SSF1033 E-BOOKLET GROUP 10

DIGITAL BOOKLET

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND
HUMANITIES, UNIMAS

SEMESTER 2, 2021/2022, UW6345001
(Development Planning & Management)



SSF1033: Introduction to Malaysian Social History



Lecturer: Dr. Adibah binti Yusuf

GROUP 10 DEVELOPMENT PLANNING & TABLE OF
MANAGEMENT CONTENTS

P3 LU 1 HISTORY & SOCIAL HISTORY
P4 LU 2 USES OF HISTORY
P5 LU 3 OFFICIAL VS MISSING HISTORY
P6 LU 4 PRE-HISTORY
P7 LU 5 ANCIENT HISTORY
P8 LU 6 TRADE & IT CONSEQUENCES
P9 LU 7 CREATION OF MODERN SE ASIA
P10 LU 8 POPULATION, IMMIGRANTS & IDENTITY
P11 LU 9 ORANG ASLI
P12 LU 10 MALAYSIAN'S WOMEN MOVEMENT
P13 LU 11 POLITIC OF THE LEFT/LABOUR MOVEMENT
P14 LU 12 SECRET SOCIETIES
P15 LU 13 MALAYSIA STUDENTS MOVEMENT

KEY CONCEPTS FOR LU 1

HISTORY & SOCIAL HISTORY

CONTESTABILITY
The type of history that is being given to the general public is
dominant history, that leaves loopholes in certain areas of a
historical event. This is due to the involvement of propaganda
of the nation. This usually causes people to start questioning or
wonder about the other groups of people, such as women and
children, and their contribution in the said event.

PERSPECTIVE
Evidence is needed by fellow historians in order to properly
deduct what has truly happened in certain past events. But, it
does not ultimately mean that certain events that occurred
without any evidence, did not happen. This is because such
evidence does not need to be in a physical form, as evidence can
be in oral stories. Though, most of these evidences will still need
to undergo verification in order for them to be categorized as
legitimate artifacts or evidence.

EMPATHY
History is studied to find the honest truth about what had
happened in the past. This involves the study of historical
actors, who come from different backgrounds. Most
historical events did not happen spontaneously, as historical
events involved certain individuals, groups or societies.
These individuals are known as actors in the said historical
events. They are the characters who shaped history as it is.
Through this, the researcher is able to picture the history
from all aspects, from the elite society to the oppressed
society.

KEY CONCEPTS FOR LU 2

THE USES OF HISTORY

CAUSE AND EFFECT

USAGE OF PERSPECTIVE POST RISE OF SOCIAL HISTORY:
WORLD WAR II: The untold history of lower social
classes, women and children during that
Most nation leaders at the time time period started to emerge.
wanted their nations to have its This caused many historians to change
own identity and promote unity their perspectives of the past.
among their citizens. Hence, most historians sought to be
They created an "imagined those who understand the languages
identity" and practices of the past in order to
The people were given a fully understand the past as a whole.
common history of the nation, This also caused historians to focus
that rejected colonial history more towards the history from below,
Most of the time, this type of the more oppressed groups, rather than
history would be too narrowed focusing on the elite history.
down, eg: Coventional
National History- focused too
much on the elite life.

PERSPECTIVE

With evidence and perspective, a person can form their own interpretation of a
certain historical event. Though perspectives do vary as it depends on the historical

figure's position in history and how the public generally remembers them. For
example, Ranke School educates its students through being a neutral arbiter of the
facts whereas Annales School educates their students by telling the everyday life of

the people, that involved not merely politics.

SIGNIFICANT: USES OF HISTORY

WANG GUNGWU (1968): YONG MUN CHEONG (2000)

1.A desire to remember and 1. To better understand the present
awareness that memory confers 2.Provide us with lessons from the past
powers on those who remember 3.To promote ancestral heritage to the

2.As useful knowledge where past people
experiences and examples can 4.A way to understand how people feel
help improve mankind
and react
3.Explore the meaning of life and 5.To develop critical and analytical
death - understanding
humanity's place on this world. thinking skills as well as developing a
sense of national identity.

KEY CONCEPTS FOR LU 3

OFFICIAL VS MISSING HISTORY OF MALAYSIA

CAUSE & EFFECT

Colonial Story Nationalism & Nation Building

When one nation conquers and National groups' desire to gain
exploits another's population, independence from other nation-
often while imposing its own states' rule. Creating a Malaysian
language and cultural values on nation through integrating various
the people. groups in the interest of national
unity.
Environmental degradation
Economic instability Language liberalisation
Ethnic rivalries Education policies
Human rights violations The promotion of nation-building
Exacerbates social problems such as Bangsa Malaysia

PERSPECTIVE

Professional historians frequently react to 'official' history in one of two ways.
The first is contempt, based on the fact that it is merely propaganda , "official

but not historical," as Basil Liddell Hart put it. The second is a wary interest.
This is because, as the Institute of Historical Research's (IHR) History and Policy
network, its goal is to make public policy "better through an understanding of

history," with the added benefit of increasing mutual understanding between
historians and policymakers.

SIGNIFICANCE

The Malay Peninsula was controlled under
colonial rule during the nineteenth and early
twentieth century. Colonial administration was
mainly centered on three European countries
(the Great Britain, the Netherlands, and
France) and the United States. The role of the
Sultan under Colonialism was lost during the
colonial period, and Malaysia's history is
believed to have begun with the Sultanate of
Melaka around 1400 AD. So, what is the
Sultan's role in the colonial administration?
The Sultanate's territory includes the most of
Malaysia's Peninsula and the East Coast of
Sumatra.

pn

KEY CONCEPTS FOR LU 4

PREHISTORY OF THE INDO MALAYSIAN
ARCHIPELAGO

CONTINUITY & The area now known as Malaysia was only a
CHANGE land-bridge on the way to Australia.
Ancestors of modern humans evolved in Africa.
Out-of-Africa theory Homo erectus migrated out of Africa 2 million
years ago and populated the Old World.
There is little doubt that humankind originated in
Africa, based on molecular and fossil evidence.
Archeologists discovered evidence that Orang
Asli DNA is identical to African DNA.

EMPATHY

Austronesian migration originate as

a result of a prehistoric seaborne
migration from Taiwan between
3000 and 1500 BCE.

The first to develop maritime sailing
technology, enabling them to
quickly disperse to the Indo-Pacific

islands.
Most of the people (“indigenous”) in
the region are Austronesian-

speaking (same ethno-linguistic
The discover of stone hand-axe dated at more
group of mankind)
than 1.83 million years at Bukit Bunuh could

propose a new theory to substitute the present

theory, the Out-of-Africa theory (Mokhtar Saidin,

SIGNIFICANCE 2012: 13).
Message: Malaysia as the place of origin for
Out-of-Malaysia theory modern humans.
The origin of the “Malays”.
An alternative theory: Malays as indigenous to
the Indo-Malayan archipelago and genetically
related to the indigenous Orang Asli.

KEY CONCEPT FOR LU 5

Ancient History of 'Malaysia' :
The influence of India

CAUSE AND EFFECT

• Peninsular Malaysia regularly conducted intra- and extra-
regional trade (forest goods and luxury items).
• Hindu-Buddhist kingdom that flourished from the fourth to the
seventh century in the Bujang Valley. Bujang Valley as Important
trade centre.
• Kuala Selinsing– human burials and artefacts, including pottery,
beads, shells and glassware - 3rd century BC to 11th century AD.
• Santubong – Maritime trade: gold objects, glass beads, Chinese
ceramics, gold, local iron production, Hindu Buddhist objects,
“Tantric” shrine – 10th-13thcentury AD.

CONTINUITY AND CHANGE

The festival of Mandi Safar is known to have been celebrated by the
Malays in Peninsular Malaysia annually on the last Wednesday of
the Muslim month of Safar. Ceremonial bathing in the river or sea.
In the same way, the added explanation of the purpose to
achieve spiritual purity. Originated as a secular festivity to enable
young men and women to meet – to look for future life partners.
Might have been the result of Malay-Tamil interaction in the past.

PERSPECTIVE

Before sea route around Malay peninsula was firmly established,
trade between India and China was conducted
across peninsular isthmus Investigations in the past thirty years
indicate that rather than a process of cultural colonization, "Indian
influences were selectively assimilated into a pre-existing, well-
developed cultural base” (Stargardt 1990 cited in Smith
1999)Malaysia, like the rest of SE. Asia/Malay Archipelago, has a
Hindu-Buddhist past. Many aspects of our culture today are results
of early interactions with the “Indian” civilisation/culture.

pn

KEY CONCEPT FOR LU 6
ECONOMIC HISTORY: TRADE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

01 EMPATHY

Desire for wealth and resources via Trade brought about
contracts and alliances and political-economic control
of trade routes Portuguese/Dutch/British/ US/French
entry into the region built on struggle and conquests
rooted in constantly shifting alliances with local chiefs.
Trade led to huge movements/migration of peoples –
whether for trade or due to slavery (e.g. the Bugis, the
Acehnese, the Portuguese, Dutch, British, Tausug,
Spanish, Illanuns) The entry of Europeans and
Capitalism formed and re formed the region into what it
is today – politically; economically; culturally.

02 CAUSE AND EFFECT

Kingdoms and Countries survive, rise and fall on trade.
For trade to flourish, contracts and alliances built on
mutual economic interests (either long or short-term)
required
Aceh conducts direct trade with the Red Sea & India which
by passes Malacca and other Portuguese ports in India
Portuguese wealth and trade threatened by Acehnese trade
Aceh’s control of trade also threatened trading networks of
ex Malacca elite in Johor Aceh develops high Islamic
civilisation on back of conquests and slavery
All very good for the Rulers and Aristocrats of Aceh but
horrible for the ordinary people of Aceh who did the dying
and labouring as slaves.

03 CONTINUITY AND CHANGE

Netherlands and British get involved in global maritime trade to
circumstance of Venice and Genoa; to overthrow Portuguese and Dutch
control over trade and resources. Chinese silks, porcelain and luxury items
from Macao traded in Manila in exchange for silver from Latin America,
Brunei and Sulu participated in this trade by supplying jungle produce like
bird’s nest, pepper, mother of pearl, tortoise-shell, sea cucumbers, camphor,
wax for Chinese goods. Effectively meant the decline of Malay control over
the entreport trade which now passed into the hands of the white ‘Capitalist’
traders.

KEY CONCEPT FOR LU 7

THE CREATION OF
MODERN SE ASIA

CAUSE & EFFECT

Europeans desired trade, and chiefs European presence led to the
controlled resources demise of the Old Malay World
Local authority over resources was and the development of the
flexible and ever-changing; Malays New
sought aid from China, Siam, and Not solely as a result of
Europeans. European imperialism
Industrial revolution sped change Local politics and global shifts.
markets, resources, discoveries

CONTINUITY & CHANGE

SIAM & NORTHERN MALAY STATES

Siamese Overlordship over NMS post & Kelantan and Perak want EIC's
help against Siamese power.
1825 Perak threatened, Selangor under Siam & Selangor's investment
in tin mines by EIC is threatened.
TREATY OF 1824 & THE PARTITION OF THE MALAY WORLD

EIC developed spheres of influence' in British diplomacy due to trade
and competition pressures.
The 1824 Anglo-Dutch Treaty split SE Asia between the British and
Dutch.
Political division influences resource exploitation, trade, migration,
academic research, and even identity and nationalism (until today)
Modern Malaya & Thailand take shape

SIGNIFICANCE

European presence led to destruction of Old Malay World and creation
of the New.
1824's Anglo-Dutch Treaty split SE Asia between Britain and the
Netherlands. Malaysia, Indonesia form
1826 EIC-Siam Treaty split NMS between British and Siamese spheres

pn

Thailand, Malaya form

KEY CONCEPT FOR LU 8

Population, Immigrants and Identity

Cause and Effects

In Australia, the unusually sharp line between migrant and
indigenous populations has no parallel elsewhere
There was less chance of pretending that the peoples of this vast
continent might just die out or assimilate
Australia has more obviously had to deal with the problem than
has Malaysia, and it can hardly be said to have a good job of it
But if only in its mistakes, there are valuable lessons for Malaysia,
as the orang asli leaders themselves are the first to realize

Empathy

Relations between the migrant society

and the older indigenous population are

tense and tortured

massacres in the early period

mutual fear and detestation

attempts both to ignore and to

assimilate

paternalistic desire to improve

individual who go out of their way to

Perspective identify & change majority attitudes

In the 21st century a more intense international movement of people

is likely to follow the international movement of goods and services

that has been so striking a feature of the last 20 years. immigrant

societies have much to teach the rest of the world in ways to handle

and integrate newcomers into their populations. Even in their

troubled relations with indigenous peoples there appears to be

progress.

KEY CONCEPTS FOR LU 9
ORANG ASLI

EMPATHY

Many of the problems that orang asli communities confront
are caused by a lack of empathy on the part of mainstream
society and its institutions. Their rituals and distinct
appearance create an exotic mystery, yet there is a general
assumption that they will assimilate into our modern
customs. The framework in which institutions such as the
government, state schools, religious groups, and even NGOs
tackle Orang Asli issues reflects this lack of empathy.

PERSPECTIVES

When most people think of Orang Asli, they think of them as a
single group of people who speak the same language and share
the same culture. This is a far cry from the truth. Austroasiatic
and Austronesian are the two major language stocks represented.
The former is related to the Mon-Khmer language family, which
includes languages spoken in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and
Vietnam. The latter is primarily found in the Malay Archipelago
and Pacific islands, stretching from Madagascar to New Zealand
in the west, the Easter Islands in the east, and New Zealand in
the south. Austronesian languages are also spoken by small
communities in Taiwan and Vietnam's hills.

SIGNIFICANCE

The 19 sub-groups of Peninsular Malaysia's "first peoples" are
collectively known as Orang Asli.
The Orang Asli, on the other hand, were never isolated, and they
were never a fringe group cut off from the rest of society. On the
contrary, Orang Asli communities were well established prior to
the Malay Sultans' reign, particularly in southern Peninsular
Malaysia.
Even during the creation of the Sultanates of Johore and Malacca,
Orang Laut clans supplied significant military and economic
support.

KEY CONCEPTS FOR LU 10

MALAYSIAN WOMEN'S MOVEMENT

CAUSE & EFFECT

In the 1980s, rising rates of crimes against women, such as
domestic abuse and rape, prompted the formation of a slew of non-
governmental organisations (NGOs) dedicated to defending
women victims. The Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), founded in
1982, the Women's Crisis Centre (or Women's Crisis Centre (WCC),
founded in 1985), and the Sabah Women's Action Group (or Sabah
Women's Action Resource Group, founded in 1987) are all based in
Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and Penang.
Malay women went on to become teachers and active members of
women's organisations.

CONTINUITY & CHANGE

Women in Malaysia celebrate Malaysia's
women day.
The establishment of the UMNO women's
organization
The UMNO Women's Association also
celebrated its 39th Women's Day in May
2001.

EMPATHY

The position of women depends only on the social
conditions of society
Women are discriminated against from the point of
view of selecting candidates to get jobs where
employers put men workers first
Women become slaves and are wronged men.

pn

KEY CONCEPT FOR LU 11

Politics of the Left / Labour

Movement

Cause and Effect
Malay politics before the coming of Western Colonialism was based on
'Absolute Monarchy's where only the Sultan/Raja's family and the pembesar
had the political power. The existence of new development of world from the
West had created awarenesses among the new elite people. This have lead to
conflicts between the Kaum Muda and Kaum Tua but overshadowed by the
emerging of the Malay Associations. Then, the Malay divided to the left wing
and right wing. Few Associations based on races had been create to help the
labour. For helping the Indian Labour, The Central Indian Association (CIAM)
was formed to help the Indian employers who were resented by workers.
Communist also spread among the Malays by the form of The Malayan
Communist Party (MCP).

Continuity and Change
The Leftist Groups are more radical, vocal about their demands and not in
line with British policy on Malaya and were left out. This groups quite
different than the Right Groups which have more clear goals. They also
formed new alliance to overthrow the British. The formation of Labour
Movements include PUTERA-AMCJA with support of the Chinese
Chamber of Commerce (CCC) had challenged British authority. British
started take serious actions like arrested the left wings leaders and some
associations declared illegal but these actions do not stop the MCP
against the British. Some left wing groups created several non-communal
parties which fought for all people. Suprresion of left parties brought
space to the right parties to control Malayan Politics.

Significance
The Leftist Groups which more radical than the right Groups have
contributed more awarenesses among the people so they will become
more brave to speak and fight against the British. This also proved the
beginning of formed associations to help the Indian and Chinese labours
to have their rights without discrimination. This also lead labour
movement in Malaysia.

KEY CONCEPTS FOR LU 12

Secret Socities

Cause and Effects

Singapore- Secret societies were hired regularly to protect the
monopoly rights of gambling farms and the success of these farms
was dependent largely upon the power of the secret societies in
keeping trouble-makers at bay, collecting debts and as watchmen
over police movements. Although there were some farmers who did
not engage the direct services of the secret societies, they had to pay
protection money to maintain their businesses

Continuity and C
hange

Secret societies are typically groups whose rituals and

activities are hidden away from non-members. = Thought

effort has been done to suppress the secret society in

Malaysia but they still existing in secretive form.
Some are involved in crime such as dealing with drug/ human

trafficking, smuggling, kidnapping, prostitution, copyright

piracy, cyber crime, blackmail and protection rackets, financial

crime (counterfeiting, money laundering, stock market

manipulation, etc.) = Their activities mostly in drug trafficking,

kidnapping, murder, extortion, rac
keteering, and loansharking

at its height. Perspective

not all are linked to crime activities
Depending on interests – such as to protect their members or clans,
have political motives, business interests, religious objectives and to
uphold some certain magical beliefs or racist ideologies.
Some of the secretive activities would be led to negative activities
such as crime.
Some people wants to protect their uniqueness in term of culture,
safety and activities.

KEY CONCEPT FOR LU 13

HISTORY OF THE MALAYSIAN STUDENT
MOVEMENT

ANTI-BRITISH/INDEPENDENCE

Indonesia influenced Malay student movements in the 1930s.
Foreign students and Pan Islamic reform movements led Malay
students to organize. - KMM, MBL, PPMKL, KPPMS, GPMS

Cause POST-INDEPENDENCE
&
University of Malaya (1949) sparked student activism.
Effect Students started the demonstration & The University And
University College Act, 1971, was passed to control students.

POST

AUKU and ISA repressed student radicalism.
Campus-only student movements & students resumed
street protests after Reformasi 1999.

ANTI-BRITISH/INDEPENDENCE

Islamic movements in the Middle East and South Asia influenced
Malaysian student movements. Among the early student
movements were race-based, mutual-aid societies.

POST-INDEPENDENCE Continuity
&
Vocal and independent students emerged & campus-focused.
The 1971 University And University College Act is introduced. Change
Students protested & arrested.
UUCA was toughened. Disbanding all student groups.

POST

Current Concerns: Islamic issues include hijab, alcohol ban, anti-Islamic concerts,
faith-based (fundamentalist);
Pro-Aspirasi (anti-BN) and pro-Mahasiswa (BN) groups have recently risen.
Students resumed street protests after Reformasi 1999.

Empathy Students movement fought for political, economic, and social reform.
Some influenced by Indonesia (Sumpah Pemuda Indonesia} or by
Pan-Islamic movement.
In past, no action can be given - Now, there is special act for students
who involved in any movement contradict to government pn