Labour Party of Malaya
Encyclopedia
The Labour Party of Malaya ' onMouseout='HidePop("2574")' href="/topics/Abbreviation">Abbreviation
: LPM) was a political party
of Malaya
that was active between 1952 to 1969. It was originally formed as a confederation of state
based labour parties known as the Pan-Malayan Labour Party or PMFP.
) met in Kuala Lumpur
and decided to form the PMFP. This organization initially took an anti-communist stand but was not overtly anti-colonial.
The party joined the Socialist International
as a member.
The party chairman Lee Moke Sang was forced to resigned as public servants were barred from political office. D.S. Ramanathan became the new chairman. With the rise of more radical socialist leadership, the positions gradually took a more anti-colonial form and in June 1954, the organization was renamed the LPM.
of 1955 and failed to gain any seats. The LPM, however, managed to capture the City Council of Georgetown in Penang
in the 1956 local elections with a majority of eight seats.
According to the party's own accounts it had more or less the same number of Malay and Chinese
members, but very few Indians
or people from other communities. The party identified itself as a non-communal party. It considered that the Alliance government represented capitalist and feudal groups.
The party had a youth wing called the Socialist Youth League of Malaya.
for any ethnic group, federal nationality to supersede state nationality, the use of Malay
as the national language and English
as a second language, the merger of Singapore
with the Federation of Malaya
, the limiting the powers of the Malay rulers, an elected presidency
, and a secular state.
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
: LPM) was a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
of Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
that was active between 1952 to 1969. It was originally formed as a confederation of state
States of Malaysia
Malaysia is a federation which consists of thirteen states and three federal territories . Eleven states and two federal territories are located on the Malay Peninsula while the remaining two states and one federal territory are on the island of Borneo.-The states and federal territories:Malaysia...
based labour parties known as the Pan-Malayan Labour Party or PMFP.
Origins
The LPM's roots lay in the state labour parties that were established after the British government announced plans to organize local elections in 1950. In 1952, representatives from the state parties, 21 trade unions and the Malay left-leaning organization SABERKAS (or Syarikat Berkerjasama Am Saiburi, not to be confused with the present day SABERKAS in SarawakSarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
) met in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
and decided to form the PMFP. This organization initially took an anti-communist stand but was not overtly anti-colonial.
The party joined the Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
as a member.
The party chairman Lee Moke Sang was forced to resigned as public servants were barred from political office. D.S. Ramanathan became the new chairman. With the rise of more radical socialist leadership, the positions gradually took a more anti-colonial form and in June 1954, the organization was renamed the LPM.
Development
With a radical agenda as its platform, the LPM was routed in the Federal legislative electionsMalayan general election, 1955
General elections were held in Malaya on 27 July 1955, the only general elections before Malaya's independence in 1957. It was held to elect members of the Federal Legislative Council, which prior to this was fully appointed by the British High Commissioner in Malaya.The election was the first in...
of 1955 and failed to gain any seats. The LPM, however, managed to capture the City Council of Georgetown in Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
in the 1956 local elections with a majority of eight seats.
According to the party's own accounts it had more or less the same number of Malay and Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
members, but very few Indians
Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin
A Non-Resident Indian is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country, a person of Indian origin who is born outside India, or a person of Indian origin who resides permanently outside India. Other terms with the same meaning are overseas Indian and expatriate Indian...
or people from other communities. The party identified itself as a non-communal party. It considered that the Alliance government represented capitalist and feudal groups.
The party had a youth wing called the Socialist Youth League of Malaya.
Pre-Independence
The LPM's founding constitution demanded immediate self-government for Malaya, liberal citizenship laws, the Malayanization of the civil service, a planned economy, greater democratic justice and agrarian reform. The LPM also proposed for the abolishment of special privilegesArticle 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia
Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia grants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong 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” and goes on to specify ways to do this, such...
for any ethnic group, federal nationality to supersede state nationality, the use of Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
as the national language and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as a second language, the merger of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
with the Federation of Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
, the limiting the powers of the Malay rulers, an elected presidency
Presidency
The word presidency is often used to describe the administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation...
, and a secular state.