Mageran Full

INTRODUCTION National Operations Council (NOC) or Majlis Gerakan Negara (MAGERAN) is the national governing body at the time of emergency following the events of May 13. NOC is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein. Department of National Unity under the NOC was created to address issues rebuilding social cohesion at the time. During his administration, the NOC has developed and tenets of the Malaysia‘s ideology today. The May 13 incident in 1969 was the race riots that occurred and the peak of the problem of unity in Malaysia. This tragedy resulted in the loss of lives and property and have close connections with the ―Election 1969‖ is a dark period in the history of Malaysia. NOC was dissolved in 1971 with the restoration of Parliament. Among the Malays had a negative impact on the Chinese people is seen as an ingrate to the status of citizenship conferred on their post-independence. Negative perception of Malays against Chinese also happen because the Chinese form the majority of Three Stars to the team who want to make this country a communist country centered on the communist country of China. In 2007, a book – May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1960, written by academics, former member of the Democratic Action Party, and former Member of Parliament Kua Kia Soong – was published by Suaram. Based on new documents declassified London office of public information, the book says that the riot was not caused by opposition parties as the official story given, but the riots started by the ―ascendant state capitalist class‖ in UMNO as does not exist to Tunku Abdul Rahman toppled. National emergency declared on the night of May 16, 1969. With this declaration, the Constitution has been suspended. The country was ruled directly by the Agong under martial law. In the meantime, the National Operations Council (NOC) was formed. Tunku Abdul Rahman had withdrawn from the event lead. He was replaced by Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak. Consequently, the Parliament also suspended. During the emergency period, the NOC has been doing various actions to find the cause and solution to the tragedy is not repeated. Among the actions taken were to develop a National Pillar to increase the understanding of the people of the country‘s constitution. Also done is to launch the New Economic Policy for the identification of race with economic activities and alleviate the poverty and formed the National Front that is for a unity government. Almost all the contesting parties have joined BN in 1969 except for the DAP and PAS.

DISCUSSION

Incident of May 13 in 1969 was a bad tragedy that destroyed the peace and harmony of multi-racial in Malaysia. However, the disunity of the races existed since the country achieved independence because of dissatisfaction of other races towards the special rights of Malays that had documented in constitution especially that touch about language and education. From the dissatisfaction, everything about special rights of Malays was debated especially from Chinese. In 1969 election campaign without ignoring sensitivity or issues that can cause controversy between races, Chinese had challenged special rights of Malays from 153 Article in constitution of Malaysia. Due to the uncontrollable campaign had resulted in 13 May incident. On May 10, 1969 election declared in peninsular of Malaysia that gives confidence to UMNO party without realizing had threatened democracy process. Malays people felt that political party had changed from alliance party to opposition party. Racial rioting that happened in Kuala Lumpur because of fake news. Assumptions that changes will happen to political power and Malays hesitation increased. Even though there were information and ‗news‘ about racial rioting that can occur, there were no information given to army. They were so assured that nothing serious can happen. The National Operations Council (NOC) or Majlis Gerakan Negara (MAGERAN) was an emergency administrative body which attempted to restore law and order in Malaysia after the May 13 Incident in 1969, when racial rioting broke out in the federal capital of Kuala Lumpur. From 1969 to 1971, the NOC governed the country as replacement of the elected government. In 1971, the NOC was ended with the restoration of Parliament.

The National Operations Council governed the country in lieu of the elected government

The 13 May 1969 racial riot incident raised the awareness of various parties on the importance of managing the difference and sensitivity that exists in a multi-racial community like Malaysia. Following this incident, the National Operations Council was established. MAGERAN's existence was to improve public safety, national defence and preservation peace for the general public, supplies and services critical to the nation.

Federal Service Unit on 13 May

Police and army patrolling Odean Cinema

The incidents that becoming worse make it the Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman counselled Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) to announce an emergency situation all over the country. The emergency announcement was enforced on 16 May 1969 under the Second Ordinance (Kuasa-kuasa Perlu) Darurat 1969 – P.U.(A) 149. On May 16 the National Operations Council (NOC) was established by proclamation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, headed by Tun Abdul Razak. The Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak Abdul Hussien that headed

the National Operations Council (NOC) was helped by the politics leader, government right officers and higher police and army officers. With Parliament suspended, the NOC became the supreme decisionmaking body for the next 18 months. State and District Operations Councils took over state and local governments. National Operations Council (NOC) that was established after May 13 incidents purposing on restoring the stability and calmness of the public to give back the harmony and trusty atmosphere between the races, return the peace and the kingdom laws and deciding the smooth and perfect administration. The NOC implemented security measures to restore law and order in the country, including the establishment of an unarmed Vigilante Corps, a territorial army, and police force battalions. Main task that had been done by the army squad in order to handle the disturbance during the 13 May incidents in Kuala Lumpur area was patrolling which was done either by walking or through transportation. The the purpose of the patrolling is to make sure the safety of the public. The existence of the armed army is to control and calm the public crowd and make them felt more safe. The earlier calmness involvement was proven and the army done their work without any importance or take sides of either party. Other than that, the patrolling is done to prevent the crimes act by the public such as, stealing, intruding, burglary and burning the house or the building that has been abandon by the owners. The patrolling also for controlling the situation and the public calmness to ensure there is no disturbance and quarrel by separating the one races from entering the area of another majority races besides enforcing the curfew order to prevent the public from prowling. The area that was sensitive during which the patrolling done by the army squad were Kampung Baru areas, Datuk Keramat areas, around Chow Kit through Jalan Ipoh, Jalan Raja Laut and the nearby area, Kuala Lumpur City Center area which is around Jalan Bandar and Parlimen, around Jinjang, Kepong, Salak South, Pudu, Jalan Klang Lama and Petaling Jaya. Meanwhile, at Bulan Besar located in Chow Kit and Edinburgh Circus which is now is a large roundabout nearly the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, was build the Road Congril Points (RCPs) and traffic control. The purpose of existing the RCP is to check and prevent the group of unrelated people from entering the area which can cause disturbance, taking care of the are peace, as the earlier warning about the present of the riot and also handling, controlling and saving the dominate area. Besides of RCP, traffic controls also been done by checking the passer-by, the things that had been brought by the vehicles and checking whoever entering and exit from one area.

The restoration of order in the country was gradually achieved. Curfews continued in most parts of the country, but were gradually scaled back. Peace was restored in the affected areas within two months. In February 1971 parliamentary rule was re-established. However, the state of emergency imposed in 1969 has never been revoked by the federal government in the decades since, thus allowing many provisions such as the Emergency Ordinance to remain in use today.

In a report from the NOC, the riots was attributed in part to both the Malayan Communist Party and secret societies:

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The eruption of violence on May 13 was the result of an interplay of forces... These include a generation gap and differences in interpretation of the constitutional structure by the different races in the country...; the incitement, intemperate statements and provocative behaviours of certain racialist party members and supporters during the recent General Election; the part played by the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) and secret societies in inciting racial feelings and suspicion; and the anxious, and later desperate, mood of the Malays with a background of Sino-Malay distrust, and recently, just after the General Elections, as a result of racial insults and threat to their future survival in their own country'

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— Extract from The May 13 Tragedy, a report by the National Operations Council, October 1969.

Immediately after the riot, the government assumed emergency powers and suspended Parliament, which would reconvene again only in 1971. It also suspended the press and established a National Operations Council. The NOC's report on the riots stated, "The Malays who already felt excluded in the country's economic life, now began to feel a threat to their place in the public services," and implied this was a cause of the violence. On the first week, the condition became calmed where the people brave to go outside their house but in awoken. With the patrol and the present of the armies make them confidence. Squad 5 RAMD was a last group which involved the army who were asking to handle the public peaceful for about 3 months and later gave the responsible and the district to Police Field Force (PFF) on August 1969. The reason of taking this action was to unite the people of different races.

During the brief of the community leader, the armies were responsible as a medium who tried to handle the assembly between the Malays and the Chinese especially among the leaders of two districts which were Kampung Baru and Chow Kit. The leaders of these two races had been given a brief and explanation in order to return the situation calm like before and discarded all the revenges. Muhibbah meeting among the leaders and the residents of two races that had been handled by the army was held in order to unite them and removed all the bad prejudice of the two races. The leaders of the Malays at Kampung Baru played a role as the person who pacifies the situation and the matters that related to the army. Besides, they also gave certain information.

No one wondered that this tragedy will happen. After all, from this tragedy it was clearly showed that the leaders and the armies did their job well by handling the situation. They had a good training and fair in their job without having any revenge. Other than that, they give a help by preparing the food for other front line squad during 13 May 1969. They also save, took care of the peoples‘ safety and properties. They had a clear mission and their sacrifice saved the situation to become more terrible.

Ex-prime minister, Al Marhum Tunku Abdul Rahman accused Communist Party and the elements of Chinese Illegal Group as the reason the tragedy of 13 May 1969 happened. However there were other factors that can be relate such as the difference of constitution interpretation by Malays and non-Malays. Other factor is the anxious of one nation from other races that against the provision of the constitution that had relation with the special right of the Malays and the prestige of Malay language especially on section 152 and 153 of constitution. From the politic perspective, there was a refusal from young generation of the Chinese on the offer by UMNO to their old leader MCA and this anxious had been prolonged because of the principle of Parti Perikatan which is ‗Malaysia for the Malays‘. On the other hand, for the Malays, they disappointed because they are far away from the modernize process that happened in their own country. They need to protect their right and heritage that been documented in the constitution. When the situation improved, MAGERAN was dissolved in early 1971. The Government, felt that the existence of a body or agency responsible for the management of safety matters at the national, state and district level was needed as there were still communist threats and the relationship between the races was still fragile. On February 23, 1971, the Government established the National Security Council

to co-ordinate policies related to the nation's safety and to provide instructions on safety including security movements, public peaceful and all matters related to safety. The Office of the National Security Council Secreatriat was established to undertake administration and secretarial duties for the National Security Council. In 1995, the Office of the National Security Council was reorganised as National Security Division (BKN) where the State Security Secretariat Office and District Security Secretariat Office fell under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister‘s Department and thereafter underwent a name change to State and District National Security Division. The National Security Division is responsible for the co-ordination of policies related to safety as well as to instruct on the necessary actions taken by related agencies. On July 24, 2007, the National Security Division was once again reorganised and became the National Security Council, where the State Security Division became the State Security Council and the District Security Division became the District Security Council. The reorganisation was to ensure that the National Security Council carried out its function as a policy maker relating to national safety and to provide instructions on safety as a whole. The main central agency in the drafting of national safety policies. This process encompasses reviewing current policies and the drafting of new policies. This task requires co-ordination with various agencies. They responsible as the secretariat of the National Security Council and main committees at the Federal and State level on issues involving national safety, public safety and crisis and disaster management. They also responsible for the co-ordination and execution of safety policies placed under various Government agency to ensure uniformity and in line with objectives. In certain aspects, directed to perform operational duties. Certain units such as Federal Special Officers Team Sabah/Labuan (PPKPS/L) and Search and Rescue Team Malaysia (SMART) serves as its execution agency. Besides, they responsible for the co-ordination of steps involved in crisis situations, public safety, state of emergency and disaster and responsible in overseeing internal, regional and international developments and crisis country which may impact national safety. Tunku Abdul Rahman resigned as Prime Minister in the ensuing UMNO power struggle, the new perceived 'Malay-ultra' dominated government swiftly moved to placate Malays with the Malaysian New Economic Policy (NEP), enshrining affirmative action policies for the bumiputra (Malays and other indigenous Malaysians). Many of Malaysia's draconian press laws, originally targeting racial incitement, also date from this period. The Constitution (Amendment) Act 1971 named Articles 152, 153, and 181,

and also Part III of the Constitution as specially protected, permitting Parliament to pass legislation that would limit dissent with regard to these provisions pertaining to the social contract. (The social contract is essentially a quid pro quo agreement between the Malay and non-Malay citizens of Malaysia; in return for granting the non-Malays citizenship at independence, symbols of Malay authority such as the Malay monarchy became national symbols, and the Malays were granted special economic privileges.) With this new power, Parliament then amended the Sedition Act accordingly. The new restrictions also applied to Members of Parliament, overruling Parliamentary immunity; at the same time, Article 159, which governs Constitutional amendments, was amended to entrench the "sensitive" Constitutional provisions; in addition to the consent of Parliament, any changes to the "sensitive" portions of the Constitution would now have to pass the Conference of Rulers, a body comprising the monarchs of the Malay states. At the same time, the Internal Security Act, which permits detention without trial, was also amended to stress "intercommunal harmony".

CONCLUSION

Majlis Gerakan Negara (MAGERAN) was established after the incident of 13th May which attempted to restore law and order in Malaysia especially in improving public safety, national defence and preservation peace for the general public, supplies and services critical to the nation. 13 th May incident raised the awareness of various parties on the importance of managing the difference and sensitivity that exists in a multi-racial community like our country, Malaysia. National Operations Council (NOC) purposing on restoring the stability and calmness of the public to give back the harmony and trusty atmosphere between the races, return the peace and the kingdom laws and deciding the smooth and perfect administration. With the credibility of our prime minister, Majlis Gerakan Negara (MAGERAN) achieved such a huge impact to our country. It was clearly showed that the leaders and the armies did their job well by handling the situation. Peace was restored in the affected areas within two months. NOC has been doing various actions to find the cause and solution to the tragedy is not repeated. The bloody tragedy of 13th May shocked the whole nation. The implications of the incident in terms of economy and politics were serious concerns that lingered in the minds of the leaders as well as the rakyat. Thus, many lessons had been learnt from the tragedy especially in the context of racial conflict especially between the Malays and the Chinese for more than 50 years. Immediately after the riot, the government assumed emergency powers and suspended Parliament, which would reconvene again only in 1971. It also suspended the press and this is the reason why National Operations Council was established. The riot led to the expulsion of Malay nationalist Mahathir Mohamad from UMNO and propelled him to write his seminal work The Malay Dilemma. The new perceived 'Malay-ultra' dominated government swiftly moved to placate Malays with the Malaysian New Economic Policy (NEP). The Rukun Negara was another reaction to the riot. The pledge was introduced on August 31, 1970 as a way to foster unity among Malaysians. The underlying objectives of Rukun Negara are to develop a united nation within a plural society, to develop a democratic society through a constitutionally elected parliament, to develop a just society with equal opportunities for all, to develop a liberal society of diverse cultural traditions, to develop a progressive society oriented towards science and modern technology. The May 13 Incident led to the creation of Kuala Lumpur as a Federal Territory out of Selangor state in 1974, five years later. .

Malaysia has been a successful developing country and is forging ahead to become a developed nation in its own mould. In order to be more successful, our nation has to be managed effectively and its weaknesses and shortcomings have to be overcome. As a new generation, that will lead our country in future, we should take this incident as a lesson and make sure that it would not happen twice. From this history, we learned that it is very important for us as Malaysian unite. We have to respect each other as we lived in a multi-racial country. For example, 1Malaysia programme just to make Malaysian lives in peace and harmony. 1Malaysia is an on-going programme designed by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on September 16, 2010, calling for the cabinet, government agencies, and civil servants to more strongly emphasize ethnic harmony, national unity, and efficient governance. We also learned that we have our own rights. But, we have to follow the legal way to ensure that our leader can hear the voice of citizens as we live in a democracy country. By making chaos and illegal rally such as Bersih, it will not have any advantages in return. Credibility and leadership skills of our leader is very important to ensure the effectiveness of the body or organisation. We have rights to choose the best leader to lead the organisations or in this context is our own country. So, as a citizen of our country we should have responsibilities to take part in elections and make sure that we have made a good decision to ensure that we will live under a capable party. The most important quality which a leader should possess is intelligence and alertness. A leader has to use his/her brain every time and also has to remain alert with eyes and ears open otherwise he/she could easily be carried by any fraud or enemy. Don‘t spread faked news just to make chaos as it will have such a great bad impact to country. In recent times, there are so many sources of getting information such as through media,internet, and so on. Some people who have bad intention will misuse all those kind of technologies created by humans just to make profit for their own goods. So we should think twice and do not accept all the information given directly.

REFERENCES 1) http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peristiwa_13_Mei 2) http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majlis_Gerakan_Negara 3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:National_Operations_Council.jpg 4) http://www.1malaysia.com.my/