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AhmedMay 13: That changed Malaysia
May 13th 2008 05:20
Today marks the historical day when it changed the course of Malaysia when blood was shed in the streets...
Image extracted from www.kinibooks.com
Article extracted from Wikipedia
The May 13 Incident is a term for the Sino-Malay race riots in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which began on May 13, 1969. These riots continued for a substantial period of time, leading the government to declare a state of national emergency and suspend Parliament until 1971.
Officially, 196 people were killed between May 13 and July 31 as a result of the riots, although journalists and other observers have stated much higher figures. The government cited the riots as the main cause of its more aggressive affirmative action policies, such as the New Economic Policy (NEP), after 1969.
Formation of Malaysia
On its formation in 1963, Malaysia suffered from a sharp division of wealth between the Chinese, who were perceived to control a large portion of the Malaysian economy, and the Malays, who were perceived to be more poor and rural. This was the common perception even though the British left all of their conglomerates (mostly plantation sectors) into the hands of the ruling Malays. These already successful companies started by the former colonial masters were the economy of this new born nation which are still going strong till this day.
The 1964 Race Riots in Singapore contributed to the expulsion of that state from Malaysia on 9 August 1965, and racial tension continued to simmer, with many Malays dissatisfied by their newly independent government's perceived willingness to placate the Chinese at their expense.
The events of 13 May
Members of UMNO Youth gathered in Kuala Lumpur at the residence of Selangor Menteri Besar, Dato' Harun bin Haji Idris, on 13 May and demanded that they too should hold a victory celebration; at the national level the Alliance had gained a majority in Parliament, albeit a reduced one, and in Selangor it had gained the majority by cooperating with the sole independent candidate.
1969 riots
In the May 10, 1969 general elections, the ruling Alliance coalition headed by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) suffered a large setback in the polls. The largely Chinese opposition Democratic Action Party and Gerakan gained in the elections, and secured a police permit for a victory parade through a fixed route in Kuala Lumpur. However, the rowdy procession deviated from its route and headed through the Malay district of Kampung Baru, jeering at the inhabitants. Some demonstrators carried brooms, later alleged to symbolise the sweeping out of the Malays from Kuala Lumpur, while others chanted slogans about the "sinking" of the Alliance boat — the coalition's logo.
While the Gerakan party issued an apology the next day, UMNO announced a counter-procession, which would start from the Selangor Chief Minister Harun bin Idris' home in Jalan Raja Muda. Tunku Abdul Rahman would later call the retaliatory parade "inevitable, as otherwise the party members would be demoralised after the show of strength by the Opposition and the insults that had been thrown at them."
Shortly before the procession began, the gathering crowd was reportedly informed that Malays on their way to the procession had been attacked by Chinese in Setapak, several miles to the north. The angry protesters swiftly wreaked revenge by killing two passing Chinese motorcyclists, and the riot began.
* * *
Although there were a lot of accusation from many magazines, such as Times magazine, but still what the truth started only a few locals who survived until this date and witnessed everything knows how brutal and scary it had been - during curfew time when the police and military tried to protect the public, and riots with motorcycles howling outside and teasing any Chinese they have their eyes on.
Indeed, bloodshed was more than it has notified officially, because there a lot who were at the wrong place and the wrong time, slaughtered in secluded areas where the bodies might not have been found - and could never be...
Those who have survived has constantly reminded the younger generations never to forget the bloodshed - the consequences of being un-united - and not to repeat again.
Image extracted from www.kinibooks.com
Article extracted from Wikipedia
The May 13 Incident is a term for the Sino-Malay race riots in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which began on May 13, 1969. These riots continued for a substantial period of time, leading the government to declare a state of national emergency and suspend Parliament until 1971.
Officially, 196 people were killed between May 13 and July 31 as a result of the riots, although journalists and other observers have stated much higher figures. The government cited the riots as the main cause of its more aggressive affirmative action policies, such as the New Economic Policy (NEP), after 1969.
Formation of Malaysia
On its formation in 1963, Malaysia suffered from a sharp division of wealth between the Chinese, who were perceived to control a large portion of the Malaysian economy, and the Malays, who were perceived to be more poor and rural. This was the common perception even though the British left all of their conglomerates (mostly plantation sectors) into the hands of the ruling Malays. These already successful companies started by the former colonial masters were the economy of this new born nation which are still going strong till this day.
The events of 13 May
Members of UMNO Youth gathered in Kuala Lumpur at the residence of Selangor Menteri Besar, Dato' Harun bin Haji Idris, on 13 May and demanded that they too should hold a victory celebration; at the national level the Alliance had gained a majority in Parliament, albeit a reduced one, and in Selangor it had gained the majority by cooperating with the sole independent candidate.
1969 riots
In the May 10, 1969 general elections, the ruling Alliance coalition headed by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) suffered a large setback in the polls. The largely Chinese opposition Democratic Action Party and Gerakan gained in the elections, and secured a police permit for a victory parade through a fixed route in Kuala Lumpur. However, the rowdy procession deviated from its route and headed through the Malay district of Kampung Baru, jeering at the inhabitants. Some demonstrators carried brooms, later alleged to symbolise the sweeping out of the Malays from Kuala Lumpur, while others chanted slogans about the "sinking" of the Alliance boat — the coalition's logo.
While the Gerakan party issued an apology the next day, UMNO announced a counter-procession, which would start from the Selangor Chief Minister Harun bin Idris' home in Jalan Raja Muda. Tunku Abdul Rahman would later call the retaliatory parade "inevitable, as otherwise the party members would be demoralised after the show of strength by the Opposition and the insults that had been thrown at them."
Shortly before the procession began, the gathering crowd was reportedly informed that Malays on their way to the procession had been attacked by Chinese in Setapak, several miles to the north. The angry protesters swiftly wreaked revenge by killing two passing Chinese motorcyclists, and the riot began.
* * *
Although there were a lot of accusation from many magazines, such as Times magazine, but still what the truth started only a few locals who survived until this date and witnessed everything knows how brutal and scary it had been - during curfew time when the police and military tried to protect the public, and riots with motorcycles howling outside and teasing any Chinese they have their eyes on.
Indeed, bloodshed was more than it has notified officially, because there a lot who were at the wrong place and the wrong time, slaughtered in secluded areas where the bodies might not have been found - and could never be...
Those who have survived has constantly reminded the younger generations never to forget the bloodshed - the consequences of being un-united - and not to repeat again.
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