Article 153 of the Federal Constitution Malaysia is a significant provision that deals with the

special position of the Bumiputera (Malays and other indigenous ethnic groups) and the
legitimate interests of other communities in Malaysia. It grants certain privileges and
affirmative action measures to the Bumiputera community in areas like education,
employment and business. These measures were put in place to address historical socio-
economic imbalances and to uplift the Bumiputera community. Article 153 is closely related
to May 13th riot. It’s because of the historical context and subsequent influence on the
country’s policies.

The May 13th riot occurred on May 13, 1969 and it was a tragic and violent incident of racial
rioting between Malays and Chinese communities in Malaysia. The riot was triggered by
political, economic and social tensions between different ethnic groups in the country. It
resulted in loss of hundreds of lives and caused significant damage to property. The Yang di-
Pertuan Agong (King) declared a state of national emergency in response to the racial rioting.

The connection between Article 153 and the May 13th riot lies in the historical context. The
riot is often seen as a turning point in Malaysia’s socio-political landscape and played a role
in shaping the country’s affirmative action policies. After the riot took place, Malaysian
government sought to address the underlying issues of ethnic tensions and inequality among
the different communities.

As a response to the riot, the Malaysian government implemented various policies, including
the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1971. The NEP was aimed at addressing economic
disparities between ethnic groups, with a particular focus on improving the economic status
of the Bumiputera community. The May 13th riot was used as a key to justify the continued
implementation of Article 153. These measures were put in place to address historical socio-
economic imbalances and to uplift the Bumiputera community. The 13th may incident had a
profound impact on Malaysia’s nation building process and led to a revolution of ethnic
relations in the country.

Although Article 153 allocates special privilege for Malays it seems unfair to other
communities as they don’t get similar privilege. This unfair equality is the main reason of
May 13th riot. The government can implement rule to treat all community fairly and without
any discrimination.