Malaysia surprised many, including Britain and external

observers.

There were three fundamental reasons for Brunei to join Malaysia:

1. The speeding up of independence.

2. The strength of the wall of defense against the communist threat.

3. The provision of help to the less developed part.

What exactly then caused Bruneis withdrawal? Brunei made claims that were

said to be the conditions for joining Malaysia which drew mixed responses from

Malaysia.

21UNIT 1


Activity 1.6

What were Bruneis claims that were conditions for joining

Malaysia?

1. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

4. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

5. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

6. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

7. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

8. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

9. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

10. _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

There were several attempts to resolve the differences between Brunei and Kuala

Lumpur. You can learn more about these consultations and discussions from

pages 89 to 90.

It is interesting to note that the formation of Malaysia faced external opposition,

namely from the Philippines and Indonesia. Read pages 84 86 of the textbook

to learn what issues were raised by these two neighbouring countries. As you

read about these issues, think about the claims staked by Indonesia and the

Philippines. Do you think these issues are resolved now? Can you think of any

similar claims that were made against Malaysia in recent years?



Malaysia, though officially formed in 1963, was not quite without its struggle.

Dangerous racial polarisation caused social strife that soon led to the separation

of Singapore. On 9 August 1965, with the passing of the Separation Act,

Singapore officially left Malaysia. When you read pages 90 to 91, you should pay

particular attention to the discord between the Malay and the Chinese extremists

that led to the racial polarisation.

Points to ponder

What do you think our government does to avoid such situations in our multi-

cultural society today?

One interesting facet of history around the time Malaysia was formed and the

failed intervention of USA in Indochina, was the development and championing

of the Domino Theory in Asia. The theory in essence was a response of the

Western countries to the so-called spread of Communism in developing Asia. It

suggested that with the emergence of socialist or communist regimes in Vietnam,

Cambodia, Laos and the near dominance of the Parti Komunis Indonesia (PKI),

the rest of South East Asia will also fall like a stack of dominos. Lee Kuan Yew

of Singapore was one of the firm believers of the theory, and had used the island

states Internal Security Act for the purpose of dismounting the (communist)

tiger! So did President Macapagal of the Phillipines who used it to entrench his

corrupt regime for more than its legitimate years. The formation of Malaysia

could thus be one of the bulwarks to defend against the spread of socialism

or communism in South East Asia. Thus when we read about the struggle for

independence, we should also be aware of the context in which it was happening.

After reading the summary, please attempt Self-test 1.3.

Summary

Six years after independence, Malaysia was declared a new nation

in 16 September 1963. However, there were problems and

suspicions from various quarters about the concept of Malaysia.

Some of the important issues that had to be handled were the

formation of the new nation, the status of the member countries

and the Constitution. People from the prospective member

countries had to be convinced as there were much opposition

and resistance towards the formation of Malaysia, especially

from Indonesia and the Philippines. Initially, Brunei, Sabah,

Sarawak and Singapore were interested in becoming members of

Malaysia. However, due to differences, Brunei pulled out at the

last minute. Not long after, Singapore withdrew leaving Malaya,

Sabah and Sarawak to constitute Malaysia.

23UNIT 1


Self-test 1.3

1. Freedom through Unification was one of the factors for

the formation of Malaysia. What does Freedom through

Unification entail?

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

2. What caused Singapore to sever ties with Malaysia?

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

3. There were several attempts to resolve the differences between

Brunei and Kuala Lumpur. Despite these attempts, three

matters remained unresolved. These were:

a. _______________________________________________

b. _______________________________________________

c. _______________________________________________


Feedback

Activity 1.5

Generally, the British were in agreement towards the idea of the

countries in the region to merge as a nation. However, this was to

protect their investments in this region as well.



Activity 1.6

1. Citizenship.

2. Matters of religion.

3. Method of taxation.

4. Monetary autonomy.

5. Bruneis earlier investment.

6. The control of oil and other minerals.

7. Authority over education and welfare.

8. The guarantee for the security of Brunei.

9. The number of seats in the Legislature and in the Parliament.

10. The position of the Sultan and the status of Brunei within

Malaysia.

25UNIT 1


Summary of Unit 1

Summary

The Malay Archipelago constituted the socio-political entity of

the Malay people. Great kingdoms, such as Kedah, Langkasuka,

Srivijaya, Majapahit and Malacca, once reigned supreme in the

Malay Archipelago. The Malay Kingdom of Malacca greatly

influenced our countrys social, cultural and political systems

before the advent of the colonialists. The influence of the

Portuguese, Dutch, Siamese, British and the Japanese left a

great impact on our country. British introduced various forms

of administration to take over the economy of the country while

the Japanese occupation created chaos.

Bloodshed and the spirit of nationalism formed the struggle for

independence in our country. The opposition to the proposal

of the Malayan Union, saw it being replaced by the Federation

of Malaya. Being a multi-cultural country, political parties took

a communal position even though the Member System gave

locals the opportunities to partake in the administration of

the government. The victory of the Alliance (UMNO, MCA

and MIC) proved the unity of the citizens and led the way for

negotiation for independence. With the Constitution in place,

Malaya was declared independent. After independence, there

was a period of emergency as the threat of communism loomed.

Six years after independence, Malaysia was formed. This

formation however, was shrouded with problems and suspicions

from within the proposed member countries as well as

Indonesia and the Philippines. Brunei backed out just before

Malaysia was declared a new nation in 16 September 1963.

Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965, as a result of racial

polarisation.

27UNIT 1


Suggested Answers to Self-tests

Feedback

Self-test 1.1

1. a. Funan

b. Old Kedah

c. Gangga Negara, Perak

d. Langkasuka, Patani

e. Chih-Tu, Kelantan

2. a. Tun Peraks death

b. Tun Mutahirs weak leadership

c. Sultan Mahmud was a weak ruler

d. Bribery and high taxes

e. Internal strife

f. Attack by the Portuguese

3. The Anglo-Dutch Treaty resulted in the division of the

Malay Archipelago, thus ending the Johor-Riau Empire, into

two different geo-political areas.

4. a. Straits Settlements

b. Federated Malay States

c. Non-Federated Malay States



Self-test 1.2

1. The Japanese (Asians) succeed in defeating the Russians

(Europeans).

The Young Turkish Movement led by Mustapha Kamal in

Indonesia.

The Movement for Revival of Islam in Egypt.

The Indonesian nationalist struggle against Holland.

2. a. The Malay language be made the countrys official

language.

b. External affairs and defense be made a joint responsibility

of the Malaysian government and the British.

c. The word Malay be used as the name for the Malaysian

citizenship.

d. The national flag to have the Malay national colours.

3. a. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of Malaya while

the rulers are head of the respective states.

b. The Malays are recognised as sons of the soil and their

special rights are guaranteed in the Constitution.

c. The Malay language is to become the national language.

d. A person born in Malaya, on or after independence is

automatically a Malayan citizen.

e. Islam is made the official religion of the Federation of

Malaya but freedom of worship is guaranteed for non-

Muslims.

Self-test 1.3

1. Among the five potential member countries, only Malaysia

was free from outside powers. Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak and

Singapore were still under the British rule. Britain, while

proposing the unification of the neighbouring countries, had

hinted its readiness to grant independence. Thus, their entry

into Malaysia would gain them independence.

29UNIT 1


2. The deterioration in the relations between Kuala Lumpur

and Singapore was the result of racial polarisation between

PAP and UMNO extremists.

3. a. The position of the Sultan of Brunei within the Council

of Malay rulers.

b. The status of Brunei within Malaysia.

c. The financial issues of royalty from oil.

31UNIT 1


References

Chapter 1

Andaya, B W and Leonard Y (1982) A History of Malaya, NY: St. Martins Press.

Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah and Jayum A. Jawan (1997) Kenegaraan Malaysia,

Serdang: Penerbit Universiti Putra Malaysia.

Nazaruddin Mohd Jali, Marof Redzuan, Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah and Ismail

Mohd Rashid (2003) Malaysian Studies: Nationhood and Citizenship, Petaling Jaya:

Pearson Prentice Hall.

Chapter 2

Andaya, B W and Leonard Y (1982) A History of Malaya, NY: St. Martins Press.

Jawan, J A (2006) Malaysian Politics and Government, Shah Alam: Karisma

Publications.

Chapter 3

Hanna, Willard A (1964) The Formation of Malaysia, New York: American

Universities Field Staff.

Mohamed Noordin Sopiee (1974) From Malayan Union to Singapore Separation,

Kuala Lumpur: UM Press.

Documents

Malaysian Studies U1