MALAYAN NATIONALISM

NATIONALISM BEFORE WORLD WAR II

Slow Development of Nationalism – The development of nationalism in Malaya before World War II was very slow. This was due to a number of factors. The government was stable and the sovereignty of the Sultans was preserved. There was economic and social development and prosperity.
Educated and intelligent Malays were given high positions in government service. This prevented them from being politically discontented and rising up against the government. The people were generally contented.



NATIONALISM AMONG THE CHINESE AND INDIANS

As large numbers of Chinese and Indians immigrated to Malaya, a multi-racial society developed. Most of them lived in the Malay Peninsula for only a short period. Thus they were not royal or patriotic towards Malaya. Their own governments in China and India influenced them.
The Chinese in Malaya considered themselves as members of the Overseas Chinese Community. They contributed large funds to help their country of origin. The Chinese were nationalistic, but not towards Malaya. The Kuomintang, and later the Chinese Communist Party, established branches in Malaya.
The Indians were also affected by the events in India. Most of them came to Malaya to earn as much as they could. Then they returned to India. They were only loyal to India.
The Chinese and Indians did not want to be ruled by the Malays. At the same time the Malays were afraid of losing their rights and political power. There was thus no unity among them.


NO CENTRALISED GOVERNMENT

There was no centralized government for the whole country. There were eleven different governments in Malaya. Each had its own interests. The Straits Settlements was directly under British rule. They did not want to join a Malayan Union because they were afraid they might lose their free port status.
The Federated Malay States were under British protection. They were the most advanced of the Malay states. They were not willing to spend their money in helping the other backward states. The Unfederated Malay States were under British protection but they had more power than the Federated Malay States. They did not want to join the Federated Malay States because they were afraid of losing some of their powers.
The Malays of each state gave their loyalty to their own Sultans and not to the country as a whole. The Sultans followed their traditions closely. They did not encourage nationalism. This lack of unity and loyalty to Malaya as a whole prevented the growth of nationalism among the people. No strong nationalist party grew up in Malaya before World War II.


EARLY WAR NATIONALISM

A number of Malays were affected by nationalist ideas, which were going on in parts of Asia. A few small nationalist groups were formed.
Mr. Mohammad Eunos bin Abdullah founded the first Malay political party in 1926. It was called the Kesatuan Melayu Singapura (KMS) or the Singapore Malay Union (SMU). The KMS worked for educational, economic, social and political progress of the Malays. Malay leaders like Raja Chulan of Perak and Dato Onn bin Jaafar began to speak up for the Malays.
Nationalist activities of the Chinese and the Indians in Malaya made the Malays more politically conscious. The nationalist movement in Indonesia greatly influenced the Malays too. As a result a number of Malay associations and unions grew up all over the country. Branches of the KMS were set up. The Kesatuan Melayu Muda, KMM (the Malay Youth Movement) was formed in 1938.
The members of the KMM were mainly Malay school teachers and students educated at Muslim universities overseas. Their leader was Inche Ibrahim bin Yaccob. He was helped by Inche Ishak bin Haji Mohammad. They were against the British and the Sultans. They wanted immediate independence. They hoped to unite Malaya with Indonesia.
Another group consisted mainly of English educated officials and students. They were not against British rule but they wanted the interest of the Malays protected against the other races in the country.


POLITICAL ACTIVITIES CHECKED

The British authorities in Malaya knew about these political activities. They arrested many of the leaders of the KMM just before war broke out in Malaya. Some escaped and went underground. Ibrahim Yaccob reorganized the KMM during the Japanese occupation. The Japanese banned it when they found that it was protecting those working underground.
The leaders, however, continued to plan for a joint independence of Malaya and Indonesia. The KMM was renamed Kesatuan Rakyat Indonesia Semenanjung (KRIS). But when Indonesia declared her independence on 17th August 1945, Malaya was left out. KRIS was then disbanded.



BEGINNING OF COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES

Meanwhile the Malayan Communist Party had been formed in 1927. Members infiltrated into trade unions and youth organizations. They organized strikes and caused much trouble in plantations and mines. The workers realized that the Communists were using their unions against the interest of the workers. As a result Communist popularity and influence declined. Its influence increased again when it began to encourage anti-Japanese feeling in Malaya.


NATIONALISM AFTER WORLD WAR II

Malay nationalism had been growing since the Japanese occupation. Nevertheless, the British thought the Malays were not interested in politics. This attitude towards the Malays changed in 1946.


POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS AWAKENED

The Japanese had made the people more politically conscious. Soon after the war ended, the Malay Nationalist Party (MNP) was formed. It had almost the same aim as KMM. A Malayan Democratic Union (MDU) was also formed. Meanwhile the MCP had also become active.
The Japanese had caused the Malays to regard themselves as the rightful owners of Malaya. But it was the introduction of the Malayan Union that greatly awakened their political consciousness. Their birthright was threatened. They were afraid of the strength of the non-Malays if they were to obtain the full political rights.
The Malays were against the proposals of the Union. They organized protest meetings throughout the country and started a mass movement of non-cooperation. For the first time the Malays united to protect their political interests.


THE UNITED MALAYS NATIONAL ORGANISATION

Dato Onn bin Jaafar, the Menteri Besar of Johore, formed the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in May 1946. He became the first President of the UMNO. The UMNO was the first real Malay political party in Malaya. The main aims of the UMNOR were:

(a) to make the British withdraw the Malayan Union
(b) defend Malay rights and interests
(c) to prepare the Malays for their part in self-government

The Malayan Union was thus responsible for the strengthening of Malay nationalism and the growth of the strong political party in Malaya. The formation of the UMNO was the first important step towards independence.