SSF 1033 assignment

SSF 1033

MALAYSIAN
SOCIAL
HISTORY

Faculty Social Science and Humanities
UW6762001
Social Work

Semester 1 (2021/2022)

Lecturer : Dr. ADIBAH BINTI YUSUF

GROUP MEMBERS :
1. MAIZATUL AQILAH BINTI SAFIUD’DAN (79950)
2. MUHAMMAD ZAKIYUDDIN BIN AHMAD (80304)
3. SITI NUR SYAKIRAH (81220)
4. HAZIQ BIN SAIFULBAHRI (79528)
5. NURUL SYAMIMI BINTI MOHD FAIZAL (80907)
6. NUR SYAMMIN AFRINA BINTI SHAMSUHAIMIE (82029)
7. MOHAMMAD AZMAL AQASHA BIN MAHDI (80102)

LEARNING
UNIT 1

INTRODUCTION
&

COURSE
OUTLINE

History is the study about the past
events and people that were related to a
particular, place, and organization. This
help to complete the story of everything
the people have done before in the past
million years ago.

WHAT IS HISTORY?

History is the story which displays the
change in human cultures, lifestyles,
politics, beliefs and the creativity of the
people from the past until now.

LEARNING
UNIT 2

HISTORY
AND

SOCIAL
HISTORY

HISTORY HISTORIOGRAPHY

History is a Historiography
story about is writing
something about the past.
that happened writing is done
millions of based on many
years ago and factors such as
is told back in perspectives
the present. and opinions
about the
former society.

History within the Social
Science

• Anthropology
• Sociology
• Politics
• Economics
• Psychology
• Philosophy

History and Evidence

To write and study history, historians required evidence.
Without historical evidence, cannot explain the history of the
past.

There is no evidence then no history. This doesn’t mean that
history doesn’t happen, but we can’t record or study it.

Written Bones Oral
words stories
Types of
evidence

Cave art Artifacts

Buried
settlements

Social history is emphasis on evidence about humans or
linked to human society especially ordinary human.

For example : environmental data = climate change =
impact on earth and human society.

History and Actors

History involved individuals, groups, and whole
society

Events that happened in the past in a specific places
and at a particular time

History involved men and women, old and young,
healthy and sick, religious and non-religious

Historical events reflects choices of powerful
people and the powerless

Types of History :
Dominant

Nationalist history often propaganda that
invents our own greatness and uniqueness and
also good vs bad

Reinforces stereotypes and dominant political
narratives such as UMNO and Malays,
indigenous vs immigrant and Malacca and Islam

No link to outside history except ‘ Fighting
Against Colonialism ’ and ‘ Foreign Dominant ’

LEARNING
UNIT 3

THE USES OF
HISTORY

History: The study of change over time.

But why study history? What can we learn from history?

Wang GuBnugtwwuhy(1s9tu6d8y):history? What can we learn from history?
a) Desire to remember and the awareness that memory confers power on
those who remember.

But why study history? What can we learn from history?
b) As useful knowledge where past experiences and examples can help
improve humankind.
c) Explore the meaning of life and death – a means of understanding
humanity’s place on earth and what’s their destiny.

Yong Mun Cheong (2000):
a) Helps us better understand the present – current beliefs,
practices, knowledge, way of life are rooted in the past.
b) Provides lessons from the past – achievements and failures of
past civilizations and people.
c) Promotes awareness of our ancestral heritage – appreciate our
rich cultural heritage, customs and practices.
d) Understand how people think and feel – how people react in
different cultures, places and times.
e) Develop critical and analytical skills – asking questions and
thinking about/researching the answers.
f) Develop a sense of national identity – who we are as a people
and where we come from.

The importance of perspective

Evidence & Perspective =
Interpretation.

Perspectives change (e.g. The purpose
of Colonialism: Civilising mission vs.
Exploitation).

Perspectives depend on Actor’s
position in history + their interests: Victors
vs Losers; Elites vs Proletariat; Ethnic vs
Class = different views about memory and
remembering.

Role of History (A): To tell the past as
it really was; to be a ‘neutral’ arbiter of the
‘facts’ (esp. politics, diplomacy and war but
within national boundaries!) – Ranke
School.

Role of History (B): To tell the
everyday story of ordinary people, events
and things, economic history, history of
human attitudes, and history that went
beyond national boundaries – Annales
School.

Post World War II: New
Nations, New Countries.

Nation-building.

Desire for national identity and national unity.
Creation of identity – an “imagined identity” of what it
meant to be a citizen of a country.

Hence, a common history for a shared national memory.

A common history that would reject colonial history.

But often, common history too narrow.
Conventional National History – did not reflect the lives
and struggles of common people. Too elite focused.
Hence, rise of social history – history from below (The
Cockroach View!)

History of the poor, the oppressed, the uneducated, the
marginalised, children, women, & etc.

Hence, instead of just being a neutral arbiter of the facts,
now historians became those who sought to understand the
language and practices of the past - to understand the
dominant and resisting beliefs and structures that
surrounded historical events.

Hence, shift in history perspective.
From focus on the facts – elite history – to histories from
below – multiple histories, fragmented but inter-connected
pasts.

History is NOT neutral. It cannot be.

Every individual, event, situation is embedded in class,
race and gender.

Every historian is embedded in their class, race and
gender.

Bias in history
• History – true/distorted/false.
• History as bias/one-sided
Male dominated.
Old focus vs. Young.
Powerful vs. Weak.
Winners vs. ‘Losers’.
Articulate vs. Silent.
Hate vs. love/War vs. Peace.
Terrorist or Freedom Fighter.

Doing history
Glass of water example
Evidence = facts = description (insufficient by itself).
Perspective = interpretation/meaning using logic/common

sense (also insufficient by itself).
History as fact & interpretation (i.e. interpretation of facts).

History in connected
▪ Inter-linked and inter-related/networked
history.
▪ Historical events do not occur only in one
place.
▪ Series of circumstances leading up to it.
▪ Inter-linked with events and decisions/choices
made both internally and externally/far away
(e.g. Independence for Malaya, Sarawak,
Sabah; Formation of Malaysia; democratic
framework of the country; Women getting to
vote; etc).



LEARNING
UNIT 4

OFFICIAL VS
MISSING
HISTORY

1. Official history

For the purposes of its national history, the
government has defined Malaysia as the territory
occupied by its modern component states; that is,
the Peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak, with
Singapore being included in events which occurred
before 1965. ‘History’ in the Museum of National
History, is interpreted as any event, person, or
artefact which provides evidence of Malay or
Malaysian achievement and ‘progress’.

The Portuguese conquest of Melaka in 1511
.The arrival of Europeans in the region is described
by three displays entitled respectively, ‘The
Portuguese Era’, ‘The Dutch Era’ and ‘The English
Era’. They are concerned with the occupation of
Melaka after the defeat of the Malay sultanate in
1511 by a series of European trading and
administrative regimes and information.

2. Official history - Pre-history Messages

• Natural geological formations = Malaysia
very old

• Human bones in caves (Niah) & stone tools
(Perak and Sabah) (Palaeolithic period) =
evidence of ancient human occupation
(40,000 BCE)

• Neolithic period (4000 BCE) & Bronze Age
exhibits of pottery, stone objects and bronze
drums = advanced settlements &
developing culture

• Evidence of major settlements like Bujang
Valley (Hindu, Buddhist) & Santubong
(Hindu, Buddhist & Muslim) = diverse
beliefs and active trade relations between
“Malaysia” and other parts of the world, esp
India, Arabia and China (Sri Vijayan
Influences).
o Malay peoples linguistically linked to
the Khmer/Assam peoples so Malays
are also a product of migration.
o ‘Malays’ as a British ‘creation’.

• Megalithic (giant carved stones) artifacts in
Peninsular, Sabah and Swk = existence of
diversity of lifestyles and cultures during
Srivijaya period.

• (Orang Asli, Sabah/Sarawak Native
Migrations, Migratory Settlements,
Influences of other Civilisations)

3. Official History – Colonial Story

❖ Colonial Beginnings

➢Portuguese Control of Malacca 1511-

1642

➢Dutch Control of Malacca, 1642-mid

1700s

➢English/British Era, 1786-1941.
➢from trade to interference to control to

government

➢Foreign powers in Sarawak (ceded to

Brooke Rajahs, 1841 - 1941)

➢Foreign powers in Sabah (ceded in

perpetuity to
❖ Baron Von Overbeck and Albert Dent

- British North Borneo Company for

Sp$5000/year or US$1800/presently.)

4. Official History – Nationalism & Nation
Building

❖ Growth of Nationalism

▪ Malaysia lost its independence in 1511
▪ Examples of local resistance against British (from

mid-18th)

▪ Century - 1940s; Tok Janggut; Mat Salleh; Dato

Maharajalela)

▪ Japanese Occupation 1942-1945 - resistance but also

sparking nationalistic feelings

▪ Malayan Union 1946 - led to Malay opposition and

founding of

▪ UMNO (Agama/Bangsa/Negara)

The Federation of Malaya, 1948

The Emergency, 1948

Independence 1957; Malaysia 1963

▪ Formation of Malaysia, 1963

Confrontation with Indonesia 1963-1966

Against Neo-colonialism/George Soros, Westerners, etc.

(Message = Nationalism as struggle against “enemies”)

(Message – Islam & ethnicity has central role in
Nationalism)

(Missing - Role of the MCP, Labour Unions, Collaboration
with British/Japanese)

(Missing = Nationalism as struggle to build democracy,
progressive and open society, religious and ethnic diversity,
human rights, freedoms, etc.)

Official History - Growth of Nationalism
4 Post-Independence Periods
(PM focus)
• (Message = Leader -
defined/feudal ? Why not society
defined ? Why always Male -
dominated?)
• (Missing – Women ? Only
Politicians ? Others ?)

5. Missing History
▪ Was struggle for Independence only an UMNO/Malay
struggle?
▪ Was it a struggle or was it given free by the British to
conservative political forces called, the Alliance?
▪ Leaves out a lot about the Orang Asli (Malaya), Orang Asal
(Sabah & Sarawak) and other minorities (e.g. women,
children, disabled, MCP, Malay left, student movements,
ethnic/religious minorities & etc.)
▪ Reality is that the struggle for a new country -
Malaya/Malaysia - was more inclusive and saw the
involvement of Chinese, Indians, Rich, Poor, left-wing and
conservative elements. (e.g. Sybil Kathigesu, Ong Boon Hua,
Gurchan Singh)
▪ And what about Sabah & Sarawak? Did they willingly want to
form Malaysia? Or were they forced into forming a new
country?

Cobbold Commission Report

3 examples of missing history
▪ Life as the River Flows (Agnes Khoo & Richard Crisp)
Women in the Malayan anti-colonial struggle
▪ Where Monsoons Meet – A People’s History of Malaya

– Ordinary peoples’ view of how Malaya became independent and
not just the UMNO view.

▪ Langub, Jayl and Daniel Chew (n.d.), His Story, Her Story:
Chinese-Iban Inter-marriages in Engkelili and Lubok Antu,
mimeo.

LEARNING
UNIT 5

PRE-
HISTORY

Archeology as history

❖ Traditionally history = written history
Human has existed and lived long before the creation
of writing (c. 5000 years ago)

❖ Written history = history is only a small part of
human existence

What is archeology / prehistory

Archeology

❖ Systematic review of the remnants of human
behavioral materials in the past (Fagan 1983)

Evidence of Bukit Bunuh

❖ Hand axes found in suevite rocks that are
geologically determined to have formed as a result
of meteorite impacts

❖ Sueva rock dating was done by the runway method
of defense by the Japanese Geochronological
Laboratory

Prehistory

❖ parts of human history that last before the time of
written documents and archives

Prehistory Malaysia

❖ Missing story in prehistory Malaysia
- Video focuses on important
discoveries by Malaysian
archaeologist (eg. Lembah
Lenggong, Bukit Tengkorak,
Kain Hitam in Niah)
- The contribution of early
archaeologists (foreigners) –
colonial roots to Prehistoric
Malaysia – is only briefly
mentioned (eg. Gua Cha by
Sieveking, Great Cave, Niah by
Harrisson). Sites such as Lembah
Bujang, found by Quaritch-
Wales not even mentioned and
this is a very important site.
- Early foreign researchers were
instead described as the ones who
diverted important discoveries
from Malaysia (cth. Niah “Deep
Skull” and skeletons Gua Cha –
di England, not stored in
Malaysia).

African external theory
• Evidence outside African
- The ancestors of modern humans flourished in African
- Homo Erectus migrated out of Africa 2 million years
ago and inhabited the Old World

• Evidence of Bukit Bunuh
- The artifacts were found buried in
suevite rocks formed as a result of
meteorite impacts crashing in the Bukit
Bunuh
- The suevite stone, which is said to be
first discovered in Southeast Asia, was
sent to Japan's Geochronological
Laboratory three months ago and dated
carbon using a method of determining
traces of sprinting
- No other evidence of Homo erectus
besides ‘hand axe’ (artifacts etc.) was
found

LEARNING
UNIT 6

ANCIENT
HISTORY

Ancient History of Malaysia

What is Ancient History?
Ancient History is a term that refers to an aggregate
of the past events from the beginning of writing
and recorded human history and extending as far

as post-classical history.

Early Kingdom in Southeast Asia & Malay
Archipelago

Hindu-Buddhist has been identified as an early
kingdom in SE Asia/Malay Archipelago. As proof,
Sailendra (Borobudur temple), Mataram (Prambanan

temple) and Khmer (Angkor Wat).

I. Borobudur
➢ built: 750-850 AD under Sailendra dynasty,

peak of Srivijaya influence Mayana Buddhist

II. Angkor Wat
➢ Built by Suryavarman II (Khmer empire):

12th century AD

III. A Hindu Neighbour: Prambanan Temple

➢ Constructed c. AD 850 by either Rakai
Pikatan (King of 2nd Mataram dynasty) or
Balitung Maha Sambu (during Sanjaya
dynasty)

➢ Para Brahman
➢ Prambanan bas-reliefs tell Hindu tales
➢ Episodes from Vishnu's incarnation as

Rama encircle the main shrines at
Prambanan that are dedicated to Shiva and
Brahma.

Sailendra

▪ This region in Central Java saw a massive building project
during the eighth and tenth centuries.

▪ The highlight is the world's largest Buddhist monument
the world known as Borobudur.

▪ It is a mountain-shaped structure of ten levels, with a
three-mile walkway full of carvings depicting the spiritual
journey from ignorance to full enlightenment. Example:
Borobudur Temple

Mataram

▪ Flourished between 712 and 938 in Central Java, an island of
Indonesia and lies southeast of Malaysia and west of Bali

▪ The collapse of the kingdom occurred in the tenth century
▪ In 1006, Srivijaya attacked and destroyed the Medang palace,

killing most of the royal family. With the death of king
Dharmawangsa and the fall of the capital, the kingdom
finally collapsed.
▪ Monuments Of Mataram
▪ Kingdom- Prambanan
▪ Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia and one
of the largest Hindu temples in Southeast Asia

Khmer

▪ was a powerful state in South East Asia, formed by people of
the same name, lasting from 802 CE to 1431 CE

▪ The Khmer were great builders, filling the landscape
▪ Constructed c. AD 850 by either Rakai Pikatan (King of 2nd

Mataram dynasty) or Balitung Maha Sambu (during Sanjaya
dynasty)
▪ Episodes from Vishnu's incarnation as Rama encircle the
main shrines at Prambanan that are dedicated to Shiva and
Brahma.
▪ with monumental temples, huge reservoirs (called baray)
and canals, and laying an extensive road network with
all sorts of bridges -the main highways are 800 km long
▪ The most stunning temple, Angkor Wat

Pre-history & Proto-History

Prehistory- time during the development of human
culture before the appearance of the written word. Proto-
history period between prehistory and history during which
culture or civilization has not yet developed writing, but
other cultures have already noted its existence in their own
writings

Malay Peninsula: From pre- to
proto-history

• Peninsular Malaysia regularly
conducted intra- and extra-
regional trade (forest goods and
luxury items).

• Several kingdoms and
entrepots appeared on the
Malay Peninsula and other
parts of Southeast Asia.

• The majority of these were
situated on the coast (Kuala
Selinsing, Bujang Valley,
Santubong), although there
were some inland kingdoms
(Chih Tu in Kelantan)

1. Kuala Selinsing

- Human burials and artifacts,
including pottery,

beads, shells and glassware (3rd century
BC to 11th century AD)

- Carnelian seal inscribed in South
Indian Grantha script (5th century AD)

2. Cherok Tok Kun

- Early Indian presence and influence is also
suggested by a site called Cherok Tok Kun in Bukit
Mertajam, Penang.

- Sanskrit script was founded South Indian Pallava
Grantha (4th to 6th century AD)

3. Santubong

- Maritime trade: gold objects, glass beads,
Chinese ceramics, gold, local iron production,
Hindu-Buddhist objects, Tantric shrine (10th until
13th century AD)

4. Bujang Valley

- Hindu-Buddhist kingdom that flourished from the fourth to
the seventh century in the Bujang Valley

- Chinese Monk I-Tsing (I-Ching), who travelled to India in
the 7th century to visit the University of Nalanda noted Bujang
Valley at Qie-zha (sometimes spelt Chieh-Cha or Kie-tcha)

- Bujang Valley was surveyed in the 1930s by Quaritch-
Wales (found some 30 sites in the area)

- Important trade centre

- Status as 'rice bowl' of Malaysia is a relatively recent
phenomenon.

The Influence of India (Indianization)

▪ The term of Indianization was found on in the early 20th
century and was seen as cultural colonization of Southeast
Asia (Southeast Asian Archaeology)

▪ Influence the capacity to have an effect on the character,
development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the
effect itself.

The Indianization of
Southeast Asia

The Expansion of an organized “…
preserved the essentials of their culture that was
founded upon individual cultures (indigenous)
and the Indian concept of royalty, developed
them, each according to characterized by
Hinduist or Buddhist its own genius.” (Codes
1986:34)ncults, and expressed in Sanskrit
language (Codes 1986)

The Influence of India on Malay
Culture

The founding of Indian kingdoms on

mainland or insular Southeast Asia:

- The expansion of an organized
culture that was founded upon the Indian
concept of royalty, characterized by
Hinduist or Buddhist cults, and expressed
in the Sanskrit language

(Codes 1968)

It can be seen on the
▪ Kingship
▪ Ceremonial
▪ Administration
▪ Language
▪ Literature
▪ Arts and architecture
▪ Beliefs
▪ Practices

The Indianization of Southeast Asia
Mandi Safar

✓ 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. The purpose
is to clean oneself of spiritual impurity and to protect
oneself from misfortune.

✓ Celebrated in many places, but especially elaborate
in Tanjong Keling, Melaka (Keling is a synonym for
people of South Indian origin)

Mandi Safar: Parallels with Indian bathing festivities.
• Journey to the river on bullock carts
• Participants include maidens and young men
• Young girls chaperoned by grey-haired elderly
women
• Young men and women look forward to meet future
life partners
• Merry-making, songs, dances

Historical interpretations

Originated as a secular
festivity to enable
young men and
women to meet or to
look for future life
partners.
Might have been the
result of Malay-Tamil
interaction in the past.
The addition of the
term Safar to Mandi
might have occurred
after the adoption of
Islam especially
during the time of the
Melaka Sultanate to
make the practice
more acceptable to the
Islamic society.
In the same way, the
added explanation of
the purpose to achieve
spiritual purity.

LEARNING
UNIT 7 (A)

TRADE AND
ITS

CONSEQUEN-
CES

A. What is Economy?

• An economy is the large set of inter-
related production, consumption, and
exchange activities that aid in determining
how scarce resources are allocated. The
production, consumption, and distribution
of goods and services are used to fulfill the
needs of those living and operating within
the economy, which is also referred to as
an economic system.

• An economy is the large set of inter-
related production and consumption
activities that aid in determining how
scarce resources are allocated.

• In an economy, the production and
consumption of goods and services are
used to fulfill the needs of those living and
operating within it.

• Market-based economies tend to
allow goods to flow freely through the
market, according to supply and demand.

• The economy of a particular region
or country is governed by its culture, laws,
history, and geography, among other
factors, and it evolves due to the choices
and actions of the participants.

B. What is Trade?

• Trade is a basic economic concept
involving the buying and selling of goods and
services, with compensation paid by a buyer to a
seller, or the exchange of goods or services
between parties. Trade can take place within an
economy between producers and consumers.
International trade allows countries to expand
markets for both goods and services that otherwise
may not have been available. It is the reason why
an American consumer can pick between a
Japanese, German, or American car. As a result of
international trade, the market contains greater
competition and therefore, more competitive
prices, which brings a cheaper product home to
the consumer.

• Trade broadly refers to transactions ranging
in complexity from the exchange of baseball cards
between collectors to multinational policies
setting protocols for imports and exports between
countries.

• A product that is sold to the global market
is an export, and a product that is bought from the
global market is an import.

• International trade not only results in
increased efficiency but also allows countries to
participate in a global economy, encouraging the
opportunity of foreign direct investment (FDI),
which is the amount of money that individuals
invest into foreign companies and other assets.

C. Import

• An import is a product or service produced
abroad and purchased in your home country.

• Imported goods or services are attractive when
domestic industries cannot produce similar goods and
services cheaply or efficiently.

• Free trade agreements and tariff schedules often
dictate which goods and materials are less expensive
to import.

• Economists and policy analysts disagree on the
positive and negative impacts of imports.

D. Export

• Exports are goods and services that are
produced in one country and sold to buyers in another.
Exports, along with imports, make up international
trade.

• Exports are incredibly important to modern
economies because they offer people and firms many
more markets for their goods. One of the core
functions of diplomacy and foreign policy between
governments is to foster economic trade, encouraging
exports and imports for the benefit of all trading
parties.

E. Entrepot

• The term entrepôt, also called
a transhipment port and historically
referred to as a port city, is a trading
post, port, city, or warehouse where
merchandise may be imported,
stored, or traded before re-export,
with no additional processing taking
place and with no customs duties
imposed.

• In the past, entrepots enabled
merchants to utilize part of a trade
route to sell their goods without
having to bear the risks and costs
associated with long-distance travel
over the entire route.

• The use of trade entrepôts has
become largely obsolete as fast,
efficient, and safe transportation
options have become increasingly
cost-effective.

• Nevertheless, entrepôts trade
still occurs sometimes among Asian
markets such as Hong Kong or
Singapore.

LEARNING
UNIT 7 (B)

CREATION
OF MODERN

SE ASIA

Concepts

Concept 1 : European expansionism
✓ Refer to the expansions of colonies by the Europeans in

weaker and less modern countries.

Concept 2 : Sphere of influence
✓ Refers to the place that are affected consequences the

large powers presence.

Concept 3 : Overlordship
✓ Refers to the actions of how the powerful country uses

its power to rule other weak countries.

THEORIES

Theory 1 : political division affects everything. This
causes every important center to be develop, such as
academic centers and trade centers.

Theory 2 : Malay rulers often fought among
themselves. The war among the governments made
them weak. They are easily dominated by foreign
powers to ensure that imperialism goes smoothly.

Theory 3 : No discussion with the Malay rulers.
This indicated that the colonialists did not respect
the Malay rulers. Every decision made without
hearing the voice of Malays rulers.

LERNING
UNIT 8

POPULATIONI
IMMIGRANTS

AND
IDENTITY