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Essay / About the Japanese occupation of Malaysia
During World War II, the Japanese army took control of Malaysia. The Japanese occupation caused uncertainty and chaos for local residents. During the Japanese occupation in Malaysia for 3 and a half years, the entire local population was controlled by the Japanese and suffered a lot at that time because this policy had a social, economic and political impact on the life of Malaysia. At that time, people were suffering and depressed by the Japanese government's policies. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games should not be banned'?Get the original essay The social impact of the Japanese occupation of Malaysia led to a more distant relationship between the local races. The Malays, Indians and Chinese were treated unfairly. The Malays were appointed as Japanese secret police, especially "Kempeitai". While the Chinese were killed and tortured by the Japanese, the Indians were used as labor and forced to work as construction workers. Food shortages caused illness leading to many deaths, until the railway became known as the "Railway of Death". During this period, they lack food, especially rice, which is the cause of various diseases. Among the many deadly diseases are malaria and beriberi. This problem becomes more serious as they lack medicines, especially when the medicines were seized by the Japanese for their needs in Malaysia. Japan appointed Malays as its police force and army. The reason for the existence of the Malaysian police and army is that the Japanese use them to resist, systematically making them look like Chinese people. The Japanese wanted to add even more anger against the Chinese. As a result, after the Japanese occupation, racial classes arose between the Malays and the Chinese. Apart from this, when the goods made from pineapple leaf juice, coconut sugar, the industrious occupation of Japan among the Malays and the spirit of self-reliance, the Japanese occupation realizes the importance of teach and raise awareness among Malaysians. Japan adopted its culture in the local community, especially the Malays. In this regard, Japan has expanded the Japanese language to Malaysia. The language of instruction at school was changed from English to Japanese. To promote the language, the government has taken the initiative of organizing short Japanese courses for local people. The adoption of Japanese culture was carried out by the entire community, as a public holiday during the festival season in Japan. The Japanese government has also banned the use of Chinese language in Chinese schools located in Malaysia. Japan is also involved in the Malaysian school system which it has fully implemented to require singing the Japanese national anthem (Kamigayo) every morning and respecting the Japanese flag so that the Malaysian people honor the Emperor of Japan. The Malaysian economy was also hit hard during the Japanese occupation. The Malaysian economy mainly depends on rubber exports, but eventually all rubber saw its production reduced due to the war and also due to the "Scorched Earth" policy implemented by the British. The British damaged all the rubber trees, factories, mines and mining machines before leaving Malaysia. The reason why the British did not want to prevent the country from falling into Japanese hands. If the British do not destroy the trees, the Japanese will import the products into their country. During the Japanese occupation, theMalaysia had consumer goods, including food. Malaysia only produces 40% of the population's rice. Several measures were taken on the orders of the Japanese to increase rice production in Malaysia. Which led the Malaysian people to depend on other crops, such as corn, bananas, cassava and others. Malaysia's banknotes amount to $40 million, including $2 million for Japanese professional banknote distribution. Due to the deterioration of the Japanese economy, Malaysian communications systems and other infrastructure damage are beyond repair. Although Japan has implemented a range of industries, such as shoe, tire and other manufacturing factories, it has not been a success. After mastering Malay, the Japanese administration restructured the organization and placed Malaysia under military leadership called the Military Government of Malaysia (MMA). in accordance with the state of war at the time. The primary objective of the MMA is to restore law and order, leverage and ensure sufficiency of resources necessary to maintain the war economy and troop requirements in Malaysia. The MMA leadership assists the Japanese secret police and intelligence agencies called Japanese Kempeitai. Under Direct Strait Control (NNS), they are directly managed by the Japanese governor and the systems of other states are also maintained. However, the real power is in the hands of the Japanese. In order to obtain the support of the Malays, Japan maintains the institutions of the Sultan as administrator alongside the Japanese. At the start of the Japanese occupation of Malaysia, Sumatra came together under a single administration based in Singapore (Shonan). However, this combination failed and was separated from the NNM Sumatra administration mandates in 1944. The economic impact of Malaysia, especially the politics of Malaysia, is conscious to enhance the patriotic spirit of independence of Malaysia vis-à-vis Japan and the British. The propaganda is spread by the Japanese, when they inculcate the spirit of nationalism in Malaysians, the Chinese and Indians then have conflicts among themselves. Therefore, the gap between the Malays, Chinese and Indians, ethnic tensions further complicate the process of national unity. The suffering and Japanese propaganda "Asia for Asia" raised awareness among the local population to fight for freedom and political independence. Japan hopes to gain Indian support as the Indians plan to dominate India. They encouraged Indians to cooperate with Japan to liberate India from the British. The Indian National Army (MIA) was established by the Japanese in Malaysia. Japanese policy towards Indians posed a problem in efforts to create national consciousness among Malaysian Indians. They were expelled, the treatment of the prisoners by the Japanese and a further decline in British dignity. The British failed to remind them that they could not count on the British defense of Malaya. This scenario being aware of the local population, they must defend their rights and interests, as well as their homeland, alone. During the Japanese occupation, the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) began to gain widespread support, particularly from the Chinese, seen as Japan's oppression of its patron. They joined the Malayan Anti-Japanese Union (GROW), created by the British. The MCP's Anti-Japanese People's Army established the Malayan Anti-Japanese People's Army (MPAJA). The MPAJA is notably made up of a team of 136 people who receive aid, weapons, food, medicine and training from the Allies. DuringAfter the Japanese occupation, the MCP became a powerful and well-organized political party. Recalling the MCP's services in helping the British against the Japanese, people believe that it has been a legitimate political party since 1945. Failing to uphold the Constitution, prompting the MCP's armed rebellion since June 16, 1948 to pursue its objectives, capture Malaysia, then define the Malayan Communist Republic. The Japanese occupation led to the emergence of a political consciousness of assembly and association among the Malay people after the Japanese occupation. Among the political parties that exist, there are UMNO, MCA, MIC, API, CAUTION, PKMM, Hizbul Muslims and others. These holidays are also available as a separate idea, due to the Japanese occupation. It was promised to grant independence to Malaysia under the umbrella of “Indonesia Raya”. To this end, the Indonesian Peninsula People's Union (KRIS) was established in July 1945. The leaders of the two countries, Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim Burhannudin and Indonesian. leader Sukarno and Hatta, held the conference in order to achieve mutual independence. Following the Japanese occupation of Malaya, following an incendiary act that destroyed many Japanese cities, the Allies prepared for a costly Japanese invasion. At the end of the war in Europe, Nazi Germany signed the Instrument of Surrender. Along with the United Kingdom and the United States Republic, Japan's surrender, "the Potsdam Declaration of July 26, 1945, threatens Japan" with rapid and total destruction. The Japanese government ignored this ultimatu and the United States deployed two nuclear weapons developed under the Manhattan Project. The little boy of the American pilots dropped the city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, the fat man in Nagasaki on August 9. During the first two to four months of the bombings, the deaths of 90,000 to 166,000 people in Hiroshima were severe. and 60,000 to 80,000 in Nagasaki, with about half of the deaths occurring on the first day in each city. The Malayan Union Proposal The British had revealed this Malayan union plan in a white paper at the end of January 1946 after obtaining these treaties from the Malay sultans through Mr. Mac Michael. According to this assertion, the main issues included in this proposal are: The Malayan Union proposal attempts to change the status of the Malay states from one under the protection of the British government during World War II to that of a British colony. This means that the British have authority and power over the administration of the Malaysian states. This can be achieved by handing over the power of the Malay Sultans to the British government and allowing the External Energy Act to be implemented in Malaysia to protect British interests in that government. Create the unitary states comprising the Federated Malay States (FMS). , Unfederated Malay States (UMS), Penang and Malacca with the central government, a governor and legislative power reporting to the Executive Council. The central government governor will coordinate the entire administration of these states. Maintaining Singapore as a separate colony due to concerns that Malay opposition to Singapore would prevent acceptance of the Union. It will be administered by a British governor based in Singapore. The other reason Singapore was separated is that it has a large Chinese population. So, if the Chinese in Singapore were combined with the Chinese in Malaysia, the Chinese population would outnumber the Malay population. According to the Malayan Union, the Malay Sultans were to retain their positions but their sovereignty was to be transferred to the British Crown. The British have the right to interfere inMuslim religious affairs and in other ceremonial activities of the Malays. The British government has established a Malay consultative body in which the sultans are members of this body while the British governor will be the chairman. The Treaty of the Malayan Union also agreed that the meeting of the states would be continued, but that it would be under the administration of the central government. government to control and manage all aspects of local government. Each state in the Union of Malaysia will have a high commissioner who will be chosen as the head of administration at the state level and responsible to the central government. All citizens of the new Malayan Union will have equal rights, including admission to the Administrative Civil Service. The concept of “Jus Soli” has been implemented and with this concept, all foreigners born in Malaysia or Singapore and those aged 18 and above who have stayed for more than 10 to 15 years before February 15, 1942 are qualified to have Malaysian citizenship. This concept has been extended to all races without discrimination. People's Opposition With the revelation of the main problems in the 1946 Malayan Union proposal, there are two different reactions from the major races of Malaya. The reaction of the non-Malays, they remained silent on this issue because the White Paper contained in the Malayan Union treaties gave a They have advantages and at that time they do not have strong leaders for the present against the British. On the other hand, the Malays have shown clear opposition to this White Paper and the reasons why they do not agree with the main issues of this proposal are as follows: The Malays had accused the British of having use of force and manipulation before agreement. which were made with the Malay sultans. The British had threatened the sultans: if the sultans did not accept the Malayan union agreement, they would be accused of being involved on the side of Japan in World War II. They will reverse their current positions and replace with someone who agreed to the proposed deal. The Malay sultans and rulers were given short notice to consider and discuss the implications of implementing the Malayan Union. This was very important for the states and their future because if a detailed discussion was not made, it could jeopardize the status of the Malays in the future. So, by doing this, the British forced the Malay rulers to accept this agreement without giving an opportunity to analyze the consequences after its implementation. The Malay sultans and rulers feared losing their power and state sovereignty, according to the letter in Malay. Union, which indicates that the status changed from the states under British protection to the states which were part of the British colony. This is why the sultans must transfer their sovereignty to the British crown and they will only retain their titles and positions without having the right to administer their own states. They can only handle the aspect related to religious issues. They are worried about the status of Malaysians in their own country. This threat came from the Chinese who are exploiting in the economic sectors and their associations will be so strong when the Malay Union is established. With the implementation of the Malayan Union, all rights will be equal for everyone, so the Chinese will enjoy the support of the British. If the Chinese are granted the same rights as the Malays, they will certainly become the main threat to the Malays, especially during the period 1931, when the total population of non-Malays in this country is greater than that of the Malays themselves. Apart from this, the cold relations between the Chinese and the Malaysiansduring this period added some threat to the Malays. The invalid treaties obtained by the British to declare the Malay Union, because according to the rules of the Malay States, the Sultans or the Malay rulers need to discuss with the leaders of other Malays before agreeing and signing the agreement with the foreigners. Sultans are not allowed to cede any area or district, even half of the states, to foreigners. These types of rules were clearly stated in the Johor Legislative Rules. The Malayan Union was a policy before the war. Thus, after the war, the nationalist spirit grew among the Malays, especially when they saw Japan's victory over America and the British. The failure of the British to defend Malaya brought a new lesson to the Malay rulers: they cannot expect the British to defend their country in the future. So, for these ambitions, they must fight to be independent from the British government. Based on the factors stated above, this is why the proposal for Malayan Union in 1946 was not accepted by the Malays. For this reason also, the inauguration of the Malayan Union on April 1, 1946 did not receive a declaration from the Malays, but on the other hand, they used it as a platform to fight for their rights and their independence. Also due to this opposition, the British government needs to think about these proposals and discuss with the Malaysian representative to find a solution. At that time, their opposition to the Malayan Union led to the birth of the United Malays National Organization or UMNO – which was inaugurated on 11 May 1946 in Johor Baru – and the emergence of Datuk Onn Jaafar as its first president. UMNO has garnered support from all sections of Malay society to oppose the Malayan Union – aristocrats, the radical Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya Party (Malaysian Nationalist Party or MNP), Islamic groups, civil servants, rural. leaders like the penghulus (village chiefs), and even the police and former soldiers. UMNO opposed the Malayan Union because it limited the powers of Malay rulers and special Malay privileges, granted citizenship and equal rights to qualified non-Malays. on conditions of birth, residence and others. UMNO demanded a return to pre-war political structures, established in the Malay states in accordance with treaties signed with the Malay rulers, under which the British "protected" the Malay states and advised the rulers. in all areas except Islam and Malay customs. Protests and demonstrations against the Malayan Union saw Malay women breaking tradition by joining marches and holding placards. Many Malaysians wrapped a white cloth around their songkok (cap) as a symbol of mourning. UMNO urged Malaysian civil servants to boycott the Union Government of Malaysia by refusing to carry out work. Also at the request of UMNO, Malay leaders boycotted the inauguration of Sir Edward Gent as governor of the Malayan Union. Non-Malays were also encouraged to fight for their rights and organized political parties such as the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC) and the Malayan Democratic Union, which came under an umbrella organization – the Joint Action Council of All Malaysia (AMCJA) led by prominent Chinese leader Tan Cheng Lock. Several unions and women's groups aligned with the then semi-legal Communist Party of Malaysia also joined the AMCJA. for the first time, Malayan Union politics led to the formation of a multiracial alliance between the non-Malay AMCJA and the Malaysia-based Pusat Tenaga Rakyat (PUTERA), a coalition led by the MNP and.