Temubual John A. Thivy (Presiden MIC) dalam akhbar Malaya Tribune, 3 Jan 1947

For any privilege in new constitution for Malaya
INDIANS WON’T APPEAL OVER MALAYS TO BRITISH
Thivy Clarifies M.I.C. Attitude To Federation
by Tribune Staff Reporter

Kuala Lumpur, Jan. 3 – An assurance that the Indians will never appeal over the heads of the Malays to the British for any particular right or privilege in the task of establishing a constitution for Malaya, was made by Mr. J. Thivy, President of the Malayan Indian Congress, in an exclusive interview with the Tribune on his arrival here last night from a tour of India.

Mr. Thivy disclosed that the Indians were prepared to declare “unequivocally for a single citizenship” and to regard “this land the object of their undivided loyalty.” He revealed that leading politicians in India fully shared this view.

He pointed out: “The Indian struggle for freedom has always been pure in conception and unselfish in execution. India has struggled not merely for her own freedom but has always stood for the freedom of the countries of South East Asia. Therefore, wherever an Indian lives, it is his first duty to identify himself and stand for the progress and advancement of the country of his abode, without any selfish reservations. This course of action naturally applies to Indians in Malaya.”

Declaring that he had always held that the Malays should have every assurance that in any constitutional struggle, their position as the indigenous population of this country will be safeguarded, Mr. Thivy said:

Secret Parley

“Unfortunately what has happened is that instead of the people of Malaya knowing what the Malays want, a secret conference – resulting in the Federation proposals – has been held between the British Government and certain elements of the Malay people. Out of this conference, an understanding has been born between these two parties, which cannot be considered in any way as an expression of Malay opinion and which cannot be treated as such by the non-Malay communities of Malaya.”

“The most outstanding feature of this understanding is that the Malays, deeply suspicious of the intentions of the other communities, have preferred to throw in their lot with the British, even to the extent of sacrificing their chances of one day winning complete freedom for this country.”

“This is obvious when they express fear of an “Union”, of their refusal to give the constitution the name “Malayan”, and deep anxiety not to bring in any citizenship rights. And in this fear of the other communities, they have surrendered every vestige of their sovereignty, except hollow “dignity”. The result is that all the initiative and sense of struggle and sacrifice for the sake of the country’s freedom, is lost to them. They have effected so many safeguards and have obtained rights without, however, the attendant responsibilities.”

“They have come to an understanding, but in doing so they do not recognise those elements of the Malays who still have the spirit to sacrifice, struggle and endure for the cause of the ideal of freedom and thereby fit themselves for the responsibility of government one day in the future.”

Too Much “Protection”

“It has always been the policy of the British Government to keep the Malay “backward” in comparison with the other communities, by giving him unnecessary “protection”, and thus create in him a tendency to lean heavily on them.”

“If the British are responsible for this mentality, the Indians and the Chinese are equally blameworthy. The economic exploitation of Malaya so engrossed the attention of these two communities that never for a moment in the last half century or so did they stop to notice that they were driving the Malay further into the British fold. The only difference there was between European and Asiatic exploitation was that the former was carried out more ruthlessly with the aid of governmental machinery.”

“It is fortunate that there are still large sections of the Malay people who are against the spirit and the letter of the Federation proposals. It is now incumbent on the non-Malay section of the Malayan people to assure the Malays that it is their sincere intention to come to an agreement with the Malays and the Malays alone, as to what should be the constitution of this country.”

“The best proof of this sincerity would be to conduct negotiations in such a frank and cordial manner that would gain the trust of the Malays and never make them, even for a moment, think of turning to the British for support and assistance.”

“For our part, the Indians and the Chinese should assure the Malays that never will we appeal over their heads to the British for any particular right or privilege in the task of establishing a constitution for this country.”


Sumber: Akhbar The Malaya Tribune, 3 Jan 1947


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Hampir dua bulan selepas artikel ini diterbitkan, pada 22 Februari 1947, golongan kiri Melayu "who still have the spirit to sacrifice, struggle and endure for the cause of the ideal of freedom" telah bersatu untuk menubuhkan Pusat Tenaga Ra'ayat (PUTERA). Pada bulan Mac 1947, M.I.C. pada waktu itu yang bersekutu dengan organisasi2 politik kiri lain di bawah All-Malaya Council of Joint Action (AMCJA) telah mengambil langkah bergabung dengan PUTERA bagi membentuk badan politik pertama yang merealisasikan penyatuan rakyat pelbagai kaum - PUTERA-AMCJA.

Pada 10 Ogos 1947, kerjasama politik ini telah melahirkan Perlembagaan Rakyat, yang disifatkan oleh editor The Straits Times pada 23 Sept 1947 sebagai "the first political attempt to put Malayan party politics on a plane higher than that of rival racial interests, and also the first attempt to build a political bridge between the domiciled non-Malay communities and the Malay race."