THE UN ITED NAT ION'S UNI VE RS lTV

Dnester oHhe United Na:tiOml, University South~t Asian.Perspectives Ptoie:ct

Monu,g:raphSeries. ;965 ~o.rLimited Circmation Only

NEW ASIAN VlSIONS

TRANSN,ATION,A·LIZATI-ON,

'THE STATE, ANDTH,E PEOPLE·:

P,.r'l II

S{)IJTIli'ASr A.SJ,.fNPER.SPECT1J'ES ,PRlUECT Cq.oniumJirw ojf!g;:

Third lVorl,d S(f,diiJ$ C!?l.ifer. UniFef$it;y 'of the Pflilippin(J~ ., Dllim(m, Quezon Ozy. PhiljppJnes p;O. Box 21()• tdepJWij~; 97·6{J.. 61l!.~ t; 783

I'

.
P:J:~e:8dd'ress 'all hfiiili liM cQri'ee,l'liin:g :tlUs"publlcatiQn-lo:
~{,

Qoo:ni'inatQr-

'cto, Third Wo,rhiSt;IJ4i~ CenU!f Falma:H:ill,1:lnlWJ:Sity of the -FIlills: Q~onChY, PHILIP,PIN'ES

llNVA~,ren~tty~s

Rl!JirlciH ~. .p:wid for S~:lUth~J

~i

ltr(jj~t

rRANSNAIIONALll'AT

IlJN,

THE

SlATE

A}1D

l'HE

PEOPLEI

THE

MALAYSiAN
PAR'T II

CASE

I'

Worhing A~ien

P~per9 of the United Per=p~ctiv~$ Proj~~t

1985

Nation~ University (Southeamt A~ia)

~'r.~n~~mr;,:~ P5l~1$t:jj t'ls Pe-n:r Ie's M'-'\1 .:'m'E"nt

~H'1rj

in

'the Unr:tE-if-r.1evf'!lopF.:'d MEl ;;.ysl,,,, 1

r'l,z~] f.'!y ~i

';I'S.

E>~.tp.-nl.,rl Dtr!'bt,
Ci?pit'-l.l

PrE5:I:j~~

Pr'i::Ij('f.'c.!:.~. nd a

F1Jl}hi::

1 hE' lmp~ct Qf t1G1dp;;;!r-oi,::&'UDn t!!nd De· elop-rtl~nt on Cl:,rdHiHunj tjf:.1~ .... Th~ 5m;:Ej,JJJ Fj, ~hel'"man (l~n Obi tni,U" )1"'1.1

The

I,L'Il.p<lL

t Qf ~!Dderni:<: ~ I:.icwi dnd

Ol'l'

De,vEID'pmer{~~

[;f,;)mrm_init.i~,J:l~

f'h",

Smal1-·!3l:.ij1 J eo

!=

anrdng

SEctOI~

TmE STATF.

OF l))i;MOClu\(~Y

IN

MI\LAYRIA

In or-dol'

to

i]fl

Ud$.

:'It

ifil

flf!'CFl~flnl·Y

e 1ement~

of.

dClrllQ(.n.-at i r.

~~ "vern

flll

r;o

Arlfi

demo~~]-I t'; i r~ P

I-!rlnr',' II r'

t;

Wftl-'-"

Independl'Jflce

in

HW7

1iO

Hl09.,

llTBctiee

of'

de[DOeracy

and

-la'Y

t~o ~xp] oi P

t,.hp. foro!.")!>;

"'hi oh

hn

V'-'

with

th~

By~Lem,

'Wt'!

~J~fll

nomf-':'to

certn

in

f1 rm

with
~rndi t,j

rma.I

tlhJ OJ! f.ioc~e1:.y,

F·ot· wI I i 1~' U It"!

Ip

WhAI 1'1,~~
i')

ware

poll

1'::;

i G5

~ya.r i ah
nffn

( the
tim]

fr.:dl'1.nI C i
whQue ]

ood a f Dr
Wfill:l

rej;(u I at. t I1g

Mn] ay. They

e nH'H"La. I
l"U

and

pI! b 1 ie

i r~)

81.l~Uf'ltfe

wer~

I ed

by Su 1 t-.fma

ftfH.lif1ted

iJYll

t.'et.i rJl,JD of

f!ourt,

f'~d ~f'tfl ins . If

'2

offici1l.1~,

onnsu l tirrbl nn wi tb I.he p,eople,

t.hSl)

i ti

noml1r;rt. t ·tl on

for

POI"li t~i au

a nd powft'l" .

flrl

i llumlrlfiLi

n,~

I't')eord

uf

lif'e

and

'Polit:h';i;! provi.da:s

in

t.~B famous

k~rl,ftno1il of

M~] t~kfi and

(~ompEltiL.

01-;1:'\81"

MillRY

.3
•

kll'lgrioms.

vi, v Id

I~Xt\lflPle1S

of

tbis BeJrJom
oft.r!.lu

i ('m

WILli

rfire

f.!xoeptl ons ,

oompe-b i t i on t.hough
he
WI'Hl

I mo1 i.f':al~ed.

(PriulI~

MiIJifilLer-"s)

or

LfJks·amllna.~E'l (Admirfd

'I>l}

position.

t.he p8.L I::;ern

I)

f! admi.nhd;t'".at.ion

took

on the

sometimes
C'QWJlllft;a,t.lomswi

after
Court

th

hiG

seniQr

advi.sersr

and

"the! ['~st

of

the

~un'I'~ of tH.,I,iF,h I,

bh",

0 bhe r

I.EH'!'; i mpo~' t.ant. ..

0 -fi

i c~-bo Iders , from

tl

npi n i onn

now

("net

·then.

wider

njrcle.

But

nor-ms ,

Jr

there

i!,o'EU.·e> ~.nly

v a 1ue!;,;

whi nb we reo- highly

llnquest:i .on il'lg

respect.Bd

in

royal

loyalty

poll r~ los

1';1

t t~hat lev~l.
In
fi

,somewhat later
~VQ

indirect of

manner-.
damoo!"atic

l~P.ld

a oon t. r L buh Lon of

QrtPJ

t.t)

t.;he

1u t j OJ:')

Admin i Eltra.-t;i V€I forrlls. c'3'htra.l :i 2: ad

rigidly

bu r,ee.ucracy
Unl i ke

whiob
!;;8Y -t.hc

PG"oet.ro.t:.ed
B.noient

the

remotest ~lr1J.dre of and

E~yptin.tl

the

Ph8raoh~

01'

even

tbe

.JAvanese

kingdoID!'!l

of

Matflram

than

GU

bmtant i vo power.

The del(:H:-aes wh i.oh tbey

issued

per-ttlined

largely bo oeremonial

funDtio~s liko a royal visit to ~ partioular

Somet ime5
thi!lY'
J

rH ril'tri o l: eu" a fOl;"thoor:n in.q' bunt! ng exped it ion.

nf
f1l.':I

they
GO

were thF.l

adv l sory

na tu

l"' I'll'

e~ PF.'l·O i a.I ]_y

wheb.
II

r-elated

were

dl rected

toward.~

t.he

mobt 1i~a.ti()n

of of

·the

pea!gant:s

For

purpo:;;as of

war.

But
taxes,

tbe

crux

and core

sta.te powet

in

t,be inipoS i 1~ nn of i 'proyiB ion of

theregHlatlon
w~r~ not the lJoder

of crop
ooncer.n~ of

produotion.
bhe 51:11 tB.D. A

f;jl"rvices--

lot

of

these t\od

~wt.ivities

""ere

che of

c.harga

of

d i s·tric·t,

chieftains

vi, 11age heatinlen who.

CQt)r"f:lI!l,

Th is au I:"L.;muIliY

by

i t~

fUncti ona.ri e'S wera not

were

t'l"oo:f in

thl!rb t,be

t. rad ~

it iona1

po 1 i"l;; icftll
I::he t.e em

~t t'uctures

is generally
It tih Ls

unders~ood.

autho r i t-ar i an, 4

s ens e. in wh i cb

hI' perha:PlY app:r:opria.t.e

.f;lO.

at

-this

point bhe of

to

probe

qullJkly

wby

'was'

'rh~

eoonomi

bas as of
g'ef.:lau.s I,::! many

MalA,Y them~

klIlgd nms 1 il!:.e

had

Mal aka.
0,["

df!lri.ved
1~]ver

'i:;:heir

er,::onomic

'pOW1cn-

'from I;b~h:
DO

eontiro I of ,to impose

sea-lanea authority from

I;tm,enl.

tributaries. land. and. the

th'ereW'as peasantry

r~~l need

upon A

the

nor' '1:;.0 ex:traf.::-t wealth

The
Per-ek wi thi n ,this and even Kednh ~ f·ot a. certain cas as
I'

Kingdoms
would

of
fa.ll

period. the ot.. er h

ca:t.egory.

In a 11 these

i IllportaJlt

a.part from trade linked

ri vel' 1;1:" i buts:. i me: J' the
de~rt:-~e of "!,<rB.Ei n 1 h .... 1 ·t in. via (;!nd reglmenbat.1.on

bo

ThiEl that

8ga.in did not a. kingdom

require
depl:lrtriemt Lel!lrt
flO

control

entirf:l.ly
ve a:rB

upon

thes pI'oduce t.ood,

of th'e all this

Land would does

bave her e'lterC!ise.

thers

ill i sutlders

nJ.Jt mean that stnte

~';ll'lS

extraction

of

pea.sa.rrt,.

surpluf;l to enrich

coffers.

UoweVelr

t;h,an str\;wtu r.eo ~ in

Su.lt,Bnat~s ~ t.he

pol i tical of

aud
soma

adm in i.s tra.t 'Pa.rticipation

( krull.puru;( )
cc>nrl!9ct~d

i Vi!!

r.·ea1 tang i b ie evidence

prooefH~ wa.51 at

the

d.ecisdon-makinlt
'the

the

vi ll~e

level,
wi, ttl

With 1'0

vi 11 age

oommun ty. i
'Wett'il

i "t,s cOllnnon welfare,

thore

quite.

a.

bit

of

consulta.tion and dalibet'al;ion

oroj,na.ry inha.llj tents. ions. The

between
l\'iOBQ_U6

the village headman

vet;·y ofle
l

and the ot

WS!;ll

the

centre

~l..icb disouss

But wh i Le there

was parti.cipati

I)~l ..

~f t.hil'l

~o r1'1

com:muui ies t could not»,

of

Eas t. .Java,

t.he' v:lllag.eI's

bad much

leEiiS

'power.

They

exer-ei.ae

author:i,ty

wi tbout

the

mar-a.1 support.

of the

vi llaget"~.

of

f!?i.Qtorl5l.

.Both tb,B

rna.jar cuat,omElt'Y IftWS

that. in f luepcocli
and -true the did. of

,Me.l ay

life

--

bhe

M.n.t

Perpai:eh

(in st.ates

Negri

Serubilat:t)

Adat
nC

Temenggo.ng (in satlct.ion

6.1i. tbeo·t.ber con.tr.ol.

in bhe Pen.ln.sula) was p.ar.tioylarly

t.

autOQr~ti.c

This

the:!

village

level. for theSPt"aad of the fai eh among 'the ,6 great ordinary

largely folk by
the

re.spOIlS Lbl e in t.he

Peninsula (Sufi)

Wel:'e i.nfluarH'Hi'JiJt,Q id.eas

extent.

mystical and the

r;if soma illustr"i'qus

Iud i a.n Sub-oont inEln1::;. freeclcn'lu,

savant,s

in NFI~t
0·£

As i a sreI fwhich
the

Idt"Hl.fi of

ina i y ldual i ty • and

j

autono,lUY. of

tllCll-lgh oft .. n garbled e ,tl' ad.i t.ions

disbortGid. r-eached

aome

of'

,the.se

IJQ.ff1ltic6.1

t.augh·t'

thu~

vi 1l age

popu.l floe.

Tbey

h~c~me

part

of a

larger

world

view

The Colonial Period

'libi s pol itiCill wor In vi8"W.
JL

.and soc'] a 1

ife

bad

to

t'e'ck.on with

a new

force"

whim1

was
19sta hI the
j

Briti~h

colonialism.

Bt;l"ca.use ita

HI" i.t; i.s h

oo Ion i al ism

5l'bed.

expand ed ,~nd GOO 1 idstetl so pen in.Gu hi - - un 1 ike

Iliought

.;berT j -tor i. el ho Id upon Portuguese and Dut.ch

Mal ay

eat' l-i a'r

colonial

regi me5i which a g r ie

VoUI3

-t::'Q eontn-e.I aea:-lanes

Gl

and t,rf..dl'3 wh i oh
tU"i':'! vi

it sot ruok

blow

at, ~:;orna 0 f th®s

va 1LIes

t,., i

In
and tn.e i r

varying

degrees.

the

Ma.lay

SuI t~nlltes

Los t t;.heLr'

f'r1gedom

aUI-;clnomy.. They

wen;)' no longer

i ndepeod entp,o

1 it i e9 _ This
hu-t;

not

orJly Affi;?:c'i;ed

adversely

I:;h,~:it'self-esteeln

and ,self-respect

and power.

It.

jS

t.hil!il depend€nce~ that;.

1:0 ~oru

oris inS' f'rom Lheir led to ~ lo.ss

subordinal:;.c.

subjugated
i:'sspOD,1'lI

sta,-tus.
among

often
fed

i hi 1 i t.y of

peoples

Elverywbe:r:e.

of 6

a
And

sensa
yat.

of a

sense being

responsibility

born

of a confid.enoe

tba:b

comes

from

iodel?e'odant practioe Britisb

and aut.onomoue ,

suooeBsful

of democr6~Y.
or ee't.ed t:heir own administratl.ve
Mld

Afff. bhe

legal

consul.terl:.irm har-d ly

wil:.h

Ma.lay 8rist,oQra'i:.s d emoc.rat.i c about

eI i. tes

and th i S

,!idminis-tratoI'~. consul tat ion

The-r'o was s irl!:~B tbA'

anyth i ng

Counci 1 to power_ into the

whLoh i;be~e Malay on , Chinese

belonged

was &hDrn D't any real were

eljJo

Later

:a.nd India.1'1 eli'b:Js served

incor'porat.ed

CounciL

'['hey merely

,to enbanoe

the

fa,rce.

oul tura 1

Berti vi t.ies.

'I'hay

stayed

cleat'

of pol i-tics

for

fAar

of

a.nta4on i 6 i [lit

bbe Bri I~ Ei h . i 6

ftfbtcb wet'e genuinely

oomra] tted

to the

que£lt for

freedc)l[L

Among -the

century,
.loul"ne.ls
r-efo:rms.

Lnd i v Ldue l s
qUerd;ioning They saw the

beg'tHl

,to

~marge

who

si;,0,r,ted

t.o

pub

I ish

eo l.on l a]

l~ule and
qf

advocating
though fram
Syed

ve.rLcus at tb a.. t,

filooia.l ~tage

importance

freedom

they

did

not

demand pol1 tic~l p.ar"1; of

t.. his

independence t.r end, like

the

Eri bish.

Iodividullls: Tshir Jalla] 7

who were
uddi nand f'lod

ShPlykh Al-badi.
:fr-ol1l an of

Abbft$ Tf\ha analysed

d~1 :i.o-a.t,ed_

il3sues

Iala.m.ie
MaIn}"

pe-r~pecti ve

w~["e

to

the

rejuvenation

SOci ety

't.h.rougn t.he

promotion

of

I GImnl o va lues

"''rId pr Lno J.p.l ea.

III the more Gri't.ica.l

208 and 300"

this Lr erid developed

As at') example~
8.nitl;:l" ,

fur'l: .. er h one of the

and

beonme

Qf colon i3l i r;ln.

QbGerved

at that time

with lndhtnl:ffit
ir,:

t'efo,rmGrEl

, our minds: are JlJloS!ed.. We are back~a:t::d.The robbers

"beO!!l\.H!ilel' out'

freedom

1ost~

put-

eyer!! a.re'

bl inded~

our freedOttl can have their mir.i-ds flJnction freely wi thaut any cbs t.ruation and o:qm.sequently t,hey progress fro·m tir.!lr~ to time. From 'hhla it hI 'olear therafol.-e tha:t those na:t LonG which .e.r-e free progre'~s unint.err.uptedly. while those which ere euslaved are more and ij!ore bae-kward "ls time goe--s on. 'thus freedom is the key tD Pt'ogress and without f'r-eedom we cannot be ex:p.~cted to pro.g'ras s ... Tbts
con~aiousnemfit

of

of

freedom

coupled

wH:.h

an

antipa:thy

towards

colCJnial dominance
'l'b ough

soon culmina.ted in
ly voi
OE)S 00

yea.rning of

for

indr:rpBodence.

·tJU:.Hliu3ea:e

beha l f

no:biou1!I]

deter"mi nad

to

ma.ke

-I,hemsel ves

baa rd '

They knew why

they

were

alla:lnst British

colonialif:un and why tb@y bed to seek

7

indepel1derlce.

ill d Brn~nd I ng
fat"

i nd e pend en c e' .

A b ~ndfu 1 of

Mfl1 f,IIjr oa:t. i opal i s bs 'that

w~.ta idea.l.

mOl,-adet~rminad

and dad i.cfit~ed Ln thei r pursU it. of

Melfl.,Y"uM:uda) whLch was oom..m it

'00"1::

on 1y t.he fi 'rs·t grou~p in tbs

oountry

to to

i tse 1f a

to

i ndepBOdf:!ilOe but

6.1 so among'

tb e

ear 1i a!'1lt

eav l sLon
theBe

tla:bion founded
nat Lona.I i -ate

upon d~lI1oQrfl,tic pl"inDlples we r-e e i bb at' s.choo 1 tea.ohera

or
En

YU'U'lg ..

imn'

cL vi 1 f,ilervantBl. In the cas e of bo t.h t,be~ e groups - cheir

ii'l

- tbe

I Ell run!0
t':.he of

refOI""mBT'f11

and was

Malay nationalist;!';
perba.p,51

hloelt.ion
the

outside

e~tabl i.shment

factor

de Vel Lopmerrt;

their

critical

outsid~l for

were

8.

more

hrlportaut

infl!).anoe. inspir'at:i.o.n
in

inst;.,a:nce~.

drt;;'w

their

from
aJ~

the the

writinlt~
end of

of the I ike w~re

i Ll.ust.r Lous niru~rtei1lntb S.ff.vyid

Mi..ml im

thinkers

~'e51t Asia

and

H.t, the b~itinrdQg of tbe· twentieth A i-Afghani and. Sbe~kh

cl9nbury~

Ja.ma.luddin

Mqb.t1mmad Abduh, of

who

fEi'rvently The from

committed.

to t.he friB'ed'omand dil'!!oity

on th e other
9 hand,

theirpeople_

Ma.l ey haU anal i stli. the If').dot).e~ ian

tH'tt.

i oria 1 i srI:> movement Of the different as

whose

d ynami

fervoul,~ that

infected
movement~

their it

spirits. was the

strains

within

secular,

aga.ituilt

the Islamic

e l ementi,

elemBnt,

thab

they I carTled

about

freedom

and democracy

--

.iu~1:;

t19

't:;hi~ wn:s al~o

bbe r,!m.u·oeof ·thai r soqial

ist

ideals.

Hi bh in
W~1i!

,the

Chines-e

COfl'llllUn ty. i

a. p.ar-a 11e 1 deve 1opm~ut

o f sorts
UPOtl
WdG

t.a.kiru1 phwe. political

So

Pol :i,tics development from the

in

China. had a s iftnifiof-U)t of loce.l

bearing Th1s

tbe

<Chine.s.e grouP's. the

20th

~spe(d '-lIly nationalism iJIiperiali5lt Sel:), the

beiUnn in,gof .rise

At

eerrt.u ry.
tL

Ch i neli'l'e anti-

waS! on the
obarfto'bet".

and it
the

WfiSi

developing

.st.r-ong

he-Lm of

thim upsurge

wa,s Sl,.lO Yat of 191.1.

lead'er

of

the

Chinese

nat.itjnf.ltIhd~

revolu'l:;,ion

and

6qlJa 1 i'l;;y

0f

a.ll ideaf.i

hUM8rl
tiS

be ings . of

The Ch ineEl e his endult'"inS

Leed er

h irnsfJ 1f to

regarded.

'these

part

commitment

Heg-cel"'o-style demooracy.
In M61a.vsia.~ S'un herl 10
fl.

l>ii.gnificant

fo11o:wing

Bii'nong

var.ious

His ideas on democraoy aroused

worket-'s.

Jot

of
who

1nteres t wer,e unt ons

I)lO

among' ord i mll'"'Y- Chi nase

in p.art Leu lar those later heo6me

a-,t,ta.ched to t.. e guildl::L r-ad wh i,ph in ,A!SI

,El

1'he90 guilds

trade Lebour

turn

ct.·y~'t.alliEl8d.

i:tltO' ~hEl nation ~a fIrst

v e'men 1;:. •

movement.
bt.lt also

ant i -imper i &1i at

C'nine88 tho

pr'o -.CC!1I!lfl1...1tli'!!ft
Gore

In fact..

'I.:;,l:1i9

radle,al in

labour

·movement b8caroe the

of.' MalaysiBn

communism

2Qs and 30!']. Undel" the banner of oammun.i. m, s

l.t

cant

nued

the·

mtr'ufHJ 1,B' ··to

un i t:.a the

Overs eas
II

Ch ill variety

I!! S B

fen:, fre·edom reasons'

and human

r ighl;.s " .

11

It did
of'

not flu'ccee-d for

of

wbioh fire' be'yond the

acope

this essa.y.
If

we

now turned

fro·m the

Chit'),e~o oommuni ty tp

the

Iud 1rm

jJlayoo

an

equELlly Like

pi vot.e.l. the

role

in

t.he

growth

of

demccr-at.Lo
were

consoiolJsne1S:s.

Chi.ne-sa,
9

hldif:'l.tls

in Malaysia

a lso

greatly

in:fl uenoed. by po] i tics

in tl.eir

motherland.

A~ the

Irid ia.n

colonialism.
In the import.e:nce proce~.,. they of pol i tioal not. only
heIl~Hl to

&wreoiot-.e

the

crucia.l tmentto

frer~dom but ~,l~o devel QPedaoolllmi

the

social

emancipation worker.

of

tb0

d.ep"ived. dowtltrodden

Indian

plantation
through witb the If further

Irid Lan p r-ofe-r;:s i oria.Lss, i\'L'HHH:=:i.llt i on Df

th0 Ceot;ca 1 Indian pligh't of the

pOOl"

Mal aye

< CrAM)

'Wi bhin

thfl oornmnn I by _ for 'i!locial

12

ic.lent i f

1. eo

a.nything, their

this

struggle

justice

tilharpenad

awa_reneH';~

of the- s-ignific8J;lce

of human ri;C{hts -_ of

1i ve l Lhood
~trikes effectl At
by

and most of ,0.1 L

p Larrt.a't.Lon

tbB

1." ig:ht

to

strike.

Int,erroi ttent undoubbed ly idea.s. of both an

workexs

in the

30s were

ve a:venu~ for

t.he aSfi1imi Lat.i on of democrs.tic -the loft.y democratic

the! smile time.

a~piratians

in its quash for freedom.

Oura.ruHYii!lis aommun i t.i es, ham revealed of that freedom in and e8,oh of the three

cons c iCnJS06ts$

democracy

deve loped

cohmial
oonverrt l

iSIII. 01')al

This

il!l' .a

jg

ignif

Lcant, pniot

bo bear

in
that

mind. t.he
ona

F'ot" t-he
Br i t ].l'Ilh rncanre!

-'11 ew

widely-

am:n:~~p't;ed by

m~llyi!i;

in-croouced democracy
cer-t.a in d erooerat i a

into
f (})""ms
i'

the country.

If

by

tbil'!:

it

is

en

unswer-v ing

a!;'rti-establ

i~hment

dis~idents

nmon«

t;h@

M.alay~.

var I ous ant i -sstabl i!ithn:~nt ~roups we have d is.cUlSlriiled in "th is Some of the Lnd i,vidual!5 in

eS'19

ay

tblB~0

theil.'

.iour:rta.ls

wore. banned ~ 'bhei1;' political

activities

13

proscribed. There were

d",porte,d to Bl'ittsb
01 i.max

Chin~

and, Ind.i a..

,

repl'is;.a J s
y

alto,io[';:·t

,the anti -Cloloo.1al18t~r-ea.cbed

ti

immed i ate]

a. fter

Wor l d W9.i' J I .

Following

ft

r~volution

in 1948.

ne t ]_ ana] ism quickly to

a.1000':(

Cellr

toe, ins

eo t ions

.t;ha

pOPU

Let. i on ,

moved

crushbhe

MCP challenge.

wi th cOTluJ(un i sfu~ 14.

one' of

th em,

like.

~ l

Bur-hanuddIr;
WEH'e

Al-h~lmy. by the

Ahmad Bri't:.iF:'lh.

Boefitarnam and Abu Bakst'

Ali-Bakir

det;ained

relevant
struck.

to
a

our

ana lYG i!'.5l for

two re3,!\l(JrlS:
naf:,i ent e

first~ demoorat

as iQ

ie; obvi oua

it

~evl';lre

b.low aaains:'i::.

Iconsc.i Qusnoos

that
SOD

was not i 0.1

g:oing

to transfot."m that
p t'oter.:rted

sIgnificantly Br it i sb
nI in

thmn!! econonf.o ing • n I B.ntat i on

and and

structures

busine~s concerns-

Til is

i ~ why the

e 1. eat ions

-~he Br 1-t.is~l illt.roduoed

A'ar.]y

f'lrst

in

it]
onwarde
po 1. it i.oal

fift~hH'iI amotlg

merely

provided

tb,e

set,tiing

for

competi'l;ioh

whilFJ
were no+ lnel1 ned to Part i. es
the

independence. colonial

cbnTl enge the l.he Iln i ted

very Ma.lays

ba~es

of

dominatioQ.
(UMNO)r

1 ike

Na.ttonal the
Malaya

O:r,g'ani!Sation

Me..],(i:y~n Cbine-se
(MIC), the

A~sooia1iion Independence 'to tht51 in t;heir this

(MeA).

rBvo:lIlped M.~laya:n Lnd.Lari Congress Party More politics ~lMP) a:ndeven impoY't;ant;.~ like the the

of

La.bour Part:;y belonged t,hl:tt trtumphed MICor rather

cat,egory. sort of

pn.:rti6S
MeA and

UMNO, tbe

elitea

- had

1 iL'lked

to

thi ~

:5Zet 'Ghe totJ'f~ of

the

f1.r~l;l't

e Leert.ed

legislative

J7.

ooune I 1 in

1955.

organ taG
1ell i fill EI:t.ure
fl.I]

~lectiOb$

;find launch wit.h io

in CIt i,tuti on s yet Lher e was no the

arrd

as'soci ated

demODra1::.io conaoi ousneae

gov~t:"nanoe
fllRoml the appreci.a'tian demands.

and

r e aI democrat. educated
psychology

populace.
of the

Even mnong
~pi rl t

ther~

\iliaI'!: no genuine a deltlocr.n.oy

"that:.

could not possibly

Of

strike root.
it wou Ld be ,""'J:"ong to
blamE!. the

oourse.

Bri·tish 'the
tb ["ee

alone

for

this

sit;.uation.

FQ·r ,ep.art from their

repression,
in all

t'elationsbip
cmmmmi ties

between

e'I L l;.eril and

t.. ordinary he

peGple:

In regard
of
British

to the
trai t of

M~l trY

co'mmu.ni t.y •

mention has

a1t'eH:dy been
fel.lcla.l
unconae

made

the

"unquetrt, i on i og
ecnac

loya.l ty ~ dUr i 'nS the

Iv

per i ed ,
Ious Iv ,

e,olooinlisffl. thiEJ

ous

and peihnps
I

eveLl

perpe·tuabed

bra.i't:.. :J:'emai n

[t

served colbnial
loyal the

interests
to
bhe i r

~o

have

M81 laY si noe

with io

sub j.ects Bl"it i!;b

Mal aY"

unequest;, ion ing,ly. through

8u 1ta.nlll

l'U 1 €I

wa.~ rned i 8 ted

i'I;1;

monacche

soc.i ety

elf'

obed.ience obvious

to

a.uthority was pet'pecuated by the other J?ower-bolder!ll

elites.

It

was

'I;hat even

at

Leve l s 11elow the

As

Sultan
as

benati tti9d l.'eta.io.oo eva l.uaf i VB .1t.

frOlt! the

preserva.tion

of tbis 't.rai t.

long

it
au of bhe and

r6'tained. out lr-.Jokon Needless

its
social

Lr-on g,rip upon

PI'O'ceSi

the

Ma.layroind. 1 itt Le chance

de'veloping.
SIJOOEHiisof

15

s os had very

bo say.
siLlce

such an outlook
are

is vital
to

fOl'

democraoy

iodividuB.ls

eX'pecrted

judge

choose.
.U

Wi t:h i t1

bh e [)on -Mal a:y oommun i t- i e,jS ;

he longed

either

fOr'llH~lly

ot'

informally
paten:u:ll

to

clan

a.ssoci a t I ODS

wh Loh

exoeedini!lly interests
tbe

1. !i!I't i a .
over

aolidarity itl:divid~alrights.

~nd

group

t.ook

preoedence

Some rnemb{l$t'!\ilof

comtm-tD l ty

n:umerous. fidel

during t.heir

'I::he oo Lrmi a I p~t"iod clandel5>·l:,.ine C6,uses.

andwb

Loh ins ist1?d

on

total
WetS
;&

i ty·-to

Their very ch~racter

Thebu

lk

of

the

1nd i aI'lS •

an the

other

hand ~ were shaok led -1::.0

th~
'fhere
Wfi'~ DO

OQU

1dnurt,ure

and 1. i v ing.

nourI sh 'rlvei r

t'lny

of

the and

'11-" 1ues
d09-U. i t.y
I'

fund ament.a].
bfl!fflpered

to end

demoora:b.ic

I~e:r:vi 1 i'ty

hindered

Ie

t-;hmn

from

their

indi.vidual

:right.s

and

they tendadto
plaoe wea.I tb .
8.

hi,gb peem;lum upon Ev~o

eoo i e.I .securi'ty

and the

6cq1Ji~ i ti on

of

among p ;rofe5s :lanais

and wi bh in the

erJu0at,ecl stratum

Indians them. There

was
yet an ot.he:t·

'security'

sy:ndrome

faotor

whioh

imlllt!deu

democ:rntio

oansoiousn~BS.
there

It is relatelf~

in a ~~nse, to th~
eGol::H'lnlio

eCObom~.

Though

'was wh.oleS"ale I:'lealect

of

of the

well-be pertod,

ing of ·t.he vast,

'mel,lor-H,y

Malays

dUl~ing t,b~' colDnial 101 tnt

l_ nn

there

was

no

mass i -VB~

~yGrtemat.1_cf!xp,
r-I"lOt.

of the --

oommun i t.y.

Ee08Jme it wac;
C8Se

fii51!ilec'l; lUld not; di

Ja-vaOf3t'le orVi

explo'i tat;ion

un 1ike

in
i on

tbe
1-,0

of

th".

el;t'1nmes e pe!:!.s an!". -and

Mal ay reaat

c.:oIon i 8.1ism

w.amalso

lef;ls

harfilb

less

a.n~:t"y_

Conae<:{u.ent:lYI

bhe ,M'a!a.y soul

1.;.0

wam ootstirred
monumental non-Mslay saar
poor

to
i f ices wt"n'e.

$uoh depths
in the on

'toot i-to

W(UiI

prepa.red

m&ke

P\J rs'tt it t)f

the

f r'""ed,om and

d elnooraOY. Lo

The

whole.

~u'bj0ct,ed

greate1'

e:s::ploitathm
and tin

by the

Dolan fu.e..l regime

th~ re
WI'lS

;,..specially

in t,hB planta:tions'
pgycho lORY to

nd.nes" with!

Euthhen

t.he Lmm ;I.grant' disOUGsed _

correend bowevaI',. enjoy~d their anobher-, th i IS

wh h~b we have a I r-eady :imm:i.gra.nts, .

Neira

import.anT.
I"i 11;;0

Chinese same

e"X'pl(J~·tatiorJ

nothwi l..hstarH:ling. labour from mat"ket one

mobilit;,y

U...,iog PA1"'t Q.f a' ft:-aa tb'a:y could

(un l ike job to

InrUtaI'j

cpunte1."pa.rt~)
Of'JW

wove

.a.nqu ire
the

ski 11m nnd e ven of

a.ccumu.late, exp]
0

~ome !Ila.vings _ All H::e.ti on .. '.altld -bheir In

the

l"OO,U cad

imlll'le1';.

ha::rdsb ip end against

'p:tGQieI'HiI,

both

t:.bei r reaction
S o,mewha:b

colonia.l AI) far

8.~

ism

des i ['€I t.he

t:;.

for

freedom

becnme

muted.
BXP

t:.he ma .101'i ty of

Indians
mainly had

were concer.ned ~
becau~
@l

the-i r
thell'l

1. (I i tat i on W'aaperhaps

SB'V~T'afll

mSl:l)"

of

we1"(!l i n the ofa cDupled

plantat Lon s et=t.or

1'1w€)"IIer, o

which
t.h,a
of

some
B

of

tbe

6.ttribu-t:.a~
waa.kn,9B'fJ

f.d!.ave~!;iy~t,em.

oom.mun H,y'

numerical 'af its

wi tb

the

~·b.iect p(:l\r~l' t.y

Btl

a hl.1;ge portion

memherB. mil i tated

1 'j

against

effec-ti

ve

eo Le

in the economic

struggle

foT. human ri ght~ . the:b

COIJ

What; 1111 th.i ssbClw~

is tnat t'.he
freedom

eiond f tionl;:

Id sustains.

qw'ls t for. grelater

Ind ien

COliUlUJin.i

t if.'ll':l

The c i tuatio,tI

thel'ei"ore

JUI;!

IJ befol~e Indt"''Pondern;:=e (Merdeka)

io

democrat Lo

VB]

ues

arid ideal s .

Wha.t;did

exi st, were

SOIll'el'

fJutWard

The Independern.oe

Per iOO : The F i t"st: Phase

< 1.957-1969 }

Alliance

oomprisll"lrl

UMNO~

MeA

and

the

MIC.

Thay
Its

wet"t3 a.l1
domina:nt

communi1;y-b~l;;ed par.ties
'p~H' nel" t

in

an j n1~~u'-ethnic

Cloo.l i trion.

was

UMNO.

p<r-eva:ll i ng ,pfirttculal"'ly

Bon i 6.1

order

..

Thera

wa~

g,naral
and

I'

oon~ervatism
proe'ramm.es

ev Lderib

in their

economio

policie:5

reflect.ed

in the Allianoe"s ita la'tlder~hip

g'emAine whole,

c:onc~pt of Parli,fnl1ent~ry had soma notion

democrat:j
0

demo.oracy.
va!t.).f!l6I thAt more

While
Boollld

of

the

accompa.ny on the

practinem. with

it
Ql'lrtain

was

Lnc.l f.ned ,

-to equate d.emocracy

formg' end

in:a;~btut ions. i seeped had no 'into

Obv i ou t'iI b,. bhe thiuking

the

col ordal

8l.pproB.ch

to

demoonwy

had

of the All i&nca

leaders., sort of

tthis

is why they
filoc!!"!.1 Ruc-h

underataflciil'lg tbai;

a.t
must

a Ll of taka

bhe

001 iG1'jic
valuF.l!B

tra.psforftloct.ir.m
l

p lsce

to

enab is

as

freedom'

and

i1it.u rdy

r oob s

among about

tnt.:) paop 1e .
the
SOl''!:.

Ne i the r

did

the

All i !'.Inca changes

attempt

to
waLl

briflii

of socia.l

~nd

economic bert i Elm

which

Ld make t.he exer-o fee

ar.tdpowerh.HHiI.

of demoora.t i cit

mea.n ir..gfu 1
cu l tUr.l~,l

t.o toa poor t'ight's were 'J'he

!g6curi

Even pol1·ti ca l ,

e:i viI

end

s:ub jectec:l

to

a va.ri_sty

'of our ba and cotli;ro 1f1 . oontinued

1',Q en£ot"ce

R'oVel"nflu~ntj

f'Ol," instanL!r:l, proulUIga.terI

tlertu,i.n
oOMlnunist

ty

t"l9gulatiol1s Though the Aot;.

by the Sri tif;lh to

of

fight.

aubveJ;s i OIl. deaI wi.th

t~hl'!l S1tate

emergency

proels.imad in 1960.

ear] i 61'

to

oommun Ls b 'Lhr~al; waw lifted ( ISA ) was in l;roduced Und,ar the ISA., in

an

Intern:!) I
m'B',e·t

Sl!ol.lrity

thEl g,ame year

OO,IJ

'co

the

sa.me oba l.Leng e .

a p~f'son

Id be

detained

wi tbov.t~

trial

f'Ol.'

t'lriY

1erutth of time .
who fell
fOfU

It.

WCUl

not just
Rigbt

communi s;i~s or thrtir th.rol.lgh party More tbe period I eadel"s than
>

sympa.thtz;ers

1 of 'th l~ law.

under review
party a.ctual act;1v1sts

(1957-89),
and

a. number- o,f bppmd t ).00. were a.Lso detained·~o dis

C()~

others ISA

the

derten-t; ion ~ 'the in -tbe the

Qerved

r.age in

paopl a f'rom il'.c-l:;.tirlfJ cr 1t i ci.siod real, end wa~

Invol ved que(gtiQlain~

poll ticaJ

process 'rn'6' fear.

arid

Itovernmel'ut..

more im~,g:i. ed' than n

that

the moment

one chfl.lleoged governm~lilt policie!!il

one

would

be

thl"O'tlfi behind Then. prodljcrt.ion

bars!

control
and. distribution
p]

the

import.

of ·publioations. vr.lieas

One aspect
call1pl~rte

or
of

tbeae
thl'::! thei.r

Inw9
fJt.ate

which

aced

d:igg'Bntil'lS'

~t tbe

mercy
have'

was the

r€!(}Uir-ement
lID

that

all p.~riadioal~sbo\lld
balillis. Si.nce

1icen~es

r-enewed on

annual

it

i8

'hhe

gov~:rnmBnt ana
8

that

grants

1 ioeofiles

to

pIJbl Lah

ir) the £i rfilt1n's"l;.anco. There was ,the als-p

(Jan

visualize
the

how mlJoot'efil
Aot of

po'Wer it oommBnds.
t966 -17

law to

S(_)ciatles

wh Loh enabled

Q'overrlment

organ b: ed

grrJLtp of
kept,

c-i, ti!ll~rm

i.nvolved

i thths

publ Lc weal.
of t~:ade union

'I'rn~e
1 aVIs

un i {)n'E~ were

on a 1eash through 1'1Ctr~.

fii:lumbE!r

and i ndus t rial

re latl;J)IlS

That
upon

wa~ not all.

Subt.le

but

per"Va.si ve contir o I was the state

ili1po£ed

Is 1filllic
,r

re 1ig:i. OillS act i vi t t rm tb r()ugh Nat:i.nnaJ

r~ 1:I. a i ous of

ootrne i l~ Ruler~

the body

ReHgj ous Counc I I and t.he ConfarenoB 8ul tans in the

(a

cmnpItis h'1g t.he 9

Federf.'ftinn) .

igool'ed Ch inese

Dr rid.i culed

or r.lollle:tim~ssuPp:l"eSlSed grea her

alt .. ogethe:r.

]...Iikewise~
1.:lf:l6

edueah ion i s·t~ d.em80d ing

10,t i bud e f·ol" the

of

Plb lIe

there

were a II t.hefre at.tempts be

to check and eontro 1

the or

th~y po 1;1:1< ical

civil

parH.es

propagl:.d::.ing operated

all

~(;)r'tH o:f ideQlog-ies

ra,ngtng

from. I~l8.111 "bo

SDei a.l i sIll

wi tbo~,.1t

too

much

hind ranee.

1"'

Mora
Part i thE!

spec1. f rce.l l.y, Is18m

People'

among l;he m,a;jor (PAS), tbe

oppos i t. i on part ie~ United Democra.tio the

"We.ee t;h~ (UDP).

Act.;.iol'l 6ar"flMak

S,eMal~ysi8.
~

Party

PrngresfiI'iV6 ,the
Sar~wak

Par·ty National

(PPPl ~
Party

J)emooratin
the

Party
rJnlt.ed

(DAP).

(SNAP),

10

'I'raci,e un ions

a-l r;; 0 enj oyed some _freedom. ke s

wj

They coli Ld a great,

organ i au

picket.s
bureaucrat
t1B:t

and
Lo major

stri

thou"!;

f-foing

thrDugh

dreaJ

of the

ha.ss Le ,

In faot.
the

it waG in 1967' tha.t; ana

Ra.i 1wa.y-men .'s Union of

of

i on • 9

un i ens ~

Mal aya

(RUM)

Malaysian held

'I'rode

Union

Congress

(M'rUC).

the aohfederation
in both
t.he

whinh

toge.ther

6.11 the natim"I.~s unjons

pri vate ehar bed

~IJ:I.. ~d d

s ectal'S ~
It§l

wa.s rf.'! a"l;i vo ly t ndopendel, t of 1

the

public and 18 state. It policies Prom inent

S10metimefl

own oourse

of

(lOtion

and responded

'1;0 public

by

'What it p.erce 1voo as ·took part. h.

VEl

Labou r I s

in b~res ts .
poli'l:i.cs'

br ade

unionimtiS

oppmd tion pa.rti~!iL

and

held offioe

in t;:hei r respecti

Student~s the

in ,the only univer~:ity

we!re

in .the coun:t.ry at a l ao qui be free sbci,al tb~~

I'

that

time

Uni ve r-s it;.y of Malaya -action

tc art. icula:ta

iciea'E; and org'anis€.l

Ulr1iOb

on important

iSfi;ues _ The S1;udent~ ~t;ruggla of landless

for

instaoce

was- lOVQl veri in

demonstrations
controversies white
. Nqau15 t

wer~
of

held

en
] ike

some of
the

the

m~jor

international
in 'Vie1:nam,
l1H;UOrm

1 be 60s ..
in

American

presence

eri.nor-I ty
t..;

ru Ie

Rhode's i t)
19

(IIrWf

lilnl}fJl"l'A''1)Gild

bt'lJb~I: roUce

~l.

l oc-·a k

. ,)LlLJ•. t 1 [.,,( 11.r: a. I 1.1'" .. fl c !

Ind ireot Ly ,

dailies.
sta..ta

includ' a..ut:ho,ri ty wrote

os the

U·tusan Melayu.
are today.

W€fre

not as !Subservient
and

to

as they

On

economlc

pol i tical from the

tIS ilJues~ they govennnen b" s:

e<U tor j 8..1 that;., d i fiered s

pot!:

sub!'!Jtant i ally to

off i o i 0.1

it i nil.

Even when it came'

nat tonal

19

01;'

the'

~epa.rat i on of
that

S i nga.pore

from

Ma.lays i a i k'l 196 5 ~

the

t".o

were

n~wspapers critical hes on ly

carried

~rtic]e~ then.

8nd .aQalyees that were explicitly

of government
-(::·0 poin

If further 6vidence
de voted

is needed.
t.o
s'peeOhA$

one of

t to

th-.e amourrt of space of Pa r 1 i amen t in

QPpas i thm proceed i ng!s

memher~

raports

on

par 1 iail1il'3tlt8..t"Y

in ded 1:1. 0$ 1. :i ke the ·20 Pa r I j, a.ment

St. l" a.i'I:. Ti me51 throu!!fb at t.ha t. 1;.rll8 i

WllS

the 6Os.
a.
lived i~r

And

indeed,

1l:"Hllt i h.rt. ion.

mora

In tbe first

Par-I iam.ent

(195"9-64)

a. propor·tionaUy to

s iito i fiC-H!l.I~ dynamism.

Oppo~ it i on coo b t' i huted

in no sma11 meaalJre

itS'

The t:e wer.E! Member~ ( MPs) who wou Ld I ea:ve no nton~ unturned in

of

Par 1 i runent to

thBi r· efforteJ

get;

and

1el!{is 18. i on. t

Government
C't'i

1 e.ad.e.rs.
however

on tbeir part,
p1..lI1(l:en.t,
I

were often
rwt unucua l to be

qu Lbe tolerrant in t~hat ~ort

of

tiQi~ftl$,

It

was

of !':rl'".mo!'OCpheJ:"c for

aen.lor goverqrnent:. leeder'S MPs.

21

oa.lled

'flames by sh8.f..'p~tol'lgued opposition

It is to their

If ratt.ly

Pa.rlimnetlJ't beca.us e
0

reflecbad
actual

a CBl:'ta:i,n dBlitree, ~f

vj. tal i.ty~ wa.s much

it

wn:s;

the
it

e.I ectorlll

prooess

more

democraT,!

the:n

i s t~od8Y.. areas., public ral1ias were allowed in

w-arranted the 'first

curfews

Ln certain

Pat' 1iame'l'l, t.ary

el ec-l-;.1. on in 1959,

without

the

police
and

impof?i.mt any

Qu.t-of-tbe-ordi.nar-y

l"estrj cttOl'lS upon candldate9

the ir

aIOPfliSDfIl' .

insurgency

were also

able

tu pa.rt] (,'-dpn'te fu11

jT

in t.be elect.ion.

2U

count r;'y

by

bobh gave rnment 6 weeks: --

and

OppOS

it Lon p~.1"'t e~" i

to the

The

eleotion
pel'

campa igl;lb:11ltte(1 tha.ti m8.0nel~

til

Clomp.ll red

rnin i mum ·:2 -week had. qU6stionod

Hu:::nJO't

i od the

now ob!Se.rved"

OPPOB i on it

part

i@s that:

in which

Malaysia

WH.J51 formf'td wel"C

8.ble to

a ,rigorous.

campa till') , As, in

the

P~!3lt.,

pub 1 i 0 r a Ll, t",s t;he.

1

w~re

I'j'lll OW19.(l.
e 16ctoI"B.l

while
compet.i t ion

All i ance~s
i tSi

e.tt..i tude of!

w itS commend ab 1e

hand 1 iog

carta

in

po l it Loe l

g.overna.nce.
couati. tutior.al c:r::i.s'i'~.

'I'he

W.El:y

in w.h i oh t.be
,

then

Ch 1ef

Min i ~ter

t.hrough
Kus1a

the Lumpu l'" 22

aot.i.ve.

rnax:tipul.a-I;ion of, ·the I Alliance

Cl.

Ieader:i;';lbip
0f

Ln

was und.ou bt ad 1Y

b 1a.tan~~ be,t rElY a 1

democ:r a.t 10

oontro11.ed

and

oircl,lmeor"i bed

but

l twas

B.

democr-acv

the;!:;

What t;,)xplah:H3

tb Ls con br-oLl.ed demoor-aoy

First.

·the 1egi t i.mata

a.sp i rfl.t. io.o13 of: the'

obher

c:ommuniti es,

the

IlIta.tl,l9

OT

Mahty

as the

offieia

J.

ftnd

na.tional

cour se of thei.l'

struggle be Id the

for

lndeperldence.

'I'his consensus ~ which •

.

~omrnutll'b i estogether
to practice of

gave

th'~

AIl i noaa

leaders

the

cOl'lfidet"lne f ound.az i.on

demoor.acy.

In other words. tbe

coali t.Ion to made thr=;!rtl

nonueneua.I feBl

tbeit"' inter-etbnic
were

80 r:eClIl'.'e

10 their

power that thl."!'Y

prepared

tolera:be

OOlnp~·t. t:i ve i

po 1it. ics ,.

S~Q()nd,
int.en'l1!its

the

conaen

SlU~

0.1!3 0

meant,

hal anae ethn :i,e

or

ethni c

aoh j eved t.tl l'''ough a d (',lmnr'cnt. i rm of

TO lell'~ .

understood_

among the and

by

Malay

and non-Malay Lhe

e Ltt es

in bb e would

Alliance rema.in the

tha..t

UMNO.

ilnpl:i oation,

Ma.]aY61. a.nd by

PI') 1],t i cally

I? r eemi rierrt, would continue

whil e "be MeA, to enjoy

implication

Ch.ineltiie~ w,I!IY~ a

~oQncmio' preeminence.
wa~

23

In thi,SI

ncn:':r-compet.itlve

relB.tiotlship

forged

be·tween.

the the

coalition relationshi.p

parLies.

It

c~e~ted an artificial

stability
com.lllut')i'I;ias.
to

io

between t;.he Malay and non-NaI ay tbe elItes

that

in turn.
democrac·-y .

perslIade'(l

tbey

QQul,d. afford

This.

praQt:i.9·i,l

Leader ,

Tl.IuklJ. first

Abdul Prijne

Rabma.n. Ministe1;'

",as a. crucial of Ma1aysia,

factor. should

Ind~ed, tbe
be regarded as

'l'unku , the one

0f

·the r ee.s ons

wby par 1 i amenbe rv d.emoe ra.o:; flJ0 d:;.ioned

fa.i r I y

statel.

Very much a p,rac'l:;itianel' ic consul t.at:i.otlimelhd through

COtlStU

of oonsensus delibera:tion!1il. 1 hati

OOB

be ·~et the

tone

for

inter-e'l..hn aeek i ng groups

The very

aot

of
~nd

cons eosus in the

between

i nd Lvd.dua.I E'O

VIlr'iolJS

G.amrnuni i.es t

strehg·thened

the

democJ:'8t:tC

22

1 ike

aome

t~f the

otheo:t' UMNO and

Tbi~ wal'i partly

due

to

his

a.dnd.rati.on,

'even

edu l ation~

of Bl'"itiEh

mOTBS a.nd institutiion~.

j

Aiso~

P'8r.lirunentary

de!;lloara,cy had helped

t;brough 'i:.h~

to leg it im is e tbi'J 1'tlnkM S o.nd bhe A III anC6" a powe r -various el~ctions held

in -th'~ 50s,

The Tlmku ha.d every

rf]fi!; on.

there[o['e~
Fourlh.

to pT;"e~E'!iJrvend pArpetuate a
prasf."tl"vin.g the
"lyfiitPfll

the dffl!ll.ocratic ~Y6ltem.

in -tbe way in whi oh -t.he Alliance

formu 1at.ed

f.l

wbo I e

sal. i es

o f 1t"!,ws and

rel!t'uI

a. t i on:!!) aimed

at

controll bo

ing

and curbinlt that

UH~re

dissen-I;. wou Id be

'fhes.e laws
rl(

and rmtlllations ve challenge to

were the

enaure

e;(fecti

dehate

'and dis8{(':r.eement if

that

are

im~v-itable

in a democraoy.

Fifth.

a.nything.

enhanced.

albeit

indireoily.

the

bhe

nation

~IS

PQIi,tical

sta.bil

i by. brought

abouJ;,

by
most

trefilend.ou~ of the 60s

econondo
wa.st,he

growth.
t"e!SU

'I'hif.: growth

wbioeh charaote>rised
tba:l:;.. 0\)
t' Pt"

1t of

the handsome PI" i cas

imary

onmmod ties i

fetched world

in the
oa._p i tal

internatiotlal
t st sYfd::.cm

mar-keto which well.

It ~as also a time when the

Mala.ys ia remained aligrl~d

with

happened '1;0 be pe.rfor.lll:l_ng Tbe fulfill upshot the rbdhg of

it

rather
all

was a domestic of the middle

economv

which

Gould. At

aspir&tion.s

and u.pper classeS'.

ehe ~ama t irue •

it web some of the needs

of tbo poorer segments of

pat~t

of

tha

decade

e.crrounted

fat'

high

dem:X'Bf3

of

PO

li tical

stability.

The

Alliane~

eljten who presided Z3

over th'is

Gtability

had no fear control of Sixth borne

able some
l

of the
it,;

baing

a little

I i ber-e.I

SUlc,e

the·y were very

much in

env1 r-onmenti. was

hOWe-VI(!T

more

than

e.

questi

00

of
nevi',

Ii be:raU sm have be~n

not have the

of grow'th and T;lrOsp!;J'l,:,,:l"ty.

to
e081J.r-e

Tbe AJliftnaewduld

a };"lolit ically

s t abl e env i r-onrnemt, if

it did

oomrtdtment

to

social

just·ice.

The r e was concern

for

dep.ri'led
progr-run

and d.Lsad vantaged

Bttemp

rnajot:' i ty l1ASj c

A mas ~ i verural
'!:Wc

de-ve

loproent
1s ,
had

t.ed t~Q 'provide e lect.r-tei,

I;y

ia 1 amenj, ti es

1ike

s chao tha.t.

baalth
long
tbe

o 1 ip.iQ~.

l'H'Id po:table

water

to Borea.s

been ne~lected.
All iancl9 effie.l

[n providin~ tb~se service~ to the

people. that
was

Leade rsh tp was aSf:Ii.sted ent·

uy

a. t~uref.l.ucracy
of :i'Hlcia.l

fai.l;~J.y

and

c(."Impetent..

A sense

justice,

was
t;1:'H:lrafor~
fr.H'

also
i::,he

tesPQnsibl~
60s" TbiSl
J'

oreating
t;U1('I"l,

bhe pol i tim'll was a factor

s:tahi Ii ty of beh i ndthe

stabilitY',

in

government

wllli[]gne~s to practise
Finally. C!uUa,'u::'al and th&t

i"ts cont-rolled demooraoy.

demQc r acv
was;: made poSTSi b I e by cel'tai:n

rron bra 11ed

psychologica.l

oond i t;j Q.nf.!.E.arl

Jet:' on we

obaer ved

the

feudal

trait of u~que~tlonlng

loy~]ty to
period_ in

leadership In
:faot.

cOhtinued first
more

to

he cultivated during the colonial

of the I ndl9pendence
Lh t $ tr peritJ<d

the
even
hy

ph a.se

the r-e was

B1IIPhEU';;ii s upon

8.i t

"

Th~ Tl,..loku~ i of luel:lct9d

no d(),u bt

his

own

f~udlll

hackarou.nd.
Very

expect,~

Local

obedience

frorn

his

pa.rtym~l'IIberl5l.
colle'ague
loyalty to

I;.lftf'ln he de'l.erminP.ld bhe 'Worth and

val ue of a
of his/her

or

sl.lppot"t.er on the
hiHl -wha..te-ver. 'the

basis

of' the

extent otber

i.ndhd.dua] , 9
,to oome by.

erttl"i butel\l.

1Qye.l ty

'wa,g easy

t.he Turiku and

other

'l4

UMNO

lEl't'I.ders

we r e

oonfident

eaou~~h

to

elcur.unodat.e,

They sew no ~arm in

iostit;u t";i orrs 1:0 ex] E1t " !from our anfJ] :'lIS i eli o:f
'wby

allowing

d8~ocratic

oont.r o.l I ad

democr-acv

cou 1 d

it is apparent ~bab
Q,ert&in confidence

that

sOlne-how tbelx

own fms Lt.Lon and power

parejesand

would

not

be

adversely

affeoted. All Lanc-e

by oPPoBi'I;ion
.e I

polit.iC's

i-te~

t-o

keep

the

sy~:d;;elll

lHstorir;!a.l,
PBl'~

ecr.molltio.pol
cnmbil'll"3u

i tical. tOIii:'ether

eul Lur-a I ~
t,o

paycbolQgi.cal

and

una 1 i ty fp.! ct,ore

give

the

All:i_ arroe

e 11 tes

that oonfidence"

phase

of

'the Independence nlore eorrt.r-o 11 ed

period? and

I~ i'I~ -brue that; democr.a.cy thaD

today pa5l't?

is ovcn

ci r-oums or i bed

it wns 1.0 the

The Indepl!Jndenoe Period: It

prement

The' Seoond Phai1e '( 1970-Present)

tha.t
,the pa.s~ i~

wi.l1
by the

be
yeer

ohsenri~

meparatoo
this" the io

from
00

tba
MI:!lY

:l 969-70.

1'bez'e is

a ·l_~easou.for

13.

1969

;an othn ic riol;

O:f the

bl;'oke lOut. in Kuala

l;'

Lumpur. occur-r-ed
r

[i'aderal
Mal aysi
11

oapi tal. since

haJ of-a.-dozen
'Was

i ot~

t.hat

have

1945. the

th i a
th i I'd

the

mosb s!~r Loue. e let!'t i ems.

25

'rne-

iQt happened

3' days

g'fI!!t1eral

Follo""lng
21 n'lcmth~.

the
ThiB

riot.
ilS why

parl1ftlllent8Tji'

d~mo~radY

wa_~ slJl>lpended to us.

for

the Ii ne this

year in was to

1989-70

\s important

It is B sort

of

dividing for we.re

our illlalys -1 IE; of' tb e ~tt'lte when the

f;ly!Jt~m

of democn~cy in Ma.lays i a i""5; ins ti tlitiQrls

i tse-lf

end all

brought,

a temp.orary

hal t,.

einoe"

2')

ThA /Jover-nmen

t.. hfl.El alwaYR maintained

the:!:; demoora.cy

bad

1,.0

be

e bhn i o 151 sue'~ and

GBluSl?d

n the

e 1eot. i on campa: l.g'n, Indeed. in

If.H!lcal8.ted

et.hnio

tensions the'

thi3 May 1:3bh riot." exuberf'.r:Jce of

1t haa often
lhe

poiotedto so

pI~ovonat ive

elem.ents

OppOSl Lt.Lon

s'barkly

oap i tal
gu lIt

2
26

days

nfter

t~he po Tl s ~

..

1ike
component part.iFl!'.1 of

t.hf.'l Allil"l.nc~,

whIpped

up oommunal
tl'ue'

f.f6ntlmentt!l
that at
the

It~ j s aJ.SO

viotory
extraordinarilY 111ctY even would had lad be

prcoession

which

wao

abu~ive.
t,o the aotua
1 ou:tbreak'

It
of t.he riot" the
Ruspeasjon
6V

i~ of

rscrt

ftl" r- to

'Put fill it i on"

·the b l ame for

I

deonoc.r acv

upon

·t..h e

OPPOs

On -t.he corrb t;ary ~ the

idence

!Seams

'lOne
emergency
( NOC )

fl uspens

i on O'.f

rl emooraoy

·th e deroLar-at, i 0'1'1 or Na.tior~al

s tate

of

and thF;. amtabl ishmen.b ofa

0;

Oper~t;.ion~

Council

to e-dmi

f>'l1:>l'l'r,the

C:OUtli~ r:,>~.

end

ex-pend

its

pol it i ce l

POV/EJ:t"

For:' the

All ],e.nce

had

~uffered

It~ parliamentary majority

Beats. Merdek,a.

.:in Peninsular It.s At

poplIial"

Mnlaysie vot-e

alone

'wam s Laahed

by more ·tha.l.l

20

Wei.S we 11

below
oat

50% ~ tho. lr;Jwes t ever to the

s Inoe

sta'lt9

1 eveL,

it]

Penanl1

newly- f'crrmed and

almost
26

los t Ked.ah and

Tt"'Emgganu

failed
P~rfl,k

to

dimlodge

t.he PAS from

r{elantan.
:i. t

The Alli.f.lt1oe

r ef.e Ined
'With the

wi ~b a p8,per~thir:J
in

maJori t.y whi Is Both had

wtH!!

""';9
in

deadlooked
BB.ch

oppomi·t.ion
ABF.I~mbly.

Gelangor.

1'4 seats still

in

t.he
the

State
Centre

However, ·the oth~r

·the AlliAnce

power- at

end Ln all

~ bate;lB

whe:r:e poll in.g' had

J

been

comp1etarl.

2"7

Gi yen
p.olitical
HH39

t,h,e r-uI in!,! ooali t.ion

process w~g especiallY

s overwb~hl1l.ng

dominance

of
of

th,e

in t',he' mid~60s;
shock to some

the
of

outcome

t.he
A

contes·t;

au unbeal'6.ble

i tEl
'felt

Le ad e.r a .

section

within

t.he rJMNO ie3.de('!";hip

in particular

that

if

l~hi8

Lrr 'I;noir
pOwer
I

nllnds,
the

is

ofl;e.n equated
of

w:l.. th

Mal a.y

they

even

argued

tha:t,

downfall

the

par.ty

wouId mean
&

the

da'mis~

of

Malay

pol it. leal

preerulneOOQ.
the

Thera waG

strong

ethnic

motiva:tion

·t.hen to

reverse

anti-UMNO,

.a.nti-Al1iance

SURPerJdingdetnocracy

served

tOI:'lr.rest

a.tu."'Lrptly

t.he t.remendous
'I;r)

momentum. which the elec'hi

ons,

the

OppOS it ion

had bui I t up prior

and

durina
i

Ai :J. pol t t.:l cal

ac I;i vi-I:;ee: werenow i

p 3a-ced in

cold

At

the

flame

time.

the

All
1',0

iSba!:!

:i.n g-etl~t'aland

UMNO in

partl.oulaJ;'"

used.

the

emergenQY

refurbish

ibs

imf"4!te.

decis'ion

instructiotl e..lso made er",dicat@.

Siociety

in schoclls ontha
povert.·y New

with immediats Economic Policy

ve of
t.he

effect.
(NEP).

An announcement Th~ NEP

and

was to

aimed
re$t.ructur.e

irre9pecrti a

,at.hnic-i ty
enrl. of' 20

in

such

way 'bhah at

yeF.I1'·~ 30%

of

oomlflerce,

iodus1.1"Y

Ill'ld thO'

profe~ ~i nria WLlU lJi9 i. n Me.] 'El.Y hand 9 . ld

constitution.

.It prohibited
to the

anyone from qiu:!~tioning position of Malay

fl!':l

cotll':Ji;.itutiot:'L6.1

cla.wH!!l5l partil'hd.ng

t.h!."! soll9

offioial

apeoia.l
legi timll.te of the aspi r.nt;.ions of the ot.hers. lef.l:ders o I ti:2lenFJhip
t'al!{a.rded

the
and tbe a.s status

Sultan15!.
both

A] Ll errce

t,nese

senmitivEl

is{SIue:s which in differen"t; respeotive for

unden iab Le

the Mt.l..l~y and non-Malay

to
nnhanGF.l

opposition

had. ell.o-ploited witb i.heir

ways in order ethnic

c()n~tituencies.

2a

tbeir popularity
The All iance

] aad.fll""'B· concern

it
thai; 'I.;,bes e erneridments

is

't-, 0

the

con~t. i t.~ltI on
J

ini.tiated

primB.ri ly to t.akB che wind off

the· opposition

I'!!

sal1~.

the doubt

21-mouch a

suapenllii.on

ofparlian~entaI'Y effecti

'democracy

W&S

with.out.
Th iliii
was

stroru1.er

I:ll.'ld more

ve

organi~8.tj.on.

espeoially-true
Tbe

of UMWO.
of

leadership.
at tbe he Im, Tun Ab~jq1 Ra.zak. who replAced the Turiku ,

The

it;

is

often

made ou·t to be.

It was tbe result of a

subtle

but

retirement

as TJMNO Presiden.t

and

Prime

Minist;er

of

t.he

oourrt.rv.

Tun

R~2e!.k, who

was

Deputy

fJMNO President

a.nd Deputy

Prime

:w

would

fight

for

'the

Malay

Ofl.U~e

\'ri'th a !';ll~nse of'

opinion of b is

commi LnH''!nt
o['i tios;

111

oont.r-e.s t

to the

'l'unku who.

Ln the

hnd

hrul

lost

so many seats to PAS.

as; thep,a.r.ty that

PAS~

and not

UMNO.

""fU~t

he Ing

per.eei ved

wou 1d advanQe

thr3' M="I] ay po~ i tl on. the Tnnkn

At the! Game i~ime"

by giving

into

,the non-Mal f.;lYS,

demanded.
ao commod fit 6
j

bobh @iven

t,he

MeA

lllJd relat.j

boa

MIC

oou Ld

not
au

l?o;,,~sibly

'th~ir

omshh~ wlth UMNOin

lnter-

oppo~it.ion

pa.rtie.s

who.
CQllld

beoause
e~;PQ'J is f;l
I'

they

wer~
and. I fill. i nn wi tbit_l
(lMt-lO

encumber-ed

by

a.ny canst

rai nt;,~ •

en i.llElfl:e
Tu.nku

alJl;lpiNltion~ nl>l t,I'm;,Y 1ikf:!d.

The opponent,s

,of th~

Qanclud~d

that this wa~ tbe reason why the MeA snd the ~IC support wi th in the i r resp~ct Lve
consti

lo~t
i [l

cons Ld erab 1e

tu eno i e5!

ArPIfar
liabil i tyto

8.9

t.hese people
the Alliance

were

concer[]ed

them ..

the

'l'unku t"alS non-Malay

in securint=C both

MB flY and I

~upport;.

at. the'['hiBi

mum
O\.":'rJ

he

wal':t !'lot

VIi

IIi ng

to

do.

[Jis

personal i ty

wa..t\I

an oba tao l~ o f sor.ts. culturevdthin tbe

More crucial

however

was
have

t.helBub~Dolit:i.ct\l

UMNO 'i>7hich might nob

Deputy

party
"

..
.'
-'
I

,
I

,'

I·,

, I.
,i

I'

29

-.

Obviou81y~Tun pa.rty

Raznk could not p08:5;ihly ascend tbet.blrooe through

and. open democratic hop. As d i recto!' of the
'MOe ,'l'un

e Lee b l orrs

pol itto!;;! ,.

There

had

to

be

:some qther 'i-be

way of get:!; :Lng t.o the

HOG

pr ov ided

the

·arHn.,er.

country nounc I 1

du:r:i.\),lif with

the
\_ t.s

ent i rf3l dU.Tat i on oftb~

V!;l5t

emergency.

Through hi.!;;

't.h i!!l

powers,

he ert.r,I!;:lJn.sthaned
'IjI.&.¥

po] i t:'i.onl

pas i t1 on and pro j ect€d th~ MfiY 13th his rtot. ardent

It:., i s

imaJl.e as the

i out" of

·the land. ,after opportunl f,y

end to to

The NOC provided supporters

him w:i.ththe

looa:t.e

~,n ~tr.a.tegio

pos L t.iol'le

me'tbods the

we:r~ used. ·to enaur e Tun R;a~ ilk. ~s

6

as oendanov
'(;lnd
TlUlk.u~

and t.o has ben i,nst;iUlce~ were

Tunku~

e~i t.

S,tudent:

-d..emon!1fi;.ra1Hop5>l t"or f'oi$on-t'lem

organi$~d.
WBt"B

flQ'ainsttha

'runku..

anonymOUI!ll
I'SI

letters
failure a weUwh i eh

dhrbributed prot.e.ct. the

wide] yo ct'J.tiQisinatb..~ Malay pDai b Lon,

to

29

e.l]Lcged ..,v~n

There

wa.a

Qrebestr8.t.ed. attempted

whLspel' infil' campaign t,o port~r~ the Tl.lnku as

wi 1:;11 in

the Mal ay ooeunun i.ty

an ef feta.

1a.ckada.i..1'iI a L stooge Lc

tna:;t tbe
He

pte~sut"e. i"I::. with 'bh~ King that ha

upon

h Lm wa.s ,gt"le,at ~t;,he

Tun ku dec ided

t,o

q!,Jit:..

thn.ed
8,$

the p.ppointment of b::'i.r!lnepheW',

(Ya.ng D1 Pe r'buan wall Ld not oorrb mue

the Sultan
he had

of

KedahJ

Agorul)

$.ine~

indioa.ted

previoulffly

a.B .l?r:tme Min i stel~ when

bh is

3f]

tha:t

i t;

W&~

the Al I 'lanoe
from

01;' mot'19 speoiiipaj

l1r a.
M.i!IY13th.

group '30

wi tbin

UMNO~ th~t

benefit~ted

t;be

a.fte·['ltIIath of

To t"e};lel't·l:;.
I!'\

il, is doubtful

whet,her

'l:he IH.llllnmJ

could

.have t'I,9Qoupad in ~UQh

11 it hail nO't be~n

fOj!""

tl'le

21-rnbn1;h

So.sp!:ItlEliOl1 p&riiantentary of

-demooracy.

Lhey

uncle{'score

oer be i h

sal i eftt

feature!1J

i.n

the

pr~ct. i CA

of

cmly

-t;hing

1::.ha·t. ma.tt;ereO Par 1 i t'! me r:rt a. t"'Y

war!! 'bhe power demooraby

and posi t:i.QU

fie!'.;

of

the

l"ul ing

All ian oe .

W'a:~ acr.H~pt8.b Ie

lon,~

,9t

Lt

Th i f)
!:1!XCc:':.pt

.i s

"true

that

a number of t;ncsi9

who were prepared

1;;0

~ubardinai:;e

pow~r tbat

wa.s· sought PQwe~' for

and

~ eml.red: n:t ~roup

-;t,ne

e~pens: e o.f d.emac:recy

wat"li

ao'tua.l1y

the

am -a

whole. wou Id

for

OMNO.

for

the

AlIi anoe . Th i til i 11> why the

power argument

6rt i 11 be va I ld.

inc l1iJding ~qu.ally

0

d::irrdn i ahed
Le Ell'

support

al~d

ilino1ul':ln Ious
is

de£ee.'l; .

I'"

wall! and

from ·the ep is ode thaJ:.. both

id.es •

gove:rt':lm~nt

:31

in

one

1ns l:.aJ:lce,

+o r.~m.8.i n in

!;lower and
~

to

r-e in/oroe

on~'s

position;

in

~nother ins ,aoce, to aohieve power

nod

to

'l'h~ 1971.

filusp.;ms i. on of The NOC

"'18~

pal" 1 i ementa.ry dissolved and

democra.c.-y

end ed and

i [) lj'ebruB:ry
the

Pa.r Ld amerrb

St:a.te
it:l.merrt,

Amf:l~m.1-~l ieG political There

were

reshored.

With their-

the

eestor-atio:tl

of

ParI

partil';)S r eaumed

aotivities. ~l ec
t.iOllBi S inca

have. be err ::3 general

l'lltl9.

This

meaUB;

:1:lhfnif;y delHooratic elec'i::i.oDS, been all

rule

is

sc LlI

'there.

And the 80tllal oonduct of olean. 'fhare have not

said

and dons,

im rel.e.ti,veLy swi ten tng or

u,ny Cases of

b~.11ot.+box

ball ot -~stuff i.ng'.

t:.bQu~h not,

8.El

i ndejiend ent

as tho!!! B

in

.he

is

lx:t;.i es , have

not

really

sur eerxler ed their p·orbaPG ~ociatias oonsumerism B.ocieti~sare a 11 'Sorts is the

6U'tOl'lonur totally emerg'enoe

a.b ou 1:.

to

the

State.
I

More signi ficant publ I c int.en~~t

from

of a whole rle;trlut, a
variety

0-/

oonc-erned

of

i!,mues

ranslng

to

the

envi t"onmetd:~wol'ke·r and 'WolIlen and vooe.I thougb

00$.

rights.

'l'hese
by

P.l.ol-..ive!l of rest.r i cti

t,hey a.r,ealso

encumbered

Ls oQneth@ less· abI ~ -t:o

B;1"t

i C\J late

i!I orne

l~ al~a
has on

judioiary whinh
oocasions J]

in spite of ~Il the ob~taole9 it rac~~, a remarkablrf1! degl.~ee of

OOlr;r.~gl"il

di~p'la.yed.

and

i.ndepBodfll'Qca.

All
of

in all

then

some of the wid.ely a'Dcepted

coot Lnue to

cnarQoterhrtics

democrat. i 0

government

be ~.p t"eserrt .

For whate.";,rer

1tt:hIe

demoqr~oy

is

l~ft

is

unde r

the

conF.ltant

threat

of
end

d eo ir.IJ,I~tiOn. mora fe t.tered

Tn.,!:!l.imi te,d freedom

that exi5t:;G is getting more fette.l:'ed freedom of

by the
WEI

day.

I b is th iii

bhe

70s and BOa tha.t

muS"!:.now examine.

evan

before

Parliament
in

was

re~tore-d Un i led

In

lt~ebruary

1971.
(SUPP j

The as a of

ALI Lance

rOlh9d

t,h~ Sara:.wak

Peal' le ~ Party s

new

coalition

partner.

'The aim wa,s to

stren~then the po!!:ition.

and, also

tbe Aillano.e

in Sarawak stat.e

politics

.to increase the

A f't.en.':' S [JPp )

erot i ce e~rt·a.in Progress

OPP(lS

t t Lon pa.rt i es in 't.he Penf.nsu 1a.

joined real thE! Al Lf.enoe,
.6."5!

The People's
Geraka.n in

i ve Party

(PPP)

"did the

1912.
was the

[-Iowever~

the

trophy for:thf3,

All Lanoe under

Tun Ra~ak

inccH'poratiotl fm:u' fo:nnar

i 1,£\li31fdeeided

of PAS in1,o

the- r'Lll inll coali ti-on in

in the the All iance

un::!_
tbe

Witb

these

6pposi t ion pa.t"tie-s to change its

,

ooa I H:.ion (Barisatl Hhy

name to

N'a.iiionalFrQut

Na.siot')aJ) the

Ln ordert.o 32
to

refleot
ooalesoe

the

l)BW'

reality.
ouris primary how the is in an

pa.rt~ie~chose

is not. really find out

What we want to
pat'

forr.aat Lon

0f

ooa I i 1:. iQOS

a.-f'feoted
COtlB 8.

1iarnenta.ry

demooracy ..

It

obvious

that

it waakel.'n::d Insofar democr-aoy.

fl~

idel~a;bly the

p'olit:ical

opposition 1G

the o:ount.ry. asset

retard

vigor-otis

and dynamic phenomenon By 'the

opposition merely ~arne

to

the coalH;.ion

served token. bad

to it

the

deve lopmen t of t.he

5 yst,em.

JiltrenS'thened

toe

Bar i san

,tOo

.suon an extCtlt

th at.

it

a lWQst

What tbe

Alliance

ooali tion

manoeuver-s .

the

p.olitloel

sysl:.:.em. in 1976 o~tensihly to Bn~ure pe~ce

ftnd

(ESCAR) se'ourit::r. ESC'AR

formulated
violated

bas Lo principle!'!';) of natural

Wa.a deemed evidenoe

.jllstice.

Under

an aOQuIYed person

HuiH;y

until

hiN irmoQ.e!oce

wns

pl."OVell.

Even law.

t.hat

33

hearsay

could be admitted. in oourt under

a S,edit'.icln, Act w.hioh

'I'herre weu: also or act"i vi ty

inter-a.I
ill-wi

itt.
11

prob Lbfbed

speech

'I:;,hat cou Ld O'r-eate racial

or effUSe ho.tred. 'bowards the

could
and

Yang di

1?ertuan

AganS'" habr-ed

What. ~xact] y

lead

to r ac i el iiI-wi thus

11 or promot~

",e.g
lor

left

vague

nebu 1OUl3 •

p.:t"t)Vidi.n~'

pien·t;y of I'soope ties and Uni vet's ity

arbitrary AQt of

itrt.erpretat

ion.

The rJniversi

Collegeill'

EI"h"'Pliei tly

to

cur b student.

aoti v ism.

'l'he 1975

f.irn end men tEl

in

also

pravides

for

ihe establishment
o·f aoademim'il .

of rule~ to Just Bar

0f

re~trict

th~ are
tro

po lit i ce L

acb i v it i f]g

as

aoademics forced
Ylh i ch

controlled

in

t.his

way.

so

j,G

the

Council

c-omproruis€: its
1'!ffec·t;. a.llo~
profettls Lon ..

autonO]DY

through

&11 sorts
to

re,gu Lab i.ons

cQtl'tl"ol

ira
the'

the

government

exercise

over

i9hi Le newr·ep.res.siva
have bean t'ev81l1ped to make

lawB them

have
even

been

introduced,

some old

ones

more t'Q't"midable.,

'I'he pre§E!t'lt

Publ ica'l.i.on
iJ owe n;J

Act

for

iostl+noe

giVR~ the

S'overnm!':Jn1~ w1de~

'Bweeping
and

bo
the

restrict
production

the

im,port

,of fCH-eiQ'n
of

publ iO'stlm'u5 local

to ,enn
izes

oont.r-oI

and dits·trlbutl.on the

newspapers 1983 central

l1la~azrnes , Simi la.rly

60ci at1 ~~ ,Act ame-ndaodin

even more author it:y

of Rome Affairs azuf ,

in
at

t.he Regl 'sl~r.Ar of Societ i El.s and the Mini EI t.er ·I:.he f!lame 1:;,iroe.
makes
COli

it

m.orr;;:di.fficul

for

snc l et ies e:m,endment:. prevailing or propos

·to seek to

red rf'ts s ,througb t;he

tn e

rts . has

LikeW'iB~, reinforced

t,.h.e 1994 the

orfi

La l

Seonrts

AC't where

ou Lt; of f'lI'!)Crf}CY -1:;0 a. point;

ed "!-~t.a,te po 1 ie i eS

even vitftl

information

a.r~ heev i ly ,gu arded

by an ioo·reasing ly

inaccem s: i b Le bureaucraoy'. :Even of har~huesa - was old 1 fiW6'i' have

thB.t
F.HJtnfrt i rIlSS

oeen imp 1Ement.Bd

60s.

W1 th

the

sort in

was rat'e

in the

The lElA - illS in

.!l Ca.ge

ptliot.

appl i ad who were

quite

indisorimi-;l'lat.ely advooa'te
[ui! wexe

the

mid-70s. not.

Ind I vidual~
ma'C1;1H~y r

not; known to
!:irlY r-eokon.l

vi.olence also
detH.

and 'Ware inad

tbre9..tG

by

wi t,hout

br 1e.I better.

f()f,'

1Qng' pe.ri odjs ,

Eli.nee

Of cour$e ~
Mohalllacl

'bha' ~ i tuat i. 00 today became Prime

is

1 Q,b

Dr-. Mahathir

Minis:l;;e'r in July

1901 the

l!I

l~:t"lleumber n

of political
were

deta~nees

have been

released. At
det6inef!B
1

end of 1985.. there

r!l'ore ·than

less 'thm:l 100

thG end of

politioal
However
J

oomparrni to
eomB9 to

1;· 200 at

1960.

when .it oerta.in

i tis

other

laws

'w-hien have exJ.L'9ted 811 along

like

Iabou r 1Aws•
predec'9.!3S0rs.

tbe; pI'e~ent

1. ea.derahip

is

[10

1e~ B pun it i ve than

90C

iety

wni en
Mo~t of

il1il], oa,t j3
the

bh at t,her6

i s.

Sn~o.ter
grDups

author

it ariat:d sm
to
01:)6

todaY.

l1.fl'wspr'1l'er!'!J are

owned by

linked

Apfirb from
eff"eoted t.hrou,gh law~ which
we

control

have

a I ready

riu l.ed

subjeob~d

to all ~orbs of informal ~crutiny.

down certB.in
newl>I st.o.J,:·es i or Ilre

Th(~jr are

f:l(.ltltetinwu~

asked -bo play to i.griore

1::.0'd by au bho. it ie~ Whf.ltry to

Qet'tail"J. ,R'rot.lp~and i.ndivi.dl.la.ls.

Journa.lists

out.

There

have been

one or two oa!';'ss of

jOl.'lrna

1. iats baing

forced

important

person8g:e.
and 'their ed l tors call,ed up

1Lrre ar-e admonisb.ed

thei

l'

',PtJbllshiru!r Of
i'J,oursa

licence nhe

del iber:abely Ls not the

delfiYHd,
on]

34

0;1:'

the

renewl'll

of

pre!';;!!!

nab i tut,ion

that,

has.

Si.'lf:fared

'the

nooseqttence:y

of

overwhe1rnini 1 inti-ted

t>·t~t,0 power.
I

{Jppos i t I on

pol iti.(}al the

a.

lllll--t,ies

have

vel'y

c~h:~mnels 'of

com.municatiotl

with

general

pub! io.

Some of

them do nnt

have

the

permi 1-, I;n pub I ash

par by organ.

Ot.hers

ar-e P. i ven 1 i 'I: b] e cover a.ge io

the

da i 1 ie51 . poll ti.oa.l

pru.--ties

have

be~o

banned
covers
SAY

from

orga:nisl.l1H government parties

public:
and
are

rallies. opposi bion

facht"lically,
pH1:"tie!':l..

t;·ho

ban
to

both

NeedletlJs

the

g(Jvernment.

not

affected

,the

people

t.hrough

the masS llledi~.

The opposition

sltuaLion

i9

made ~ven more unten~bl~ by th~ shorter election c~mpaign

of 2 -:3 weeks wb i ch
hl~ ve 0 DW

periQd~

become

tb e

"IO~ue,

36

The si bue.t Lon oon f r-rm't..1ng 't.rArlp. unions

is

not

very

diffe1:-ant:. office

UnlikE!

trade

union

Lead.er-s

c]moQt ho1d

113

from maki.ng
when

any fins_ncj

al

contl'ibtl"l:;iol1 1abour

t,a pol i 1:;ical

t.he r.a

parties;.
~r e

E-vou
numerous

it

t:offie.9

to
In

p~.H~e y 1

a.ot i v it i es

re str i ct;. ion!i! . prohibits

pione'er

indus tries,

fot'

l'nsturu::e,

the

la.w it

col 1act:. Lve

Indirectly

therefore

of a un Lon _ Equally
of' Labou r can i

'1;;1

igni fio-ant.

in

the trade dispute

the Mio istsr

on

hi~ own gocord,

This: is Labour-. interest pal i.tic~l

refer the

diapu't~ tn
power

the
tbe

inrlustrinl goverrlment In bett~r

eve:h

oourt. wire lcls a lStense.

a ite:fleotion

of how mu,ch

over

public

fl'ocH~l;.ie!!l may be on a

sli~h-bly But
by

w· ok~t compB.l;'ed to
in 'the i l'" rra ~ to! autiho rL t.ies. public
j

partiels
,

and

trade

unf.nns .

t.her-e
SQmB

i Sol If.ro,,,,,~ ngev~(lence societf~!';l

of ~ hat'a.!J~ment·~
have not. been

the hal d

of thes'~

able

to
081

I"llemino.rs and talks

on

:isnnres

\!lith

.l'i

socio-po1:l t1 t1bta i. n

or iefltat i on

PAr I;lybec-au ~B it is ·96 d i t' f' i, cu It I1~is also know-o "hat by

to

·approva.l

from the powers -that-be. in these au t1'1 ts Branch, the

:ind.ividu!ll1'9 active from

tl:iI~

a.re !!loltleti IDes vis i ted intelligence addr!l'msed to In a .are

pe·r:-9 onne 1

Spe'cial letterf.l

arm of the t.hese

policel.

Now and then

and parcels
t~appl9d.

gX-01.lps dr-a

opened and bhe i r of publ I o is on

nO

telephones

nubshe.H ~ wat.ched

the

eoti vi tieS!
lly . 'rher!2

soo i. a it iss appreo i a:t:i on pollc:l.l9s. o'f

oarefu

·thei l~ r01 e as chanl'la Is ·for-· feedbaok. any I.mdet'stsnding

:pub1 i c

Nel thelC' is there

of the oont r i.but.Lon

37

If
ere

the

curbs
tbf'ln

and re"striD.t
the St,ate"'

ions
H

upon :gpec Lf i.o grou.'P5 t.oworci!3

~ any

in sooiet,y
ong'anised

bad,

r-eaot i on

This is
And therefor-a.
1'1..1 r-a I

Mala..v protes I;s i.noe the

bas

Mel flY commun 1. ty

L')

lnst 1b.rte$

UMl"\fO pol it ical ia

e,

an the-one rising inflfltion,

on

ha.nd.,

fIlnd

Lhe

0 t.he

r,

dec idod

-t.o

confrol."rt.

the

frolli de1~a.ining' oer-t.a.in

peasan-t

leooer'9

and

organisct"s

for

a whi Le,

alrnopu.nish.ed. for

A, fow

o.f thrml

we r e

i mpl"':i~ nl"~~d unde!" the

16A>

~ long perlnd.

inequities,
jt

t~he as the

I:t()vel:'oment ring

agai.n ar-r es t.ed a. fr~w

Lnd.i.vf.due.Le

",hom

relfarded

leaders"
I

However.
'eU ra.I Ma1ay

t.he rnont, d.ramat i C

if not, tragi

epi fI()d e 1 r11/O vi ng 1

ocburl;'~d

coo frol.) tat;hu:'l 1985.

wi. th Sta te l?,r)w.;'.lrand autbor i ty

the searle
WI'l..S

i1"1. November

Otlce fII15rdn

Ba,lins.

Kedah

this
ff

time

the village of M6m~li.

the ma.i'rnrity

A PAS

transhold.

Memall
aubs i at

is

poor
m~e.gre

kampung ,

o f wbosie inhabit;.ants

upon

frow
thore dis cl'" i m.i ria t ion d"'velopment
typef-ll of

rubber
was

smallhclding~.
s ome
Mental i
'If

its
of ~ oertaiL'l
it

pAs
of
to

e\l"idanr;s

degrea
o~ntB

.ftg l-t i nst

8,od.1 t s peop I e when

On

pru.jectiFil,

i 11 BgF! l':ebabi 1i tati

progrr-nlls

and

ot;h~r

sta.te assistanr;e.
thif;l.

Local-level
f'or

UMNO offici.als were mainly

or 1'.wo. thf-ill:e had b~etl

)'~!I;Hilpousibl-e' foe

a year

30

a l I e.ged ly trying organised to

!Some ba.r,as::smet'1 of -t;

ki§!BP

tb eo v i l.I agars pol j tioaJ leadership.

by t~alk~

pn 1 i. ca· end

persoone 1

cheok

on

di ~cu,g-.siQns "'I;.he

by

-the

Loon I PA'S

Wh:ahex~cElt:"bat,ed:

Ebr-ah Lm M'aht:nlld ( or

Ibrahim through

Libya}

who had gathBlCed

a cOItlmitted

following of

it. MemaH. the

UMNO-

biE! r'eligiol..!iliI

piety

9.l.1,dfiery in

denunod at.Lons

Edu.cated Ibrahim., fena.tioat

t;n~.dit.iotlal adoptiad a

Is lamtc s'omewhat to dogmatio, he.ve been

from
approach

all

&Ooount~.
re Ug-ion.

1::.0 the

He was supposed 1984 for allegedly

de'tRifled under -the' ISA in

Beptember

advocating detention
full
f'olrce
ste,ad:;,r

vi6lenoe
orde·r te

in the struggle
nob

for jystice.
Il'S

Apparently 35
came out

the
in

could

be ~el:'ved

the

vi llage

proteot

tbrabim
of

from

the
this

po] iof.'i.

This

led

to

e. and

d.et,eH' i err'fit j on

relat i ens
agatnst ·agai.nst

between

t.he

village'

tbe

authorities.
ttl take

It

Wfl.S

backd.l:'QP that the polic-e

deoided

stern

aQtion~

Ibrahim.

And I'

6:0

on 19 Novembe:r 1985 to sur-rendee

~I0!;ilhe:8

after

attempt:f$ bo persuade the

Ibrahim hfs

and his

followers:

had fai lad, that police erupt.ed~

pol ioe stormed

bouse , It! the violent

14 vi llage,rs died,

fOr:! 1

ud i nil Lbr ah 1m,waf'1'3 Id U ed vh i 1a 4

personnel

More than 15Q vi

women and

i le.t{ers

,we're 'fhe

ded:;aloBd

initially
iwnedia:tely less 'tban

ohi Ldr-en .
and publio

bann€dpolitical ,6 s-ta:tes-Kf.3dah.

talks Peel is;

d Lacuas Lons

Ln

no

36

PeD~U:lg PeI-'ak ~

(the

nor-t.her-n

otheJ;

!sta:tes

men 1;.1 oned ~ espec i -ally

'Kelan-tOOl ~ Trengl,ite,Tl.u and Kedah.

er-e .koQWO to ooutain Sljb!I:rI;ant.1al

o.a.mpBigtl wa!'il a

PAS

strongbolds,

ma.ssive
over

1so

I al. mched .

by H1ie Bar i s an gcnrel'nment,

the on ly

state - run r-ad i.o and te 1ev'i ~i on and ;.ri.a.

bhe nawspapere:

to not

pf§ll"'suad.e

the

pe.. wople ,the

that one

"the official

version

of

the

Mernali

tregedy
the PAS.

is

correQt

but a.lso be discredit

ilS pl!'!rbop11il one Ilitate

and
the

denjgra:tB most. vivid!

Memt'll i ~ Ln ret,l:'ospeo'I;.,

of

demonsbl."at.iom::

of

the

massive

u.s~ of

power

on behe l f of

the

ruling e Lf,tes.
The d ispl~ of power in 'Crushing actual protest.s From 70s onwatyJ.~
corn in[(
I

is

by

no
III Id-

'bh'~

there

have
at)

been

a number

of

'c'a~e's of

the

~ovB'rnm:ent.

down

heav i ly

[!'ed,~ralLand

Dev e 1()pruen-b

Authority

s i·buf;rtion. and 01 ties

Squatters
0-1' the

\ptbo a r e fdund wejSlt coast·

in

almost

all

the

IJ1I3.,jarI~owns
have

of Perri nsu lor

M.alfl;nll 18

also

from
:Ls

El 0 La 1 grcll ... 0 tps anot.her

,t;yp~

evoked
of'

certa. i n respons irrte:rac'tion

19$, from

th~ S't.B.ba. now

Thst'€1

t.ha.t

w,e mU!?lt

analyse.

Sometimes

the

State on its own volition initiates

"file w-ay
j

~ome
the

me~sura
Sttite

wbioh

hand 1es

tbG'

rel;l.crbion

often In the]

r'evea is 'i ,t~ 1ack ast

of

caromiment t
thel'el

to have

demoora.tic been a couple

values. of .such

thrl!!B or foul" years

i.nc Lderrt.s . t,o locate

oJ' Papan

The government, vicini'ty of the

de'oided village

a nucle·ar-waste stu.'te of

in the

dump in 37
PerF-lk.

bhe the

Their Expeoted 1y t.hey prr:rt'eJsted vehement.ly.

cp Ln t 008 ware

not

!1Iollght,

They feared

for

their

At

the

beginning

government

leaders

a.t both

federal

and

~tat!'J!

tl.l

levels

ignored
they

their protest.
st.ar bed to di a I ague w itb t.. v :1].1agars ~·
But.

momentum,

and

the
the

at

sam@ time~ the du,mp at

EI wh.i Le ,

theyconti.nued Papan
'I'het"0
Wa.1S

to
Icor1"l"lct. no

insist Tbis bbat

t·ha.t. their
'Wf:U,;

dee Laion posi t,ion

to for

looate
qui.t.e
'I:',hs

tbt-,;ir would

was

sign

t..he;'t

sr:::.cooe

to

vi 116.gen!l ' batter

['equest abandon

to

move the the

en"bt r e

ch.llt'1p ,to s orne un 1. nh ab i ted projeot., 'ihe vil1e,titars.

plfwe ~ or howeve Their r,

E:ti 11

ware det6r~ined to continuB

and their

tbeir figbt for justioe. reme.rkabl-e .. decid,ed

1:,0 0 1a1,ed

wi, 11

stamin8 were simply tha.t; t.he government

It.

Wa.8

p,artly

beoause

or

this

mae'!:'. the
s-po'b, but Dst"lk

villagers'
t,h~
Pl'O j

l"'eque~t.

The dump was moved 1;...0 an is 'fhe

act

renla..ins. interverrtion

Deputy

Prime

Minimter~

MUliIa. [Ii,tam" s a. solution.

was a dec:i..si ve ('aotor

conoer-ns

in arriving

at

The Elecol.1d episode Buki t Cina. in M.ela.ka.

at) ~1'lcieri-t. Chine~e 1'1984, the bhe

burial M191aka

51.i te

at

Somst im.e in

Stste

guvermnent it for,

{"umounced that co'lnmel'cial tho:t

it would take over

purposes ..

sl·te

and develop

and au H:.ural

Tlougn there
touched
I

wa.s an it
was

assuranoe obvious

'I':ha gravElst

proper

would n.ot be leoti re

t.hat the

charaoter
There

of the

ar-ea would be transformed from a whole

quite
Chiuese bhe

dr8stically. social.

was protest

variety

()if

cul tUr'al of the

a.nd pol i tioal

cn:'ganisati.ons. governmen:t.
for

In spi 1:.e of refused to

iaten!'J i ty It to

protest,

th,e sta.te and

bud,ge.
1i step

ma,in't.e.ined oourrt.err created

tba·t it was t'ie'ht

a. refum~tlts .

a. whi Le refused

t.o in

The

Mel.a.ka. Chief
was not

Minister.

pat""tioulnl'

the.

ilnprless ion

that; he

really

rc;:ensiti ve
bBC'atl1e S,Q

to religious powerful

and cultural
a faw

sentiments.

But the prot-;est

aft.er

morrbhs

that, the s Lat,e government had. to ~i ve

tu.

It. r,eaahecl

a cmnpt'"omise

with

the

Chinese

'l'hB}' would in det.ermiu:i nil the 'type

C).;t"

- have

'l''IB'lllP] e

!!lltt.hclI:'i tieR

t.b€.l u H;im.nte for

sa.y

d~velo1?lnen'l~

m.ostap,p·ropriate

13ukH;;

Cina. The
have .itu5t

next, two episodes,

examined Ln t.hat actions they

however.

are

d:i 'f'ferel)'l~

from

whe:t

WI"J

they on

at''''' the

001:;

react]

on~ by the tbe

people

to

8dDli,nistrat~ ve Nonethele$~, like, tota.l The that,

Pl'l;.rt

of

govermnBl1t.
if
YO'll

gmaok of 't.he same .a.rroget"lce of power, in .Pa.p'an and Bukit. Gina. and democrat i fJ

was evident;.

di 5Il'egaM first incident in

8.

.for. dellll)(H.'at Lc norms ooour z-ed :in the in ear ly

,il

pr inc i 1? las. by~

oour-s e of the

Fadang 'rerap

e'iaction
conducting

Kedah

19'[}5.

Local

PAS

officials

were

cer-ameh in

Felde

scheme at, Lubuk Mer'ball wi thj n th~t

scuffle
fi

broke out.
nurnbnr- of for
the

It t~rned

violent. workers
t.he poli

ki 11 ed vand Wi-thout

other

pftl"'ty

,'(ere Qa,

!,;HH,:,iously

in Jur-ed. 'M:ini~ber

we LtinS'

findings

of

th~

Pl"'ima

The po l kce., on the other b and , ha~ not mad.e! i t9 flnding6'l pL:ll:llLo to

this

fla.y.
0

At the 51 arne time.

inquiry num.ber ohoeen of to

the gov8rt'lrflent:.

has r.eilJssd

to irHrtU;u t.e f\Publi

to thaI;
of

h'lto 'I;,hc incident. groups keep and Lubuk

~ in spi t~ of ple.ss From ,t.he look

eff.,crt

bye.

indivtduals.

thingEf.~

it ha:fiIi

Merbau

und,~:r- tIght

wra.ps.

To maka

matter'S

disseminating'
pruuphlet

informat.ion on the incident

by one of
i til'! members

1;0

the saneral PAS

public.
i:iI

/I.

produo'ed

Ili v:in.g the

ide

of

th09 story i gJ

was banned.

and the

alJ,thor obv i OUE;

deta.lned
:

under

the

16A.._
Bi

There

no need

to
Df

emph

a~ i:z;e the
i on

the
t.o

b) stat")."", ~uppr~s d -tsgeg:rt.

Sabah

on

of

tihe freedom Like testimony principle

bo ,form 19a 5.,
ill

e!;Xpt"6SS

and the

1"igbt

the
to

Lubuk Merbau
the

i nc t derrc ,

the a

affair

i t~

i"dso

grrJ$!'i vLo Lab i on of

funrlament.bl

demooC'a~jc

~ -tbis ttnH:': t:he right.

gr.;rVBr-nmP.'n t and to

of a dem.ocrat:! ce l Iv -e l ec bed P8.1~Y

pl3tlC~

r-uLe in

and he rmonv .

In

April

the

newly~ fot"Jned

Part i Won time,

8.

Bers ef.u Sa bah

( PBS) over

under

Detuk in

J09Bph power
BB.risan

Pa.Lr Ln Kitill!:1an
Ln Sabah a:t tbat

!5tl.i.nnin8' vi.ctory
BerJaya,

th~

party

a component.

member of 'the

Nas Lorva L.

The PBS ca.pt.ur.ed26 of the 48

e:o Q.-t.h~l"

s~a'9
J

contested.,
th@ Un..ited

whi 1 e Bel' Jaya

5l'l9'cured 6 and

oppos it Lon party took 18" Under another.

Sa.ba.b Nab.I ona l Oretan i sa b i on constt

the

(m:mo )

the

Sa bah

s tate'

tution.,
Sta,t'6

the

Chief

Minisb:n" I-I;. was

oa.n ~ppoint

6 member-s t.o
8.

Assembly" ma.jori -by _

o lee r the. t the

PBB wou Ld h!1.ve had

comforta.ble

However.
Kuala.

there

wer-e powerful

individuals
acolf!pt;

in 8a.bab. and perhaps -t..li.e verd.i.ct of of

e.

per.JPle.

.Lum.pur~ 38

who were not willing' to They

tried

the
.PBS

to

thwart

t~be Hea:d
0'[

fo:r'me1~inn Stat:;e to Though

lil:oVEllrnIr:lent

by pr-assUt:'inq

th'B Sabab

appoint thj~ , l'h~

tbe

leader

of

USNO8f'l 'the hew Chief was rectified

i

Minister.

vile,

wiokfld blunder
Chief Min :l_~ter

immediately

a.od Pairin
'the

appointed

the
OSNO

th e i- E;; sue

Ls now before

cour-t.s .

Tbe
:series head of of

legal

and

cOl."J.~titutional impediment
that
j

is hut
cope

orle of
as

ft.

di :f':ficLll t ieSi

Pa Lr-Ln has n Sabah.

bftd to

with

the

tb e PBS governmen'i:.

In May and JUne 1985 -tbere

were

a few u.nexplained

bomb

~xploaions ttl difft2l:reni:; pa['t~ of

the

'oapita.l.

Ko-ta

Kina.balu.

More

impm:'-tant.

there

i9

t:temendou,!1I

~[e

h B S lie.;in to Ld

that

PBS

is

nob mul 1~i -Atonio

DD51

and !JIU l"ti-re government

dr.'llw

1igious, is

Thera

have A:t;the
ot' to mere

even been
a ame

alle,flat]
J

t;br:rt

hi~

anta- Mus! 1m.

-t. i me

any ,att.empt image alllllog

by PBS to

more Mus1im support: i!!'l d i I3mime ed as

anhance

U:a;

die Mu:;:: i m m1. or i ty 1 n

propaganda

though from the outset it has tried very hard

It is llndeniftbly
governm,l'.mt

to ~ain m~mbarship..
in power,the. mQving from

't;.rue that

after

oearly and

10 morrbha besdeged,

PBS

t'E~mains beleaguered

ori~i~ to crisia.
Dt;lDying' a du ly-e 1ect~,ed group the right to gQven~l'lin peace and

It
serious .# :f'ot"
j-"~

h
a.

shows that

bhere

:i.E' unw i 11,il'liine!iHll

tb

acoept, s in

basic

rule

of

df:l:mOCl~at ie ge.lTIe,
m.OViSS

If

it wai'B .i'ust e Lememb

lise

Kata.

Kinabalu
theproblef.l) bhe
is

who wer'e behi.nd

wou.l.d not the

to destabi

tihe PBS gove:l'nment~

e,

have

bee'l1 insu z-mountsab.l

W1-rat

complieatl')'Si _peoJ;la in

it,~.H~:tion is

obv i oue r-e l uct.enoe

of

~mportant

Kuala. L\.lmpur - including

and moral.
'l'he:t

the Prime .Minister - to aooord

political

legttinl~cy the

to

the PES.
can act
in

Pr i me Min i.~ter

th ii$ mannerj, ve

is.

in

a
ao

8 r e f 1act i on of evident laws, in the

ever-" inc reas ihg execirt

domi.nanoe ~

It:us-t;,15 yearfl sectors

or

so. of

Apf:u.-t from society,

author i 1;8:1[':t an

ou cba upon v€ll'iaus

repressive

action

8Mainst P'flu:,ticultH'groU~!!lJ
peH'tiQular mi t.uatiow;

Bn,dthe

betrayal stud:i.ed,

of democratic
ex~cuti

nOl"ms i~

wb Loh we have

ve duminiinc€l

is

also manifestedthrou~h
be Long to
(')f

the

fict,u~l

ulllurp.ation

of POW61'S

tbat

rightfulb~ vital

the]

egis 1atUI"e

or the. judicia.ry. of 6 and

!il

On
,"ate

the
of' 'the

qu e51 ion t.. for

the

d eo 1nrat,i

on and cant iuuat inn is the execut; i v~ ultimate

instance.

it

no t.

leglslat,ure In faot

or

the ,judi ciary

that

e::<er:e:iSEIs

authori'ty

Par 1 iamen t doe!>! not on bhe dec 1a.rat. i on

~ve'[l h a va
Or

t.he

li:

igh I; bo quetil t ion in the oourse of

tbe
bhe

Gabi net

what

i"~ does

A~ i~ ~ll this centrali~atlo~ of power

in the Cabinet
\Y'etS

nob enough.
-the Prime

a further Minister

attempt
abso'Iut.e The
J

W6.fll

made in the t.o

middle of dec lar-a together ser

iOllS

198.3 to give
arid

disoretiot:!l ad 1aw

I:ilaint':a in another

an

emer,gency.

Pl'OpO~

wh i oh,

wi+.1;.
Q'OPSl't

pi'eo€! of

legialation had

beoeme part

ofa

1 tu-t i one.I c r i sis,

aoh h~ va

tl

compr-on i se

wi -th the Q.u1bans who' executive

01)'be wi bhd r awn in th~ end to 39

DPPOS

ed bbem.

Emer~encies
bhe

aside,

domiIHiDC!!tis

,.'

evinC"ed

e-ven

in

adopt I on of publ i.e pol Lc i en ,

Poli6ie9 pertaining to
p~ocess

majo~

of

tbe

nation-building cultur;re and

like unity 8re no b

bhem

intel"--e.tbnic
and

promulQ:ated

a:ftet' Very

Par 1. Lament,

has d j, s,cus 9 ed

examined.

thorov.ghly. th~ Cab i.rieti

o'ften

it is

tb~ Cabinet

- or a clique and

witbtn
g'etll

- that.

determi to

ne.8

theme po 1Lo i es t:.hem.

tb-B

bure.aucra.t

i c lfia.chinery

imple:'meDt

'Thi!S has has

led

to

a waakenim!

of

Pa r I iame:n'l;.· ro l e. S nat i one I

Not:. only
PI)

Par 1 lament

fai led

bo' :formu lat e i mpori~8.nt

1. i 0 i as ~ towa.rds

it baa been totally

irleffer:tuaJ

in. direct irlll. 1elfis 1at i on

a t'undam..,nt.a.l aoc t aL tra.nsfarma.t'ion. nQt treat

Pa.r I iament

Indeed.

the exeoutivt'3 does

with

tbe

seriousnef.1:s
l.i-5

i-t d e~~rves.

C.1·UO i a I Bill Par) Lament_

tll:'f)

~i)

ften to

wh i s.k.8d the

t.h rough

In fOnlltltlon th rough sQmatimes

rIlles

of

'Vi ta.l
•

int'ers'!!lt

publ Lc

is 01 of

'seldom

conv~y ed
6:1':'9

Par 1 i EU:'lIent
f.n:;evented

Opposit.ion
the

Memhel"s

P.. r l Lamerrb s

throllgh

manipulation

pe r 1. iament B.ry

frDm debflt.i nfl s i..l!fn fi r-ant, ni!rt.1 one l i

i s S!...H~~.

to
ohalleng.,s.
56

with

th~

l~gislB.tul'e has

suffered
,8

from plethora

execl,tti ve of laws

Bectll.l.se of and po] i e i.e a which have' 0tldow'eo.

t-;he execut:L ve with

overwhelming effeotively

strength, tbe'

the

judiciary of

is in no positloo to check
leelders and

miedeeds

pDlit,ioeJ

Ind i v i due 18

expre~l!irion.

Worse.

t:.bDS~

cba.rged

undereV'en

harftlher

laws

I ike

sect.ion

57 of

Ll l ege.I

'Possession

of a firBarm

cr ES:CA,R. process.

'fJ'i:tl1

protection

from the Judicial

40

expect.

very

lit·bIe
been

'fhe'

c.ou,1:'t;s ha ve

la.ws. Exeout i ve domi nAn~e arHi the con comit.ant

em!!lS

GU Laf i on of

the

of

the

gene"l".fll

conduct,

of'

governmeltl'L

wh i ch a
certain or

trmreas h,gly
chara.ctffl:' i st i c

aut.hart t.arian.
't;hElt

This

i$

bcrnA out by
i n the

has emerged

!£it rongly

] ast

t.hree

46

There is le~s Bnd lesB wl11in~n~sB

pl"lnDiple

to observe

the

and In".acrl:;lee

of pub] io ~ccountabi

lJty.

knllWtl

to

have

squand~r.ed

1"111:1 1 tons

of

'd,ng-gU.

drfi

m~'ldom Ill~de

to

e~~ la.i n 1;;0 t.bf3 penp ~F;; "

as

it

ba.ppenoo

in

tb.@

Ca,H'e of

Ma.."Jutet'nak

(the A

govf'Jrnm.ent
more

I.!'il

l"ecen t;

how I:;b,e

fOrl1l(~l.,~

Be[' .jay!"l g.Qver.nmen't

made no endeevou r

to

01 ar- i £y to in thft

tb:l1'lpub fi r~t
~inm~'

1ic

who wa.!B: beld rid

u~ or

why

j_ t

wa~

und e.r t.ak.en

i natianoe , it was obv i ou~fr.()m

for'
the out,~ ~t

t11 a.:tthB

project

hf).d srel'i nus

implioa.tions
h'fl'la,1., ions"

th~

ne t iou's

de:ferll7j €I
I'

po Ii dY

and

wben
telin:porarily o Loe ed fo.t' a coup l e of da.ys in Deoembsr.

,r 98!3a....'J

.;a_

result

of

the 41.

ool18,p9 e

of

'(XIIn.pa;ny

call ed

Pan- E'l ectr i e

happened"

And yet

the

col 1ftl).se of t.he

corIlp,~nY and the9ubGBqLl8ot

Hll uc'tane~ Ih.tmiput-;,ra

to

rl Lvu lse

i nfot"lIlat ion

is

th e in fa.mou~ • BMF a .subs i d i sry

Bce.nd.P.tl ~ , of Bank

'M!:ll~fit 1a

Fi nanee

( 13MF) Ltd. ~

47

b i 11 i 01:} ring gil:.

I u l:h

I;HH~

d f] 9..1s .

t.o

be

qu i t~

bit

ofpv

i.denc

E'l

of

11HH'l.:'I Pl.,.!

la t, ions

erid

by j beE<

The p.xtBnt of
fraud Lnvo l veri

and

t;'OH

0011'

sSl'iIl
hH:10 ~

!3lJnl

of

monoy

1cst

in

an

jncredibly

cnmplex,

r.r·a_ fty

hu~

Op~1"8'

i on

l IS wha.t makes

42

't.he

Ih

sp.i te

of

detorn'l i.ued

effort

F.?

by

reg i on a I

newspapers;

opposition
UOCI

polltical

parti~~

fln~ p~blic
RMF',

intere~t is

~ocietie6

to

vel" i~he whole

'1;1'·I~t.habout

v~r.y 1 i ttle

known tQ dabe ,

d-enLed
~ 1,1 bs

t.hat

-I::;here'l(l"ts

anyth i n~ nmi ffii1 g; w1th

t~b.e opera

I:;. i ens

of

the

i.d ia..l"Y .

publ i.c fot'

almt)st,

a ye!l.t' and

1'1

h al f.

In order

1;'0

ap.p~ase pub I io

1hrd.t.ations

t.h(:;'! Conrmittee

unde r Au.di tor

GetH~r.<31 Tan

St'i

Abrua.d

When t~hfl Cororni·t;t.ee t-:ne Prime

prom] ~ Bd bo rnak e the

Mini.ster

had
Whi t,e

repor t pub 1 j c ~thTOUF1:h

I'li

Pa r 1 i ~mcntary

48

Paper.

Dr-

He

lJIP-Idf!

-; t ;for

dear

tha'b the

I;..be

gO"'i.rernment

would

not

rake

r-espons:I_ b11 i·I-.y

makln,g

full

report

public.

'fhe

Prime

Min i.st;er

then

Nhen 'ra.n Sr i Abm,ad and

on a ol:.her.- member

of

t~he rJommitta5 Dr .

decided .M~hr.):th i l~

t.o

take responsibil:i
8l1.d

ty and

f~oe hhe cnnseqUE!noes. Abmad of

exceeding

turrHS!d around

aoous

ed Tan Sri

hi

r;;

terms

of

Aud i tor

Genp.ra 1.
nell"'

In the
:rour'

the

Prime

Minis'har"'s

wor'ds ,

"Ne i tnfu' you

Bank
atIy
Y'Ol,U:'

BIJrtiipubra
lJoni'ileqlJal')ce

G·overnmen"t. :action.

would

ab!:Jolve
fJ

from of

ot

hldee.d if as
js

result.

pl.I.bliElhinR
-cr ed tb

the re.port;. of

th~ damage
BBMB.the ·13.

done

i;(:l'

t.he

tn.-ad. i b i 1 il .. y justi.fj f:d

or
in

worthiness

bank wi 11 be fully

sUiOFf ym.A for

da.mages".

The EMF' .scandal

44

acocurrt.ah i 1 i t:y.
aQllcof,,1 ..ed knClwiru{ tbe

obst,a.o le
whole llyitlg'

efter

obst::.acla

-be, p:r;'evnQI; thF.'

pf,;io:plc:

fr om

t.r~~-!:;habou t, -the t;c8nd;a1.

e.J""fiI

Itg font-dragging
which are

and

H,g dill~-da

typ.i_ca_.I-

of gove,[,rHnerri;;..s

~freidt.o

be open and de moor-at ic.

Why

has

the

M8.1a:y~ ian of
Why
h3.5':

g'overnm"f' n ••

t became

so

iudif:f.8!;ent llke

to

fUPld a:.me'O~a 1
aoeoun

damoct'"at-ic

conduct
become

public

ta.bi Li -I-;y? ther~ ,so

the

executive aod controls

so POW'Br-'fUJ?

Why
of

are

many

curb~
ion

upon

the

pracLio8
per-va.s" 'Ie?

£reedLl!ll?

~~by is! repress

becoming

mor-e

and mare

49

the

de ve.Lopmerrc and To start old tibe

patte-l"u.

the eo I i t ina.! eoonorm

l!

ISi:tue.tion, envLr-cnmerrt . ensus

I

the

ou 1burs.l

setting'

io1:;ernational

wi 1;.h ,the

superficial

cons had

the began

e+bn to

iG be l ance break down

which

the

Al U,B.noe le-a.dershi'p

for-gerl.

edUCfi.·t.i on" Bflvirr:mment ind igeuOI .. m impressive

It

a geD,e:r.'at ion soc i 8.1i z ed in the post-Merdek.a , ru~d bheraIora acutely aware of its sta.i::.us as the
Wl:l,S

commun i ty" infrasrt.ru.ctural

It,

beg'an

to

real ina -that "tbe Malay

lLl

spite

of as a

de ve Lopmerrt..

community

It wa=s pa'rti abnu'C iodu5i't.ry bene fi tted to increased the pauo i ty

and the

au 1 r ly conoerned a of rJomrnerca,
that had

of

Malays

a:1;. the

uppet"eqt:lelon~

pl-ofess 1. O[)§ bec:a:use- as

a. genel;'f'lt:l on

from

educac ion.

it fe H:;. tha.t
45

it had en automat i.o r igbt

to understand that.

sao i.a.I mob i, I il-:,y. pr:eeminera.c:e· it decided for the didncft.

to

Ii:;. 'bbeon begun

pol it.ical 'l'hi!i and

guarantee

economic
:for

preem.inenoe_
the MalayS!

iGwhefl

1'.'e.jer.)t the

•pol i t.ins

economics

non-M!l1 a..YS '

formula

of the

.AILd.anoe ,
loS' ing

It
its

wanted

eoonom i c power

for

I;:.he M,lll ray

communi, ty wi thQut

politic~l strength.
A non-Malay
!

simi]

ia1"

geoerational A new

cha.nge was e.l eo oceur i [ltt within Setl,t~'('ation which fot"

",a.<;I

the
the

community"

hob

PFtt't of

oi ti:zenehip

for

the

nOJ:l·--Ma.lays

in r·etu.rn

speed a I

pend ti on

50

decade rooted

crf

Merd.ekfL

It

wa.s a genernt.ion so!! -A

mere

t,n8t was a. ) i t-tle

r o leW,fU3

more goin« power

000-

in the

Ma.l.ays: tan

economic

not,

to s a'l:; s fytb. i
none

i!J ;genet'at i on. preseot rigb-b:z.;l.

or

It~ knew -that

or "future

wi thou"!;

pOi li

t:i_ cal the

of

the

aspirations

o.f

Malays wouLd be pro-tected

ac:eornp i sh ed , 1

Tbu"s
;fDung

-thst'e

wa.s a s i tU,8.idon
non-Mal BlYB b ad

in

t.he

pOS!

c-71 period

wh'3're

both
of

Malays

and

certain

idear;;;

on t.he right.s

their
to

r~sp6!cti ve commun tb l es
S~y
I

whl ch were

quite

identical_
malrrt.e 1. ned

Needle~s
t.h ~ough

the

ethn:tc

be.I B.nee of' the

All i ance
could.

sepa1.'at.1!

etbnic spbGres

o·f preemi.nel1ce

ncd~ accommodal;e

t.hi.s

c!umge. meet.

He i th~r Ln a fair

qcu Ld the

Bar: i san

beca.use

it hailS not

lJeen ab 1e to ·wi thin e.

l1ew

and jus;ttn.anne~ It
ntl11>

tbe

aspirations in

of grolxp·s evo 1vi ng

both

communitie~.

not

:;:;ucce'ede.d

oonsensus.

Malay

and

flOIl-Ma)

ay

groups

in

the,
I

coal H:>i n , o

is

partly

re~porisibl~ f6r a political environment ~hBt i. les$ stable. Les~

suabd.L

i ty ~

in

turn, freedoms

has

rnf:lde -~he ruling to

elitef:r more
the people..

cau'I;::t-'ous

eboub g'ranting
:i. s

and. 1 iherties

'rhei]['"

fear

that all. If

it

clOuldthreat.en

thai r· po] it i ce.I pas it i on s i nee wi'thout to ebhn i.o consensus_ a consensu~, espeoc L ally have

it. is.

after

an ethni.c 'the

CQetl i, tion

Bar-f s an has

failed

develop

it tn

iiS
tbe

beoause

UMNO has

become is

overwhe lrning ly dom ina.nt U:. tod~y ·that;, all :its however

80s.

So

doml nant;

pa.l"'tner5!' is the

been of the

oOffiPle"bely· dw ar· fed_ . UMN"O~ dominance s

growth of

the

Malay m.iddle and upper.

dominate

classes.

46

result

Since

these
social

cla!iHiTes would in .any case

in an uneClua!.

lopsided

~ystem like

ours,

and since the Malay

element in them would take

51

precedenCE!

over

non-Malay

interes·ts

it

is

perhaps
in. effect,

inevitable
control

that

the

Malay

middle

and upper

c Las s es wou Ld,

But

'then

t.he Melay

rni ddle and uppers their economic

Pl.-A

classes

are

still

in
as we

the have
major

proo~ss of establishing
st'len.

power.
NEP;

ThiE,
+his Ls

is

the

mai n

rpose

of the

the

achieve
the

tbis goal,
power a1; its by
ama.L],

massive·

disposal
groups

oou Id

it

facili'l;,ate operatimr brook

wea lbh in
8

accumu l a.t 1 on cotnpeti ti VB

ami

Lnd ividuals
a,

ma.rke1;

env i rontnen~.

Such

lll't.a't.e wi 11 not It
i IS boundrbo

any

cur tat I -the

Islamic opposed middle

dissidents

and

indeed

of all

otlier:
,

grollp,s

,that

ar e

to

the maniiest1 y I...mjust policy oLas aea at the expense

;of

~1;r~ngt,beningthe

and upper

of t.he poor

and powerhu;s

This and strabegy

in

fact of

brings
development.

us' uo ·the quEt!::rbion Ftffeots

freedom

of how the
and

ooncejrb

der.1ioc-ra.(JY.

Capitalist

d.eveLcpment;

geared towa.rd.s tbe· abrrve

clT:ea.te ma9,E disa.ffection true

ol as se.s and of

does.

over

period

of time,
fhi s

therefore o~pitaJ lack

j

ge.'!nBrate9 developm.ent -Lt:rternal growt.b

people

d:i.ssf!n1~_

is

particu larly

st

in dfflperrden-t economies dyn,amism "lie}BlJ.stain lower ls'V"els

by

since:

such

econcmt es
of

t.he of

rapid of

d1ffl'lS ion

the bene£i t9

to

thf1t

societ.y.

Tbis

is

why

8.

lo·t.

of

feel m~nn.fle.lized.
l

tbe dev~lopment
J

pl"OCeS51.

Diohotomies

between

haves ~ -and ~ha.Vfj-hots

he~in

t.o appear

i.n settin~~

where

ibeta were nc such di~hntofui~s

before.

Thera is ~virlence

Dr

bhis
The

or l.'enggam.J, find

Ke.L tan. an

l!l.t;Jr'B

pronoun

c:ed _

AE; people

begin

-to

re~ct

to

these

in,jus-tices.

dj 51 sent.

begins

to.

spread.

In this;
19

connect-ion.

even
lr/

IlSilamic

it ir.; qu; I;e obvious.

scr I~s daBI to with

to an ~xteot a ~espansp
deve loptnetli;;

of
:1:;0

thE! r;ha:raot;P3'l; l"iipidlygrowing

0f

cap i t.a]_ i st.

r;nable

d i~sen1~~

more repressive.
A s'pecif'ic aspect
towards
I

of

this

c1}:pH~al t.. development is

reiuforces
ur

the

tendency

rep I."e8Sl.on ,

In

tbe

fi rsl".

phi:'J.se

t.he

Independ en ee J.ler i od

'wi th
Thi s

i mpor-t;:.
bas

:3 L1 bs

t i t~JI;i on

as

tbe

mode .Qf' i udufl' t 1~ia.l :i. ~ at i I.)U (IS I ).

bscentS8 of t!eri:;ain

ohanged

in the

!;'lecom:l pha~e partly

~ih 1e i

p'r

l mary

commod r -t i eS

cmrl:.i tIUe

to

'be

1mpor t.an t ,
a vita 1. ingred

export~
Len t
0 f.

btl etrt ed i nauf.1t ria 1 i za t ion

(EO I) has become

no

radical

redi$t,r:lbut;ion

of

Inccmes .

Besides,

the

clivi

SiOTI

or

i-s
11MJ

linked

was such to

tha:t

i t w~s eaotLQmical1y

more profi from

tab] e

for
Wot Id

1t 1.118.t i orra I SJ

manuff.lJ~'tu re

tb ei r produ.ots. dependenc'~

Tn ird

countries.

Ntlw EOl mea.ns

increased

on fOI"eign

marketf=::.

with

other

'l'hLr-d

World

countries

p "~Sll.dng

th~

same

type

of

dave 1. opmen t.

~host~ nation

is compelled to meka its term~

of

as· mu l·t inA.t ional

a dOQ,i Le ,
p I i ab 1e

1abour

and

ooriduc.i, ve

pol i tibal

01 illlat'!!l

from

Hl(:3

"point.

of

vir3'W

of

fj,nd e.btraclti sevtare.

VI!!.

peo-pla. If anyth i n~
the s i i~u1'l it on ~ ''bodfty

i 5;

wors e

beca.uB:

t.he

int .. rnatioual e

cBpl t:et 1 ig c..

sy!':;1;emitself

i.s i.n or isis

60s

has beccmB

its albatro8~ in the 80s.

led to
some tolera.nC'~ of

Illtabi 1i ty

ami stability
Qf are

divergent

vi alii's,

the

d eo I r ne

growth .and the

[j(WI

increas.ingly
t.o diluinisn

IJrl,sta.ble the soope

pol i tiOlll
of open

envLr onmerrt.

tbi:-eatening

polJ tj_cs,

In other

words.

grave

eC9nomic

d i'rflcultles
I

corrf.r-orrb ing

hostile

toward~

social criticism.

Whila
i.ndireot

restoration
~ensei

of growt.h

has

aff~cted

f:t'"eedofVl,

in

ali

impact upon democracy. pol i tical to

01"

Lopsided create's positions'

development. groups

wbethet"

economic!

eu l

h'\,l:r,,q

1.

b.nd.c,la.s~eiS it; Is

who wow Jd want privileged

to mobilise sociI;'!]

prese't'"ve

their They will

purpose

beoause

and the
order,

prest. igi (ms . people for the

not t.o] erfite

of a morejuf.d.t

any ettempt_ and

aql.l

i table t,o

They

wi 11

no'l:: to1 era.te

any

conoer bed endeavour

enhance

the

economic

and political

riRht~ of the ordinary masses.

54

They win

nat

to 1eral~e

any mass i ve o ampa i gn to own i nter8sts

WCIU Ld

ered i (J&te be

Cor

rupt i on For

and

~.l'eed s i nee

the i r

j eo~pard i~ ed .

marlY of

der i ve a.noth,tIlr. wouId

their.

wea l bh and power throl,.lI~h corruption

of one form

01"

f1,o aI 1 OIJ.t to s L Lenoe 4B and just i C:B . A!1!liU) ,as; i..de •

·the have

voices

thab

cry

ou+ for how -the

freedom eli tes

we ever "fondered

a.ffai-r

and othel~ such a. vigorous

.financial
crusade

\hanky-pankie:s ·to 'clBanse

Qit;i.~ens ~ o f all

gt'OUPg

bad Launched of the

society

traces

evi 1 or. oorrup·tion? tba,t Ls b i.as ed

'howards

Development

the

eli

t@!il:

at'fect5l

among

.gl:"ouPs:in

'the

mi dd 1e and upper

I eve Ls des Lr-ous of ~ea.ds to the

I

g.ett i nB,' of ami of

And more

into toe tel it", strat,'I.un of so.ci"ety.

This

f.orm.ation i t.ical
cont.r-o 1 e l iquel5

cliques and
econom i c

factions
I f the levers

.jockey1.ng constantly c].:t que feels

()l'"

for is

p] in

power.

fad b ion

'that

the

political

thl'-t"'~tened by

other

it becomes more and moi-e rept'asf,> i v e .

dependent in order to upon its

1'1;) beoom,f-ls 0f

formal Bud informed

It.s fea,l's

i nst rument.s

au thDI.' i ·ty compels

it

r eme lri on. t.op.

of be.in.S' deposed

Cl iquG' Irrber-est.s t,hat

and

faQtional their

strugglF.!S'· pri vi laged with

fOI'PQwer. pes H~ions

I ike
are

vested.

perpe.t.uat.ing

pbenOmEll1B.

ar-e normally

associ abed
·than

bhe seoond
This

-and third deoades

is because

of

Ind'Bpendence

rather

the first.

vested

.55

They do not type

sprout

u.p suddenly. of tbe 60s --

Bes j des. tbe State.

gi van tbe
for

mer-e limi'tf.'d was less d i.d not

of deveIopment; 1n

instlL'l.nce

Ln ve I ved

~om~nerce and indus-t.ry

- v~er~tFlrl i,n-Leresis

Similarly.

clique~

find factiuns

a l sn need time to consolida.t..e'

and

economic

and pol i tica.l wbel.-ewi tbal

to

sUl'it,e.in

::i

tHe!f.

This

is
and

pos sib 1e

i.n

the

8 Os

sin 06

tihe re

are

So

many

tycoo.ns

nriLl i one.t res Also.

around

who e an bankroll

one eI ique and upper

again~rt

another. the
burt

wi to t.he expans ion of middle

olasf:ol'es in

aspira.tions establisbment a 01 i que or perh~pg' u

of all

those'

se~king

high

of£io.e

wi'thin

blie arena

of

politics.
faction

Those who are side-lined ·to the d onti rrarrb el i be , in

~ametirnes joi~
Th L$

opposed

is also
ther

conaequenoe

of tbe

decline

idEf81 i§m

withh"l

ruling
declines high. In

coalition
in p :l'li t:i

today
OE
j

cbm~ared to the

~a~t.

persona 1 avarice

and 'pt"i vabe ambi tj~ on r.ide 49 underlying ·the growth of

our

analysis aod

of t.he

GfH.J;ses

pcli bi.oa I

control

r~pl"ere;.sLon ,

we have

cOl;lfified our-s e l ves to

direct relevance.
the is Bar-ds an h as in control 'r'hi~

As we have enjoyed

Ob~HH'''ved previously,

s 1.nee in Pa r-Liament

197·t and

a. fmlr-fif,ths

rna.jori·by

of all overwhe

but the Sabah

s'tate Assembly.

lmlng

po·we.r

56

The point about

is imPQrteot to bear in ndnd fat'
"il'

~cther
in bbe

the

Allii'U'i,ce

oantrol diss~nt
powei" pl'eva i 1sis

tn the same degreB,

So t.he contr::;x t.

in

wh1ch

a cr'uc i a 1 cons Lder a-b em. i

We ha.ve people have been

cb:oo.8e to

shewn

how

reacting to this.
defy
a.LI

thor i ty •

the in

State
[-,003.0'1::

h.n:n~

to

this

autbQt~ i'tar i ani mati,or),

Sill.

be-tween

contro.l

and the

;fight

a~ainSlt 'forces;

oorrt.eo l.
ia

Tbi~

struggle

between

OPPO!',j i,rlg

becomiug

q_1.Jti

t~

inten~e there

now.
I'

is a lot of freedom to articulabe 4iss~Dting views

This

under

the Mabath i r adm.in i~rt.rat, i on.

is l'lott'eed 1y true.

AB we
already right th if: seen, tb~y invariably of
·ft

have

relate

·to the denial

l.lPOn flU

01' ~ cert-ain

or the me'8.!Js

impos i t.io!) l s that. to

new ut.lrb ·the

q lei freedom. eon~

0 i Qusoess

unde-n;:'s tand

ri s lng

of

PBrhapEia,. assert Len

jl...wt

f!;;w made.

ex~mples

wou Ld be

Luse£ul

t.o

.supphrt

the the

BB'O-s IJfH~ th~

gov'if.'tt'ntnen.t

so.L!gbt. 1~o amend,

19B1 Sccieti0m
Qrganisations
wa!?
&

Act with the airo of castrating

that
Wi2!l'''El

in partioular
pol Lcie-s
1

those
bhe re

cri.tical
:publ

of

c.e:r'I;:a:imState

hue

and

Dry

f'r-om 'the

Lc ,
it was

some blabant norm by the

'l~rfH1!:')g:lreSSion

of

en ] na] i ehahlft
Pl;lbl

righ t.
+

01'

,an aoceirt.ed
it

S-tate

that

provoked

Lo

reae-t,ioq

L il<.~wi.se>

was

because
kn ow

of th~ Stat~~s lack of seriou~nes~ in

what

letting
became

th~
a the

pep)? 1e

had happened, In ot-her

that

-bile EMfi' scandal

prot'li.~8.cted
government

Gorrtrover~y.
is

"Worci5i> it i~ oot pr=opleare

more

beca.use
voc a I.

mor-ISIdemoc rat.io

-1;;h 'the a'l::;

On
th~t

the

oontrary,
fl

bhe peep 1F.l Be

>.8

b~Qoming as it. may:,

InQ r

e art i QI,ll_a,te.
-at·B
Ii

-that

there

few s e.I ient

f'eaturesa:bout
SinCe!

·there
the

'are a. wh(;) e lot 1

of pub lf e l.nt~er(~st ~oqiet-ies

we ha.vlE! a.I rBa.dY nQted)

(a f.e'ature'

of

p'Osi;,-70

p-el." i oct tha-t;

a'rcll_md t.orlay

wh Lch

delUQcra.t Lo ,

Also~

thBre
j, n

is
the

daily,
or .. '"0

tahi 0 Ld, +h e Star ~ wh]_ co

of a.L], t,he Qb~-ta'i::] e8
,

1.1'lSt 10 yeaTs in keeping

na:s 1

in

sp i te
.fl~tne

persisted awned

the fU,ckering

of

fI'eedom

0.1i VI':!:"
tb
E

1'hougb

i nd i re(lft Iy by- A OOJnpo-i:l.er.rt.

has

'Party

of t:he B~Tis em,

j au rna! i s't,s

MeA.t.he

nf1wspncpe.1,til')

CQ1-PS

of

ded i cE!:teci

whoa.

re pr~pa.red It

Pl'OVI';l

t,he ir

C:O!ll.!:(1 i tment.

to may

tbe feel

freedom
that

of

BX'Pl."eSS 100..

iso.lsi)

possible

t.ha:t

SO]'w9

there

is

greater

freedom

today

beoause

the

pres'ent

govsrnroen tis,
of power',

on the

who l e ,
'I'h is
tEl

why

wh i l e it has

cut

down laW5

on t.he- use to nurb

of the

IS.A,

i!.J

bas st;epped up the

u~eof

other
Official

fr~e expression
Pub]
j

lik~ the Sedition

Likewise
j

Art,
it

hl~e
does

Secret-.s

Act. and the

eFt r.Lon At~t"

but

not
i.nde f

ban

newbpapsrs
wh i ch

or Journals
:amol...,lrJ"!::;s"1:;'0 the

outright
$' arne

it

su~pends

them

in i -te ly

tb i mit -

It doer;: not. stop.

it bas

choseu,

instead"

to

inCJ:"ea s e surv'e if

11 a.nf:'e wf

t~he i r ftct.i v it i es "

~nytbinS at all,
mounting dissent
1::u!!co..uSt0'

concerned

about

it

knows exerci the in -the

·t.h i 8' •

tha.t

the

psycho 1ogi ca 1 the Mal ay'

0r

b Q Id that hae

tb ~ [JMNO l i t.e na.".:> always e been eruding ~:nteadily in

s ed upon four

mind. so.

last

c~ecades

Edu.cab Lon ,

ur-ben i s ab i.on ,

gleavag~.6

t.he I'lliddle-

class.
precess

i.ntra-elit@ comp~tition
itself have been mainly

find of.
I

course
for

d emor.ratl c 50

re~ponB~ble

Th ou gh

a.pex greater

of

goveunTtt:;lnt

oQnt Lnues
tDday thau

to a..-L

man i f~gt
artjl

its elf;
before to

reed iness

time

eWlluate

the
fl;'OiD

1 eadBrsh ip has

become

murrh more

v ig i 1 an t 1:;,owa. rds

cr it i 0 Lsma

within the Maley communi.ty.

In the pa9t~
or pieket or

it wag

POflS

i b Ie

to

d.isct:"ed-Lt, related
1).$

a mu l ti-etbrlic
t;o labour
i 0 ao't

strike,
had

s ome ot.her
nat i one 1

agitation
i.l\H~Ue ~

which

become

a. major

F.ln

unpat; riot

and er-t.aken

bowE'l'ver it aocie't,y sectors and

at

is. m.ore d i. f'r leu It. t::o ~(lnviuce large of u Lt.et-Lor eUln i e

{;b~ worker's
unyl:;l._.vP-S

concerned

or i ous

beQf-lu!'JEl var

of the

eoonomv bave beoome m.1J]t; i -ethn to

ar-e. 'i n fact

in

Clompos "hese

it. iou
Mal flY

1TI1'tny t-J:'a:de un i ons

1eel by Mal 6YS.

1andf.'"~ rs

are

qu:i be wary

of

e t.bn 1. r) i nteF p r-et.a t ion s: of

pu re

1abou r

organ, i 51 ed.
is

by 'f'f:'ltr'etoehed

worke r.s in the

peroe

p':rea Tr.ade

Z'r::ro e en
,l?l!!rspet

Pe.t16.ng
I;;.;i: yes: _

1and

coot

i nU.e

t;;CJ be

i veo

).n

51oo j Q-ecOl1omi C

It

[g q~ita obvious
is:

that ~thoicity.

in cel~tion

ho

labour weapon

at far

least;

no lange ra.t.l

€las:i ly ava i 1 ab 1e.

btJ t.b e Stat:

effective
'3,

contrl':) 11.inS' i nd i rect

oha 11 enftos

Th is has ~prl]m.pted

tbe

a.u'l;h{)r.itifw bo ex:p.edit ..e "I;be ~stablishment fnr Muu;; H,rn wm.:.'k.er$ i,n the

of I~la_mic hQpe that

welfare
religious outfitfl

societie-s
affi
1 iat.ion

wi 11 erod,E;'! t.he.l r C!C"Jmrnitmellt, the f;;lconomio aDd social

then. d Ls s errt ,

to mul b"i- thnic ~

fight.iru;I

for

right$

of

all

workers.

App.Fl.rently

and mo~e ~E!lPort::an'"~ t.he the

S'!;,ate to dev lse

cbaoglnc!.
new and

nature more

i()f

d isserJ t.-.

have persuaded of pclitina1

effective

methods

cdnhrol. yet

The orescendo

of tbe

criticJsrn intl"oduction
Apar't

end pro!:;6f.jt

is ,

there For.e.

ano thez- It.·e.'l.sonfor

of more nu+hor l tariah

from

measures.
d is
'q~!3

1111 -I:.he reas on~ we have at

ed,

we s heu Ld also.

perhaps

look

'the ro l e of ind i vidual

persona.l i ties
Though

in
is
1

the
by

it;.

it~elf,
Min ister

minor
Dr,

point,

the

at; I::.i t,ude

of

·the

IJl'esent is

Prime also in

Mahath ir

Mf;;hamad. to

fr.eedomand

d.emocracy to respond

U's inability democratic} fasbion on i!S!sl.i.es like

appreciat~e

Sabab and importance

BMP' seems of' uphaldiug

to suggest c~rta_:in

'l~ha-b he does not

the

G[)

!lluccead. ,~

P!!H'50naU ty c.n:·ientntion I ack

or

a.side~

l.h ia

nou l.d be

dUA

partly

to his

emp I:)i:.hy wi t.b is

Ii

sy:;; t.ern of

go vernrller.d; that dave 1 npoo wi th i.n any way_

in Bri'l;a in - a nat,), on he

not;

enC1 moured

Conolusion
Our' anfilysis fr~edom
haG

has in

S!"J,OWfL l.b.e.L

Qoufiiciousness

of

political as

exis-tad.

Mal i;;\Ysan i

50C

Lety

for:

a lon(5' wh i Le just

the

feudal

pe-r indo

Bu t,

aOrist;;!

i ousues s however

IT(

freedom

is

now becoming

a s i/itni f1 cant
kee.l?

:force.

Th,a State

wou.Id 1ike

Lo corrt Lnue to

f'r-eedcm in fettEi!r~.

cont ro 1

- a con f 1 i ct 1.s destined

between a seg'lllC3!nt· oi;' t;he popu 1ace

a.ndthe

Sta~te -

bo rema;in

one of the main

II

items

on the

agenda

of M81ay~ian politics

for the rest of the c~nt~ry.

61

1. tl'hG term \ feud a 1. ; i B U$erl hel;'S ::l n oormot.e ! pr~-modern' or t tradi tionr:ll·· .
Mal ayEl ('Uni v er s ] ty :3 • trhel~'e

f!

}I'

ery

1Close

SJ ens

ti:l

2.

See .1.M.

()h.tllic]<,
'Of

Lorid on the·
'lff.!l"rs j on9

Indig--el'lou,s

A bh 1 one Pres~ Annalli;)

Politioa.l

Systems of ~ 1965 ) Me1 ayu ,

Western
See foea'

H. Roo Iv Luk (intra)

instanee

SeJarrili

are

VflT

Me 1aY"'J or
(Oxford

i ous

(~,r

1J1:.1.i vet's ity Press

Mala.Y

th e Ge ja.r!Ih

~ 1970).

C.C.

Brown

{tr}
The
and

4. Th i B o~.. be lEi 1. eeried f'rmn ve.r i OIJ L::; ea s ayE! '1n Me1aka. :u transiorruatlon of a Mal~y o~pibl;l (1400-1980). Sandhu Wheatley (ed) (Oxford University Pre.sEt> Kuala Lurnpu r-, 1983)

and

5.

~la.qui b a 1 -A t tas , Some A!!i'Ip~otlili of Sufi li1l1 as Undersbood (Mala.ysian Sociological Researcb Ins1::,i but:.e , Singapt:'n"~ , 1963 ) . See

Pre.cti-med Among the Maleys

h

Sytd

6. See Ai.me Cesa.ire Revi ew Pr-e:ss I !;rr2') .

I

DlsoQ1..u."'i3:e

OD

Colonia.lism

(Ne\'I' York~

Monthly

7. For em example nf t.b i s see fiyE'.d Shaikh Alhady .. Ugai'tlJ& Islam, dan Aka] ( Df behez-u i 01 eh Anay-lft,ya Al VI i bin Shaikh b in Ahmad Alhfidy (Pusrbaka DI em, Kate. Bhar-u , 1965 ), pp. 18 -:25,
M'Q..l8Y'fI! b~f'ore HM5 (Jniver-sHjY' Of Ma.la.ya,

8.

Quoted

in Radin Beoharoo.
(Academic

S:i.ngtlpore, sea

£i:xerC'ise~

The Political
t'

tli~'Partment 195,9 L :p., 15.

Abt.itudeS!
of

HistOl .... v,

of

the

9.

(Singapore

Fot" ~ome analysi~

Che ah Boon [{heng:, Red star over Univ~r&ity Press, 1983). pp. 11-12.

Malt!,Y:a In of

10. See Khoo Kay Kim." <The BeltHnningl",!l of Pol i ti.cal Extremism Malaya 1915-1'Il35 ,Dissel"ta.tion s\'lumitted fot' the degree' Doct-or of Ph i 1oi!;ll:'"tphy~ Depal'l,mert1:; of fI i stOl:-Y • Un i ve rs H~y Malaya. K1..l.ala Lumpur, 1973) espeoi<:l.ll y Chapb:re IV,
I

o-f

11.

Ibid.

p,

224

12 . See Malaysia~

Mi t~he.e 1 Stenson, Class, Raoel & Co Ion i8.1 ism in West th'@ Indian Ca.se (nni.vers:djy o f Q.ueensj~nd Press .• 1980) Rnf"f,

],:'3..
of

Sf!e W.R..

Mal n,ya Pr-eas ,

Ku e l e. Lumpur,
l'l,~

The Origins
ed in

of
1904),

Malay

Nati,onalis'm

(University Mer i nt is J a 1an in my

Ke Punohak
15. 'rhe

14 .

Tbe bermt nit 1 is ('li ~ (lit psy~hology

(Pur-;tfl.kaejora, K

Kna'l.a Lumpur.

Ahmad Boes ef,ima.m,

1972}

P:r;atecTIor7

A !Sl'l.ud.Y l~ader.-led relationships; of (Altran, Penan~. 1979).

62

of unquesti

r)td ng loyal ty i~ di scussed

in Malay

Society

in

16. 19'70) .

'rhe1:"~ is
)il!'LltlYsia

&. SinF[apore

s,(Jrne d tgnu~8ion

of

t.his

in

{Ox:_ford Lrt1i vend

ty Prr:ws.

S.

Ar-as at-abnem, Indian's Ku.ala Lumpur

j

1'7. ]o'ot' a: DOlIlprehem:li ve ana.lys j ~ s e R., K. Va-s i I I Po 1..1tios i,n a PI ural 800i ety, A sf;;l.Idy o f rron -r:::r:mn{liJn e 1 po 1 i '!;,_ical P.8L:r;t i es in WElt; rnalajtSl ia ~Oxford. ani ver~ it;y Pres~. t 19'1lJ 18. Se e S. J. Ii.
(~a,leys'i.an

Za. j d i Mala.ys ian Tradelli' 1:rader: lln t cn COk]gt'ess~ Kua.la

[iUrrlPlJ.r,

On i on Cmutl'ea Ii 19 4,g -1974. 1974) '.

S-tudent

19. See Wit11 the People! The Malaysian 1974 (Insane. SeJangor, Malaysia. HH34)

Mcrvement, MOLltnlYr

1969Vol. in
i.n

20. See' Whe:t' SI EJapperling to Pl.'n-T iflment..~ t Alil'an V .no , 4 Apri. t/MFt;Y 1985 CAl iran, fe-nang, 1985)
j

21. t.b[~ 22. 1971

Set'!'
Dewan

R~kYfd~

Par 1 i amentary De ba:teG , Off i c i a l 'Hepor t.s of .De bates (Guvet'nmF-'lnt Pr-i rrt.er , Kuala. Lumpu r ) is
Tha

1'hi.s
j

tU::;cHs!5ed
COl:'liStt

Ln S.
of

Ma.ltIY!ll La.'

tu'l:;..i on

.J ~yakumar Ma.laysia:
Le e &; 11'. A,

Tun

Hohammed
Press.

Suff 1 an.
19"/H).

H. P.

Its, Development:
TriIld.~d8
(eds)

•Em~rrgeucy

POWF:lI':"51

1957(Oxford in

fJnivel"sity

2.3.

Oppositioh 1S?4)

Proteotion of t.he Ma.lay Community: A-Study of

Attitudes
I

This

baLeuce

Df

ethnio

int.er.ests

is

elabora.t.ed
UM'NOls

(M 8.8e Thesis Universiti Sains see PrQtector~

cpo

Position and
Malaysia.

my

24

For specific p~Rmples

cit,
and Democra.cy Operations

25. See Goh Cheng in Malay-51 i6 < O~ford

'I'e i.k 'l'he Ma.y Thirteent-h Inf~iderd:. Uni ver s i ty Pr-e s's , 1971}. A repol:"i~ of t.he
,

26. See M,ay l.a Tragedy. COl.\nc:il Ot:uaj a L\lU\Pur, 1969)

Na·tional

21. For details see H.K. Vasil~ The M~lay!;ifm Ganeral Eleotion of 1969 (Oxford Oniver~~ty Press, 1972)
'fb.ese we1.'r:.~ the rea..s oms given in Pa"r Ii amenb by AlI ian oe leaders; du:ri ng bhe debate Otl I:.he I'll'liendmel:lts to the Const.i t;.ut:ioo ill 1971. See Parli.runafitary Debates on the Canst! tu bLon A.lri.endment BUl 191 L < Gnvernmeo't: Pr-Lrrt ed , Kua l fi Lunrptrr , 1972).

23.

Kuala L1lmpur, 1969)

29.

See

'runku

Abdul

Rahman

May 13 Be.fore

.& After

(U'tusem

MelllYu.

The emergence of a 01 ique ~nc1 how itt conaoLi.d atied i'I:B power t.he wakr" of May l3th is d i scus sed in Syed nu~~ein Ala:bas "The PoLi,tic~ of' Coal it:ion Ln Mal ays ie. '"I Current Hit!ltc:u •;y (December-, .
]:1:1
I

so.

1.972)

31. no.

MalaysIa

"the l:'edeem.ing eLemenba it",1 the pr:·ficd;.ic:e of democracy tl\Y Democracy - Last. Rites?' Al iran Monbhly Vol. 8' Aug • .lst/S~ptemhe't" 1985 (Al iran, Penang ',. 1985).
see
I

"F'or

in
VJ of

:3 2. Be·e SioS;aPQ('e

my

'Coa'l. it i on

Socjl'!'lty,

Jaol.laf'y-t.1ar~h 19?3).

Po 1 i t:t cs '

Conunerli'ta.l'Y

( Un i vet's i 1-;.y

~:3 . 'For a mor'e thQrough ex elTil i n8.ti on see ~he ASE!inr~ i;"lt 1 on of Women. Lawy.e·rs (SeleY-utaI,' & Federal 'T'~rri bory'.s LFllC:t.S about ISA and ESCAR~ Aliran Monthly Vol. VI, no. 1 .January/February 1986.
34. See mY' ~The Controlled F're"ss'~ HUIlI8.l') Hir.chts ( Demeor ab ic A~t i on Par by ~ KU8"l a Lumpur , 1986).

in

Ma.laysie.

:3 5 .

Til is

ins banoe

Monthl:y 1986)

vi ew has been e~XJlre'sSled by PAS offiolals. See for Aliran Ce lebnlt iog HUman :Riglr1'i::s Dr-ty. in Malaysia', Vol. VI. W). 1 Jar1l .. ~.rY'/FebruP.L.ry 19B6 (to. I Lr-an I v Penang,
!

36.
3'7.

Ibid) pp. 22-26,

See Lim Chin-Chin Monthly Vol. VI.
& Tonll

Al irAn 3B.

HJB6) .

no.

9.

Yang Nye. \The pfiTJarl PrQbe~t', Sep1~embi8'r 198,4,} Al iran. Pen~n.g,

See JulY/Augus··c.

various ~ommenrts in Al b;ru'l Au~ust/SeJ;)'t.em·ber 196.5 (AI i·ran.

& Democracy

Penang,

Hont-hly

19135,}.

JUlle/Jubr;

39, p'o.!' details Con5lt~ tutiona.l Crie is

:40. 41 . Sec For' 'Fa.c·ts

see

my

'The CmfJ.tinl,d ng Crisis (Ali r-an, f~fHn:Hl:> 19'83) Aliran see

l

~,

The

Ab(')IJt. ISA & ESCAR',

~'onthlY"

op , ait. PanE
1, ~

a o r.:nnprehens 1v e aocourrt

Th~ Po lj, t i ':11,. of

Asiaweak
42 . For Bumi putra

Vol. II Np. 51. December

20-21,
J

1905.
j

backg:r ound analys iss ee Su br-emen ian Si-thamba.r am ~Bank Scelldfll', Ali ran Vo 1 , 1 I I no, 2 p"p r Ll-LTt.l.ne Ut-.I.B3 .

43.

Sae th~ Star, January 18, 1986.

to relee.ne tha Report i.n full is in Ali.ra.n MQn.thly~ Vol. VI. No,

4.4. The ,government" 51 r-e Luctianoe dis.cuss-ad i,n various sta.tement~ 2. Febr~ary-March 1966.
45 .
~Som,e Poli tical

How

Ma.l ay~ ien 1977) . ·46.

Sooia.l

interests 'atre 1inked to the NEP is di SOl.lS is ed in P~r'!5'pectives on l:.he New l:!:ciJl'lomic Policy' Fourlb Economi 0 Conven'l; i on ,,·Pe t5a bun Ekonomi Mala,vs i a., MaY
,I .

such

See

Developmen't

DecooB'f

~ •Has ,the Communal Si t.uat i on Wor9 ened Ov~er ·the Last BomB Pre 1 i m:i.oary Thoughts ~, Et.hn i 0 Lty • Cl Ia-SSI ,

MaJ.ays i.e ,

Ln

Malaysia"
Ji.9B4),.

S.

IJwriu Ali (e.-I.)

(Persa:~uan

Sains

41.

Conferenoe 48.

See my ~Islamic

Septembe r 198.1),).

on Development

Resurgence & 1;he (tuest.ion (Rocke.fe l l.er- Centre,

of Development Be Ll agi o , Italy.

I

tRepr~ss:tv6 in my ~Sol.lthea.st Asia: DyoamiclS Qf Po 1 i !; i cal Change s Marga Quarterly J our-naJ I Vol. 7 ~ no. 4 1994. (M;arga It'lst:. ibu t e, Sri Larrka , Ul84}.
1'0 Ier-ance :poenOInenon
J

Herbert Marouse called this: '. Tb is phenomenon is. studied

4'9. S~e my 'Dil"ty Polit.ics', Aliran ~ygust 1984 (Alirau. Peneng. 19A4). P~riodJ Melaka Vol.
50. See my • Cont: lou i ty

Mon·thly,

Vol,
of

IV. no.
tbe

6.

II, op. cit.

and

Cbari~e

i 11 M~11''iY Ideas

Me 1. akan

I'

6')

WORKERB~ PEASAN'fS AND THE UNDERDEVlLOPlCD

PEOPLE'S

MOVEMEWr IN MAl.AYS IA

Syed Hus.:l.ll. All

wt"Jl~kii::lg

1 as!:!;

and P~0.S an

-t-.

ry

in

.Mulays i a

l'I

nd t.o

B b ow
fS

cha:Clge~,,; b.<l\ve. f.l ffeoted will be seen

the i r r-o Le.s ] n th ~ peop Le '

MeL'l]~ka (Ind~p8ridencA')

L-h es~ 1 movemenb . It

llow

thlSt't fifter

itt

HJ!'.i7!

in

classes in that movement.

bo

It

IS

the main cbj~r~ive

of thi§ paper t.h is

haa

eualys€l

8.1nd understand

t.he underlying

r~a~on!':l why

bef'tl"'l so.

A.

Dev'alapment M.alays La ,

of

tbe

WorkirlS'

Class: has been under

in l186;

like

many Tbirri World countries,

I ,

colon

i.a l

r-u leo,

rJuder Bri'l;ish

no 1on i e.I ism· ,whI ih began

produoer

of primary

oorornoditie~ ~equired by the British In order

and

as

1.0 act a

British

capi'taL
Witb

to

develop. develop.~t1

the

r-ubbe r and tin

mitdr1';'

i.nduat.r-Les.
Dumber

eoonomic

(;" popu.latj,on
in

R'rew, from Indi

A large
ft,

of

conbr-acrb

WOl'k0l'S

W(;iI'e brough-I:,

Cb 'in a

And

~aioly imparted

from Bribain.

The end ea.rly

impor"l:;ation in foreign de.termined

of

tbese

goods and the .again

marketing

of

rubber in tbe

t i.n
pert

lw':u:kets,

pr.imari ~1y in

Bri t.air:. in the

tih,A ~truch.Are of dependence

MflJ ayan

eoonomy

and polities.

In fact, witb the e$tabli~hme~t of British

be in'beg-rated
j

~oloo:lalhi'rn

Mala.y~_ began to

rrt.o global

capitalism

as a peripheral A number
.Ill-ore r-ubbe r

c.a.pi t.al i15t courrhrv . of important soc: i O-BCOt1'QIn i c ob.ar..ges

we!:'~ op:ened
J

took place.
of

As

as'tates

and mines

the

number

workers

h'lOreas ed . Federated
number

In
Malay

1901
St.a:tes;

there were 5B 000 estffte

by 1920 'there

workers

in

the
bbe
were

a.t which it has seabi.l iSBd.

were
The

about, mining

220.000,
wot'kers

tin

:1,950.
Thes e worker=s:
Wa.r 1

we:t'e soOn organ

Lrrt o

i r:.fed.
1

lmme.di·ate1 y af·ter World Labour'

Uni on

they

united in

pOIWer'flJ

General

(aLU)

which was rena.mad

Oni oris (PMF''I'rJ ) .
i1:1

19,4.7 as the

Pan-MalaYa.ll

Federation
and wa.g

of

Trade
not,

Tbe

PMFTU becain~ act I

ve

in.vc 1v ed

only

industrial but also

d:i sput.·es to in pol i tical

improve

wark.in~

ecmdI ti ons

of

ag H:.at:.ions
Wfi8

against
by

British of

colonial ism. collaboration

Soon
with

the

PMFTtJ

acoused

the

Brit.ilSh

the Conullunists.

PMli'1'rJ> together

wi.th

8,

number
lUI i on

of

radioal

pol i tical

pa.rties tbe

'Wfl.!>l

bann~d.

M1any tr.ade

10ad.ers were trial.

among

t,hoUSBnds

arreSJ-t,ed and deta.ined

t;ra.de un' on ad.visel"s

without

The British

then brought
t:tew

io

who helped

in the

settiru! up of
or

un i cns
MO!;Jt to

whi~h were

oonfined

to

simi la.1':' occupations

B,nd

industries.
't... helllselves

af

t,hese

neW' lmi.onS

'Were docile

t.hey oC'll'Jf'ined

67

Lndus t r- Lel, passed in

matters. ord€'l·

1;0

19 48 ~

the

Tr-adE!!' On i on Or-d i na.rwe

neW

was get

to

en r;;!i1..trethet, the

un i ons

did

not

involved

in politioB.

wh i

on

were

or'i,ent.ed

towa I'd s

i rJlPQ:rt.~subgt itut 1. on

arrd

la.tet'

export.

At ,the

bas

und,.B:t·gone ex-t;ens i v~ ohange

as a resu l't;. of Gover-Fullen t

po 1i GY-

proportion

0-(

i nd ust:r i. a.l

worker.s

has

i nc r-~'e.~ ed

'Whi1 B

Secondly. no table
paJ:tl. c ipaHofi

there

is

of females

as Lndus t r i.aI warke es

amployed:.

'W'o:tkel's

mainly

frClm

Indones

i 6.

who work

a.a

o:ontract.
.3

Labou r-er s

tq

a{{rioult.ur-e

conb rnue '1;-0 maintain

i')oton]

y toe

life

-'st,yle

of

J nf 1ueneed
Pt"OffJl.U"ld
Got)

the

1 i fe-s'f:',yle nfLhese

indust:r-i nl workers,

the

morF.!
D lEl';';lS-

i rop 1i cat i 00

is; i t51 fit' f'erj·t. on the n~e r e of worki ag tu

sc lousness . For example, th~ reten"tion of int~imate

OO'n.-tHCt,

with

the

count.rvs ide such as; the

does n :t ass i.st

in er.adice.tirlg
,/y

peasant
persr)f)t'll

prejud t ces ,
j_nadeqUflCY

tendeocyto
on i ·el.Y'. the

b l ame pover

on

ra:l:.oF.lI"

tha.n
f3 DC

soc i o-.econoliJ. Lc

sY5rt..·~ill

and the

s true

tL\

I:'e

r)'F

Ma.1 ay::d an bl~mes effec,ti

Th'le bel i ef of poverty

i 51 eru:::ourEl.l.if·ed by

s ta'be

wh i ot-l Tbis
5l-Gate

the ve Ly

prewllence
shif'ts

on the

poor

,them~el vee , from

the

,he· re:sponsi bi.L ity

structure
of

:for

poverty

and -the soc·io-ecoriomic belp~ 'bel deflect !With st\ch

of mater.ia.l

of class

~o'Ciety

t.o bhe poor

and

thus

t.he growth

cOrlsciot_lslless.
Q

a P~r'S onal is t i.o v i·ew

f pove lL"'~Y ~
not

·t,haor:ll:y

Way out act.ion

find mor-aI depl"'i vaJ:..:i on lies:

in collect LVEl

bu t

in

Ind i v Idua l

in it t.at i v e find contact

8. G

t i:ong I nstrumenta
i;l:.s the
OppOS

1 a.t t i tude. ch6.I'acter

I

However ~

r-ur-a.l ~u17ban

,a1so has

i te

in

that ida:a'f,l

such t·o

ties reach

wi~ht.he the

k,runpuog pave thus,

way for

working tbem
j

class their

peasantry. and parti form

prepar-ing

for

everrbu a I abSQf-pt i Unski LLed industrial

on

into

r::ipa t..L ()O

a.

Ln urban

ndu~tries, of th~ sector

Labour-er-s

s i::1l.f1'able portion 1960~s the industrial

workers.

Since the early

ha.s expanded
the

relatively

faster tba.n other sectors. and bas

been

most act i ve s ector

For the period

'in :pray id j ug '~mploytneut; .

hrJIWBVi'i:!r~

lSf.H-f33.
p I uft.irne'l:;,ed

the absorp-ticn
with the

rate

in

tbe

indus tr i. nl for the

seat.or same

when compar-ed bhe period

who 1 e

eooonlnY and

p-eriod.
oommez-ce

During

on Ly

in-aosport

fJ(lMm'Unica.tlon, ind.ust.rial

Bnd government

services
&:.S

were active a. consequenO-B of

The

sect.or

in part.ioular

suffer-ed

t:tl6'

cri~is seotor 79.

of th& cepj

+~J istwor1d.
EHllP

BQwever, in

.198:3.
~

the

Lndus t r i e l

wa~ sti 11 providing 311'% of t.he

Loymerrb. were

Between ~he years

unskilled wo:t1cers _

1975They

hl1:)Ourfor(~e

:lndustrie-s. maotfestatinns
Malaysia. oPPClrbJl'li ty

Low techno logy of

hhe

and 1a.D,CUi' inten ~i, ve i nd ustr i as are

lmequal

economio

relationship

betwe~n

offered

by

the

abundant;

cheap

labour
i errbeo

8.va.il;Oible

locally. Because. -to that t.h~:i.r of

i'orej go the

irl"ves bor-s set, up 1,ow ine-ollle: o.oes:, with

export-or af

industries.
compared

gr:merally

un'ski Ll.ed workers with their

of the ski lled bargt:ljn ing power

Qoupled c ap i. bal

low level ~kill~ non-vex i s tent.

is in practice

.5.1%.
that

This

l:rend

was expe.rd-,ed to

oontinul8:

at

bb e SR,me t~llIte
4,

so

by 19a 5 the
migrlltil"lI.fr

ltn~IlL'p]1

oymer..t wouLd be :3 "I L i' 200.

II

'bhe

yout.bs

from

the

rural

area'S,

who

form

the

"p re-

power considerably. '['hey are

vir;;-e!--vi

iF..

c,ard taJ
sense that from

tJu:n::'efot'e ali eria.t.ed in the and Separ~:t.ed, but also

l.mder cap i tal i 'sm they t.be t r Labour I-md tbeir

axe de t.ached ~t:rue self'

no b on 1. y

fro~n -their Qollreal1{ues

i l'ltdb it i rIg However,

t.he

form.a t ion partly

of

cl as s

con r,'I c Lou sues s supply

among

thel1L,

it is

becRu£e

of

ft

plentiful

from the an~

70

B.

The Underdevelopment

of the WorkerI'!! Mov-ematlt

c l e.sa.

For

e xamp 1e

from or

1.9?0 th t'ong-b

HJ85 rat.e

indu.s't.r i a I

workl'3'N'l If tihe

Iner-eas ed !lgrioul'bur-al
W'ol.'kers.

by

125%.
t:lmplcyees

at. t.he aunua l are addesd to

of

B. 3%.

t-he

Lndus t r te i

p r-od.uob i on

Tbe inorease p~riod

gl':'OW

i ng numbe r

of

workers

haS! al e 0 been
for
il';lE!

f'o 11 OWf!d by thq

t.arice ,

in the number 1973-1980

of trade ~nions; increased

trade unions

from 340

to

39.1.

Bilt

aft 09r that;..

·tb Fe' number 0 f uri i orrs

d~c l'ea5: ed "1;0 38:3.

Neve r bhe Les s ,

'Union

memb.::r~hip

cont.·i nued
Despi,'tel:.hi

'to
~~

grow
11t'l

f·:t·om 579; 26 B member-ehi.p

if)

1980

to
Low,

612.218 in 1982.

ion

Ls quite

1. e.,

only

about;

17% of

tbe

total

workforce

for

1fl62."

~/orkers ,

un ions and

un i on mernber sb ip,

and

Si..\nb

e-oorromd c factors

ftdvsl'sel:y ,
fewer workers. For example, between t 97 nand 1962
J

I;be number- of

strikeS'

decreased
j

from

64 to 26 whLLe that

of workers

Lnvo v~d l

from t2
strikes

124

lo 3,330,

This

is a far cry ft'(jm. for' ex;ample~ 291

in 194'7 and 95 str'ikes invQlvin~

involving

B9} 21'7 'workers 5

232,912 work6rs
WhY'has
Teak Ghee 6,

in 1962.
GO? Many

bh i s busm
for

fa.ctors that

may be

put

fOI''''f'lt:''d"

Llirl in

~xl1impte,

sul!lit~st!'!;

r.elat:i ve tnu.. lql.llllty

four factors,

namely;
71

al
b}

relativo

afflu~noe df worker~;
the State~
B

SUQ'l.1eSH~: of

mechl'mh:m

1:.0

define

the

e)

fa 1. hu'e of workers

a.nd a'T?positional

mClv~rnp.nt~

to

o:rgani2~, and

In

A.ddiLion

lhe,~

ar-e 'three

other factors

that

a.lso

play

some role:
e) d igg:u i9 i ng value systerfl and feel ing of !{rati Lud.e

f)

pa.l't,ioipetion

by

J:-e.f'ormist

parti6s~

which

refuse

to
S,' }

!use" workers for ~political enls~;

i ntel'e5d:..
oWing
t~Q un i ons

s eo b i ona I

be l'ruit

org'aniL'1H:3!d

ActlJal1
oorns

"t:.b e es

fa c:t;ors

1 '"p.!d ·to

1':1

low

1 eve 1

of'

01 ass trade

0 iQ\.tSh6S'15

oorrs ~qU(o.~n 1y t

faith

in

unions.
Class followipg of
ce:tlscitlu.'g-n~G~

involves ones
0

several

e.Lernerrbs

of wh Lch the

&_re tjhe principal

B.5

FirstlYl ,it

is tbo dafinitioo r-ol e

wi t.h

oneself'

wc>rkit,.g

class

wi Lh a. d.isrti.nct.

other

.Beoond Iv , bhab the

clfi15f.1

com;;ciowmess

is

heightened

by

tbepe):"cept;'ion

cap i ta 1i s1:; 01 as sis the 5"t,t'uggle

.1';

in r;)pposi t i all to opponent. creates one'

S

the. war 1ti ng o Iaas,

Ttd rdly.

with

the

the ooncepti on or
Iiloa.l.

.of

an. a I tF.;lroa:t i ve

oo i e ty

Lh.at t.l'.l.~n becomes

72

Several

studies

on Malftys f en wor]&,er:s' vmrk or i eut.at.Lcn that is" of

show

inoomE! lEi wor-k

are

th~

prime

moI:'-i vat.or-, I roni.oally

wbi l.e the such

.r.emaioing'

a.spect~s ~economic)

!:3sDonciary.

inf:ltrum€otal

oe I ~n tat ton

hi

r:e.pi tr.dist capi t!'!ll ism

ol.~dl!!r they

are

nouh ing
8.

bub

rn~re

commod.LtLes . .. and

UncIal'

labour

b8oQ.mes

eommou i'by wh1.'ch

151 bO'ught

the

real

i ty

of t.. heir

Sb~'tU:8

as oummod i "I;.i es But this

:1!S in.deed notion has

-t.he not

core fully

notion

of

cla$s oon~oiou$ness.
the Malaysian

developed

eTtlong

woz.kers ,

un ions

of

t.he

] a tie 40; s .and e:ar ly 50'

SI

p~rhaps beoause

of th~ir

were

mor e pron,e

to

nad Lea I fDrmSi 'I'he 1950's

and thereTore
I

bud

considerable development unions.

wer~

political
of

impact.

paved tbe

way fQrth~

pat,ron-cl i ent
Ls no t

r-e latiohship

between t.AB st,ate

tbe

and the

Bu'!:;' th i s

to

s ugges t t.h a.t

J? t"e-19 50 ~s

un i Or.J.S

il1st i t,l.,lt Lorra question played the

whi

on

took

upon

'the:ms e 1v es

the

tas: k to

overthr

0\'1 or

tbe oapitali~t - colonial ro l.e,

8yste~.
j

They too

basically

a dedicated one too

J

of defending

th~ intere~ts

of the working

class

but still conductin,

tbei~ fight within wecs t::.heireI

the
ass

framework of that system.

al 1, g'nm rant.
In

.A d ist i:aot 1. ve fea"tl-\re

t~be

] at e

60 ~s arid '70 J:IS there was an experts ion

in

l.hc

waned,
(lo:J]

Class trans

alignfllel"J I::.. ec:ame h format ion w~s

obscure

and

the

prcjs;pect.. Tbe

of

major

it i ca I

1. noouoe i vab Le

i')"'~_f'i tPil 1.1';.-1;-

7J

col all in 1

system

wa.s not

a I-ta -ed even the un ion

by po I it"l cal

indepet)dence.

Mainly for th's reason,

11-;. bl'1'flefioial
si VJa:l:;ion pronE!
W{;IS

leaciersPltobably reforms

did

not

thi.r)k t.he

to

:iriS] st

on z-ad i.ca.I

when .objectively

non-radical. to

La coming

term!Swi

til -the pnwer

bargaining

of

~apj t,a.l

ra:t:her in

than

to
8,

undermine

it.

Collective

becomes. to the

t'eal i t;y ~

~roce~s

of" defansive and

i nvo 1v~s
l!l" i evaUDes;

a.ccommodation the r 8' 1 i ef

0

existing
5J uppress

r s ometi i Illes even

an atte1ILp t 1,0

I on t.he

of'

mme-a int;e

-rather'
~

than

res 0 1ve

unde:t.'lyin~

t:"Q.U!;iP,

of

worker1

problramfi.

A reveals be-twm:rn
tj

look

6-1.:. bh e h is tory Q~['tain un ion

S

of

the
nf

workers'

movement

j, tl

Mal ays is.

tbf.rt at

scageii,l

soc ia l d ev e l opmerrt., had rome

-tp

differan0i9'S

tr~de tbe

find

oa,p i tal

a 11 e'!ad bub

aL

f:IO

m~

did

uni on-s d i teet

soai.et,y.
S'Of91 a]

the i.r mi 1 H:.anr_,y -81on.e

•

towards the

tr~cUs-forming

cap i'I;;al i!3 t

let,:
or-d P.!:t'

tJOW8t'"O,S

creation
t_:.hei r

of

an

a.it.ernati

ve

Ecotlomistfc

in

genera.l

or 1 en t a.td on i

sceptios syst~mattca.U_y
subdl.Aedto

VU!lW

that

thf.ll

unions a

have sil.tnific8.1'1t

capil;a,lism

by bel'Joming

So fEi.r t.he uni.on a

leadership ~'adical have

or

e.l ternat i ve pecome

con ce'Qtion ei the

t'"

of

El

00

ia 1 ~tr'w;:'ture .
0f

The

Lin inns movemen!:.

mere l y

an app~nda!le

t:,.he rnd.i cal

inc:orp,ore:t,ed into

eap i 1..::31 ism.

Meanwbile~
of segmentation.

the

Labour

mCfvenmnts are

al~o

f.ac.it1g the

problem

The

sBgmentstion

of tbe

labour

market

io

whioh Ls not
unions a.re

entirely

made up of workers e:lass

or

labour uniti,ng

unions,
a l I wbo work

ncr~ cohesive

orgA.rli.s·al;ions,
PI.1.rpbS

for

ali

viaS'

beb i nd one common

e.

While class opposition

~pecific

work

contexts and

dist.incti v e group int:erest.. to identify themselves

ocoupab Loue l

Benae
and

WQrkl;lTS

ha.ve the tendency

members

first
or

foremos·t. of

as

of firm

a. specific ot' w·orkers roi 1 i 8:l..1. t.ha.t.

OF.

group

ettJ,P loyees It

a parti

cl..lIat'
i!'l

in~.

given

indiustl"'Y,

is

wi"th i [lsu.ch a.nd

limited

spar!"!:; n F.HlUS a

co I hmt 1ve
p

I')rg8.n i s at t i on

a.ot i on clevel

'Given sucb

limitatico

the o l as s

unions

often

reflect

narrow seotionail

concer-ns r'a-Lher than

sol idat i ty.

to

At the same time,

workers

dis·c'ourege The e of

nom

efining

their

in.terest~ reinforoed

:i

aa

tet'IrIs.

ideologioal a number of
0

pressure

is Moreover

by

tbe

lex"isten '~owards capable

om.pet i ng Uri i ODS,. may be held in is

However,
Cb'BCk

the
un ions

trend
are ·so

,~l"eater

sectiori.alism

if

of -presenting the

a progr.llinlIle which

!Sufficiently .. Such a

broad

IlS bo minimi'4le needs

d iffer~noe5 pol i tical,

e.mongwQrkers

pr.ogramme cut

to be bas ically

Bing Ai ¥un (1985) pojnts

ul'IdeI' beohno Iog i ce.I

control, will

tine

work

of

en incTea.~ing-

workers

in Malaysia

8.S'Sl.u.ne

a un I form char-aet.er-.

f3

number

of

Howev or-,

this pOAitive

de~elo~nent rn~y be undermined by the

The

workers.
by

1ike

maoy

0 bhe

serJtj oos of

tbe

$cciaty

are

also
which

effected
is

the

growing

trend

nf

ethnic
noun b r y.

po] ar-t aat.I ou 'rhere are

at;. Vl:'es8nL

bedevi111

ng Lhe whole ent ire ly at-he rs

i nduf;

t r l e~ or en i:, B.r;-pri 51 Elf:> wb i, ch are

groups. But tbere
7

mati e' up of where the

different
composition

etbnic

ar-e

of workers

i§ mulLi-ethnic

although

it often happens

with or witb~lt From

d t ffererwes iii
tl1Jt:s 0 rd

the belp of political

id~ er

c an
tel

e.as i ly

manI eu l at.e or

the

worke:rs
Ii> 0 1idar

weakBtl

uri ions

worke r

i ty

8Actionalism

4mong

unions ha~ been tbe r~sult of

after
I

de~iberate
the

po Ii Cy car-r t ep cJl~t by t.h f:! co 1 on j_ a 1 State r-ad i(;~.l un ions,

i"t. rl i smarrb l ed and

legislat:.ed

the

Tl:'fldeUnion~
after

Ordina.r1ce,
inc1e.PEmnence

1948,
the

followIng
Stat:.~

tbe

TI:mc-lrgen.cy.
wilth

In

ff.lc1:;'Jeven

continues issu',es

i-t~ ef:ror.;l~
th'f5lir is a. more

t.o

div-ert and

t.he to

attention

of

wOl~ki9LS from

affectitl!1

1 i yes

se;gmen·t. Lhem fu r.-r.her ,

For instan(H",

there

public

~ector,
but

to

form

f{rQ1...lps or

associ:atiQns

mea:nt
u

bas ed on ~·thnie

membe r-ah ip .

AmotH5' some

the'

bu b toe1ig i ou s ftot i vi ties

wid~ly eFlOoun~ged.

!l.r~

To au oh situl'.li:,ioi1S

ethnic:

riv&lriiSSl

OI.:.!U be

76

follm'Jing 'ffc:rt'kers have 81S Q

wi t h dn
blot

the

Gbvt!rmnen.:t; 's: 'Look accord ipg the:y

III

Eas t. '
tkl.~i r

PoB cy. -trade but,

Qr~ly

be;i~'t.l otrtanii'i~d

to

apa

rt i ct,J:1 a r f'i rrn and

r-e n Qt

int ego .l,~at.ed wI t.Tn The~

ra.l~i011Elle
HI

worker".fi;
8pp~ars

in
to

other be
to

fil·ms
cl"ea"l .e

i.n the
!:'11

Sl'im(~

indu$.t.L~Y.

s;,i,abl e the in
1::.'#0

C~.Pi 'ba 1-]_

1l.bou:t' :tn

r-e 1 1:1:1:.1 oris

I),PPOB

wbioh

hJ,st;e~d
they

of

seeing

compr:Juent,$

it:.ional

tmr-rtIs,

are

inbegrt:rt.ed

a .singl·e

or:gani~ation.

Undm"lyitlr;! p:rodtJct. i vi ty

tll is

i ~ the and the

oorrv i.c·t i on

·that f!: t yen

au ch

harmony,

ino-reas€l$
members is

beoaus e 0.1' t:he es:prit r..a.·tural cons

eqUl'?lnC6.

de corl~sthe

W'elfare

oE

the

Tbe

in-hou~a
reeomrnended in

union

is

widely

pract_i.!~n8d in

J!3pan

and

is

stron!!rly
snd

!by the

.Gove t'umen As it.

i"f.J.I"

adbpi:. i on by 61
QUT)

wor.ket"s

eml?1 ver-s o in with

Mtllay$ia.

is:: now,

'Of

the

137

uni ons
uniCl'ns,

bh e fllib Ii 0 se.::t~Ol" I l"'l Ma.1 s i a ay

a

b ave

beoome
or

in -house about 29%

membership

of

flt)QUt.

63~ 000

wQt""ker~~

of the

the

tcr~al

'Wr:rrk foroe

Ln 'bha t f.>eotor.,

On the
wi t.b

I)ther haud ,

in of

pr J..vates

~c:t.or 36 of "bhC§!!
( 0 F,' about.

148 un i ons ~
been

lllem.bersh ip
as lS'ffect.s

abo'Lj'b 20. 000

3%.) have

inco!"f:lI~ra.ted

i n -bouse on t.be

This
un i ern!'; and the

developmen-ta.etu·ally
workers movement
1:1.'1:.

ha.s weakenin,fl
1arge .

.As

instli

t.utions: union

hold:l,ng.

iU$'t.i tt.rt~:ianal i sed power

dr..l not,

wi'bh i.n

r,he

c:api.t,eJ_ i.$t st:ec~';I9" CO end ang~r oounter

J'3ys·bem.
I!ri!llne.gement
"1:;0

bu.r~at..ICt~aO ie's

have

t.heW,oll

nation
run is't-

the ir the

own iutB:rent,

by pr.E'Sent i ng ~letllandf.; of. boe

of

wh i ch capital

log i.e and 'the power struc'ture

demands
co,nr:; .ide red -I:;hl':lt

Tb,er.~fDre,
8;).-18

have
thr!!:'

n o chanc~

be i ng med:. by

not

from

outset.

The

objective has

ftinct i Or)
·b.eaoflle
f.l.

of

labour

un i Oh5i es'Pec LaI I "!t in-how s:;·eun ions

of
:idF.lolog~r;1";lJ

now

funr::t'ton

cbmmit,ment

~.nd

pol:'l.tica.l

medj atlol:l,

Urd on Lead er-sh I p thrmlgh And corrltpticm amonst

l aok
soma.

of
~
hl':l5

ideology

emd 'through
becQ!ne a

inefft~iI!moy

generally

con s i1H'va:Li y€.~ force.

!>:uch

d r-aoon Lan

1B.WS

0.:'3

the

rnt.et"t'l,~l

Rp.cur-i_ty

Act.

and

S~VE":["a

1.

f'r-om (:~)loni.al

day~.

is often able tu control

vi a

union~.

e-S'par: i.a l Ly

nons1~a.ni:th reat;.

and

0neroiol'l. 1eel by un i, OU
]

(-:\'flde:r~ wbo

ar-e

!"l

ymp.atb F L i I': to, For

if

not members

nf.

polltiual
level.

parties the

in government.
Na.-I:;ional

ex&rnple,.

at the

bighest
he10nging

.i , e.

Council

oef bhe MTLlC, members

impressi

on bus

a.l",~y~

bean

that',

~,he oppos i t,1 ,on are

in

corrt r o'l due

wlw i~ an
party membe , r

opposi,tion

Asa

r-eau l t.,

l~y lJs·inl"{ -hh~ lS,A and w-.i.th 1:1"18 (lqoperati on nf

th."trad_e b r-efik
UTI

some 5l>:mti'L)n

of

un ion

1eariet'sh

i p;

the

st r i kes

f'l'r dereg

i s ter

·govf.ll.'nment he.s of'Len 9

1.11'1 j
Ot1S •

bf'.letl ab 1e t.o

Suoh

me~5UFeB j

have

not

only

we!lkened

the

un i orrs but

also

e r oded trhe faith t.o

unionism
fLH'th@!!'

Thes e ha,ve a I s c he J ped thei r:" cl~s51

0.01lE::lt:;i

e t~ode

ouzme s s .

78

c.

Chal'lgefil

ill the Peasa.nt

Seotor

penet:r.fit i on
dlJring' 'I~he

tha.t

be,gal)

du:t" ing'

the
has

110 J

an i til

per i 00 and

c orrb i nued

prJ!;!;

t. -cro Lon l a.I ped.od syst:eros as well

brm.f.lhi~ e bou b many cban~"9-s in the social structut.'e at, the

the

agrieu1'l:.ura.l
1eve 1 _ of'

as

rur a L
t·YPi!!E

i':'lfl:r (:1..1 ]:tural J style

sy stems

ex i st. ing These

now ~ ~ys-t.ems

each rep~Bsonting
a.r e thp.: pI'oduets

~
of

different

!~'f rievelopmemt.

Bither

g'enera:t.ions
p Lanning

of
by

sp'ontau60US the State

evolution during

or tbe

the
pre

result
and

of post-

deli berate ind.ependence

( i)

tleriou5.

'rb ~ systems

ar-e : sy'stem,

r.:~t!stomary or

oommune.L land. 9ystem~

(i I ) slna.ll-pp.8.san I:- farm

( L i i)
( 1, ) v ~yst.enl
groups.

sme Il-bo Idi ng sett

1ernerrt eys tBm, 'and

modern

'p

I ante.t i on syst;em. mainly

fire

(i ) involves

the
Oft8t)

ver-i

usaboritHoal
they

ot' Orang
move in

As

1::l.

Tb es e g'roups wi thin
'Wide

no'l;, sa-t;t 1 ed : junghns:.

sma 1. J or been
sYSltem

bands

e.re·as for their

Qf

ga:l;ih,el"ing, But th8re

burrt i L'lg
have

cultiva'!;.ing
flttsmpts (ii },

food

own us~
sett

only.

by govF.lr"rune-ntto at. tb i -s presen:t

l e and tbe

intellr.ai:;.e b iggecst. peop Le

them Lnbo humber

wh i ch In

involves sys:lem
j

of

r-ur e l in 1_jhe
those.

pe~,"Jple.
tradi tiollal

s e.-,·ond
(villaga coconut While can

bhe

a re

s ettl ed
11' in

ka'ffi"!?llng
r:i oe,

and

Lrrvo I ved

'pl"iroari

proo.u.c:d:;.i'bll of

and ·there
\olQrkl C8.r~

r-ubbe r-. are some

Included W'jtbtn

B.lSQI 'chis

A.!."e

oocupied in fishIng.
own more l'a-tld tha.n i'3uf:t'ic::ient Land

system

who

j·.hey

oSInd mor-e who

W(lr.k

POf:l'Sr;!'ss

r-e l at Lve Iv
wj

tl11'lt tbey

ei theralone-

or

t.h

family

help,

a subs I:;ant.ial
10

number'

OWl"!

no land at

all

or less

than

·tbey

As for sys~em (iii),

Ef

it

involves emen1;;

mainly

those most:

who have

neE!m

st. t Led

unden- va r:i oua res e btl -t.hose

0i

5 chemes
r.U'"r!!

, t.he
ved

i nrpo r t.an b of

which and land

are
palin.

under

Felda.

'l'hey

invul

mainly

in

l;"1Jbber

1 pl':'oduct i on .•

b~i;;W8Bn 8

12

acre5. p r ov i.d.ed by f?e Ld a, and th.ey

btl i 1d iog

hr,:JlJ1SeS are

he.ve to

be r~pa

to

TrfinaferA of

ownership

occur

Fi nally, a l ao invol ves those organised on a, planned ft~elda suheme , bu.E !flUb

slight

difference.

in the ownership

of bhp. e:statf;l.

Hut

at: the

Same

Lime they

ha.ve

regular monthly ~alary.

They

are different from the privat~ly-ownGd

commercial

est~tos,

as

p~ r-t,..

proba.b ly
['rJ

~;he

mC)6

b ilupor.tan

L part

,.

of its strategy
t.. tb~y have Pr-oduc t i on

for hoen
i~

erad i o.at i ng

r e I poverty.

It.

E:~TI

he se.idtba

gea.red primar-i

m~jnly
ly

for

i~he world demand

r-ubbe r

market, i.n "Lha-t marker!:.. have

·t;hO!5l0

by the in

fa.ctor

tbl'"'J$l~ involved
CDpi tal

prodtwt.ion

a I s o been invo 1ved

dj_"awn Lnt,o

the

i st eoonornv.

In

fect,.

evp-n

Ln trruii

tiOI1f.!

un

Some: produ~e
sUl'plus

0 t'

thetn t.o who

~fh.ioh

t.hey

need.

to

cDnvert . into

t::fiE:h in nrd~r Even those

buy

other

needs

or meet ether

oommitments.

of'

it

s e tb,n:t. t,hey

~f,U"l

buy

other

th i ngs ,

or in Drder

t.o

repay

son te l

nne
C B.t

of

wh i oh

i~ it is no T onaer

strati fi
pos

i on.

s i b 1. e

bo rega.rd

everyone

in the

r.ural

areas

as pea.sarrts

all

In I",b~ f'i rst,

'f.tJ stance,

explained,
ditfrar~trl;

above,
from

t.ho se t.hQse

in 'the

sme.Ll boJding

set.tlement.s
syn tern.

are

quH:e

intb.e

mr~dero plantati,on

hrt.t@l.~ are

agrioulturf.:!.l

ar

farn'! workers

who are

paid

!'Hllarie:s,.

position. we?!.! th
ittfl
I

income 1]
In o-t,he It words,

UenCE! .

tbai r

111

nAmel.y:

(e) LandlordG. TheY' own C01'lS iciet'8bJ eo 1 and usually over '{. ~cre!S but; be low 100. "which they do not have to '1, operate them!:>~1ves; instead '1;.heland is \lfO Jr ked by 'others on at r errba 1 Cl1~ r3bet'e-cropping bas j s whi J e some may be lefL idl~; SQnl~ of theF;e landlords may also be shopke~perf'J or- tnidd 1 erneri or w(l;rking with !lOVertlmen l:: es
I
I

salary earners; Cln tbe whole they ha.ve good incom~and 11 v e .n reJ 1a.t j ve J y t easy J i fa" {b !Q.l"lI? Ja~Mng) compared
to tbf.l

of

1Il0~

t of

t.he

pe.a.s all L'i'3;.

] ~,It ot.her s do 80 on basi.!S; Gometimes they just the!Y

't~han ·they
id1 e ;

(b)

Well-to-do

can work on,

Pee.s arrt.s :

and so wn·at they

let. the

DQrm~ 11 y ovrn mor~ I a nd cannot, opel',ate e. reo ta.l or sha.re-cr'(.1ppi ng' Tbey

excEiss land

lie

< e ) Medium Pefl'!'HUl tis : Most. uf th em have enough I and '1:.0 operate on 'bhE;d.r OW11 somet11I1-e~ wi-th the help of th~ir w'i ves or othBl:' f-e.mily member-a : f-:here are some who e r e forced to wor-k 1,.1n unenonomi c no] dings. because they cammt afford bo &cqui:re mrrre land:
(d)
fffi,y

PoOt· .PeasantiS';

A J. iEI.rge number- of

·th.€n1l do

not

OW 1:"1

obhe r s ,

land.

and so have
'3spr::cially

to

work on land of

belonging
and (b');

t.o t·heir
their

Labou r beCP.l.lJse bhay have -to give away tbl'J' ather pa~rt to owneJ;'s elf thr:l ] and th~"t, they opet'a:te~' S8me C~! them 0"'''0 a. :Ui:;tle ] and hut not s uf ficien'h to 'work on; (e!')

Lncomes

cal"lf:1t:i.t:,'ute only

from

part,

c:e;bef!orir:l"f1J (a}

t;he. pll·oduc.t

of

·t.hrough r.H.'I:=';;1.l..a 1 Labour- ~ oowl!ldays ~orn'r!!of thetn work in. land Bcheme~ organised on an estt;t'be baa.i s.. they ; work

at

all

Agricultural
and

very

Workers:
9:('·ter.1

b ave 1...0

They do riot D,,-,n any

earn t.heir

living

land

sb.ar-e in the land. economic pORition. All these

8G

wage

earner~ whil~ at the same time tbey

and so en.joy

quit~e a ,good
-1;0

have

soo.io-·

ct'l.t;ertor

Les a r e reI at-ed

agricult.ure

direct~ly or

The • people

integr-etiol"t

o f the

v i 11 age

il:rt;o the

w'idBr

tlatioha.l

and

even

who do not

have LO d~penn

em ag r i cu Lbur e , tb e vi 11.oge and

bus i ues amen the war 10

who s e r ve as aeon ami c 11.'Oks bet.ween cubs id.lf!. Pal i-t.ieD -adminis"trat.i-ve

introduoed.

i &TI:;O

tbe

viII age

gOVB'l;'nm·~nt t')ffi

Qla.18

repres.enting

"'ar i DUS

governmerrt

deparl:meot s , Lob:l the karnpung.

sehool.s , but

also. tea.ohers

i. e. ~

the

RUral
hon~

Many

of

them

dap~nd

on

their'

But there
are those
itleomss
1

who

after some tim&.

ublet·o

given
land

their

relatively

high

have

been

aocumulate

t.Q become

Lend Lerds .

(bL

(0)

and

(d) .

Ln WQNiiii members of each

cat.egc1l:."'Y
I'

other
as

s'eldom' oons id.G:1"" then:n~elvez

small e l a.. 1!i:l content;lS. 5

6S

they

[na;;v be,

do

ol'"Jcu.r and have some

But

they ca.nnot 'be said to be expressions

of
of

eon9ciousness.
,

~spec~ally tbe poor and medium ones,

C.DIII.pare

bbe u~t ion:a.l

seal e.

B3

'The toe s earns -to be mLdd 1 e

r"O]'lS

an et.hn i.c element, are ma i. n ly

i.n.

in

-th is

cnmpe.r is-on _

Tha

and

UPP1? l'"

C Las SFl'S

tO~\fflS ,

id Ii:): r-ed by th e pred aminar:!"i:, y Mal a,V 1 So.

de5p 1. i:ei:.h

PRF.l_S

arrt.s ,as be i mt

daminatsd

hY' Chine~e.
number upp.er of

e fact.

t-ba t ·there Ls -now a

wb~ have ..

grow; og
·the

MalB.:~r- _rt/fess_ionals p

and business-men

joined

and

middle

e}_asses.

ka.ya'

(rich

roan) , 'fhi
51

they

ofi::.en refer
js

to

hhe Chtut;:'se

businessmen

~:rtet"e=o·t:vpe
r,;jr.!

part.ly

strengthened exist
-

bv "t::.he nabur e r-ur-aI ar-eas .

-

Qf ec-nnomic ands
The number

i.a 1 re 1a:1t i on s t.hat rural

They n on -M'fll ays are invol

i n the

nf

Chi oese
j

arrd 1nd i an is tappit'l~.

j5

comparatively

small.

ved

n rubbeJ_'"

pa,di

Normally, live bBrmord

OUS]

the diff~ren-t ethnic

in

separ-:3.t _,_ oommun i i;Les,

interacting

quite

wit-h one anrrbhe r ,

intel~-e!thnie
soc i. ety ) thf9 re

or

other'

kinds
ex j
!;I

o.f

anf.mos i.t·-1_es. ion

lltrt

in

ru ral

~Qtt.lal1y

t wi thi n tbe product

and ma.r l!lt i fig k

most

nf

the

rural

Conflict
shopkeepers/middlemen_.

of

jntp-rEist batw~en
although twis-ts. basiotl,]Jy

the

peasants

and

t.he
8J:'e

class in nat-ur~.

scmet-imas

di veo

ethnic

Tb i s

L s: bee

~U8e ruo;,:t OT the

Mel ay pea.s ants

working

as

some of

them

even

t.he i r

rela:t_lvR::~.

IJ. PeS9 ani::.!i One

p,OVf:;)rty -

MOVemeL'l:ts the mosrb s ert.ous pt'ob Lems f:Aaed by bhe peas:e.n-bry is

of

Since
1;.0

independence~ eradica:l:;e

Llf

programmes

the state has introduced a number 12 poverty. Some ~ol.l.nt of sucoeas has

been achieved

to r.aise t:.begener.al level of living

among th~

rural

taade up tnainly same

b Ime

of

the

poor of

and

med1l.1II1 peasHmt
l, ike

categori

e5.1.

At, th.e

a; number

ot'g-an i_zations
e 1so been

the

cQoperat

i ves

and

farmer!El

as S Oci 8:!;;.1 on s have

s pons or-ed by the!

i8:1:;, l'lg
T

!!tDvernmen't...

wi t.h

1~be stated

ob.leo.t.L vas

of

alley

the

s oo i c+eccncmi c
not
1"

cond it;. ions

But

more

often

than

organ 1. '2l at:t oris political

In nu'al

on Iy ~ 61'V'~ ·as bas eo 0 r mupport

Ilroup

fa

the

ru 1 ing

parties.
spite of all bbe good and the intentions
i'

at

the

strategy by

for

deve Iopment,

organisations

initiated

the

rlen,era

1.

A~

rBsult of rising expectations and

some OI' mieiil'lY of

the
PJt"o'jeots

feeling
are

!9.'!llOUSpeaSlant9

t,hat

the government
seemEll

not

r ea l ly

bene r t tt ..ng i and

'them.

there

to

be

growing

d:lssa:tisfacti_on
in dlfferen-J:,

refitlessrH~,ss·.
of activities or

Some of these movements

find expression the peasants

forms

among

Thes co;! rt:>- often a lleas aut.. s when th.ey

have
fi

Indu 1ged
j

in

by

the

chanr-a

t.o be t;age ther

p-i tbe.:r

dur i ng

mowing pad i ~
dcne , The r e

01"

more of'l:;en during

twa [ mporta.nt. 95

rest

periods

and af .. ter
whi en

work is s e r ve
&S:

are

ins t i tl.1t ions

name Iy. Af·te r "nd prays r they bhe latest of tet1

!'i=i

1. t d.owu oud tB.lk are

;q

bou1~ a l mos t.

r-umour-s and gossip

etlwayg p~S8~rl on

But norma1ly.

.1i.

Pe:t:it ions and

aJrl;:!'Eldy

II' lyj, oS'

Letters

Snmetiru~s it nppears

os if

~hese have

b(~E:u institl.lttona}.ismL

In t.he

on~e

of' person!S:

pe-(-:;i'I.:i!nl'tiu flga Irus t., (

they

normally

hold

positions

of Tnspon~ibility.

a nd a Ia u prITllnlce

eep] tes

whnse

origins
frotn,
bl ~t

ar~ ,the

alsn
iT]

not

diR~los~d.

Some

flying
W;Ith '

letter~
local

or ig-i.na"t;.e pr'~)blem,

11age

and ~~rm rn i:;h~l:nse 1 'fes r.e

Lhe

I-;Il~r'1'3

are t irues

when

th ey

ar r 1v~ f r nm out,s id e '~vt::!n

Appert')nt.ly,

some ot the momt biting

letters.

ii i.

Publ io 'Gatherings

and Demonstrations:

There

ar e

Oc08.s

Lona

meeti ngs

he ~i ng call

ad b~y the

J OQ!.'.t 1 1. eade r'tS (1 ike the

pen;;Hu,t]

1..1)

or

with the inteFventioh

in the LoooI
mosque or

of !hlgher offjci.ls'.
sehool. Norm.ally officials
Cluj te

They are meet.iuFts in order

o:H,en he ld
tut"n

the

out

to the

be one+s i.d.ed t'alks

~n.r.

by appropt'iate

to

clear

Oecas ion ally "i.!hey provok~

Lrrt.enae exohang es ~

ending

Some (i)

of -th es eel

ement.s
s

may re~ ad::: to or by orger.d sing

f'urtheT

!'uTI;ons i

by menus even

nf

a.nd (i i ) above
not

demonst,t'ati.ons

though
be held

bhe law does

permj_t. 1I::;bem_ Bub demonstr'ations

may also

without

a.ny ITleeting prior

to the'm.

As will be elaborated

later,

Find

wh Leh

These
WelTE!

demonstra,tions

held

either

fol:' one day o":r rep.eat~4

for"

many days.

Iv.
of

~Illegal~ Oocupation
money and ener,gy for

of Land:
opening'
new· Land

schemes.

and

sett:lement

schemes

bind

,~Ert·t, J

ers

to

hugeamoun-ts

of

loans:

men hl;j' d ed !Jet 't

:1. an s

f r-om eat' n i i:.lgsa

it e r P l" od 1:..t ryt ' 011

Wha

is-more
abou tten

ser i CIU S

is

tba.ttb.e

number- of -thos ewho

:requ i rEi 1find is

and

a:t times
the

tho51e who b.ave luoky ones to

been

rejected

are

known to

be mar-e n'®Bdy than

be selected.

"87

~ large

number o f the

poor

land 1eslS

pee,flhnts

jungle distrif~b;:,

a.rea.s fen::- cLlltive .t:lon. wi thiu the

Some of t~hem mDve

8'.

to

diff'e:t'eut

!Same s+e.Le , I eave

g ..

Kel arrt an whi Le utbers

·th.ei 1" own vi 11 age homee

t,o Elhift-,

wi-Lr.-a

'1'hese
occupants.

land
by

at'e

fro·wned

UpOI:)

In spit.e of
EI rne stern o rrlf3a'Sures to ev i at e number. title
Q

f tb ern,
ev i c'bed

th~

movEmlen't;,

~t I 1]
heel)

persists.
,

In
hold lorLg pickets
fnovements, emerged

~ orne of

S,qu:I;I.t-;.t.e:rsh ave

13 ·inprat.est,_ espec i,ally f r-em

I

known to Such

demon st-;rBt i otl S

and

lend

oCI:::,:upa t ion,

tbe

botl;orn,

themselves.
movrsmem t$

They
spon.scn:osd

are
from

different
th@ top

from

the
J

org~nisations No doubt

and

by government;..

they

but

they

arl!}

r)

1. ear

maoi t'e s ca t i orrs of

s oms ,deep-s eated

p rob lams.

The peasant

participation

I.n t·hem ~bvw e l.emerrt.s

the~e

of corrnnltmen~ end
bel ow' ar~

Fur'i;hermore.

"movemerrt s from

without
condemned

police permit as re~lired

as illegaL

by

the lsw~

The strong ~rm of the law inavit~b]y moves

It

can

bg s a t d -that.

I:.he diff'erenL

types

of

"mo vemerrl.s

iI"ORl

tb e its policies

movement

may be d i1:'8c'i;ed ·toward s tbe

j

guvermnen

1;,

and

as a whoie

but in pr~ctio~,

a~ will b~ seen

!at~r

pc li c i as ,

H~vBrthel as

$I"

it;.

invariably

exprAs~es S0m~ ferm

8f

5nti -gCl'l;l'·ernm,en t strate!i: i.es opposi't ion re l everrt of

sent. iutents .

Ai

reiards
·appea.r

the
be

moderni~s~ion hwr.) of

govermnent

'pce'Val~nt which is

views of

'an understanding the pea$a:nt

for- t.hc l,lnderstanding vi BW is that

mbVements.

'T'he f i i-st
capi tal i s'l;

modern 1.15at.i on is; based

free ente rpr.i
$e

on the- we!3i:~eTn
F-Itld a

mode1

\</here

i$

prC)p~g~at'ed

dominant

role

of t,ha

p.r'iva:te

!'i:.ec tiOr. i s gu~rar.l'teed.

Undouhtedly

this system
id

is capable

of stimulating

devF.i OPllIent 1 "

fQrelgn

but it.

tends
weal thy

give

g'rs&t.er

advarrb ag e to big

:imves1;.ors~

d.mnes~Lo cap

i 'ba li ,";its end sen i O'r bu r e aurrr-a ts,

juoior is s l ow, gaps hetween

.rabher- than "to small

Fe~RAnt~.

bUsinesses.
Tbal"S certainly

oftioi~ls
some trickl and and the

and ~be poor workers and

i.ng down eff,~ct there
I

of deV'eloprnel1~. is
B

but
fOl-

it

is

very

as a 1:'f-lGult

t.el1dell1cy

.acbiev~m8nt espeo i ai ly

soc'io el:i. tes

ecoricmic ib. tbe

The

dis·pari,·i::ies

to

wid,en. and
'the t·o

oerrt.r e of

change:
sub

De.gan~s

in

its

periphery. real

peas;ettrts

became

Je'Ct
of

fl'equen1:': exploitation; rarely class shl)w any significant they

have to bear

i·ncom€s for impr,ovemen,t.apd

a lal'ge number as a

them

sO'cio-F.!cooomic in:fhrt.i the on. secular

of bbe

·t.he rnosrt, painful bhat

bur-d ec of

Tbe!' second. vi.ew

:tath.er
'I;hal"l

is

modern i!;';~tioo

emphas i~~s

U:U3!

ISp!

ritual.
the

It is
p'r:lopl~
Many

esser:rt.i ~lly
are
praC'l::.·

a i.nto

p1"oces!SI aping

\<Ies·terr.iset.ion.

'Whl'l.!re

led
cElS

end

irH:;1~.H:ut.ions consid~red
to

il;l.troQuced at' es t abl t sbed th

ough t.bis

process

are

be

against

certain

fund~mentaJ prineipl~s of Islam.

of

(1oYt::!::'nmeni:;..

welJ They

nan-poll programmes

bLoa.l and

trY

to offer alternative

main l:.rends

in -l,he

QP,POS

Ltion. that:

Firstly.

parties

with

t1eftist'
s-t.and

oub Look , ranging

t-.n

f,r;-om those
ones

11flke a refOl?Tt!is t. sO'Q'.ia11st

is bas ed
on

-the

revolutionary

whoxe stand

cormm.mist

ideolol~Y'

Secondly.

those wi~h an ~Is18wic~ outlook,

whQ ba.se

Ha.di t.h

< T'rad H:.ions) .

MflY

Of'

COUl:'Si'"~

the

degt'H€f

of

thed r

c omm tment. i

and mi 1 i b!l,nr:;y
there have

val·s.

f3eSidF.l1'.=l the
fl

If'l1amib pol tt-rical of

.. .. . I. ." nns s lonnry
VI":!

parties

also some

~'ITlerged

numbe.r

(dakwah)

o:f wh I oh a l s o Lnd ire-ct.ly or ",d·th existing

invol
I

thf?msel V'es akin

in to

];lClli1::] cal

rrrat;t".ers

politic",l

parti.·e'E;::

their orientation.

of

.he Nat~ional of the

Front Government.,

dppefl:ds

'for

its st1"engt:b
'3

on the eon br-ol

IS "1 ppor-b

pC;! ant!;; whom i i.. can as

pro .. M·alay -

~ I;~11 i I:.l f 1 uenc

.I

and

tots

B,t~parent~ u~e of

po1.1 ~ies .

~overnmeot

machinery.
PAS.

Among the npposition par~jes~

whicb

Hi

90

Is Laml c

i.n

(JU

l~luQk.

HiE: ea 11 f'or

a g'overnmE'!h t

bas ed on

tbe

peas ants,

es~e~iBlly
re,;!'i on s ,

jn the more nonsArv~tivp

1 ik e of

nnd de~ressed

padi -dominated aLso a str.ong

r{ eel ab

d <,""ltl I(e 1tH1 t an ,

·tradi bLon

b:~ldi -t i.one I

14
gr.oups, their impad::. is Am.ong t:be yO~J Lhs

re I igiOlH5

edlA~·ation

'in var-i ous

iO:::I"I,1 tut,j

rms

B~~I] SQcialist. party.

whirh

is Tpfnrmist

in its outloD~

l·t; is posfiible,

in fact inevitable.

that sorn~ of Lhe local

involve
I
'qr e

level
var Ious

political
p~r:l.!3.ant,
rnovemen

party

acLivist~
I~~ 01"

will

themselves
try
t.o

ih
s ome

r-F'~ b:; tanc~~

von

lead

of

them.

same

.'

t.i me t.he' peas an 1:'8

shnu l d

nevpr

be

movements,

wi thout

being

prodJ.Bd

or

man iptl] a_-t;ed by any

pol:i ti Gal

mentinned

ee r I Le

'~"ere

Ied

and

pad:;ic:iperbed

in

largely They

by had

little

to do with po)itjciBn~

and pcliti~al

par~ie$.

and

mora

only

to one.
it'}

Hamid

Tl-l~h,

WOU

led a number 60s and 70s

of land was not

occupation aff] 1 i at.ed

movemerrt.s

Sf".hwgor during

th~

91

pea..I::JM1-t
/1..8

grDup~3,
f f.n'

not.
t;l-H~

~xclucl

i.t1g

~om~ UMNO momt!p,r~.

nlD.Sill i v e ['8 as an t demon

5 e~J;" P,S rrf i.

~tra t ions

'1 n

They
VQJ"'y

10w

pr l (!e OT

r-u b-ber'

H; was n i.gh imposs i.b Le for ju~t

a handful

w~l]by

the

leAr1 y

15,000

p!.'H .. 'l,.Sants

1;0

be

influerwed were

o~ polibicians

unles$

thp peasants

alre~dy

being
from thF.' least
I

pt'C.Jdl.H~ti

VI~

and.. po ..... erty-st.ricken

t_hB pri ce

s errt.or-

of

thB
sbown

eoonomy.
RDme

i. e..,

ice.

Al though the y~ar~,

very

trf t.he product;

has

in~r~ase

over

bave
i n f Ls.t;

not

imprcnred

much

QWiflg

1-:;0

-I:he

,
I

-adverse
e1:)~Ar

effec"i:;!Si
wa:;;

of the

ion.

What.

spatk~d

their

i mmed i a t'e

but.

h ad

to

be I l"J.ve!'-; t.r:'!d i n

£rOHl8

(~i')

ve rnfllPn-t

i nst i tut 1. on s .

and

s ome

e;x-ploit,ati

Vf;:

of padi.
(Jndoutrtl;"ri

tv,

After

they

acted, writr~rs. pol it 5.ni aris an:l

I:.b·e

11.k~.

For

R:ave their
Ull:":itir:rt.en
filtJPp()"et.-_
C<'l.£:G

II simi lar

1. Eo;

·tb0

Un T ] ng Slk

d omcnc t.ra:Lion.

1'he

n i -t ~ ):OJ 1

rand. co.118~e_ Ed:,ud_ant~

:t:mdd.emotns trl:ltion:~.

A 11

Dver

·Lh~· (~l~urd~ ..yht<·ld

-l:he i r

own

I:M""'~L'~ n~~

t.o draw
AJ=l

pun.i i e, attent,inn

1"·0 the
8x.rWJS eel.

plight

of

t,hn

the

i '$ SU

b~ c~_me s erl ousr and

gi;muine DOna it ion

is .

~nd much d j f /.i ou It:y

becett5

r;h~ypt'obab

1y did
Wl?l"e

not:

faoe

t~he pen

r:;r

arrt1;j

tbem~~e l Vel"s

~J ready

dis con l;.ent:.ed .

The h andrs

0'[

"the

5 t.ud8nl:;-s

wo

r-e

·tied

t;.J"lig

t',jme

by

the
hy

Iln it VBrf,; :i. "Is i es

1'JorI t:J'J.(.~ Un i v~rr-: i r~y GtJ11 ,=g (~sA,'o IJ wb i i~bwas

p;!l S~-P(:1

.as tb ~'1"y b ~d

U ~3~\d

·hf;1

d I) ,

'1'he

above
:t:·r~

eXfllllP

!?p,

f.?hfM

th

1}"j:;.

t,he'!f; e

P~%'L6 t. a.n and

l'

es i~ntance
C:Y

movement. ~ we as a who l.e,

not-, ri i r-eotF:d

towards

thr3'

p;ovl3'l'tlmen t
j

i "ts. po 1. i or

buf; preu ip i ta ted

by -part i cu 1a r'

no,i derr,t-,s

diAm.f:\.nds.

ecunomic dirfi~ultie6.
b i.d i n~ be]
Oil!

l.h ern ~e r j_

au S

~ Un

i n ecoflomi cp

]foil:;1ems f'a e i ng

I I~ is

e 1e ar

'H,e
nn]y

peasants

~hBmselvesJ

ar rd

nut ~ i ~IF) fl

roups

(:.amc

1.n to

t,h,c

fray

r!i'ffel"pnt
of

fr-om i;;he KFllFlni:an dBmonsbrations

p'a rt. of
a p",~a~l ant mrrvemerrt, 8~

1978,

which were ,~otually not

F,;uch.

PAS,

but;

Lherr.:wa:g B P.S at

ruuoh rl i Srlon t.en L in l' wh o was

th~

par Ly ovee

ts

own

MenL,eri

( Ch i e:f M; ril s't-Pt·

t.Doogl'rt

"t:;o bE'.! 1 mm .j ~-Ig t,oo

in it, i B:tedby table a

'I<hi;" 'PAS ma jBr i L~

l:"H~

IlH~nlbeH's

in

lihe

'S'. t.at.e

] e;flis 1 a t.u re

to

'lobe of

confijenr~;e in

tbe

Mj~nti3r1.

BeSalr' ,

who had

Tbe main

ailil'l

of

the

d.emorrn

tTrt'l.

i OILS' war-; +o

c.n:nd fimn PAS and

suppm·--r. bhe

MBtl.terj

Be-s ar-, Of c ou rs e .among $bmrE! :=:(-ml.iaru'S of

t.he· T,p.opl e

t.b8r~

was:

alt"fiady poor

fiissat..isfaction
per:.Fl1rmance.
F-!

w'ith
espee.j ally

t;.h~

PAS stal~~ gQVenlflll~nt

f~)r

its

Fr~ 11 ow i1 g tb

dt'~mon.'s; 1,r}~ i ons, t. .and a f·t.er

in
WflS

the

state.

some rnm.d:hs
12l

ill].

e 1e,ct.l on

\-i'fiS

he Ld,

P!lS

t.r ouno ed

by UMNQ and RER,JABA.

BR:SflT

pal."l~y tl:U!1.t~

wag

hurriGdly

f'or med by '1'::[\8 MerrhF..!'r..i

d u ri ng

che

per1.nd

0'£

'f':Tr1,"·r~ent.'Y.

peasant
partdc-ipaten in ordel~ we!'':: lanrely

and

't.hfl.t

t.h.e

who
from the top,' from

Hubj, 1 i sed

by 1)n1 iticiafL8
lt,

·to :;l8rve

t,hei r OWn PC)1 1. t: i o a 1 ends ,

is

r.liffe.J'f"tlL

~n important

charActeristio

of tho

pe~8ant
ca Im and g'rowin.g
throwi ng

mov~ments rlA~l~ with pef'bo~flll. fru.::,tr·at.

s Lones

~I

fRr is lh~t they wer~

gener~]ly

i on.,
at

;!3.

few

rrf theHI gave vent

or dwn&ging
SOllie:

to

thei r

feel ing~

hy

-the pol ice

some pub 1 Lc or

pri v~'!.:;~
vEl

:prop.erty.

It, is

even poss i b Ie t.hat

of them were provo9{ttj Be that the police

~5

ac'tions.
rna:". the

or t.he re5Ltll~ of small-group fact

'is that. l::.herl8.' incidr;mts

rowdyism. provided of

H:: wi tb to

the

opportunity 'pea.ce

t.o Use the filtrongBrm

and cal m ~ . all lIas
easEl'S the

t.h.e law purpot:"ted.ly

r-es bo re

In almo~t use of tear

dernonst::ra"tdons
I

were

dispel:"'~>ed by

t.be

and

some Some

force. of thuse

fbllowed
arrested

by

·arrests and
-tried

were·

in

oour+, led;.urers Although normal.

while

a numbe r ~ wet;edetained uaua Ll.y nwnage under- ISA without t.o I'esture ~ ituati t.r Lal . DmS to

and politicians thB~e i.n the actions long run

it 1s pmss·ibl¢ that

ncrrbinuous

and d"verly

to ar~ed ~iclence.

only

handful

of personB

~r~e~ted far poss~ssicn of

offensive

w~apon$.,

95

ar-ms .

For-

8.

long
8'

time
j

tl'1.8l:'R

h as

be~n

a
'"

t.rad i bLon -t:.he

of'

QI.1H

IDcrV'emen:t6'

i nth

c: ourr try

bo.s eel espec

i all y amotig and those

peas ant.s ,

1,1:"J i ated i: t

it:rt-o

bel i.ev ed

to

be Lnvi.no i.bl I I t,y

aDd

o t.her

supet'

human

POWell's..

The

panjang)- .

The r e

have

beei'l

ur~CaS ;,Qrw

in

t.he

p~isi_

when

Lhes"

t5

Le ad.e-r s ,

including

minister~.

or h.ara ssed memhers,

~nQwn '~,o e-x:ist.

Sffii;:l]'

1 but

Blrl'!lf?rj

gr.rJ~-\l?;';l.

of"

DOn,.f.i le

wbo are

rae 1,~.1 Sit i

set·

up an I 15 Lami 0

governmen I; t~hroLlgh

r-evo 1~1 i onary t,

means-

Some

e. g.,

It- is reported number

and

t.hat. there

are a

of otber such gruup~,

br-oad

bu t. t,hey are

smal l ~

do not enjoy

ma.s;;~.fo 1] Qwing,

The-ir

dec 1ared