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WHY MALAYS AGAINST MALAYAN UNION

INTRODUCTION

1. After the Japanese had surrender in 1945 after the World War 2, the British had come backto Malaya with the British Military Administration (BMA) took over the country. This time they had

tried to introduce a single political and administration for the Malaya which known as Malayan Unionin 1946. The idea of Malayan Union was that to prepare the Malaya for the self-govern. The Malayshad rejected this plan with the establishment of political organisation especially United MalaysNational Organisation known as UMNO headed by Dato Onn Jaafar. The main reason they rejectedthe plan was the Malays right and the power and sovereignty of the Malay rulers will be demolished.When the Malay political organisation had opposed the plan very hard, the British had disband theMalayan Union and form one council to modified the plan. This council consist of 4 representative ofthe Malay rulers, 2 representative of the UMNO and 6 representative from the British. This councilheaded by Sir Malcom Mac Donald. After several talk and meeting they had resolved the problemwith the new plan called Federation of Malaya in 1948. The plan was accepted by all the races inMalaya including the non-Malays after several argument.

THE MALAYAN UNION

2. Malayan Union plan was declared by George Hall, Secretary of the Colonials State in BritishParliament session on October 1945. In this plan Sir Harold MacMichael was elected as BritishGovernment representative to get the consent from the Malay Rulers. On 11 October 1945,MacMichael arrived in Malay State and accomplished his mission on 21 December 1945. After thedefeated of the Japanese, the British worried that the nationalism activities among the Malays willincreased after the occupied of the Japanese. The Japanese had showed that they can defeat the

America, British and Dutch in Southeast Asia and if the people in Southeast Asia being given thechance, they also can defeat the colony. The reason for the Malayan Union as to demolish theMalays national patriotism and to had an efficiency central administration.

3. Reaction of Non-Malays. After the White Paper of the Malayan Union was published, noneof the Chinese news paper published the complete of that white paper. The contents of this whitepaper said to had a little friend than the new enemy. To the Chinese, this white paper only had asmall attention. There are a lot of factor that cause the non-Malay become not interested. After theWorld War 2, the Chinese were not stable. They didnt have a strong and powerful leader as impactof the Japanese violent. The Chinese community were categories into 3 group as:

a. Koumintang Member: which more towards to the China mainland. They thought thatwith the Malayan Union, their cultural will be demolished automatically. Most of the Chinesedidnt feel that Malay State are not their home which their intention only to get much wealthyand bringing back to their country.

b. Most of the member of Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM) are ex-MPAJA.

c. Neutral group, are Chinese Centre whose presented from the modern rate Chineseand welcoming the White Paper of the Malayan Union.

4. Reaction of The Malays. The reaction of the Malay were clearly opposed the MalayanUnion. When the Malayan Union was published on 16 October 1945, the Utusan Melayu had writestatement on opposed it. In November also, Warta Negara had asked the Malays establishment tounite to protect the Malay right. First movement to oppose the Malayan Union is the Malay

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establishment in Johor had been unite to form Ikatan Melayu Johor. On 30 January 1946, GerakanMelayu Semenanjung Negeri Johorwas form under leadership of Dato Onn Jaafar.

5. Why The Malays Opposed The Malayan Union. The Malays had many reasons why theyhad opposed the Malayan Union. Some of the reason as follows:

a. British Government Use Force. MacMichael had used force and threaten on MalayRulers to sign the constitution. He had threatened the Malay Rulers by charge themcooperate with Japan in World War 2 if they had not sign it. They will asked to step down andbeing replaced by someone who are willing to sign the constitution.

b. Short Notice. The Sultan and Malay Leaders had not given time to analyse theimplication of Malayan Union constitution where it is important for the future of the Malaysand the nation. This constitution was debated on 1 October 1945 and being declared onJanuary 1946 which only about 3 month to implementation which shows how the British is inhurry.

c. The Rulers and Malays Leader Lose Power. The constitution stated that the Malay

State will be down grade to colonial state. In the constitution stated that the ruler or leader ofthe Malays agree to give their power and sovereignty to the British and they only responsibleon religious.

d. The Malay Right being Threaten. The citizenship in the constitution was easy to get.It means that the immigrant especially the Chinese can get the right as the Malay when theyare already the citizen of Malaya. Moreover the non-Malays in Malay State at that time weremore than the Malays.

ISSUE BEING RESOLVED

6. Main issue that had been resolved in the Federation of Malaya as follow:

a. Malay Special Right. The Malay special right had been obtained as being agreed bythe Malays and non-Malays.

b. Sultan Power and Sovereignty. The power and sovereignty of the Malay Rulers ontheir state had been given back as before the World War 2 although the state still under theadministration of the British.

c. Defence Responsibility. The British Government was still responsible to defence theMalaya and also the outside welfare,

d. United of the Malay State. The Malay State had been united under this constitutionwhich inclusive the 9 Malay State, Penang and Malacca.

e. The Citizenship. Under this regulation, a citizenship law had been made which allthe immigrant can be the people of the Malay State even though the restriction were stillthere but the basic qualification were made.

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CONCLUSION

7. Under the Federation of Malaya agreement, the Malay place was much better than under theMalayan Union. All the races in the Malay State had been agreed on the constitution of Federationof Malaya as all of them had an equal right under the Citizenship Law. The British also had satisfiedthe constitution as they can still maintain the relation with the Malay State to protect their interest.

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