Malaysia After Merdeka ( important events)

Indonesia- Malaysia Confrontation ( 1962-1966)

Race riots in 1964 (1964)
Separation of Singapore (1965)
The May 13 ( 1969)
New Economic Policy ( 1971-1990)
Operation Lalang ( 1987)
1988 Malaysian constitution crisis ( 1987-1988)
Asian financial Crisis ( 1997-1998)
Al- Maunah ( 2000)
Net assembly ( 2007)
Net assembly ( 2011)
Net Assembly ( 2012)
New Economic model NKRA
Lahad Datu invasion (2013)

1. Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation (1962-1966)

The Confrontation or Konfrontasi was a conflict that occurred between

Indonesia and Malaysia that took place mainly on the island of Borneo. The
issued arose once Malaysia gained its official independence from British in 1957,
later the Prime Minister of Malaya at that time which is Tunku Abdul Rahman
and the British wanted North Borneo to join Malaya in a new Federation of
Malaysia that is still under planning at that moment, which was to come into
being in 1963. The Indonesian President, President Sukarno, opposed the idea of
the formation of new Federation of Malaysia. not only that, he also argued that the
new nation just in fact the way for British to maintain their colonial influence in
the area. In the confrontation, at stake was the future of the former British
possessions, Sabah and Sarawak, which bordered Indonesias provinces on
Borneo.
The Confrontation was set in motion by attempted coup dtat (stroke of
state) in the tiny pro-British sultanate of Brunei in north Borneo in December
1962. To make thing worse, the coup leader, Sheikh A.M Azahari was backed up
by the Indonesian and his supporters were also given military training. Even
though the coup was quickly being suppressed by the British and Gurkha soldiers,
armed attack from the Indonesian side of the border of northern Borneo still
continued plus the Indonesian soldiers began to join A.M Azahari in the attack.
Later in January 1963, the Indonesian Foreign Minister Dr Subandrio announced
that Indonesia would pursue the policy of Confrontation with Malaysia. This
terminology that Indonesia used suggested that Indonesians were sanctioning, and
indeed trying to promote violence, without going until declaring war .On April
12th, Indonesian volunteers basely the Indonesian army personnel, began
infiltrating Sarawak and Sabah to engage in raids and sabotage, and also
spreading propaganda. On July 27th, President Sukarno declared that he would
crush Malaysia ( Ganyang Malaysia). The attack into northern Borneo increased
in strength and frequency throughout 1963 as it was sponsored by Indonesia. All
the attack also led to raids on police and army facilities, and also there were some
substantial clashes with British Army Gurkha soldiers.

- President Sukarno

- Indonesia Foreign Minister Dr.

Subandrio
United States, in January 1964 attempted to end the fighting in Borneo by
threatening to withdraw aid-money to Indonesia. However President Sukarno

ignored the threat and raised the intensity of the Confrontation. He involved the
Indonesian Army units into the conflicts and in September 1964 they shocked
British and Malaysians by starting series of paratroop and seaborne raids into
southern Malaya inflicting fears that Malayan Emergency would be renewed.
Al the Commonwealth troops that were in Malaya at that time were called
into action to deal with the raiders. They made reinforcement by setting up strong
points along the infiltration route and British government also gave approval to
Commonwealth forces to conduct secret patrols (Claret) across the border into
Indonesian territory. Claret, the secret operation, forced Indonesian to defensive
mode and this therefore prevented their attack into northern Borneo. On March
10th, 1965, MacDonald House bombing in Singapore was carried out killing 3
people and injured 33. Later in mid-1965, the Indonesian government is
beginning to openly use the Indonesian army force for the confrontation. On June
28th, they cross the border to enter eastern Sebatik Island near Tawau, Sabah and
clashed with defenders, including a frigate of Royal Australian Navy ship which
carried out duty on jungle bombardments to harass the withdrawing Indonesian.
A group of generals lead by General Suharto came to power in Indonesia,
following a coup in early 1966 and this conflict made Indonesia interest in
continuing confrontation with Malaysia declined, and combat ease. A conference
was later took place in Bangkok on May 28th, 1966 where Malaysian and
Indonesian government declared the end of the conflict. A peace of treaty was
signed on August 11th and ratified two days later. The war finally officially ended
on the 13th August 1996.

2. Race riots in 1964 (1964)

This race riots take place in Singapore in the year of 1964. When Singapore
merged with Federation of Malaysia, many people among the small Malay minority
expecting that they would also gain benefit from the special rights for Malays that were
listed in the 1957 Federation of Malaya Constitution. However, this was never include in

the agreement for merger and would never been agreed upon by any government of
Singapore.
On 19th July 1964, more than 1000 Malay community leaders met with the Prime
Minister of Singapore at that time, Lee Kuan Yew and his Minister of Social Affairs,
Encik Othman Wok, to clarify on the issue of the special rights of Malays. At the
meeting, Mr. Lee promised training for Malays for top position in competition with nonMalays, the government would neither allow a quota system for jobs nor special licences
and land reservations for Malays. This is because, Mr. Lee stressed that all Singapore
citizens had equal rights, regardless of race.
Meanwhile, the Straits Times of 21th July 1964 reported that more than 25000
Muslims in Singapore would participate in a giant rally at the Padang on the following
day to celebrate birthday of the Prophet Muhammad and the celebration will also take
place in Kuala Lumpur and towns throughout Malaysia. On 20th July 1964, in response to
Mr. Lee, the 23-man Singapore UMNO Action Committee, a political organization which
claimed to speak for all Singapore Malays, called on him to use his time in curbing the
secret society menace instead of splitting the Malay community. The Action Committee
was headed by UMNO State leader, Senator Ahmad Haji Taff who claimed that the
meeting was an insult to the Malays. He defended his Action Committee against
accusations of communalism by the Premier, by counter-charging that Mr. Lee himself
was trying to break the harmony and good relations between Malays and Chinese. He
emphasized, "Our campaign has been directed solely at Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and his
Government for not implementing the special rights clause in the Constitution - not
campaign against the Chinese."
On the 21st July 1964, rioting broke out on the massive celebration for Prophet
Muhammads birthday, when protest demonstration by Malays escalated resulted from
the verbal war of taunts and insult with Chinese bystanders. The riot continued for almost
five days, left 22 people dead and 452 injured. To restore law and order, government
imposed the curfew order. The curfew was gradually relaxed by 2nd August 1964.
However, on 2nd September, the racial tensions exploded once again as the result
of a Malay trishaw rider stabbed to death at night. The rioting arose and continued for
another five days with 12 people killed, 109 injured and over 1200 people arrested for
rioting and curfew breaking. The situation returned to normal back on 11th September and
the curfew was lifted.
The racial riots were by far the worst and the most prolonged in Singapores postwar history. As the consequences, the fear for future violence between the races has
become the factor that hastened the Singapores secession from the Federation of
Malaysia in August 1965.

Reference:
Clutterbuck, R. L. (1984).Conflict and violence in Singapore and Malaysia: 1945-1983.
Singapore: G. Brash
Tan, L. Y. (1997, September 29). Communal Riots Of 1964 . Infopedia, National Library.
Retrieved July 9, 2008, from
http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_45_2005-01-06.html

3. Separation of Singapore (1965)

The Singapores profound interest to join Malaysia did not last long. This
is due to the various internal events that occurred and had affected Singapore for
their stand to join the Federation of Malaysia. One of the internal events is the
race riots that happen in 1964 between the Malay extremist in Malaya and

Chinese extremist in Singapore. This racial polarization is threatening more and

more to the relation between races in Singapore.
The channel for this dispute is the People Action Party in Singapore and
the Alliance in Malaya. The split arose when initially in the first Malaysian
general election in 1964 in which PAP was one of the contesting party. Before the
general election, there were series of inappropriate act thrown by Lee Kuan Yew
and several PAP leaders towards MCA. The y belittled MCA by saying that they
lacked of caliber and were over friendly with UMNO. These actions not only
offended MCA leaders but also the UMNO leaders including Tunku Abdul
Rahman, who valued very much relationship between UMNO and MCA.
Because of these few misunderstanding and inappropriate act, it turn out
that the first Malaysian general election campaign was an event that brought
serious repercussion. The Malays were suspicious towards Lee Kuan Yew
meanwhile the Chinese were confused on whom to believe. Majority of the
people, were in the interpretation that Lee Kuan Yew and PAP member action was
a move to create hostility. The hostile political feeling, were soon turn and grew
into negative racial sentiments. By July 1964, the relation between races became
obviously strained resulting the riot that took place twice, in 21 July and in 2
September. The understanding between Tunku and Lee Kuan Yew and also Le
Kuan Yew and the MCA leaders to deteriorated. Later, Tunku made decision that
separation perhaps may be the best solution if the Singapore leaders felt that there
was no more understanding.
The situations get worst as more leaders joining in the fray. Nobody try to
improve the situation. On 27 April 1965, Singapore announced convention to
form United Opposition Front with aim to fight for equality of rights. In
addition, Lee Kuan Yew come up with his campaign on Malaysia for Malaysian
that trying to show that no community in Malaysia was more native than other
communities. Malays felt that this statement was a challenge to their status and
later after convention on 9 May, the PAP slogan clearly heightened Chinese unity
against the Malays. UMNO extremist, Jaafar Albar, come up with slogan Malays
Unite as reaction to Lee Kuan Yew Malaysia for Malaysian, and this make the
situation more critical.
However, although many attempts were made time and time from June to
August to find resolution, all attempts seem to be failing because Singapore keep
making the situation worse. Later on 7 August 1965, Lee Kuan Yew and Tunku
Abdul Rahman signed the separation agreement. Thus, on 9 August 1965,
Parliament passed the Separation Act and with that Singapore officially left
Malaysia.

Tunku Abdul Rahman and Lee Kuan Yew celebrate the formation of
Malaysia in 1963. The Tunku, wears a songkok bearing the words
"Hidup Malaysia", is smiling next to a garlanded Lee

o Reference
K.B. Cheah, (25 July 2007), The Separation of Singapore,
http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/echoes_of_the_past/the_separation_of_singapore.ht
ml, (2 November 2013)

Nazaruddin Hj. Moohd Ali, Marof Redzuan, Asnarulkhadi Abu SamaH & Ismail Hj.
Mohd Rashid, Malaysian Studies : Nationhood and Citizenship, Prentice Hall,
Malaysia, 2003