TOPIC 1 MULTIRACIAL SOCIETY

TOPIC 1
MULTIRACIAL SOCIETY

INTRODUCTION

A multiracial society refers to a society that consists of various groups of races or ethnicities but
under leadership. According to J.S. Furnival, a multiracial society refers to a mixed society of
various races. However, the mix in this sense means interaction but not merging. Each group
practices its respective religion and customs, cultures, language, ideologies and lifestyles. This
multiracial society lives side-by-side, but separated in one political unit. Economically, there exists
a division of jobs according to race or ethnicities.

PROCESS OF FORMING A MULTIRACIAL SOCIETY IN MALAYSIA

1.1.1 Who inhabited Malaya before the existence of a multiracial society?

In the early 19th century, more than 90% of the population in the peninsular of Malaysia and
Singapore were Malays. There was only a small number of Chinese who had come to Malaya as
traders and settled down in Malacca, Kuala Terengganu, Johor River, Pahang River and Kelantan.
Meanwhile, a small number of Indians worked as laborers in coffee and sugarcane plantations in
Penang and Seberang Prai.

The immigration of Chinese and Indians on a large scale to Malaya started in the middle of the 19th
century. This phenomenon occurred as a result of British colonial policy of bringing those races,
especially to move the economic sector. The 19th century actually saw the British domination of the
political and economic structures in Malaya on a wider scale. Tin mining was the source of the
wealth in Malaya, and was exploited to its fullest by the British. To support the capitalist economic
activities, the British brought in Chinese and Indian laborers to not only work in tin mines, but in
other economic sectors as well. This phenomenon continued till the outbreak of World War 2.

The significant effect of the liberal policies by the British was the forming of a multiracial society
and the various lifestyles and races. The mass immigration has changed the original population
structure in Malaysia.

The multiracial society in Malaya caused the British to govern the people separately. This policy is
known as “divide and rule’. This policy led to the decline of Bumiputra participation, but also led to
specialization among the immigrants and ensured the segregation of each race. Hence, the
immigrants were allowed to maintain their respective identities and cultures while direct relations
with other races, especially the Bumiputra, were frowned upon.

1.1.2. Who are the Malays?

The Malays are the original inhabitants of Malaya. The Malays today are in greater numbers due to
the entry of various Malay groups from other islands to Malaya. Since the 19th century, there had

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been an influx of Indonesian Malays to Malaya. This immigration occurred as a result of political,
economic and social standards that could ensure their comfort. These Indonesia communities also
came from various islands such as Java, Sumatera, Sulawesi and Riau.

Before colonization, the main economic activity of the coastal Malays was trade. Trade was
primarily carried out along the main rivers in the Malay states. Hence, the traditional Malay
kingdoms were focused on the banks and river mouths. For the states on the East coast of the
peninsular, the inhabitants were involved in fishing and farming. For the women in Kelantan and
Terengganu, many took part in small trade activities. From this scenario, it is clear that the Malay
economy in the Malay states was based on trade as well as self-sufficing economies like farming,
livestock, fishing and collecting forest produce.

However, the economic domination by the Malays on the state economies gradually changed and
declined after the interference of the British in local political affairs. The influx of laborers also
altered the economic structure of the Malay community.

As a result of one-sided trade, the economic performance of the Malays during the colonial period
stagnated and declined. Many losses were endured by the Malays. Besides economic domination
by foreign laborers, the British themselves contributed to the decline of the Malays. In farming, for
example, the British created policies that ensured the Malays remained as self-sufficing farmers.
The Malays were also not encouraged to participate in the modern economic sector. The British
justification was that they did not want the customs and traditions of the Malays to be affected by
modernization. The Malays were also alleged to be reluctant to work under the supervision of
others. Therefore they were said to have preferred to work by themselves.

1.1.3. The Chinese Community

The mass immigration of Chinese occurred after the British took control of Penang from the Sultan
of Kedah in 1786, the takeover of Singapore from the Sultan of Johor in 1819 and after the creation
of the Straits Settlements in 1826. Most of these Chinese communities originated from the
Kwangtung and Tukuin provinces. Many also came from the districts of Amoy, Sen-Yu, Hok Chiu
and Eng Chon. At the early stages, the Chinese laborers were concentrated at early mining sites
like Lukut and Sungai Ujong. The immigration increased as mining activities boomed. In the 19th
and 20th century, the Chinese communities diverged on mining areas in Perak, Selangor and
Negeri Sembilan. Chinese entry into Malaya also was channelled through the gambier and pepper
plantations. The Chinese were brought to Johor via the kangchu system using authorization letters
called ‘Surat Sungai’.

The British encouraged the entry of Chinese laborers by approving several related laws. For
example, in 1877 the Chinese Immigrants and the Crimpling Ordinance were approved. The
department of Protection of the Chinese was established to protect Chinese laborers. The Chinese
who migrated to Malaya actually comprised various groups like the Hokkiens, Cantonese, Hakka,
Teochews and Hailams.

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1.1.4. The Indian Community

The immigration of Indians to Malaya occurred on a large scale from 1840s onwards. Most Indians
laborers originated from the South India. The Indian laborers started off as workers in coffee and
sugarcane plantations in Seberang Perai. The number of Indian laborers increased when rubber
plantations sprouted all over Malaya. Hence, the Indians focused on rubber plantation areas in
Perak, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. Records show that from 1900 to 1910, around 48 000
Indian laborers migrated to Malaya. This number increased greatly 10 years later, between 1911
and 1920 when it was estimated that 908 000 Indian laborers migrated to Malaya.

Records show that 90% of the immigrants were Tamils from Chennai, while the rest were of Telegu
and Malayam ethnicities. There were also Punjabis and Ceylonese. The largest Indian ethnicity
was the Tamils who formed 80% of the total Indian population while Malayalees consisted 7% and
Telegu 4%. Most Tamils worked in rubber estates as laborers. There were also those that served
in government departments in the early 20th century. The Telegus also worked in the estates, while
the Punjabis initially served in the police force and railway services as well as security guards.

Indian laborers working in Malaya either migrated willingly of were forced to migrate. The latter
comprised prisoners or captives who worked in building roads, railway tracks, bridges and
government buildings. Those who came willingly usually worked in the rubber, coffee and
sugarcane plantations. The most popular system utilized in bringing in Indian laborers was the
Kangani system. According to this system, a labor who had worked in Malaya would return to India
in efforts to bring in new laborers to work with him in Malaya. However, this system was abolished
in 1938. there was also a system called the Contract system where a labor worked for a stipulated
period as stated in the contract.

1.1.5. Who are the Pribumi inhabitants of Sarawak?

Sarawak has a certain population distribution due to the existence of various indigenous tribes with
unique identities. Sarawak had a land area of 48250 square miles. Of the total Sarawak population,
approximately 70% consists of Bumiputras. The Ibans are the largest group followed by the
Bidayuhs. The Ibans inhabit all parts of Sarawak, especially along the river banks. The Bidayuhs
are more concentrated in the First Division, in the districts of Serian, Kuching, Bau and Lundu.

In Sarawak, most Malays inhabit the lower parts of the river valleys, especially in the First and
Second Divisions. Other that the Malays, there are many Melanau tribes inhabiting the coastal
areas, but they are more concentrated in the Third, Fourth and Fifth Divisions. There are also
Kadayan and Bisayan tribes who inhabit the fringes of the Fourth and Fifth Divisions.

The low plains are mostly inhabited by the Ibans (Sea Dayaks) and Bidayuhs (Land Dayaks). They
are settled at the upper rivers as opposed to the Malays and Melanau, but lower than the Kenyah,
Kayan and Penan tribes.

The mountainous regions are inhabited by other tribes known as the Orang Ulu. They comprise of
minority ethnicities like the Kelabit, Murut and Penan tribes. The total number of these tribes
amounts to no more than 55% of the total Sarawak population. Most of the inhabitants of the

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mountainous regions are permanently settled, except for the Penans who still practice a nomadic
lifestyle. They live in the forests of the Fourth and Seventh Divisions.

1.1.6. Who are the Pribumi Inhabitants of Sabah?

In Sabah, the main groups are the Kadazan-Dusun, Murut and Bajau ethnicities where the
Kadazan-Dusun forms the largest ethnicity in Sabah. According to a population census in 2000, the
Kadazan-Dusun comprises 18.4% of the total Malaysian population, followed by the Bajau at
17.3% and Malays at 15.3%.

ACTIVITY 1.1

Discuss racial unity as an important constant in determining political, economic and social
stability.

1.2. IMPACTS ON ETHNIC RELATIONS

The following are the impacts of multiracial society on ethnic relations.

1.2.1. Different Religions and Cultures

Each ethnic group has different religions and cultures. The Malays practice Islam while a large
number of Indians are Hindus. Most Chinese practice a mixture of Buddhism, Lao-Tze and
Confucianism. There are also many Chinese and Indians who are Christians. Each main race has
cultures, language, arts and values that differ from one another.

1.2.2. Divide and Rule Policy

The British policy of divide and rule affected ethnic relations in Malaysia. Ethnic segregation
implemented by the British under the pretext of security and interests actually served to isolate
each group. The British intentionally set different status and roles for the Malays, Chinese and
Indians. For example, among the Malays, the nobles were given lucrative positions in the civil
service, while the commoners were encouraged to stay in the mining and in the rural areas. The
Chinese, on the other hand, were encouraged to stay in the mining and town areas with the Indians
in the estates. Interactions between the races were limited to conversations in the office and
marketplace. Hence, each race lived among their kind and did not think of resisting the British.

1.2.3. Separate Systems of Education

As independence approached, there was still no single national system of education in Malaya.
What existed were four different channels of educations- British, Malay, Chinese and Indian. Each
ethnic group would send children to primary schools using their respective mother tongue. Hence,
there were no interactions among students of different ethnicities. The curriculum in these schools

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also differed. The Malay schools stressed on reading, writing and counting, while the Chinese and
Indian schools were based on curriculum from their respective countries. This formed differing
perspectives on the world in general and enhanced the ethnic differences among the Malays,
Chinese and Indians. There was no single medium of instruction in schools, which lasted until 1979
and resulted in a lack of understanding and unity among the races.

1.2.4. Different Economic Roles and Activities.

As a result of British colonialism, each race was identified by its economic role. The Malays usually
lived in the rural areas and practices an economic system of self-sustaining farming in villages. The
Indians lived on rubber estates and worked for generations as rubber tappers, while the Chinese
worked in mines and as traders in towns. As a result of different economic activities, there exists a
gap in income among the races, with the majority of poor being Malays. This has given rise to
economic competitors and dissatisfaction among ethnicities that could jeopardize national unity.

1.2.5. Ethnic Associations

The existence of various political, economic and social associations based on ethnicities has also
strengthened ethnic identities and suspicious. This is because these associations only fight for the
right of the ethnicities represented. Race-based political bodies often exploit differences like
language, cultures and economics among the various ethnicities for their own political interests.
This creates tension among the races in Malaysia. The communal political parties and their actions
also affect ethnic relations.

1.2.6. Communal Newspapers

Publications of various languages for certain races have created misunderstanding among different
ethnicities.

ACTIVITY 1.2

In your opinion, what are the main factors that have strained ethnic relations in Malaysia? Is it
due to economic, political or social factors?