Abstract

British colonial rule played a critical role in creating and sustaining divisions within the multi-ethnic fabric of Malaysian society. British control over the nation through emphasis on the Malay character resulted in racism entrenching itself in the legal fabric of the independent nation- state, its legacy persisting through Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia. Apart from the ‘safeguarding’ of the ‘special’ positions of Malays, this clause expounds on the establishment of quotas within the civil service, public education and public scholarships; the discussion of its repeal being illegal.1 Fundamentally, the roots of these ‘affirmative actions’ lie in the legal fiction of Malay supremacy fuelled by the British to exclude Indians and Chinese from effective power. Thus, ‘Anti-Racism at SSoA: A Call to Action’ in many ways echoes the appeal by minorities in Malaysia for equality, albeit within divergent contexts.

How to Cite:

Anonymous, , (2022) “Indians on the Plantation Frontier of British Malaya”, field: 8(1), 111–122.