THE BEGINNINGS OF A MODERN STATE
By 1941, a multiracial society had emerged from British efforts to open up Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah for trade and economic development. British rule had brought peoples of different races together and ensured the creation of three territorial states, each with a British-type administration. The new infrastructure facilitated the movement of people and goods, and also integrated states and peoples, but the transformation of ethnic and cultural diversity into political unity had yet to occur.
growth brought major changes, including unrestricted immigration of Chinese and Indian labourers and entrepreneurs. With the arrival of female immigrants, the Chinese and Indian populations began to grow by natural increase rather than from immigration. By 1931, the Malay indigenous population had been outnumbered by non-Malay immigrants. Some had already settled permanently, and had begun making political claims to equal status with the Malays. Using their guilds and labour unions, they launched strikes and instigated political agitation.
Consequently, a nascent Malay nationalist movement arose The initial political appeals took on an Islamic aspect, but later changed to a secular basis, focusing on improving Malay livelihood. Pre-1941 Malay nationalism was, however, weak and state Malay associations failed to resolve their basic differences. To appease mounting criticism, the British adopted 'pro-Malay' policies to provide education and jobs and to protect Malay rights, but also met a few non-Malay demands.
Pre-1941 Malaya enjoyed political stability and interracial harmony, although there were wide fluctuations in income levels due to swings in the international economy. The country's prosperity depended on the production and export of tin and rubber. Price booms in 1909-10 and 1925-6 raised incomes to relatively high levels, but tin and rubber prices tumbled during the Great Depression (1929-32), resulting in government restrictions on both the production and export of the two commodities. It became clear that primary commodity production alone could not provide a consistent basis for continued economic growth. World War II and postwar conditions would gradually force state planners towards economic diversification and industrialization. These were changes which had to accompany the postwar constitutional plans and the nationalist aspirations and struggles to forge and achieve multiracial unity, citizenship, nationhood and national independence in Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah, and the eventual formation of Malaysia.
