Independence and the Constitution Ketuanan Melayu

the federation of malaya became officially independent of british empire in 1957. new state s constitution contained provisions, such article 153, guaranteeing malays privileges form of affirmative action. reid commission, drafted constitution, stated article 153 temporary in nature, , should reviewed parliament 15 years after independence. constitution did not explicitly state this, however, nor did clarify purpose of article 153. did declare malayans equal under law, without mention of malay sovereignty or other ideas related ketuanan melayu. jus soli citizenship — granting of citizenship born in federation — granted, albeit without retrospective effect; major concession malays, had vigorously campaigned against jus soli citizenship in malayan union.

on other hand, malay , islam became national language , official religion, while malay rulers remained. taken mean malays accorded deference definitive people of malaya — i.e. being malayan same being malay — , in eyes of many, gave malaya malay identity. 1 academic suggested malays have deep-rooted feeling alone bumiputras, sons of soil, , such have special rights on land. indeed, tunku said in 1964 understood country name, traditions , character, malay. ... in other country aliens try dominate economic , other fields, there bitter opposition indigenous people. not malays. therefore, in return, must appreciate position of malays... has been suggested malaysian nationality did not emerge because national symbols in malaysia derived malay tradition .

the constitutional restraint on size of rural parliamentary constituencies later removed, providing 1 commentator called indirect buttress malay special rights; malays concentrated in rural areas, indirectly enhanced malay political power. original constitution had implicitly followed 1 man, 1 vote . change denounced giving 1 man 1 vote, number of votes: not on basis of, say, intellectual ability or geographical accident, in order ensure dominance of particular group.

the constitutional provisions, have been referred malay agenda , evoked little sentiment non-malays, despite of them gaining citizenship , becoming theoretically equal malay citizens under constitution. attributed acceptance of social contract, of 1 historian wrote: @ elite level, non-malays recognized malays politically superior virtue of indigenous status , malaysian polity have malay character ... malays assured of safe majorities in both state , federal parliament ... malays control highest positions of government , ... dominate members of federal cabinet. malay historian wrote in return chinese gained more overseas chinese in southeast asia had dreamed of — equal citizenship, political participation , office holding, unimpaired economic opportunity, , tolerance language, religion, , cultural institutions.

some expressed trepidation @ article 153; shortly before independence, china press suggested while special rights may excusable @ start of building of nation, if period of special rights not restricted, or scope of special rights not defined, endless disputes ... arise later on, , argued special rights divide instead of unite malayans. nevertheless, @ time of independence, historians assert, there genuine sense of common citizenship, common aspirations, common destiny. change.