Why the Chinese were allowed political power
Finally, an agreement was reached, which most Malaysians know what it was. In short, Umno must share power with the Chinese and Indians through MCA and MIC. Today, the Chinese, DAP in particular, want to kill off MCA, Gerakan, MIC and PPP. The Malays have no problems with that (even if Umno may). It was the British, after all, who blackmailed Umno or held Umno to ransom by forcing them to include MCA and MIC in the government. Umno never really wanted MCA and MIC but were forced to create the Alliance Party because, if not, Britain would not grant Malaya independence.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Some people, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad included, ask why is it that Parti Islam Se Malaysia is called PAS and not PIS (which is because Islam is ‘Alif’, so it is ‘A’). Many people do not know that PAS used to be called PMIP, which is the acronym for Pan-Malayan Islamic Party. Probably very few know that before PMIP there was Hizbul Muslimin (Islamic Party), which can be said to be the forerunner of the modern-day PAS.
And I bet you all did not know that Hizbul Muslimin started as the Malay Nationalist Party (MNP), a left-wing nationalist organisation, formed in 1945 by Burhanuddin al-Helmy, who would later become the president of PAS. Then, out of the MNP rose the Pan-Malayan Supreme Islamic Council or Majlis Agama Tertinggi Malaya (MATA) in 1947. MATA, in turn, formed Hizbul Muslimin in 1948.
Burhanuddin al-Helmy, who took over as the PAS President in 1956, was a ‘radical’ Malay Nationalist and not an Islamist
So, does it surprise you that the PAS of today started as a socialist-nationalist movement in 1945 (before Umno was formed in 1946), then turned into an Islamic Council in 1947, then became a political party in 1948 (when the Federation of Malay Land was formed)?
Yes, Malaysians by nature abhor history. But then when you are ignorant of history you start making silly statements and come to the wrong assumptions and conclusions. For example, why are the Chinese part of the government or why have the Chinese been allowed to share political power with the Malays? Do you know? How is your history?
Today, DAP is saying that 90% of the Chinese support the opposition and in the next general election they want to bring that as close to 100% as possible. You may also have noticed that DAP is launching a new move to wipe out all the top MCA, Gerakan, MIC and PPP leaders. Not only does DAP want to kill the top MCA, Gerakan, MIC and PPP leaders in the upcoming general election, they also want to make sure that MCA, Gerakan, MIC and PPP end up with zero seats.
DAP wants Malaysia to be reduced to a two-party system of Umno versus DAP
So, in the end Barisan Nasional will be reduced to just Umno in West Malaysia (with some Umno seats in Sabah) plus the Bumiputera parties in East Malaysia. MCA, Gerakan, MIC and PPP will be totally wiped out (PAS will win some seats). And DAP will be enjoying the monopoly of ALL Chinese seats and Chinese votes with some Pakatan Harapan coalition partners sharing part of that ‘success’ but as a minority (just like the current position or status of MCA, Gerakan, MIC and PPP in Barisan Nasional today).
It is a good plan, if it can be pulled off. Then Malaysia, in essence, will be reduced to a two-party system — Umno on one side and DAP on the other — with the other coalition partners both in Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan being reduced to ‘chorus girls’.
However, before the Malaysian Chinese voters support this plan of DAP, maybe you first need to learn why, in the first place, are the Chinese part of the government? Why did the Malays allow the Chinese to share power in the government? Let us go back to history to understand this.
Umno was formed to oppose the Malayan Union but the Chinese and Indians did not support that opposition movement
When Umno was formed in 1946, it was not to fight for Merdeka or for independence from Britain. It was to oppose the formation of the Malayan Union. Because of the protests and demonstrations by the Malays, the British backed down and in 1948 replaced the Malayan Union with Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (the Federation of Malay Land a.k.a. the Federation of Malaya: ‘Malaya’ meaning ‘Malay land’ just like ‘Burma’ meaning ‘Burmese land’ or ‘India’ meaning ‘Indian land’).
After Umno and the Federation of Malay Land were formed, the Malays started discussing independence with the British. The British had already given India independence in 1947 while Indonesia got independence in 1945. So, the British knew that it was a matter of time before Malaya would have to be given independence but it must not be so soon such as in 1948 or 1949.
The British were playing for time so they told Umno that independence can be granted on condition that the Chinese and Indians issue is resolved. In short, what does Umno plan to do with the Chinese and Indians because the British do not want them and neither do China or India. Hence who is going to ‘absorb’ the ‘unwanted’ Chinese and Indians. Resolve that matter first and Malaya can be given independence.
The Chinese were more interested in raising money for the Kuomintang than in supporting Umno to negotiate for independence from Britain
Umno spent the next few years talking to MCA and MIC, the ‘recognised representatives’ of the Chinese and Indians. MCA, however, was not interested in independence for Malaya because they were more interested in raising money to send back to China to support the Kuomintang and regarded Chiang Kai-shek as their Tokong. MIC, on the other hand, was a socialist party and were only concerned about matters back in India and regarded Subhas Chandra Bose as their Tokong.
In short, both MCA and MIC felt that being under British rule was better than home rule. And if Umno wanted MCA and MIC to support Umno’s effort to gain independence from Britain, then it is going to cost Umno bigtime.
Umno would rather get independence from Britain minus the Chinese and Indians. The majority of the Chinese and Indians were, after all, merely British labourers. But the British refused to grant independence to Malaya unless Umno comes out with a plan on how to include the Chinese and Indians and ‘absorb’ the Chinese and Indians into independent Malaya.
Finally, an agreement was reached, which most Malaysians know what it was. In short, Umno must share power with the Chinese and Indians through MCA and MIC. Today, the Chinese, DAP in particular, want to kill off MCA, Gerakan, MIC and PPP. The Malays have no problems with that (even if Umno may). It was the British, after all, who blackmailed Umno or held Umno to ransom by forcing them to include MCA and MIC in the government. Umno never really wanted MCA and MIC but were forced to create the Alliance Party because, if not, Britain would not grant Malaya independence.
