malaya union

8/3/2019 Malaya Union

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MALAYAN UNION After Japanese surrendered, British army came

back and tried to govern Malaya named British

Military Administration (BMA).

BMA faced problem when their

administration was disturbed by MPAJA -

those group wanted to take over theadministration.

BMA was dissolved and British introduced

new administration named Malayan Union

Malayan Planing Unit proposed that Singapore

separated but other states of Malaya should be

combined in one single administration unit.



WHAT WERE THE

CONTENTS OF M.U?

1-Singapore was to become a

separate colony with its own

governor. 2- Penang & Malacca joined the

nine Malay states to form M.U - under

governor with the help of executive council

and legislative council.

3- Sultans were to keep authority over

religious matters but would lose all other

olitical owers.



4- All citizens of the new M.U would haveequal right- including admission to

administrative civil service.

5- Citizenship would no longer berestricted to natives, it was to be opened

to all without discrimination to race or

creed.



WHY DID BRITAIN PROPOSE

THESE CHANGES?

1-To unite all Malay states.

- Malaya had 3 systems of administration -

Straits settlement, Federated Malay Statesand Non federated Malay states.

2-To make Malaya stronger

-Important that the new country be able todefend itself against internal opponents and

outside powers.

:- must have stable and effective admin.



3-To protect their own interest

British had a great investment in Malaya

:-make sure economic growth in Malaya

:- efficient system of Government mustbe introduced.

4- To ensure future political stability.

- British felt that citizenship should be givento non Malays to ensure political stability.

- Their important of their economic life

should be rewarded by giving equal right.



WHY DID THE SULTAN

ACCEPTED THE CHANGES ?

- proposal on M.U - protestedfrom Malays and many of

them could not understand why

the Sultan had agreed to them.

Sultan of Kedah describing Mac Micheal’s

use of threat:

“I was presented with a verbal ultimatumwith a time limit, and in the event of my

refusing to sign the new agreement…. a

successor who would sign it, would be

appointed sultan”



WHY MALAYS OPPOSED MU

1- Lack of consultation over the proposal

- lack of time to discuss the proposal among

themselves or took advice from

their states councils.

2- Proposal for more liberal

citizenship.

-immigrant in Malaya according to the

Malays -did not give their first loyalty toMalaya but loyal to their origin country. Due

to dual citizenship allowed in the MU

constitution.



3-Sultans lost their powers.

4-Existing special right and privileges of

Malays would be lost.



The failure of the Malayan Union

1- Strong opposition from the Malays

2- No strong support from the non-Malaysbecause it excluded Singapore

3- Wrong timing – communal feelings andhostility still existed between the Malays and theChinese. Condition in Malaya was not reallypeacefull.

4- Wrong introduction – the constitution was

drawn up in London without taking into accountthe situation and wishes of the people in Malaya.

5- Opposition form former British administratorsin Malaya. They urged the British to protect theinterests and special rights of the Malays

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