"Malayan citizenship" version of Tan Cheng Lock (1946-1948)

• Main Authors: Rambely, Nor Azlah Sham, Mamat, Rashidah
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DS Asia
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/14495/1/11.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/14495/; http://www.iaha2014.uum.edu.my/
• Institution: Universiti Utara Malaysia

“The rights of citizenship necessarily carry with them its obligations. A Chinese sage says, “If you would take, you must first give”. Ceasing to give, we ceased to have. Such is the law of life” (Tan Cheng Lock, 1951) Theoretically, political involvement and citizenship awareness of the non-Malays, especially the Chinese community in the politics of the Malay Peninsula began after Malayan Union scheme in 1946 opposed by the Malays and replaced by the Federation of Malaya in 1948. Many papers stated that the formation of the Malayan Union Constitution 1946 does not cause any reaction, issues and claims as well as opposition from the non-Malays because they are the beneficiaries of this scheme, particularly in terms of citizenship rights.But actually if examined, political involvement and citizenship awareness of the non-Malays actually began earlier, led by Tan Cheng Lock (TCL).Thus, this paper will examine first, the role of TCL in shaping up the Malayan citizenship during that time and second, the issues and claims presented by TCL on Malayan Citizenship.The primary source materials exclusively collected from the National Archive Kuala Lumpur, London National Archives and Australia National Archive were used to complete the study.The findings showed that TCL as Chinese leader is the one who insistently demanding the full status, rights and privileges of Malayan citizenship to which he assumed they are entitled. From the view point of TCL, those who are loyal and do their duty to the country in the hour of its danger, whatever their race may be, should be given full rights of citizenship in consonance with the dictates of natural justice and morality, human reason and the law of the nations.