Malaysia
1. What were the sources of support for the Malayan Communist Party? Why did it develop?
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Sources of Support
Malays who believed in communism - Malays who were suppressed by the current
o Non-bumiputras who were put at a disadvantage by the current system.
Poorer Chinese - carrying out guerilla warfare, farmers, plantation workers.
o China and Vietnam as evidence that communism was an opportunity for equality.
o In 1949 Mao Zedong won the civil war
o Discriminated against, exacerbated by the Bargain.
o Failure of the Malay union
o Chinese felt betrayed that they bore the brunt of the Japanese occupation but were
ostracized.
Independence
Malayan
British
Made carrying unauthorized weapons an official offense.
CCP provided weapons to the Malayan Communist Party
Why? - MCP operated on a platform of anti-colonialism and nationalism under the flag of
communism. Mainly Operating in the Jungles of Malaya, they used smaller settlements and
villages with a significant number of Chinese to recruit new members, resupply and training
bases.
2.
What were the New Villages? How did they shape politics?
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the British took measures to suppress the insurgency by military means, which included a
strategy that forcibly moved many rural Chinese into tightly controlled New Villages located
near or along the roadsides. In a bid to disrupt the civilian communist movement (The Min Yuen
(Chinese: 民運; pinyin: Mínyùn; Malay: Gerakan Rakyat) was the civilian branch of the Malayan
National Liberation Army (MNLA)
Although this policy isolated villagers from guerrillas, it also increased the government’s
unpopularity amongst the Chinese.
o Moved away from the squatters so that they could stop giving money or support MCP.
Reduce food resources so they would struggle.
Chinese started building up resources for them.
Geographical locations: location of the new villages correspond with the electoral areas (eg.
areas where the DAP was more likely to garner votes). As Malaysian’s voters’ tendency to vote
along racial lines. The locations and forcible resettlement of the new villages correspond to
electoral maps.
3.
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How did the threat of communism shape Malaysia politics?
Geographical Communalism
Willing to stop communism at any cost - at the cost of civil liberties.
Freedom of speech
Agreement that Malays would dominate politics.
Chinese and Indians were underrepresented.
Suppressed the representation.
Labelled Chinese as communist
Discriminated against them.
Exclude Chinese from welfare plans and policy making procedures.
Acceptance of Malay Supremacy
Communism was not as popular with Malays due to it being tied to religious narratives.
Class discussion 2
What is communalism?
 Allegiance/being loyal and making decisions based on one's own ethnic group rather than to the
wider society. Can be based on religion, class, gender.
How does it play out in Malaysian politics and policymaking?
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Voters voted based on ethnic representation.
Ketuanan melayu - political concept that emphasises Malay prominence and that they should
have special privileges due to them being native to the land (Indigenous)
Affirmative action: policy aimed at increasing workplace and educational opportunities for people
who are underrepresented in various areas of undermines capabilities of the affirmed group.
Today’s Malaysian politics: majority feels like they are continually threatened by the minority. (Malays
have minority Complex)
(Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia grants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia)
responsibility for "safeguard[ing] the special position of the 'Malays' and natives of any of the States of
Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities.
Becomes part of the political culture
2.
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What is the role of religion in Malaysia’s brand of communalism?
Secular supreme court
Syariah court - where people can settle their legal issues.
Rules based on Shariah law.
Kuran interpretation-based laws.
People should not go against authoritative figures.
Culture of obedience (from Mahathir, playing with race for civil obedience, reduce descent,)
Defining what it means to be Malay - Malaysian Malays vs non-Malays?
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A Malay technically cannot be a Malay without being Muslim.
religious protection (economically desentivised to leave a religion)
By religion or by roots?
Why can we consider Malaysia a success story?
Economic advancement: uplifted citizens from poverty to economic stability
 Malaysia has sustained over four decades of rapid, inclusive growth, reducing its
dependence on agriculture and commodity exports to become a more diversified,
modern and open economy.
 One of the world’s largest exporters
 GDP per capita is now higher than in several OECD economies, while poverty and
income inequality have declined considerably.
Malaysian leaders like Mahathir under NEP were willing to sacrifice civil liberties for the health
and stability of Malaysian.
Pakatan Harapan - even after they won, they only stayed in power for 18 months.
Still a lot of corruption going on
What led to the BN loss in 2018, ending UMNO’s decades-long political dominance?
Opposition Coalition (Pakatan Harapan)
(Mahathir Helming as Figure Head of Pakatan Harapan)
1MDB scandal
MIC (Malaysian Indian Association) and MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association)
BN lost the confidence of the people.
Some Voters voting Across racial lines
Singapore
Dayley, 2019 – Chapter 11
Turnbull:
1. How does Dayley characterize the Singaporean state? Do you agree with Dayley’s
assessment?
 One of the most effective and efficient forms of government
 Under a facade of false democracy, it is fundamentally authoritarian.
 Survival, prosperity and order
o Best healthcare and best education in SEA
o A lot of strict rules in place that breeds fear
o No non-communist countries that control its people as much as Singapore
o Is this still relevant today?
o Survival yes because we are always put in a vulnerable position.
Might not be so apparent in today’s context Govt has secured various sources of
survival needs so younger generation does not have to worry about it necessities are cleared.
o Narrative of state: continuation of narratives from government speeches that
still retains that sg is on its own and cannot rely on others.
YES!!! BC WHAT WTV WE MENTIONED IN OUR PRES AND
o
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2. Should the elections in Singapore be considered as valid as contested elections in other
countries? Why or why not?
 No - why? Walkover election - how can???
 Citizens were not given the choice to vote because of
o Multiple nominees but 1 candidate
o All citizens have the right to vote so representation of population is there and no
exclusivity or corruption.
o Lack of genuine competition and not really any opposition to PAP
o If there is opposition, they are shut out by bankruptcy or other dirty play.
o “Non-competitive democracy”
o
3. The authors note that discipline occurs partly “because its citizens fear being fined or
punished and in part because these citizens genuinely believe lawful obedience to be in the
public interest” (p 314). Do you agree?
 YES: not drinking and eating on the MRT, keeps public spaces clean for everyone
 Lawful obedience is a cultural Asian value.
 Increased surveillance and regulations are very strict which cultivates the law-abiding
trait in Singaporeans.
 Panopticon prison: a disciplinary concept brought to life in the form of a central
observation tower placed within a circle of prison cells, cultivates obedience among
prisoners because they don’t know when the guards are looking at them.
 Ideal Singaporean was made through one policy/law at a time.
 modern Singaporean: educated, 5c’s,
 NO:
 Only when they see the benefit of it - eg. no stealing - safe, no jaywalking, vaping what’s the benefit?
 Convenience and level of effort - no effort to not steal, effortful to not jaywalk.
4. Is economic performance important for Singapore and the legitimacy of its government?
 YES!!! In good times people will vote for the government, in bad times they will not vote
for the government.
 Government prides itself on great economic growth
C. M. Turnbull. 2009. “The Road to Merdeka, 1955-1965” in C. M. Turnbull, A History of Modern
Singapore, 1819-2005, pp. 259-299 (Singapore: NUS Press).
1. Why did LKY and the PAP wanted to merge with Malaysia? What were the main challenges in
the move toward merger?
 Small, vulnerable
o Needed access to Malaysia market.
 Singapore manufacturing-based economy
 Would greatly benefit by being in an economic union with Malaya.
 With no agricultural base, sg is destined to become increasingly interdependent with
the global economic system to ensure its survival.
 From the Singaporean perspective, Malaya’s agricultural resources were necessary for
our own development.
o Singapore faced the challenge of the survival in an era of grave tensions, which
stemmed from the global Cold War and the Konfrantasi threat from Indonesia.
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Malaysia was afraid sg would bring in communist influences.
Singapore will increase the proportion of Chinese if they merge - which may jeopardise
ketuanan melayu (malayan supremacy)
Ideological differences: Malaysia for Malays vs Malaysia for Malayans
Singapore becoming second-class citizens.
2. What caused the split in the PAP? How did that help with the plan for merger? How did
Operation Cold Store help resolve that crisis?
 Left wing vs moderates - lee kuan yew contacted labour unionists
 Upon formation of the pap lky and lim chin siong (labour unionist) formed the pap. Lky
intention was with lcS, he would be able to garner the support of the sg chinese.
3. What caused tensions during merger?
 The merger only lasted two years because the Alliance government in Kuala Lumpur
perceived that Singaporean’s Chinese threatened the Malays’ privileged political
position.
 The Union was unstable due to distrust and ideological differences between the leaders
of Singapore and the federal government of Malaysia.
 They often disagreed about finance, politics, and racial policies.
 Singapore diversity of Chinese, Malay, Indian and other ethnic groups clashed with the
Identity of Malaysia with majority is Malay-Muslim
Indonesia
Post Suharto Sentiments
1. West Papua
1. Has a history of colonialism?
2. In 2003 megawatu split west papua
2. Timor Leste
Questions:
 Would you consider Joko Widodo leadership to follow an authoritarian style?
1. Who were the main players in Indonesian politics by the 1960s?
 Military, President Sukarno and then Suharto
o How the military gained power: strong from the beginning, military part of national
mythology, got them out of colonialisation, without the military they would be no
Indonesia
2.
Why did we see such a culling of (suspected) Communists in Indonesia after G-30S/PKI?
 Eliminate communist ideologies, afraid of the domino effect,
 Suharto part of nationalist part of army - more pragmatist than ideologist, wanted to gain power
more than anything.
 Political legitimacy
 Political stability
3.
Does the reading argue that the anti-Communist killings in Indonesia should be regarded as a
‘genocide’? Why yes/no?
E.g. holocaust - not ethnicity or race
YES - draw parallel with the elimination to jews,
 Genocide: state organised to destroy a whole or part of society
 Military is not a state. (By Definition)
 Targeted (Chinese?)
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NO because
Not ethnicity or race
1. How did Suharto’s government portray the PKI and communists generally during New Order
rule?
 Banned them
 Blamed the coup on the PKI.
 Dehumanised them
 Started cleansing the army from leftist elements and began to expand the political role of the
army in Indonesian society.
 30th of sep - schools will portray the PKI - perpetuating ‘bad communist’ ideology.
 PKI women were portrayed in a ‘sexually devious’ manner.
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The elimination of ‘anti-communists’ eliminated labour unions - pro-business.
Brought in western powers.
Crony capitalism / oligarchy - collusion of political powers and businesses
Citizens with any form of association to the PKI were discriminated against the society from Job
hunting, education access to services etc. Resulted in a transformation in Indonesian society to
one which was politically apathetic. It was in the best interest for an ordinary citizen to show
little to no interest in domestic politics.
Dayley Reading:
1. What were some of the factors that led to Suharto’s eventual downfall in 1998?
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As economic conditions deteriorated, students, activists, and civil society groups began
organizing protests the Suharto regime.
What were some of the reasons why separatist movements (e.g. independence movement) began
springing up immediately after the fall of Suharto?
Vietnam
1. What is the relationship between nationalism and Communism in Vietnam?
 Both are unifying ideologies.
 Ho chi minh advocated for both.
 Pushed for communism as the way to achieve independence.
o Communism to nationalism
 Wanted a nation of their own, move away from western influence and towards communism.
o Anything communism was anti-western / anti-imperial stance / sentiments.
 Communism seemed to provide prospects in a struggling nation.
o Trickle-down effect of capitalism was not realised/fulfilled.
 He organised a secret group called the Vietnamese Revolutionary Youth League stated for
national independence and social equality for Vietnamese.
 He also became the basis for the creation of the Indochinese Communist Party (ICP)
4. US and Vietnam engaged in different types of warfare
 Strong nationalist sentiments - ‘as long as there are foreign powers, we will fight it’.
 US bomb people indiscriminately
 The backing of powerful Communist allies and utilization of jungle trails allowed the North
Vietnamese to continue the war effort, almost without setback. US strategic bombing in
Vietnam was ineffective and all too undiscerning, and it took far too long for its leaders to
adapt to the unwelcoming scenario they faced.
 USA had a superiority complex.
 Collateral damage (a euphemism for civilian casualty)
 Why bomb (help me pls HAHAHAHA)? Wanted to destroy HCM trails and minimise America
casualties.
 Conventional Warfare (Destroy Supply Lines and bases) Ho Chi Minh Trail is fluid and
dynamic and is not affected by bombings able to adapt and is dynamic.
5. What do you think are some of the factors that led to US defeat in the Vietnam War even though
they were clearly more technologically superior?
 Domestic pressure from home - election season, pressure from Americans to end the war
quickly - backfired.
o Mobilisation unpopular among citizens
 Sent the less educated army to Vietnam.
 Average age of army was 19 to 20 years old - 6 to 7 years younger than those sent to WW2.
 Low morale - doubt whether America should be involved in the war.
 Guerilla warfare strategy
 MacNamara’s Morons Lowering IQ requirement to fill up American manpower.
Cambodia
1. How did the American/Vietnam War impact Cambodia?
 Bombed HCM trail
 Misidentified targets
 Agitated Cambodia
 Sihanouk had no power over power area, HCM trail was the way north Vietnamese could access
to south Vietnam o Border control was non-existent.
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Cambodia Communist Party was involved with the North Vietnamese
o Ideological contestations were involved.
2. Who was pol pot? How did he become committed to communism?
Who:
 Pol Pot, original name Saloth Sar, (born May 19, 1925, Kompong Thom province,
Cambodia—died April 15, 1998, near Anlong Veng, along the Cambodia-Thailand border),
Khmer political leader who led the Khmer Rouge totalitarian regime (1975–79) in
Cambodia that imposed severe hardships on the Cambodian people. His radical communist
government forced the mass evacuations of cities, killed or displaced millions of people, and
left a legacy of brutality and impoverishment.
How did he become committed to Communism:
 Studied carpentry for a year at a technical school in Phnom Penh. In 1949 he went to Paris
on a scholarship to study radio electronics. There he became involved with the French
Communist Party and joined a group of young left-wing Cambodian nationalists who later
became his fellow leaders in the Khmer Rouge. In France he spent more time on
revolutionary activities than on his studies. His scholarship was cut short after he failed
examinations, and he returned to Phnom Penh in 1953.
 Pol Pot taught at a private school in Phnom Penh from 1956 to 1963, when he left the
capital because his communist ties were suspected by the police. By 1963 he had adopted
his revolutionary pseudonym, Pol Pot. He spent the next 12 years building up the
Communist Party that had been organized in Cambodia in 1960, and he served as the
party’s secretary.
 An opponent of the Norodom Sihanouk government and of the military government of Gen.
Lon Nol, he led the Khmer Rouge guerrilla forces in their overthrow of Lon Nol’s regime in
1975. Pol Pot was prime minister of the new Khmer Rouge government from 1976 until he
was overthrown by invading Vietnamese in January 1979. It is estimated that from 1975 to
1979, under the leadership of Pol Pot, the government caused the deaths of more than one
million people from forced labour, starvation, disease, torture, or execution while carrying
out a program of radical social and agricultural reforms.
Pol pot liked communism because he was very nationalistic (Khmer nationalism) and wanted to free
Cambodia from imperialism.
3. How did ideology shape the behaviour of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge? What happened to the
cities under Pol Pot?
 Wanted to restore glory - emulate.
 Believer of the superiority of the Khmer race
o He followed the narrative of the greatness of the Khmer Empire and how it had declined
over the century -- nationalism towards Khmer race not entire Cambodia.
o He did not only want to create a communist agrarian utopia but also resurrect the glory
of the Khmer people.
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Pol pot regarded himself as a purist.
Communism pushed pol pot to take extreme purification measures so that they can start
from ground zero and promote equality again.
‘If you want to have a communist society, a pure society, you must change it right away’,
‘ must remove the impediments’, ‘the impediments are the ruling class, the educated class,
the rank and file of the officer corps, and ultimately the peasantry itself’, ‘
Burned and destroyed.
Wanted to clear the capital and other cities so they could start over - will evacuate all the
people from the city to the countryside.
Singled out and killed people with education.
Remove all the impediments so that what is left is a malleable group of peasant citizens and
others not in these classes could be transformed into this new socialist Khmer Rouge
communist person
Strip away everything that in the view of the Khmer Rouge was corrupt and imposed from
the West.
Cities were cleared and moved to countryside (concentration camps)
o Everyone including people who worked in the cities were involved in agriculture.
Separated families and banned relationships and put them into mass working units that
worked long hours → part of the
4. The killing fields as the worst genocide since WWII? Why wasn’t the world aware?
 The world was not aware bc they didn’t allow outsiders in; Cambodia was closed off from
the world.
 Even the CIA did not know what was happening.
 Did the world not know or not care?? At least Southeast Asian leaders knew.
 Pov of America: humiliating retreat from Vietnam/ Afghanistan and were facing immense
political pressure to not interfere anymore.
o So even if they were aware of the happenings, they would not have wanted to get
involved to save their reputation.
5. Has Cambodia recovered its knowledge pool (in administration, medicine, etc.) after the
elimination of the intellectual classes? What are the long-term impacts of this knowledge loss?
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To a certain extent - started from 47 doctors, administrators.
o Retrained teachers
o Received foreign aid.
Long-term impacts - limited infrastructure, weak economy, dependent on foreign aid
o Trickle-down economy not trickling - rich could recover, poor in rural area still don’t
have basic needs met.
Community trauma → govt rhetoric may be about just moving forward but that’s not the
same for individuals who were traumatized by the loss of their loved ones.
Where do we draw the line between totalitarianism and authoritarianism?
 Diff answers from diff schools of thought
Authoritarian: (Gov decision and policy making are made by one party or individual, no democratic
processes of any kind)
There are different kinds of authoritarianism - non-competitive autocratic???
Totalitarianism: not only ru authoritarian but the way you structure society is guided by ideological
principle that cannot be opposed/challenged
 Can be based on diff things: religion, race, political ideologies.
 How the society is structured cannot be challenged
 More extreme in ensuring that individuals do not diverge from a particular state ideology.
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WHERE IS CAMBODIA NOW?
 Not a communist state but a 1 party socialist state
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One-party non-competitive authoritarianism