JAPANESE OCCUPATION

POLITICAL CONDITIONS

>> Friendly Treatment of the Malays

FRIENDLY TREATMENT OF THE MALAYS

The Malays received better treatment at the Japanese hands.  This was because the Japanese came as conquerors rather than administrators.  Hence they needed to get Malay support and help in running the administration.  Furthermore friendly treatment of the Malays and the Indians and harsh control of the Chinese was part of the divide and rule policy of the Japanese.  But majority of the Malays refused to collaborate with the Japanese and were similarity ill-treated.

Hence the Japanese retained the Sultans who had no power.   Malays were employed to run the administration.  This gave them experience and self-confidence, and made them prepared to stand against British rule after the war.  Malays were also employed in the military and police force to hunt down anti-Japanese insurgents who were mainly Chinese. This therefore led to a worsening of the Sino-Malay relationship.

Furthermore the Japanese authorities tried to get the collaboration of the Malay nationalist leaders.  Before the war, the Malay left-wing party, the Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM) had been banned by the British and its leaders, Ibrahim Yaacob and Ishak bin Haji Mohammad were arrested.  These were released when the Japanese arrived.  The KMM was banned by the Japanese.  But to get local support against a possible Allied return, the Japanese formed the Pembela Tanah Ayer (PRTA) or Avengers of Lieutenant Colonel. Ibrahim claimed that while PETA cooperated openly with the Japanese, it was secretly in contact with the MPAJA.

However when Japan agreed to grant Indonesia, Ibrahim requested to join Indonesia.  By June 1945 Japan was desperate for local support.  It organised the Malay extremists into the Kesatuan Raayat Indonesia Semanjong or KRIS (Union of Peninsular Indonesians).   Yet when Sukarno proclaimed independence on 17 August 1945, Malaya was left out.

With the return of the Allies, leaders of KMM, KRIS and PETA were arrested but were later released through the intervention of the MPAJA.  But the rise of Malay political consciousness led to the formation of the United Malay National Organisation (UMNO) which was to vigorously protect Malay rights and prestige.

(Source: lecture notes.)