Introduction to Malaysian Social History

CONCEPT 2 : WOMEN'S
LABOUR RIGHT

Labour rights for women aims to contribute to
overarching policy aim of contributing to
structural poverty reduction by improving

gender equality and the empowerment of women
.

Women active in labour strikes throughout
Malaya before and after WWII .



1962 - 1965 ; Labour party celebrated
International Women's Day on March 8 .



In 1960 , setup National Council of Women's
Organizations ( NCW) intially multi-racial and

urban based women professionals .

CONCEPT 3 : VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN

Violence Against Women (VAW), also know as
gender-based violence and sexual and gender-
based violence ( SGBV) , are violent acts primarily
or exclusively committed against women or girls

usually by men or boys .



Malaysia increasing awareness of feminism , sexual
oppression and VAW .



1982 : Women's Aid Organization ( WAO) deal with
problems of battered women and domestic violence

.


In 1985 , 5 women's groups came together to
highlight and campaign on stopping VAW , formed
the Joint Action Group Against Violence Women (
JAG ) .


Women issues seen not as women's issues but
fundamentally , discrimination and social injustice .

CONCEPT 4 : WOMEN AS
CONSUMERS

In 1976 , Consumers
Association of Penang ( CAP) ,
consumer education, the
consumer clubs for secondary
school children to teach them
about basic needs , safety and
protection of environment .

Consumer programme for rural
women, especially breast-
feeding campaign and the
Nestle' boycott .

TOPIC 11:

POLITICS OF
THE LEFT &

LABOUR
MOVEMENTS

KEY SOCIAL HISTORY CONCEPTS

1 COMMUNAL

SENTIMENTS

2 LABOUR

MOVEMENT

3 MALAY LEFT

4 OPPOSITION

5 RIGHT AND LEFT
WING

1 COMMUNAL SENTIMENTS

Community or communal sentiment refers to a strong
sense of awe feeling among the members or a feeling

of belonging together. It refers to a sentiment of
common living that exists among the members of a

locality. Communities are naturally organised.

The rise of left movements in
Malaya, based on communal

sentiments.

The Malays – backward conditions and need to be uplift in line with
changing in Malaya.



The Indian – facing poverty in estates with low income, need for
better living conditions etc.



The Chinese – engulfed with the nationalism movement in China but
some (also the Indian elites) regarded Malaya as their homeland and

demanded a fair share in Malaya.

2 LABOUR MOVEMENT

Definition

According to White (2022),
labour movement in the


1950s are made to be a

barrier to militant
communism, it is mentioned
that this multi-racial labour
movement would be
complement the moderate
multi-racial nationalist
movement.

Example

Signs of dissatisfaction -
walkout of 7000
dockworkers in Tanjung
Pagar (1945)

Labour strikes occur - in
Malaya (Ipoh, Seremban,
Johor Bharu, Kluang)

425 unions formed with
290,000 members

3 malay left

What is Malay
Left?

Malay left force was
between 1945-1948, to
examine developments

within Malay society
before World War II in

Peninsular states.

Example

Malayan Communist Party (MCP)
Pasukan Pembela Tanah Air (PETA)
formed by Ibrahim Yaacob
The Malay left group is more
radical, vocal about their
demands and not in line with
British policy on Malaya

4 opposition

What is opposition?

Malaysia is state as “semi-democratic”
because the government are in power

but allowing societal organizations,
holds an elections every five years and

allows the functioning of opposition
parties to raise issues into autonomous

political claims.



Opposition exists that means there a
deep ideological and political divide in
the country. Different perspective, if
accepted, might enable the society to

see different kind of political
contestations and the extent of their

ideological differences with
government.

5 RIGHT AND LEFT WINGS

According to McClosky & Chong (1985),
intuitive observation of left-wing and right-

wing regimes as well as radical political
movements of the left and right reveals
striking parallels in their styles of political
engagement, their ideology and their acts
towars the country. It is also referred to the
seating arrangement in the Estates General,
which Left for opposing the monarchy and
right for supporting the monarchy during

French Revolution.























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