Pre-colonial Malay social structure
History has to be rewritten in every generation, because
although the past does not change, the present does; each
generation asks new questions of the past, and finds new areas of
sympathy as it re-lives different aspects of the experiences of its
predecessors. - Christopher Hill
Whose history? Which narrator?Exploring Malaysias story18th
century A.D. May 13, 1969
With emphasis on ethnicity, class and genderBefore British
ColonialismFeudal system Sultans, elite class and
peasantsPatriarchal society Subsistence (agricultural)
economyGomez, Tracing the Ethnic Divide: Race, Rights and
Redistribution in Malaysia. (169) Women in pre-colonial
MalayaPeasants:Gender equality was necessary in production: padi
work, fish processing, weaving, tradeElites:Women were primarily
viewed as sexual commodities confined toreproduction (pg 72)Females
with no male heir could rule (e.g. Kelantan, Bentan, Pantani,
Acheh.).Women could own slaves or invest in minesSlaves:Sexual
exploitation of female slaves was common.Ng, The Organization of
Gender Relations in Rural Malay Community.Britains economic
interestsIndustrialization prompted Britain to seek new
marketsInvention of tin-canning (1810) - demand for tin
increasedMalaya had tinAcquisition of major ports: Penang (1786),
Malacca (1795), Singapore (1819).Britains Indirect RuleMaking deals
with sultansResistance by chiefs/peasant leadersPangkor Treaty (20
Jan, 1874)British resident to advise sultan on all matters except
religion and customAt times, Britain used force to obtain
control.Political Structures Form(1877) State Councils formed:
Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang(1896) The 4 states
formed a federal body (FMS).Structure of Malay peninsula by
1914:Straits Settlement (Penang, Singapore, Melacca)Federated Malay
States (FMS)Unfederated Malay states (Perlis, Kedah, Trengganu,
Johore)
Social Structures FormPatriarchal hierarchy is now centralized
and institutionalizedMalay Civil Service staffed almost exclusively
by British menMalay Administrative Service staffed predominately by
male English-educated Malay bureaucrats and functionaries Clerical
service also consisted of English-educated male personnel(Ng,
74-75)Private Property1880s: Torrens Land Law established certified
ownership of land, abolishing the previous system based on usage.
Many women peasants lost land inheritance due to the male-dominated
system. All unused land became property of the state; this was in
turn sold cheaply to primarily British capitalists. Peasant farmers
often became tenant farmers for rich land owners, thus creating
class differentiation. (Ng, 76-77, 79).Economic Demands(1888) Motor
companies need rubber to make tires.Wage laborers importedDivide
and control; ethnic groups were segregated geographically and
occupationallyChinese labored in tin minesIndian laborers imported
to clear jungles and build roads; work on rubber estatesMalays
remained in rural areas to grow food to feed laborersEconomic role
of ChineseIn the region two decades prior to the British: regional
trade, agriculture, artisans, tin mining.From 1850-1900, a large
immigration movement for labor in tin mines; predominantly urban
settlements.Roles of Chinese womenOriginally, they came with
husbands, as prostitutes or as domestic slaves.During the 1930s,
the Depression and politics in China pushed thousands of Chinese
women to immigrate to the Malay Peninsula.Economic role of
IndiansInitially recruited to work in sugar and coffee plantations
in Penang.Later, British brought Tamils from southern India to work
rubber plantations.A minor percentage worked in urban mercantile
trade, moneylending and lower civil service occupations.Female
Indian labourersFemale workers were not brought in until the late
1920s.Earned less than men. Lower literacy rate, thus often worked
on plantations.When positions were cut, women were the first to
go.
(Ng, 81)Economic role of Malay peasantsIf peasants lost their
land, they often worked for wealthy land owners. Rice was needed to
feed the urban population.British held a rubber monopoly, resisting
Malay farmers attempts to grow it.Malays had to grow rice:1917 Rice
Lands Enactment forced food production1918 Food Production
enactmentCapitalism effects womenMen worked to grow cash crops
while women maintained subsistence activities at home. Mens work
valued more highly than womens. Women were not allowed to tap
rubberThe travel and isolation made them vulnerableLocal weavers
were put out of work due to the introduction of manufactured
goods.
Ng, 78-79Immigrant LabourAwful living conditions and health:
malaria, dysentry, beri-beri. Economic Depression
(1922-28)Thousands of tin mine workers and rubber state laborers
out of a job; some repatriated to China and India.Land ownership
and rice growing was restricted by Britain for Malays.Musimgrafik,
78-84Education of the elite1905: Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK)
established for sons of aristocrats and chiefs.1910: Graduates of
this system filled newly formed Malay Administrative Service (MAS)3
effects:Developed and maintained the colonial class structureAn
unequal and ethnically divided education systemMaintained gender
inequality
(Ng, 82)Education opportunities for women1817: first girls
school established (English)An English education had opportunities
for secondary or tertiary education.1884: first vernacular (Malay)
school for girls in Telok Blanga, Johore.Girls were taught
needlework, lace-making, cooking and weaving.1942: Malay Girls
College was established.
Global Influences of the early 20th centuryIslamic reform in the
Middle EastChinas anti-Manchu movementIndian independence efforts
through civil disobedienceIndonesias attempt for independenceSocial
ActivismPolitical parties: First Malay political party: Kesatuan
Melayu Singapura (SMU) (1926)Communist Party of Malaya
(1930)Central Indian Association of Malaya (1936)First Malay
left-wing party: KMM Union of Malayan Youths (1937)Unions and
strikes: Caxton Press workers (1927), Rubber estate workers (March
1941)Japanese Occupation8th Dec. 1941, Japanese invade Malaya.1st
Jan. 1942, CPM founded the MPAJA Malayan Peoples Anti-Japanese
Army.Involved all 3 ethnicitiesGrew to 10,000 members15th Feb.
1942, British surrender.Aug. 1945, Japanese surrender.For 4-5
weeks, CPM/MPAJA governed until British reoccupation.British
Reoccupy, Sept. 1945British dismantled MPAJA in Dec. 1945Forced
Sultans to sign over power; Jan 46 Sir Edward Gent appointed High
Commissioner.Britain needed revenue from Malayas tin and rubber
industry to pay WWII debtsLabourers were difficult to manage
Strikes, shut-outs and work-insMalays organizePKMM or Malay
Nationalist Party (Sept. 45)Youth (API)Women (AWAS) 1946Strong
anti-colonial and nationalist stance; recruited among Malay rural
gentry and peasantry.Height of its membership exceeded 2000Colonial
repression resulted in banning of the group in 1948; many
detained.MDU (Malayan Democratic Union) (Dec. 45)Becoming a
Nation-StateBritains plan: Malayan UnionOppositionIndependence was
not included.March 46, UMNO formed.AMCJA/PUTERA peoples
constitutional proposalNation-wide hartal 20th Oct 47. Compromise:
March congress; UMNO & British.1st Feb. 48, Federation of
Malaya replaced United Malayan plan.Political PartiesUMNO
(1946)Womens wing: Kaum IbuMIC (1945)MCA (1949)CPM (1951)Alliance
(1953)PAS (1955)Emergency (18th June 1948-1960)Emergency
Regulations enactedThousands were killed; 34,000 imprisoned without
trial; 26,000 Chinese deportedArrested political and militant
activistsBanned MCP, MPAJA, and New Democratic Youth League600 New
Villages set up (1950-60)
Caldwell, 221-224Toward Merdeka1951 Member System First federal
election (1955)Baling Talk28th Dec. 55 CPM and Alliance leaders
met; ends in deadlock.Tunku Abdul Rahman and delegation in London:
18 Jan - 6 Feb 56Reid Commission (June 56 - Feb 57)Formulated
constitutionDate for merdeka: 31st August 1957.
Gap between rich and poorMost political power - Malay
aristocrats Most economic power - ChineseRural Malay were extremely
poor. Government assistance for bumiputera: RIDA (1950) later
MARAFELDA (1956)FAMA, etc.Malaysian IdentityFederation of Malaysia
(1963)+ Singapore, Sarawak and SabahBumiputeraOfficial language
debateMalaysian Malaysia vs. Malay Malaysia
1969 General Election ResultsAlliance support had declinedMCA
sustained heaviest defeatUMNO support also declinedThe violence on
May 13, 1969Official death toll in Kuala Lumpur: 196Three quarters
of the casualties were Chinese Malaysians6000 were left homeless
after firesCause of such violence?Governments Official
Position:Election victory processions by opposition parties incited
racial tauntseventual riot in KL.
Another version:Riots were orchestrated from within UMNO.A
segment of UMNO wanted to take power from the traditional Malay
power holders within UMNO.
Dr. Kua Kia SoongWhose history? Which narrator?How was Malaysia
shaped by British systems and structures?
Did these structures affect ethnicity, class and gender? How
does this history affect you?
What is your role in shaping social structures?The justification
of all historical study must ultimately be that it enhances our
self-consciousness, enables us to see ourselves in perspective, and
helps us towards that greater freedom which comes from
self-knowledge. -Keith Thomas