The Concept of the Pan-Malay Union: A discussion

[powastick]

To be fair, although NEP(new economic policy) has not ended paper, it is not strictly/rigidly enforced as most people think. I think the government would like to back away and move towards inclusiveness. Its just politics and elite interest that gets into way (ruling coalition would lose in elections).

 

[Aepsilons]

To be fair, although NEP(new economic policy) has not ended paper, it is not strictly/rigidly enforced as most people think. I think the government would like to back away and move towards inclusiveness. Its just politics and elite interest that gets into way (ruling coalition would lose in elections).

Hi @powastick ,

Do you , as a Malaysian Citizen, see and read reports in Malaysia of international rights groups putting pressure on Kuala Lumpur to address the NEP ? Is it an issue for politics in the country -- specifically is it an issue for opposition leaders such as Lim Kit Siang , Wan Azizah Wan Ismael , Anwar Ibrahim et al ?

 

[powastick]

Malaysia of international rights groups putting pressure on Kuala Lumpur to address the NEP ?

This got me thinking hard. It is a dick move to ask for foreign help/interfere. I think Lee Kuan Yew once said, malaysian goverment are systematically marginalize the chinese. Recently Obama came to lecture about western liberal democracy by meeting by local pressure groups (I see this as interfering, Malays generally don't like the US).

NGOs is putting pressure on Palm Oil industry mostly. Foreign NGO have issue of complaning about clearing the jungle, destroying orang utan and native jungle homelands and put up effort on digging out dirt on Sarawak chief minister Taib. Even coming out with non-sense that palm oil is bad for health. Probably funded by rival western company like soya oil. Its all about profits right?

Never heard about NEP, mostly on religion and palm oil.

Is it an issue for politics in the country -- specifically is it an issue for opposition leaders such as Lim Kit Siang , Wan Azizah Wan Ismael , Anwar Ibrahim

Yeah, its a powerful political issue for the minorities but not for the natives in Sabah and Sarawak.

 

[Sandria]

We do hire Malays in the private sector. The problem is so many student with bad result can enter University. Our exam was dumb down for more to pass. When those Malay reach the job market many of them low quality, poor communication in English. A poor non-Malay student with straight A can't get university placement. There is a quota Malay worker, and if strictly enforce, i could imagine those companies would rather go to Singapore. Now is globalization, if you aren't competitive, is yours to lose. Don't get me wrong, there many quality workers among Malays, but you have to test them yourself.

Financial sector entirely staffed by Chinese? Quite misleading, two largest bank in Malaysia are own by Malays, CEO is Malay, another own by the goverment. CIMB and Maybank. CIMB is own by our current Prime Minister family.


Government agencies used Malay as a language while private is optional (most choose english). Indonesia forces private companies to used Indonesia language did somehow balance.

Does only malay ethnic can apply to malaysian armed force?
Does only malay ethnic can apply to malaysian police department?

In Indonesia, all ethnic can apply to armed force but the armed force is dominated with javanese ethnic (I mean higher than its demographic proportion).

 

[Aepsilons]

Gentlemen, let's break down the word "Malay". I think that the West had inappropriately mistook that all peoples in the Southeast Asian Archipelago as belong to the 'Malay Race', and thus named it the Malay Archipelago. But is it all wrong? From my view, the phenotype of native peoples in the Malay Archipelago do look very similar. I should research this. But i would also love the input from our Indonesian, Malaysian, Filipino, members ! @Indos , @nufix , @Reashot Xigwin , Ms. @madokafc , @Jakartans@PkDef , @powastick , @Brainsucker , @Nan Yang , @Malaya , @Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , @Ayan81 , @Pinoy

In Indonesia, all ethnic can apply to armed force but the armed force is dominated with javanese ethnic (I mean higher than its demographic proportion).

That makes sense since over 40% of the population of Indonesia are Javanese; meaning over 100 million Javanese in Indonesia.

 

[powastick]

Does only malay ethnic can apply to malaysian armed force?
Does only malay ethnic can apply to malaysian police department?

In Indonesia, all ethnic can apply to armed force but the armed force is dominated with javanese ethnic (I mean higher than its demographic proportion).

Lol, my grandfather is a chinese serve as soilder during Malayan Emergency. My Greatgrandmother call him a bad son and cried badly.
Rejimen Askar Wataniah - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The problem is chinese don't like their children to serve as soldiers. Because our ancestors fought in many devastating wars and many didn't came back. Each generation is reminded and a filial child is suppose to listen to your parents.
Police isn't that bad, but still the participation is low. Chinese do prefer their children to be highly educated. Being a police and soldier isn't highly regarded.

The Salary for Chinese is actually higher than Malay because of the low participation in the Police Force.

I have seen all races in the Military. Mostly Malays of course.

Gentlemen, let's break down the word "Malay". I think that the West had inappropriately mistook that all peoples in the Southeast Asian Archipelago as belong to the 'Malay Race', and thus named it the Malay Archipelago. But is it all wrong? From my view, the phenotype of native peoples in the Malay Archipelago do look very similar. I should research this.

Relevant, did mention South East Asia.

 

[Nike]

Does only malay ethnic can apply to malaysian armed force?
Does only malay ethnic can apply to malaysian police department?

In Indonesia, all ethnic can apply to armed force but the armed force is dominated with javanese ethnic (I mean higher than its demographic proportion).

IMHO, Ambonnese, Minahasan peoples and Bataknese unusually have a more higher rates than the Javanese and Sundanese combined if you are talking about percentage of Indonesian ethnic serving in Armed forces

 

[Aepsilons]

Lol, my grandfather is a chinese serve as soilder during Malayan Emergency. My Greatgrandmother call him a bad son and cried badly.
Rejimen Askar Wataniah - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The problem is chinese don't like their children to serve as soldiers. Because our ancestors fought in many devastating wars and many didn't came back. Each generation is reminded and a filial child is suppose to listen to your parents.
Police isn't that bad, but still the participation is low. Chinese do prefer their children to be highly educated. Being a police and soldier isn't highly regarded.

The Salary for Chinese is actually higher than Malay because of the low participation in the Police Force.

I have seen all races in the Military. Mostly Malays of course.


Relevant, did mention South East Asia.

Awesome video lecture link, by the way. Appreciate it

 

[Guynextdoor2]

Most of Indonesian will chose to Bombing KL and Putrajaya along with their Petronas tower to the ground and left them in ruins rather than to joining with them in Pan-Malaya stuff

That was so funny, I almost fell off my chair

 

[Pinoy]

Gentlemen, let's break down the word "Malay". I think that the West had inappropriately mistook that all peoples in the Southeast Asian Archipelago as belong to the 'Malay Race', and thus named it the Malay Archipelago. But is it all wrong? From my view, the phenotype of native peoples in the Malay Archipelago do look very similar. I should research this. But i would also love the input from our Indonesian, Malaysian, Filipino, members ! @Indos , @nufix , @Reashot Xigwin , Ms. @madokafc , @Jakartans@PkDef , @powastick , @Brainsucker , @Nan Yang , @Malaya , @Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , @Ayan81 , @Pinoy
That makes sense since over 40% of the population of Indonesia are Javanese; meaning over 100 million Javanese in Indonesia.

We are considered as part of the Malay race. Anthropologist often acknowledge Pinoys as Malay race. However, "Malay" also refers to Malay ethnic who lives in Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore. Malay ethnic usually speaks Malay and observe Islam religion. They also have distinct culture. Because "Malay" is used both to refer Malay race and Malay ethnic, sometimes it ambiguity makes non-Malay-ethnic-Malay-race confused. Actually, if an ethnic doesn't speak Malay, doesn't observe Islam religion and doesn't preserve Malay culture, then that ethnic is NOT a Malay ethnic, but that ethnic MAYBE belong to Malay race. But in general, we (Pinoys) are generally made up of Tagalog, Cebuano and Ilocano speaking Catholics, and preserved heavily Hispanic, Hindu and Chinese culture (contrast with Malay ethnic culture which is Hindu and Arabic influenced). So it is inappropriate to consider all us as Malay ethnic. However, it is appropriate to consider us as Malay race.

 

[Sandria]

IMHO, Ambonnese, Minahasan peoples and Bataknese unusually have a more higher rates than the Javanese and Sundanese combined if you are talking about percentage of Indonesian ethnic serving in Armed forces

I cannot disagree with this. Ambonnese, Minahasan, and Bataknese do have high percentage in armed force.
Some ethnic groups are dominating the armed force, I have no problem with this. Its normal.
-------------------------------------
I have perception that malay ethnic percentage in armed force is small (I don't have data).
I wonder why malay ethnic is less interested to military career (?). Viewing my friends from malay ethnic.

 

[Pinoy]

Our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal is often called the “pride of the Malay race.” Even Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, for instance has recognized Rizal as the “greatest Malayan,” calling Rizal an “Asian Renaissance Man.”

 

[Pinoy]

I invite the Indonesian, Malaysian, Indonesia, Bruneians to this thread. This is a question to all of you , dear ladies and gentlemen, is there a concept of Pan-Malay Union in your societies?

Is there a movement that calls for the union of all Malay nations into one?

I do know, from my readings of Indonesian history, that there was a concept of 'Melayu Raya', or 'Greater Malaya', which was espoused by early leaders such as Muhammand Yammin during the 1920s. In the Philippines, Dr. Jose Rizal also espoused of a Malay Brotherhood. So there is that historical premise.

Yes before there was a MAPHILINDO, a precursor of ASEAN and it was initially proposed as a realization of our national hero Dr. José Rizal dream of uniting the Malay people.

Anyway I would like to share this interesting article

Maphilindo: Malays’ Unrelenting Aspiration for Regional Integration

Prime Minister Rahman (Malaysia), President Macapagal (Philippines) and President Sukarno (Indonesia)

Bottom (L to R): Foreign Ministers Razak (Malaysia), Pelaez (Philippines) and Subandrio (Indonesia)

The Malays in the islands of Southeast Asia are one of the earliest groups of Bách Việt migrating from mainland China to Southeast Asia (Malay wave 1 and Malay wave 2). Through ups and downs and changes of history, such names as Srivijaya and Majapahit have always been the echo of a golden past that haunt the Malayan mind and nurture an everlasting aspiration for integration.

That aspiration has coalesced into Maphilindo consciousness or Maphilindoism. While Maphilindoism did not succeed in form due to powerful external forces, Maphilindoism still is and will continue to be the ideal torchlight that guides future integration efforts. This ideal rises above nepotism, profiteerism, and especially conspiracies to push the whole region into the slaving yoke of one empire or another.

Thus, to talk about Maphilindonism is to refer to the ideal of integrating Southeast Asia, not only the archipelago but also the continent on the basis of “brotherhood by birth”, irrespective of differing religious faith and political philosophies. To review past aspirations and efforts of integration is to discover for oneself lessons for all future efforts.

In Indonesia, communist leader Tan Malaka was not as concerned about racial issues as Filipino leaders, but only considered a large socialist federation that included both Southeast Asia and Australia which he called “Aslia”.

The will to integrate was noted as early as in the 19th century when the entire region was still under the dark period of western colonization. José Rizal and Apolinario, Filipino revolutionaries, once aimed at establishing a unified Malayan entity comprising Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia under the Netherland, Malay Peninsula and the Philippines. In the 1930s, the slogan “Malay revival” was used by the Filipino Youth wing of Filipino university students as an expression of struggle.

In the continent, the first call for integration was made in Thailand. In 1939, the year that began World War II, Phibun Songkhram and the ruling authority changed the national name Siam to Muong-Thai (meaning land of the Thai – Thailand), and put forth the idea of liberating all countries with Thai origin in Southeast Asia in order to create a powerful country (or federation) of Greater Thai.

It was suspected that this idea was influenced by Japan’s extremist nationalism at the time. It was Japan that worked the connections among a number of Southeast Asian leaders and gathered at the Tokyo Great East Asia conference in November 1943 attended by several Southeast Asian representatives including Philippines president José P. Laurel, Myanmar premier Ba Maw and Thailand’s prince Wan Waithayakon.

In Vietnam, during the late years of World War II, young revolutionary Thái Dịch Lý Đông A provided a vision of a federation of all Southeast Asian countries which he called the Federation of the Great South Sea (Đại Nam Hải). He constantly emphasized the need to integrate South East Asia and aspired for the outbreak by all peoples in the region to resolve impasses of the time leading to a fight for self-determination. Regrettably, Lý Đông A was assassinated by Vietnam communist shortly after World War II and his contention for an integrated South East Asia was in time forgotten.

In general, during the initial period, we observe that from Filipino intellectuals, first to seek to learn from the West, came politicians who had a longer vision and better understanding of relative positions among nations or national blocs in international politics. Thus, initial notions of integration were born here first, albeit motivated by a desire to be “regional leaders” and notwithstanding Filipinos limited understanding of Western civilization.

Thai leaders were clearly more myopic in using Japan to dispel British-French imperialists, especially the French on the eastern side, hoping in the best case to take the whole Southeast Asian subcontinent and the worst case some of Laos and Kampuchea territory.

As Lý Đông Á rightly observed: “The Great Thai doctrine is no more than the Great Viet doctrine that’s born premature, and can be likened to a fascist paradigm. Thailand is simply Japan’s lackey. Thai no longer determines its own fate, which is dependent on Japan. If Japan wins, Thailand might take some small parts of our territory…”

However, Lý Đông A also believed that if Japan lost, Japan (and Thailand) would become secret supporters of the revival and restoration of Vietnam. In reality, whether it followed the fascist’s policy of vertical strength through arms in the world war, or the capitalist’s policy of horizontal strength economy, Japan has never given up its imperialist intention toward our Southeast Asia.

In 1961, Indonesian foreign minister Subandrio declared to the United Nations general assembly: “In truth, peoples of Malay origin sincerely want to integrate and focus all national efforts on common objectives in politics, economics as well as culture. Malay Federation premier Tunku Abdul Rahman enthusiastically endorsed this notion.”

Indeed, the Malay in the Malay Federation considered the integration of Southeast Asian islands as a way to get out from under the Chinese silent invasion of Malaysia.

In a 1959 Manila visit, Rahman passionately called on Filipinos to unite with “Malay-origin brothers”. He also talked about “the revival of the Malay race after a period of division due to Western domination” leading to “efforts to build closer integration among peoples of Malay origin in the whole region”.

In the same year, Edwardo L. Martelino, a Filipino author published a book entitled Someday Malaysia advocating the formation of a federation consisting of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

In July 1962, because of disputes in North Borneo between countries in the region, Philippines president Macapagal called on peoples of Malay origin to make sure to use the racial kinship to overcome enmities by the narrow desire of nationalist expansionism.

He argued that “that is the main work that we Malays must do ourselves” and suggested “a version of Federation of Greater Malaysia, initially formed by the integration of the Malaysia peninsular, Philippines, Singapore, Sarawak, Brunei and North Borneo.”

This initial union would be open for Indonesia to join when convenient. According to him still, “with this form, the Southeast Asia island region will become a unified federation with excellent foundations of politics, economy, culture and geography.”

After Malaysia and Great Britain agreed to establish the Malay Federation, disputes between Indonesia and Malaysia had become testier, especially after the armed uprising of the Rakyat Party in Brunei in December, 1962.

In the first few months of 1963, back to back confrontations between the two countries were thought to have caused irreparable fissures, but thanks great internal efforts to make peace, Sukarno and Rahman agreed to meet in Tokyo on May 31 and June 1, 1963. The meeting opened the way for subsequent negotiations.

From June 7 to 11, 1963, foreign ministers of the Philippines (Pelaez), Indonesia (Subandrio) and Malaysia (Razak) met in Manila. This conference produced the Manila Agreement, while not clearly indicating any specific directions, was nevertheless a consensus to resolve the regional problems peacefully and in a true brotherhood spirit.

This meeting opened way for the decisive summit between Sukarno, Macapagal and Rahman in Manila from July 30 to August 5, 1963. On the first day, the three leaders signed the agreements previously reached by their foreign ministers in June. Later, the conference produced two documents: the Manila Declaration and the Joint Declaration.

In the Joint Declaration, the three countries affirmed that: Malay nations currently hosting temporary foreign military bases must guarantee that these bases will not be used to directly or indirectly destabilize of the independence of other Malay nations.

The Joint Declaration also emphasized “Regional peace and security depend primarily on the governments and people of the countries concerned. The three governments must keep close consultations regarding these issues.”

The Manila Declaration described the three brotherly Malayan countries as closely cooperating in the “fight against colonialism and imperialism”.

Most importantly, the declaration stressed the three-nation summit as “the first steps leading to the establishment of the Maphilindo Federation”, a union of Southeast Asia islands Malays, the most populous and significant surviving ethnic group of the great race of Bách Việt.

The Manila echo was ecstatically and trustingly received among the Malay masses. Maphilindo was talked about everywhere, so much that to many people Maphilindo had almost become a real entity.

A Filipino writer proudly recalled that when visiting the Federation of Malaysia and Republic of Indonesia, to the question his country or origin, his answering was not hesitant: “I am a citizen of the Federation of Maphilindo”.

But what about the leaders of the three nations? Immediately after the high-level meeting, when the light of the joint victory of Maphilindo was still illuminating from the summit, the three leaders quietly turned to three different directions.

Malaysia pursued the formation of the Federation of Malaysia (officially born on September 16, 1963) and integrated more closely with its British masters. Two powerful groups in Malaysia, politicians of the Malay feudal classes and Chinese businessmen, both tended to distance themselves from Jakarta, so Malaysia itself gradually dampened the Maphilindo fire in its population.

The Philippines, still under strong American influence, soon forgot “the original force of Malay brotherhood” and gave to Maphilindo its own anti-communist, pro-American flair. Filipino politicians claimed that Communist China was the original force pushing the three Malay nations closer together for mutual support, cooperation and unification.

The Filipino press also observed “The Malay people have found a common denominator for unification – it is the Communist China threat”. Even President Macagapal once asserted that Beijing was a long-term danger for the Malay world, and that: Indonesia with its powerful resources would play a leading international role in opposing China’s expansion and adventure.

To Sukarno, his leadership of the Malay world was considered de facto. After the Manila summit, Jakarta appointed itself to the responsibility for regional security and insisted that the Malay world was in its sphere of influence.

Sukarno said “Indonesia recognized its authority and responsibility in protecting regional security and peace for neighbours Philippines and Malaysia.” Going further, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army asserted that Indonesia was responsible for the security and stability of the whole Southeast Asian region on the basis of Maphilindonism.

In summary, leading the Malay league was alright, but not to oppose China as the Philippines wanted.

Indonesia’s antagonist at that time was entirely the capitalist empire, specifically the U.S. and Great Britain. Internally, the Indonesian Communist party became stronger everyday, heavily influencing Sukarno’s foreign policy, a main reason driving Indonesia to launch a war against Malaysia.

If Maphilindo gave many people hope in the beginning, it also disappointed many people in the end. In 1964, Kampuchea was very interested in the proposal to expand Maphilindo (hopefully to reduce Indonesia’s control) by the Philippines and so Sihanouk promised to join when Maphilindo was officially formed.

But, Maphilindo was never officially formed!

Nevertheless, on August 8, 1967, Foreign Ministers Adam Malik of Indonesia, Narciso R. Ramos of the Philippines, Abdul Razak of Malaysia, S. Rajaratnam of Singapore, and Thanat Khoman of Thailand met at the Tai Department of Foreign Affairs building in Bangkok, Thailand, and signed the historic Bangkok Declaration (now known as the ASEAN Declaration).

It affirmed ASEAN’s major aims for an integrated and orchestrated regional economic growth, social progress and cultural development, protection of regional peace and stability, and peaceful settlement of differences among member-states.

ASEAN’s motto of “One Vision, One Identity, One Community” encapsulates this envisioned unity of people of this region of the world.

We owe it to the foresight of the forefathers of the Malay peoples, The Srivijayan Empire (A.D. 3rd-13th Century) and the Majapahit Empire A.D. 13th-16th) who once unified the peoples of Southeast Asia. They continue to be the source of aspirations to the laying down of these ASEAN’s foundations, and perhaps eventual political integration of transforming ASEAN into Federation of South East Asian Nations, to become world’s third largest economies, doubling that of the American, beating USA to fourth position:



Note: Even at ‘Maphilindo Federation’ position, we are already ahead of the American.

Maphilindo: Malays’ Unrelenting Aspiration for Regional Integration | SANDIWARA

 

[Nike]

It is a great reading @Pinoy

 

[Zero_wing]

Gentlemen, let's break down the word "Malay". I think that the West had inappropriately mistook that all peoples in the Southeast Asian Archipelago as belong to the 'Malay Race', and thus named it the Malay Archipelago. But is it all wrong? From my view, the phenotype of native peoples in the Malay Archipelago do look very similar. I should research this. But i would also love the input from our Indonesian, Malaysian, Filipino, members ! @Indos , @nufix , @Reashot Xigwin , Ms. @madokafc , @Jakartans@PkDef , @powastick , @Brainsucker , @Nan Yang , @Malaya , @Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , @Ayan81 , @Pinoy



That makes sense since over 40% of the population of Indonesia are Javanese; meaning over 100 million Javanese in Indonesia.

For one its just selective group version of ASEAN its doom to fail just like ASEAN for one thing it would never work since who is to say who is really malay or half or not its stupid and waste of effort hell ASEAN has better success than this stupid concept to me its just racist anti thesis to colonialism due to at the time Malaysia, The Philippines (being the first to fight and freed its self and colonized and free again in 1946) Indonesia were just starting out as free countries and seraching for something to hold on too and believing a confederation would help but now its just stupid idea You have ASEAN a far better stupid idea.