Indonesia-Malaysia Relations in the Post-Confrontation Era: the Role of the Serumpun Concept,” Masyarakat, Kebudayaan Dan Politik, Th XII, No 3-4, Oktober1999, 25-44
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BLS Wahyu Wardhani, “Indonesia-Malaysia relations in the Post-Confrontation Era: The Role of the Serumpun Concept,” Masyarakat, Kebudayaan dan Politik, Th XII, No 3-4, Oktober1999, 25-44. INDONESIA-MALAYSIA RELATIONS IN THE POST-CONFRONTATION ERA: THE ROLE OF THE SERUMPUN CONCEPT B.L.S. Wahyu Wardhani The relationship between the Malay people, The Interaction Among the ‘Serumpun’ both from the mainland and archipelago, has People developed over many centuries, well be fore Indonesia and Malaysia formed as Literally, serumpun means the people of the independent countries. Relations, however, same racial or ethnic stock. The majority of have not always been smooth and the people of Indonesia originated from the cooperative but also conflictual and, to a same ethnic groups as the people of certain degree, rivalries have occured. Malaysia, called Malays (Melayu). This situation was not resolved when Historically, their ancestors were from these people, who originated from the same Yunnan, in the south of China. However, the stock, formed their own countries. origin of the term Melayu is still clouded in Interestingly, relations between the two uncertainty. The first mention of countries are fuelled by a ‘love -hate’ “Melayu/Melayur/Malayu” occurs in relationship. The special nature of the bond Chinese chronicles in AD 644 when it was can result in cooperation which is, for recorded that an emissary from Melayu in example, shown by their strong ten dency to the vicinity of the Jambi or Batang Hari make ASEAN work as a mechanism for river in Central Sumatra was present at the regional organization. On the other hand, Chinese imperial court. However, the term there are unresolved situations, such as a was never used as a term of ethnic identity reluctance to solve certain bilateral conflicts. until fairly recent times when European This article aims to present the travellers, merchants, missionaries and problems underlying the relationship since colonial officials began to categorise the the post-Confrontation era in a situation indigenous people living along the coastal where the ethnic dimension is still dominant estuaries and surrounding islands of in the relationship. peninsular Malaysia as ‘Malays’. Although The fact that the same ethnic stock the Malays themselves did not for a long and other similarities exist between the time refer to themselves as Malays, this does people of both countries nevertheless does not mean that they were not aware of their not always bestow advantages on the distinctiveness as a group. With the passage development of the relationship. This is of time, a Malay identity emerged. This because the ‘emotional’ dimension is often identity grew in tandem with an expanding involved and this has a deep influence on the ethnic mixture comprising Malay and others relationship, and sometimes it becomes a of the same racial stock such as the ’barrier’ to a valuable and effective Minangkabause, Acehnese, Bugis, partnership. Banjarese, Mandailings, and Javanese (Tham Seong Chee, 1992:1). 25 BLS Wahyu Wardhani, “Indonesia-Malaysia relations in the Post-Confrontation Era: The Role of the Serumpun Concept,” Masyarakat, Kebudayaan dan Politik, Th XII, No 3-4, Oktober1999, 25-44. The interaction among Malay people little regard for frontiers in the modern has taken place from over a thousand years sense. Political boundaries have not been a ago through trade and religion. The feeling very substantial barrier to the movement of of sameness among them is a significant the various people throughout the region, factor in the relationship which has even during the last one hundred years conditioned perceptions and expectations (Mackie, 1974:60). and it is of contemporary significance. There The feeling of ‘oneness’ among are several factors which can represent the Malay people in Indonesia and Malaysia can significance of the relationship between be seen from the spirit of nationalism among Indonesia and Malaysia at present. Besides them. Mackie suggests that Indonesia’s sharing a high degree of cultural and ethnic quest for national independence made a similarities, both countries are powerful appeal to young Malays in Malaya geographically proximate, and share land in the last decade before the Second World and sea borders. The official languages of War and in the years of Indonesia’s the two countries are almost identical and revolutionary struggle against the Dutch Islam is the dominant religion of both between 1945-1949. Soekarno and Hatta countries which also share similar historical were regarded as national heroes in Malaya experiences. as well as in Indonesia and their photos were Several historical moments mark the displayed in many Malay and Bornean interaction between the Malay communities, households some years before independence both in Malaya and in Indonesia. Although (Mackie: 18). Indonesia declared its independence in 1945 The general sense of ‘oneness’ had and Malaya was granted independence by also been manipulated, sometimes Britain in 1957 and became Malaysia in exaggerated, for political reasons in both 1963, contact between the two communities countries, especially before and during can be traced back many centuries. Since the World War II. The notion of serumpun era of the Srivijaya Kingdom, for example, proved to be useful in mobilizing anti - Malay culture spread from Palembang, colonial sentiments and boosting a sense of where the Srivijaya Kingdom was located. solidarity and mutual help among the The Malay language was used by the p eople nationalist groups in both countries. For both on the peninsula and in other parts of instance, there was a strong impulse from Sumatra. Furthermore, throughout the the young Malayans and Indonesians for the Fifteenth Century, it is clear that the people growth of the idea of a closer union between of Aceh in the west and Ternate in the east Malaya and Indonesia. The Seruan Azhar, a adopted Melaka Malay’s style of monthly journal which was published by the government, literature, music, dance, dress, Association of Indonesia and Malay students games, titles, and even pantun after the in Cairo (which was originally called establishment of Melaka as a commercial Jami’ah Al-Khairiyah) made an appeal for and religious centre (Andaya and Andaya , the people of Sumatra, Java, and Borneo, 1982:54-5). Malays had lived for centuries and Malaya to “unite with one heart for in the region before the international progress and prosperity” (Roff, 1994:88 -9). boundaries were settled in the Nineteenth Another monthly journal, Pilehan Century; seafaring Malays, Buginese, Timur, centered on three main concepts: Sumatrans and Javanese roamed and settled Pan-Islamism, Pan-Malayanism (union at will throughout the archipelago and had between Indonesia and Malaya), and anti - 26 BLS Wahyu Wardhani, “Indonesia-Malaysia relations in the Post-Confrontation Era: The Role of the Serumpun Concept,” Masyarakat, Kebudayaan dan Politik, Th XII, No 3-4, Oktober1999, 25-44. colonial nationalism. There were three Apart from Egypt, similar political organizations formed in Egypt organizations were formed by the endorsing the ‘oneness’ of the ‘two blood association of Indonesian and Malayan brothers’. The Kesatuan Melayu Muda students in Saudi Arabia called Persatuan (Union of Malay Youth: KKM), formed in Talabah Indonesia-Malaysia (Talabah 1937, was a radical nationalist and anti - Indonesia-Malaysia or Pertindom). In Iraq, British organization. The leaders, Ibrahim a similar organization was formed and called Yaacob and Ishak Haji Mohamed, presented Majelis Kebangsaan Indonesia-Malaya (The the concept “Melayu Raya” as being National Council of Indonesia-Malaya: synonymous with “Indonesia Raya” (Greater Makindom). Later, this organization was Malay[sia] and Greater Indonesia) based on transformed into Perkumpulan Pemuda a common history linked in continuity to a Indonesia (The Convention of Indonesian glorious past. Their dream was for the Youth: PPI), in which the youths from various groups of Bangsa Melayu in both Malaya regarded themselves as Indonesian the Dutch colonial territories and the Malay youths. The Malay Left formed Partai states in Malaya to be liberated from Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (Malaya’s colonial rule and merge into a sovereign Malay National Party: PKMM), in October state of one united bangsa (Omar, 1993:21). 1945. The PKMM held its inaugural The aspiration of the bangsa orang congress on 30 November and adopted eight Melayu is to struggle for the independence points, two relevant among them were: of the land and the bangsa Melayu who will To unite the bangsa Melayu (Malay race) unite again in one great country according to and plant kebangsaan in the hearts of the the interest and desire of the people as a Malays with the aim of uniting Malaya in whole. The aim of Melayu Raya is the same a big family, that is the Republik Indonesia as Indonesia Raya which is the aspiration of Raya. the Malay nationalist movement, that is to To work with other bangsa who live in the revive again the heritage of Sri Vijaya, country to live in peace and work towards which is the common unity of the bangsa. setting up the Malayan United Front to In 1938, Persatuan Melayu Selangor enable Malaya to be merdeka (Selangor Malay Association) was formed in (independent), prosperous, and peaceful as Kuala Lumpur. This organization proposed part of the Republik Indonesia Raya. to stop all “alien” immigration to the then Malaya but encouraged Indonesian The congress also adopted the immigrants because ‘the Indonesians come Indonesian flag, the Merah-Putih, as the from the same ethnic stock as the Malays’ PKMM’s banner and voiced its support for (Aris, 1977:79). Another organization the Malayan Union. Besides, PKMM also endeavoured to link Malaya’s future with adopted five principles which were very Indonesia’s and to declare joint similar to Indonesia’s principles of independence of the two nations; this was Pancasila. Kesatuan Ra’ayat Indonesia Semenanjong Undoubtedly, the plan for Indonesian (Union of Peninsular Indonesian: KRIS).