lecture 8 - the strive for independence

8/13/2019 Lecture 8 - The Strive for Independence

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YOUR FUTUREBEGINS HERE

MPW 123

Malaysian Studies

By

Hj. Kamal Abd Razak

MBA Techno-Entrepreneurship

[email protected]

012-6550746
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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The strive for independence

TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE


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http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imej:Merdeka.jpg


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MERDEKA CHALLENGES

The PTM was established to prepare the

people for self-govt. (MERDEKA)

Being a plural society of different racial

communities, the communist problems

and other problems tied to racial unity

convinced the British that RACIAL UNITY

was necessary before the country couldbe given independence.


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PROBLEM OF UNITY

Unity was one of the main problems in thestruggle for independence.

Due to diversity of origin, culture and

religion. Every community wanted its mother

tongue to be made the national language

and felt worried when the Malays wantedIslam to be made the official religion.


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Problem of Unity..

The non-Malays who were born here

demanded they be granted citizenship.

The Malays, challenged the claim.

The cause of the problems was not just

the behaviour of the communities.


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Problem of Unity..

It was also the result of the British DIVIDE

and RULE policythat isolated them

according to place of residence and

occupation.- no opportunity for interactionand a gap was created..


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Problem of Unity..

The British govt. tried to overcome the

problems thru the educational system.

The Barnes Report suggested that the

same medium of instruction be used in the

schools, English at the secondary and

Malay at the primary.


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Problem of Unity..

The Chinese objected thru the Fenn-Wu

Report and wanted the Chinese schools to

be continued.

The Malays wanted Malay to be the

medium of instruction at all levels.


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Problem of Unity..

In 1949, The British Govt. set up an Inter-

Ethnic Relations Committee (IRC) for open

discussions of racial problems.


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Member System (MS)

In April 1951 the British introduced the

Member System in the Federal Legislative

Council to provide local people the

opportunity to be involved in the admin.system.

The purpose of MSto appoint local reps.

to the post of head of dept. in the centralgovt.


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The MS..

Some members were appointed ministersresponsible to the High Commissioner.

The MS experience brought many benefits.

Local leaders received training in admin. matters.acquired the skills to rule after independence.

Created the spirit of cooperation among races thrujoint administrationmade them realize that unity

could be achieve thru cooperation andcompromise.


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Negotiations for Independence


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EVENTS TO INDEPENDENCE

Several events happened that paved the

way for independence.

They were the elections, the negotiations

for independence and the forming of the

constitution.


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The Elections

The British used elections as a test of

unity with the promise that independence

would only be granted if the citizens were

united.

The elections led to the fostering of unity

and prepared the people for self-rule.

The first election held in the country was

the Georgetown City Council in Dec 1951.


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The Elections

In term of communal relationship, the most

important was the Kuala Lumpur City Council

election held in Feb 1952.

UMNO, teamed up with MCA and won 9 out of12 seats contested.

MCA was first formed as a welfare organization

fought for the rights and interest of the Chinese

but later changed as a political party.


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The Elections

City council elections were also held in

Johore Bahru, Seremban, Ipoh and

Melaka.

The result was wide support for the

Alliance. (UMNO, MCA and MIC)

This signified the open-hearted of the

people to sacrifice and willing to share

their power and compromise for unity.


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Demands to the British

By 1953, two main groups, the first led by DatoOnn and the Alliance made various demands onthe British, including the demand for elections andsubsequently, Malaya was granted independence.

A national conference attended by various politicalparties, organised by Dato Onn requested for ageneral election in 1956 and peoplerepresentatives as new members of Federal

Legislative Council.


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The Alliance (UMNO & MCA) requested for a

general election in 1954.

People representatives elected thru general

election (GE) to have three-fifth of the voice in theFederal Legislative Council.(FLC)

The British govt. was more favorable to the

demand of the Alliance which had the support of

the people.


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The Council of Malay Rulers (CMR) proposed thatthe GE held in 1955 and the peoplesrepresentatives form half the members of the FLC.

Alliance opposed the CMRs propositions but theBritish turned down.

In retaliation, thousands of UMNO and MCAmembers resigned from the govt.

This led British to agree to have election in 1955.


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Efforts by UMNO

UMNO was the only important party for the

Malays as radical parties were banned.

UMNO tried to unite the Malays and

opened the door to radical Malays.

Their entry into UMNO caused the slogan

of UMNO to change from Long Live the

Malays to Merdeka in 1951.


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The General Elections (GE)

The first GE was held on 27 July 1955 thru out

Malaya.

Parties contested were:-

- Alliance (UMNO, MCA and MIC)- PAS

- Parti Negara

- Parti Buruh- Parti Progresif Rakyat.


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The General Elections (GE)

Of all the registered voters, 84.2% were Malays,

11.2% Chinese and 4.6% Indians.

A total of 52 seats were contested.

The Alliance won 51 and attracted almost 80% ofthe total votes.

Following the GE, the System of Members was

changed to the System of Ministers and Tunku

was appointed the first Chief Minister of Malaya.


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Negotiation for Independence


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Tunku led a team to London in Feb 1956.

The team consisted 4 Reps of Malay Rulers, reps

from the Alliance and British reps in Malaya.

8 Feb 1956, the London Treaty was signed.


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The British promised to grant

independence on condition that a

commission be formed to outline and draw

up Malayas new Constitution.

Tunku declared the date of independence

in Padang Bandar Hilir, Melaka soon

returned from London.


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Tunku Abdul Rahman

at Padang Hilir,

Malacca was

announcing the dateof independence day

to the public.


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Constitution of the Federation of

Malaya

Lord Reid headed the Reid Commission,

set up in 1956 to draw up the constitution

for independent Malaya.

The Commission received suggestions

and views from various organization and

individuals.


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Constitution of the Federation of

Malaya

The Constitution, accepted and approved

by the Federal Legislative Council on 15

August 1957, came into effect on 27th

August 1957.


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Constitution of the Federation of Malaya

The 1957 Malayan Constitution, based on

the concepts of constitutional monarchy

and democracy have the following as its

fundamental principles:


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Reid Commission fundamental principles:

3. Malay language, official language

4. Islam, official religion

5. Freedom of worship and practice ofreligions for non-Malays


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Reid Commission fundamental principles:

8. The YDPA is the head of Malaya while

the rulers are heads of their respective

states

9. A person born in Malaya on or after

Independence is automatically a Malayan

citizen.


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Proclamation of Independence


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PROCLAMATION OF

INDEPENDENCE

On 31stAugust 1957, the British declared

the independence of Malaya at the

Selangor Club Green (Dataran Merdeka).

That night, the Union Jack was brought

down and replaced by Jalur Gemilang.


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PROCLAMATION OF

INDEPENDENCE

Tuanku Abdul

Rahman proclaimed

the independence day

on 31stAugust 1957 atthe Independence

Square (Selangor

Club Green).


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PROCLAMATION OF

INDEPENDENCE

Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj was

appointed as the first Prime Minister,

together with the announcement of

Federations first Cabinet of Ministers onthe same day.


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Federation of Malaya's first cabinet with Tunku AbdulRahman as Prime Minister in 1957.


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First YDPA

The Yang di-Pertuan

Besar of Negeri

Sembilan, Tuanku

Abdul Rahman waschosen as the first

Yang di-Pertuan

Agong of the

Federation of Malaya.


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The declaration of independence.


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Thank You

lecture 8 - the strive for independence

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