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5/11/1961 - Education, Arena of Communal Conflict by Gayl D. Ness

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS GDN Kuala Lumpur Education Arena Communal Conflict Malaya May Mr Richard H Nolte Institute Current World Affairs Madison Avenuo York New York Dear Mr Nolte In Malaya SoutheastAsia nationalism contains threat indigenous communities Where discriminatory action taken against indigenous communi usually directed activity institution which those communities especially successful The Chinese schools Malaya visible institutions competition native insti tutions carriers distinctive Chinese culture This meant Chinese schools would become objects communal controversy almost begianing Malaya struggle independence economic growth In British High Commissioner Malaya called mittee under direction L J Barnes Oxford report education Malays Malaya The committee popularly hailed major forward emerging nation Up educa Malay language available through primary school level A Malay educational aspirations beyond ceived instruction English This considered impossible situation society wanting independence economic growth A fully national education system needed Barnes committee recommend system though terms committee referred Malays The system recommended committee would provide common intellectual heritage imparted English Mala chose Malaya Language syllaous would unify diverse communities Malaya The Malay communities Chinese Indian asked their vernacular schools promote national unity To compensate sacriflce would national schools truly superior Rather unadvisedly appears today committee argued parents unhappy arrangement their unhappiness would properly taken evidence regard Malaya their object their undivided loyalty Such might accepted community itself value education highly organized support value could never Chinese In parison Malays Chinese higher proportion their children school higher proportion education privately In almost Malay students ingov ernment assisted schools average yearly assistance MS student Chinese students government assisted schools average yearly assistance MS student The Chinese community digging pocket provide education children In addit through taxation Chinese contributing significantly education children other cbmmunities By Barnes report GDN Chinese community built extensive visible institution stood monument value community accorded educa Much could smaller literate Indian community This community could accept charge disloyalty pride efforts Partly because reaction Barnes committee High Commissioner called another committee under direction Doctors W P Fenn US T Y Wu UN report Chinese education Malaya The Fennu report presented shortly after publication Barnes report It credit industry Chinese community providing schools children called considerable reform Chinese education The immed texts llabuses These previously China suited schools Malaya New materials orientation needed Chinese children prepared responsible citizenship independent Malaya These reports touched storm public controversy Newspapers contained daily letters articles praising ifying Chinese Malay cultures That happened depths Emergency served aplify controversy The Malays wanted guarantees Chinese lo_yalty They Halaya turned satellite CommUnist China The danger seemed The Chinese wanted guarantees their right exist peacefully obtain rewards their efforts The education ordinance reflected rationality leadership Malaya It compromise sought build better education system while protecting integrity Malay communities With leadership Mal possessed flict stimulating salutary effect schools country The significant controversy Education Committee under direction Dato Abdul Razak Abdul Hussein Deputy Prime Minister Minister Rural Development The terms committee significantly different U S Methodist English Indian Tamil those Barnes committee examine education system recommend changes necessary establish national system education acceptable people Federation whole which satisfy their needs promote their development nation having regard intention Malay national language whilst preserving sustaining growth language culture other communities country The Barnes committee included Chinese Indians these communities represented witnesses memoranda called committee The Razak committee included eight Malays Chlnese Indians It national committee competent recommend national education system The recommendations Razak committee become Pri education element education policy streams Malay English Cinese Mandarin Tamil Secondary Other languages education English Malay taught subjects Examinations entrance secondary school language instruction hiher English Malay speaking inations English Malay children lingual Chin Tamil speaking children lingual Beginning primary education sohools either completely independent completely government financed The partially assisted schools polit freedom fully assisted schools financial freedom Indepe ndent independent schools hings schools follow standard minimum curriculum choose medium instruction To Malays Malays appears equitable accommodation claims Of various communities All major political parties including major opposition party accepted program At least surface these parties convinced their followers general acceptance program interest communities Although controversy fully resolved There still haunting parts Chinese Indian communities Just first encroachment Chinese Sekolah Kebansaan The National School GDN I ultimately teaching their languages their cultures prohibited Malaya Events Philippines Indonesia CeylOn support these fears These fears provide political force still controversy The important question respect MCA represents Chinese community A group rebels called Xndependents broke MCA education issue The immediate demand Independents Chinese medium instruction secondary schools A basic demand however MCA closer constituents If power thelatter demand former would significance there about Chinese secondary schools total about O0 secondary schools The potential serious communal conflict present depends whether motives Independents opportunistic altruistic The former means upsurge munalism excessive Chinese demands violent Malay reactions The latter means continued sagacious compromise My impression after talking Independents altruism weighs opportunism It significant Barnes committee first attempt suggest educat ional system nation should touch communal conflict Not Malaya perhaps Southeast Asia attempts roots poverty transform societies dynamic carry potential communal conflict To conflict being destructive stimulant national growth rather haunting spector violence chaos necessary leadership development programsofhnewnations rational Just especially where Chinese concerned It necessary national goals allow aspirations Chinese communities necessary leaders hasten In define these communities alien disloyal recenthistory China standing disparity between onomic positions Chinese andindigenous communities This appears rationality perhaps everywhere Southeast Asia thenotable exception Malaya In controversy smooth transition independence support moderate Malayan leadership force providing rational Just leadership which alone avert violent munal conflict Sincerely Gayl D Ness The Alliance control government composed United Malay Nati organization UNO Malayan Chinese Association MCA Malayan Indian Congress MIC The major oppositio partM Pan Malayan Islamic Farty PMIF Received New York May