blogtunm.blogspot.com Tun M
1. Malaysia has been independent more than 60 (sixty) years. Obviously most Malaysians did not experience foreign rule, particularly British rule. What they know about the British is what history books largely written by British historians tell them.
2. Naturally the British glorify their systems and achievements. They do not stress much on the fact that their rule was authoritarian. There was no democracy.
3. But the local people, the Malays, Chinese and Indians did not see anything wrong with the lack of democracy. And the British exploited the docile acceptance of everything that was done by the British administration.
4. The administrative machinery was headed by British officers. Without officially discriminating in their own favour, they carry out a policy which denied rights to the local. In particular they kept the Chinese out of the economy.
5. Thus immediately upon taking over the administration the British stipulated that all Government procurements must be made through the Crown Agents, a British semi-Government agency based in London. The locals, especially the enterprising Chinese were completely cut off from this lucrative business.
6. Additionally all big businesses were monopolised by big British companies. This included transport, trade and shipping.
7. Big Government construction contracts were also confined to British companies. This included the Johor-Singapore causeway and Government office buildings.
8. Huge tracts of forest land were sold or leased to British firms for the opening up of rubber and palm oil estates. While the British firms could gain ownership and approval for up to 25,000 acres, the locals had to buy only 200 or 300 acres. The same goes for mining land.
9. Roads and ports were built to facilitate the transport of the products of British estates and mines for export. The favoured port was Singapore and the growth and development of peninsular ports were stunted.
10. The British companies were registered and listed in London. There was no income or corporate taxes. The financial gains from business in the Malay Peninsular did not go to the Malaysian Governments.
11. All this while rumours were spread that should Malaya become independent, the Malays would seize Chinese properties. This led to many Penang Chinese forming what they called the Straits Chinese British Association. They regarded themselves as the Queen’s and King’s Chinese and campaigned to get British assurance that if the Malay States become independent, the Straits Chinese could migrate to the U.K.
12. When the Tunku seriously proposed independence for Malaya, there was hardly any support from the Chinese.
13. Actually Chinese fears were without foundation.
