HISTORICAL CONTEXT/EVENTS

Despite being a fictional story that stretches and breaks reality within the realm of its universe, the main reality of Berkembang still takes place in a world akin to ours, thus there are events that affect the characters lives and some of the decisions they will make. Some events aren’t specifically stated or have clear relevance in the story, but they are crucial to my development of the world and the characters. Please note that these are also extremely brief descriptions, and I will link full documents in English if you would like to learn more about these events. I am also not a citizen of Malaysia or any Southeast Asian country, and while I am Chinese Indonesian, I am currently a citizen of the United States and I have been since I was born, so my depiction of these countries and my own characters will be from an outsider’s point of view.

1997 Asian Financial Crisis

Initially occurring in Thailand, known as the Tom Yum King incident, the value of Thai baht decreased due to the lack of foreign currency to support it, causing a ripple effect to the economies around Thailand. While Malaysia was less affected by this crisis, it still suffered a 50% decrease in value of its currency: ringgit.

13 May 1969, NEP, NDP, Rukun Negara

A huge event in Malaysian political history, causing certain policies that would affect the nation till today to be implemented. During the year 1969 a general election was taking place on May 10, however there were growing racist sentiments, especially between the Malaysian and Chinese population in the nation, causing a Malaysian political worker to be murdered by a Chinese gang in Penang and a Chinese labor worker to be shot in a clash with police. The election day itself went without recorded violence as Parti Perikatan won the election. At the post-election parades however, violence ensued between the opposing party supporters and the winning, as such parades were occurring in areas that were heavily populated with said supporters. Violence consisted of property destruction of homes and vehicles, and murder. This crisis ended up bringing the deep rooted socio-economic issues within the nation’s foundation to the general public, giving more exposure than before.

Thus after the crisis, even if the majority took place in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian government introduced the New Economic Policy and Rukun Negara in response in an attempt to recover politically and socially. The New Economic Policy was introduced with the goal of decreasing poverty within the nation and also eradicating the status of race within economic and social  function. This policy would end in 1990 and within the same year the New Development Policy would be introduced. The Rukun Negara is the ideology of the nation formed by the NOC, the National Operations Council, created to be the principles or pillars of the nation. It consists of 5 principles: Belief in God, Loyalty to King & Country, Upholding/Supremacy of the Constitution, Rule of Law, and Courtesy and Morality.

ASEAN Formation 1967

Prior to ASEAN, there were a few organizations that existed, seeking to unify nations in the region such as Southeast Asia Treaty Organization: SEATO (1954), Association of Southeast Asia: ASA (1961) and a group comprised of Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia: MAPHILINDO (1963). However in 1967, ASEAN would be formed, standing for Association of Southeast Asian Nations. From conception, ASEAN was composed of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand, forming the ASEAN Declaration in Bangkok with the initial aim to maintain and promote stability in the region during the Cold War. It was also created with the intention to maintain peace, stability, security, and cultural and economic trade between its nations. Brunei joined in 1984, Vietnam in 1995, Laos and Myanmar in 1997, and Cambodia in 1999.

31 August 1957 Malaysian Independence

The country of Malaysia would be colonised by the Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese prior to their independence on August 31st in 1957. At least a year prior, on February 8, 1956, the British and Malaysia made a deal that the country would receive its independence. At the time of independence, it was British rule that Malaysia was going to be independent from, and at the time of the morning on August 31, Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman would read the proclamation of independence at Padang Merdeka (Merdeka Square) in Kuala Lumpur.

Malayan Emergency 1948-1960 (Incomplete)

Declared the 18th of June in 1948, the Malayan Emergency was an ideological struggle for the nation’s future between the Malaysian Communist Party, and British Colonists as after World War 2. After Japan’s occupation of the nation, there was growing anti-colonial nationalism sentiments across the nation which the Malaysian Communist Party used as an excuse to maintain moral support from China, USSR, and North Vietnam during the Emergency. In order to fight back against the colonial government, the MCP sparked a 

WW2 & Japanese Occupation of Southeast Asia

During WW2, the Japanese occupied East Asia, Southeast Asia, and areas of Melanesia, attempting to colonise these areas for resources and economic advancement. Japan would go on to not only exploit the natural resources from several countries, but also go on to exploit and brutally torture many civilians in violence. This occupation would deliver an economic hit to several countries,causing inflation within currencies in Southeast Asia but also attempt to Japanize the culture of said countries.

ARTS/TRADITIONS

Wayang Kulit -