Malaysia – a difficult but safe birth
Tomorrow is Malaysia Day. It is not just any Malaysia Day but the 50th Malaysia Day, the Golden Jubilee of the formation of the nation.
As we celebrate the day, a glance at the events that gave birth to Malaysia will help us understand ourselves and the motivations of our former leaders better.
Malaya got its freedom from the British colonialists on Aug 31, 1957 amidst a communist insurgency.
If getting independence for Malaya was difficult, forming Malaysia was even more so. At least in 1957, the new Malaya government had to contend only with locals; but when Malaysia was taking shape, and immediately after it took shape, the new entity had to face-off against two of its neighbours.
A small, undeclared war was fought between Indonesia and Malaysia between 1962 and 1966. British, Australian and New Zealand troops joined in to fight for Malaysia.
This confrontation happened because Indonesia believed that Britain’s real intention was to consolidate its position in the region under the cloak of granting independence. It did not want Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo to become one entity.
Indonesia, and its then patron communist China, also felt the British were pushing for the formation of Malaysia to counter the spread of communism. Another reason is that Indonesia had plans to form a greater Indonesia Raya with some of its neighbours.
President Soekarno declared “konfrontasi” or confrontation on Jan 20, 1963, and Indonesia carried out a series of cross-border raids. Armed insurgents crossed over into Sabah, Sarawak and even Johor.
That was when British, Australian and New Zealand soldiers came into the picture. While some fighting was going on, Soekarno and the new Malaysia under first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman held negotiations, and in August 1966 peace returned to the region.
The Philippines, too, was against the idea as it claimed that North Borneo (as Sabah was then known) was part of its territory. The Tunku and his officials had to stretch their diplomatic skills to assuage the Philippine government.
Although the Philippines has not officially given up its claim on Sabah, it has not pressed for it either. The reality is that the people of Sabah want to be part of Malaysia and the Philippines would look out-of-tune if it were to press its claim now, 50 years after the formation of Malaysia.
But that has not stopped groups within the Philippines from claiming Sabah as that country’s territory. In February this year, armed Muslim militants from the Philippines landed in Sabah and occupied the village of Tanduo in the name of the Sultanate of Sulu.
They were sent by Jamalul Kiram 3rd who says he is an heir to the throne of the sultanate. Malaysian security forces routed the occupiers, but not before deaths on both sides.
But there was also opposition, initially, within North Borneo and Sarawak, too. Many of the political and community leaders of Sarawak and North Borneo were against the idea at the beginning. This was cited as a reason by Soekarno when he protested the formation of Malaysia.
And dissent came from within Malaya too. The State of Kelantan objected to the formation of Malaysia and even took the matter to court. However, it lost the case.
Bapa Malaysia (Father of Malaysia) Tunku referred to these stumbling blocks in his speech on Sept 16, 1963 when he said: “The road to nationhood has not been an easy journey; surprises and disappointments, tension and crisis, have marred the way.”
The Tunku said the first 18 months of political and constitutional discussions between all parties involved in the formation of Malaysia, from May 1961, went favourably but towards the end of 1962, the situation changed after he criticised China for attacking India. He said communists throughout Southeast Asia retaliated by opposing the idea of Malaysia. That was also about the time the Philippines claimed North Borneo.
This is what the Tunku said: “The successful meeting of the foreign ministers of Malaya, Indonesia and the Philippines, followed by my own conference with President Soekarno in Tokyo eased tension considerably and brought new hope for harmony and peace.”
Final talks were held in London and the Malaysia agreement signed in early July 1963. But Indonesia renewed its objections and after further discussion it was decided that the United Nation’s secretary-general should be asked to ascertain the wishes of the people in these states.
This decision was taken despite the fact that in February 1962, the Cobbold Commission and the Inter-Governmental Committee led by Lord Lansdownes had ascertained, after carrying out surveys, that the majority of the people of North Borneo and Sarawak were in favour of forming Malaysia.
The then UN secretary-general U Thant sent a nine-man UN Assessment Mission to North Borneo and Sarawak in August 1963 to check on the ground feeling to satisfy both Indonesia and the Philippines. On Sept 14, U Thant released the findings which showed that a large majority of the people of Sarawak and North Borneo “strongly supported” the formation of Malaysia.
And Malaysia was finally born on Sept 16, 1963. Singapore, however, was expelled in 1965.
It is interesting to note that these events pushed back the formation of Malaysia, as, initially, Aug 31, 1963, had been considered as the date for the proclamation of the formation of Malaysia.
Now, if it had happened as planned, we would not have had to celebrate Merdeka Day on Aug 31 and Malaysia Day on Sept 16. There would have been one national celebration and, therefore, no confusion or feeling that the federal government is more concerned about the peninsula than of Sabah and Sarawak.
Sarawak gained independence from Britain on July 22, 1963 while North Borneo gained independence, and became Sabah, on Aug 31, 1963.
Sabah and Sarawak asked to be treated as equal entities in the formation of Malaysia. And all parties agreed to certain terms – which have come to be known as the 18- point and 20-point agreements – set by Sarawak and Sabah, respectively, for agreeing to the formation of Malaysia. A lot of compromises were reached and promises made.
Many people in Sarawak and Sabah feel that the federal leaders have let them down by not respecting these two agreements. There is truth to their grouses. After all, only in 2010 did Sept 16 become a national holiday.
But the fact is that the birthing process was a rather difficult one and Malaysians have to thank the leaders of the day, particularly the Tunku, for being able to make it a reality.
It was the Tunku who first publicly voiced the possibility of forming Malaysia when addressing the Foreign Press Society in Singapore in May 1961.
As we celebrate Malaysia Day, it would be good to take note of the concluding words of the Tunku in his Sept 16, 1963 speech:
“With trust in Almighty God, unity of purpose and faith in ourselves, we can make Malaysia a land of prosperity and peace. In doing so, let every Malaysian in all the States of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah ensure that our Malaysia is truly worthy of the aims and hopes we have shared, the trials and stress we have endured, in working together to achieve our common destiny. Merdeka! Malaysia!”
