RELEASE OF CIA/RR GM 62-2. MALAYSIA, CONDENTIAL, MARCH 1962, TO FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01006A000100240001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 18, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 27, 1962
• Content Type: MF

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MEMORANDOM FOR: Chief, Analysis Branch, DD/CR
FROM
SUBJECT
Chief, Publications Staff, ORR
eieafie of CIA/MR GM 62-2,
Math 1962, to Foreign Governme
azalea,
1. It is requested that the attached copies of subject report be
forwarded as follows:
8392
93
94-96
91
98-99
100
101
102
2. All ORR responsibilities as defined in the DDI memorandum of
13 August 1952, "Procedures for Dissemination of Finished Intelligence
to Foreign Governments," as applicable to this report, have been fulfilled.
4 Attachments
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CONFIDENTIAL
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CON ADEN I1AL
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Geographic Intelli random on lIaleysie" - Cl
ACTION asquate?mstmemp
01.1?11111110
1. I read the subject memorandum with much interest. I found, however,
that it contains several misleading statements in the text and quite a
number of inexplicable omissions and commissiocs on the mape, particularly
with regard to map B.
2. The statement in the second paragraph of the Introduction states
the United Kingdom will retain the right to use the Singapore
military base." This seems at least an oversimplification of a critical 4/
question. The Federation has agreed that the base can be used in the
future for Commonwealth defense and to oppose Communist aggression in
Southeast Asia. This does not mean,however, that the British would have
full freedom of use of the base as the statement implies. It is certain
that Federation leaders would make any final decision as to how and when
the bases may be used and their permission will not necessarily be easily
obtained. Local popular attitudes in Singapore itself will also limit
use; the British say they cannot run the base in the face of local oppo-
sition. Strikee alone could prevent its effective operation.
3. The Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee, alio mentioned in the dte
pitrodaPtieB la.notspepresentative ItAnsInlaniva "
carefully Selected, stacked group which was intended to put thshstaap of
approval on ?renter Malaysia for its sponsors -- Singapore PrimeAtinister.-
Lee KUan Yew and Malayan Prime Minister Abdul ashien. it is a prepagande,
vehicle which has only sit three or fouetimee'end ie net working' out-details
of merger. This is being done by the British and Leo andYBahmen.
4. The discussions under Terrain and Economic ASpects-,.ceneMy 'What Seems
to ma a not very balanced impression of the ocoaomy. 114,01tOwspert obiervors:
think that the PPIP1014-Feditratian la the richlen,P,IRWA4 ;110 0144,01**14-
(except_ilapas)indthiWboth the Foodorstion *A040.)Born,w;t,pritorioisAmirc
vary
heB
0//, UP vs get
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cONFIDENTIAL
2
the people se compared with most other oriental countries.
5. A criticism of Map A is the omission of the airline distance to Bangkok,
which is the mmjor northern route from Singapore. If the red lines depicted
on the map were intended to show air distances they would be accurate but
the legend 'totem they represent airline distances end therefore two are
misleading. There are no direct flights to Manila or Sydney by scheduled
airlines. Flights to Manila by PAMAM (the only carrier) go via Saigon and
those to Sydney via Darwin.
6. May 8 mystifies me. It has totally omitted the mein trunk road from
Singapore north through Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh to Penang se well as the major
section of the main East-West route from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan. The
route shown on the map as connecting with Thailand is probably Mostly a
track; the motorable and primary route to Thailand from Penang through
Alor Star is not shown. Incidentally, on the east coast, there is no mOtorable
route (only overgrown track) between Endau (about 25 miles above Mersing)
and Pekan. Many good shorter roads have been omitted and thus Map B jails I
to reflect the extensive and excellent road system of Malaya.
7. MayS has very few place names on the map of Malaya but while omiteing
major towns like Georgetown, Kota Bahru, Kuala Trengganu, Kuantan and Kuala
Lipis, it shows tiny villages like Jerantut, Tumpat, Kampong Menasi (a
fishing village not even connected by road) and Bukit Abu (which does not
appear on either of my two detailed maps of Malaya). It is ptWlAng how
the names of the latter group were selected as they have no partAular sig-
nificance
8. I wonder why a draft Of this study .as not sent to this, office for
checklug.amd correction. I think such a procedure mould haire'iliade it look
more professional.
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C GNI-et-NT-1AL
Copy No.
GEOGRAPHIC
INTELLIGENCE
MEMORANDUM
CIA/RR GM 62-2
March 1962
MALAYSIA
051;Geo :Nov
Gv?P.?14C?')1/4SS. 0
De-Gk)5505)
P0?31; NV0?-S
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS
WARNING
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within
the meaning of the espionage laws, Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or
revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
GNftN
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A4--AYSIA
Introduction
The concept of a political entity- of Malaysia, proposed in May 1961 by the
Malayan prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, is based on the earlier "Grand Design"
advanced by Malcolm MacDonald in 1950 as a long-range objective for British pol-
icy. Both concepts envision a federation that would include the 11 states of the
Federation of Malaya, the State of Singapore, the crown colonies of North Borneo
and Sarawak, and the sultanate of Brunei, a British protectorate.* The Feder-
ation of Malaysia would have a land area of about 130,000 square miles and a
population of almost 10 million.
Once publicized, the current Malaysia concept rapidly reached the point of
negotiation between the governments concerned and the British. To Malaya the
plan offers an acceptable method of consummating what it deems to be a neces-
sary merger with Singapore. In the new Federation the overwhelmingly Chinese
population of Singapore would be counterbalanced by the predominantly non-
Chinese populations of Malaya and British Borneo, thus precluding Chinese do-
mination. Lee Kuan Yew, prime minister of Singapore, also favors the proposed
federation but stipulates that Singapore should retain the right to maintain
its own policies in the fields of labor and education. Should Singapore ac-
quire complete independence, instead of becoming a part of the new Federation,
Lee fears that it would become a left-wing Chinese political entity surrounded
by Malays -- "the Israel of Southeast Asia." Britain favors the proposed Fed-
eration, with some reservations, and will relinquish sovereignty over Singapore
and British Borneo to Malaysia upon actual federation. Although none of the
component states of Malaysia is a member of SEATO, the United Kingdom, which is
a SEATO signatory, will retain the right to use the Singapore military base.
Before the federation is consummated, however, and apparently chiefly as a pro
forma act in keeping with the British policy of self-determination, a five-man
Commission of Inquiry is first to ascertain the views of the people of Sarawak
and North Borneo towards the new Federation and to confer with the Sultan of
Brunei. Many in British Borneo have reservations about joining the Federation
although guarantees of a privileged position have been offered by the Malaysia
Solidarity Consultative Committee, a representative body that is attempting to
work out details of federation. From the Communist element, which views the
Malaysia concept with alarm, dissension and possibly violence can be expected.
Difficulties emanating from the underdeveloped economies as well as from
the ethnic complexity of the components may affect the viability of the new
Federation. Heavy dependence upon income from products of primary industry,
particularly tin and rubber, will expose the economy of Malaysia to consider-
able instability resulting from international price fluctuations. Furthermore,
none of the component states is self-sufficient in its main food staple, rice,
and all must depend upon imports of up to 50 percent of their needs, as in the
case of Sarawak.
Dynamics of Location
Of paramount consideration is the location of Malaysia, no part of which is
more than about 7 degrees from the Equator (see Map 35842A). Most of the area
has a tropical climate, with heavy rainfall and uniformly high temperatures.
These characteristics have had a marked influence upon the development of the
local economies, notably in the fields of agriculture, lumbering, and trans-
portation.
The specific locations of the component states have further significance.
Singapore owes its importance chiefly to its position at the entrance to an
interoaean bottleneck, the Strait of Malacca, which has been likened to the man-
made Suez and Panama Canals. Singapore thus controls the main east-west con-
nection between the Indian and Pacific Oceans (via the South China Sea), and
along the north-south axis, it occupies a strategic position between mainland
Asia and Australasia- As a consequence, international shipping transiting the
area generally stops twice at Singapore -- once on the outgoing trip and once
on the return trip -- thus doubling much of the port's trade. Should the much-
discussed Kra Isthmus cannl across peninsular Thailand from Victoria Point to
Chumphon (see Map 35842A) be constructed, however, the strategic importance of
Singapore's position might well decline, since the proposed canal would shorten
the distance and sailing time between ports of East Asia and the Indian Ocean.
* In this memorandum, the term "Malaysia" applies to the proposed Federation
of Malaysia, "Malaya" to the present Federation of Malaya, and "Singapore" to
the State of Singapore. "British Borneo" refers to the combination of North
Borneo, Brunei, and Sarawak.
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Nakhon Si Thammarat
CHINA
r SAIGON
THAILAND
CELE? S 04
4004
A
.. -:?. Tig.mpat
r...--\
41+71;W.
nflt li
Ili
1-'1
HAL.
Palembang?
Bancljengaeln
ORIENTATION MAP
Airline distances are
in statute miles
e,00 nyo 600 Odes
200 400 600 Mummers
Kar
SINGAPORE,
SUMATRA 1)
Tambilahant,i,
Star
PM AU PERAK
406 0000)
S 0 If 7'
CHI A
. Pulau
pTengeol
S E A
Kuala Moist,
fang
SARAN)
Refinery
Petroleum
MIRI OIL
lerantut
Knantan
Pekan
Klearan
MALAYA and SINGAPORE
MINERALS
0 Tin 21 Iron S Bauxite
Port
Mason
Malacca
cf SOUTH NATUNA
ISLANDS
CULTIVATED CROPS
Rubber Rice
Coconuts (copra)
Road State boundary
-1-1-1. Railroad e State capital
I.- Airfield
0 2,5 50 7,5 Miles
SUMATRA
ereuSI
IZA ORE (U.K)
SING PORE
?Q.
-"reita
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As evidenced by these statistics, the percentage decrease of Chinese in Ma-
laya and Singapore has been offset by the increase of Chinese in British Borneo,
and consequently Chinese will still represent about 42 percent of the total pop-
ulation of Malaysia. Undoubtedly, they offer a challenge to the new Federation
because of their greater cohesiveness, dominating position in business, and
relatively high standards of education. In Sarawak, in 1960, less than 35 per-
cent of the school-age population of Malay, Dayak, and other native groups was
in school, in contrast to 80 percent of the Chinese children, most of whom
attended the 231 primary schools that are under Chinese management and in which
Chinese is the medium of instruction.
In British Borneo a distrust of Malaya and racial pride are among the paro-
chialisms that will have to be faced by the new Federation. Many in British
Borneo fear that the area will be colonized by the more advanced peoples of
Malaya, and indigenous peoples such as the Sea and Land Dayaks of Sarawak re-
fuse, as a matter of racial pride, to use Malay in their schools although
Malay and English are the official languages. Consequently, as its Education
Department indicated in 1960, Sarawak lacks even the unifying force of a lingua
franca.
In contrast to such possible divisive forces is the potentially significant
unifying influence of the Islamic religion, which is professed by an estimated
one-third of the population of British Borneo and by an overwhelming majority
of the Malays of Malaya. The terms "Malay" and "Muslim" have become almost
interchangeable, and nominally any convert to Islam in the Malaysian area is
known as a "Malay."
Present economic dependence upon such products as rubber, tin, and petroleum
holds haz'ards for Malaysia beyond those inherent in the erratic prices on the
world market. The natural-rubber market is threatened by competition from the
synthetic product. In an effort to insure competitive pricing of natural rubber,
high-yielding trees that produce 3 or 4 times present yields have been planted.
For tin and petroleum, the future is more uncertain. Although the Kinta Valley
of Malaya, near Ipoh/-is still the world's most productive tin field, deposits
of high quality Malayan ore are being depleted. Since no important new tin re-
sources have been found, a reworking of already mined grounds may become neces-
sary for continued production, thus increasing the cost of Malayan tin and making
it less competitive on the international market. Similarly, production of crude
petroleum from the Seria field in Brunei, the chief source of oil in British
Borneo, is declining. Output as of mid-1961 was down to 83,000 barrels daily
as compared to a peak of 120,000 barrels in mid-1957. Extensive exploration,
offshore as well as on land, has failed to locate an important new deposits.
All of the components of Malaysia have adopted plans for improving their
economies. In Malaya 3.5 million acres are currently in rubber; of these 2
million are in estates and 1.5 million are in holdings of less than 100 acres,
with the majority less than 10 acres. Although this is a relatively equitable
distribution, Malaya is making a significant effort to broaden the land-ownership
base. The economic plans of Malaya and British Borneo involve the opening up of
new agricultural lands to provide holdings of economic size to more of their
people.
Possibly even more important from the point of view of the Malaysian econo-
mies is the need for diversification, with emphasis on industrialization. Brunei,
with its overwhelming dependence on oil, is particularly in need of diversi?
fication. Industrialization is of major importance for Malaya, because of the
increase in its urban population since 1951, and for Singapore, because of its
limited land area, decreasing entrepOt trade, and growing unemployment. The Pio-
neer Industry program of Malaya, with its tax-free benefits to approved new indus-
tries, and the work of the Economic Development Board of Singapore provide further
evidence of the efforts being made by the component parts of Malaysia to develop
viable economies that will be essential to the survival of the new Federation.
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OVERSEAS CHINESE IN MALAYSIA
PERCENTAGE OF CHINESE IN TOTAL POPULATION
5 10 20 30 40 50 60 80
dISIONS OF
.4ALAYA
Perlis
Xedah
Penang
Perak
Xelantan
Trengganu
Pahang
elangor
-Negri Sembilan
Malacca
johore
Internal administrative boundary
(Effective as of the date of information
for each country)
Malaya 1957 Sarawak 1947
Singapore 1958 Brunei 1947
North Borneo 1951
JESSELTON
GREAT
NATUNA ISLANDS
(-'1\ GREAT
N.ATUNA
PHLAU-PULAU
ANAMBAS
g Nenasi
6
SOUTH NATUNA
ISLANDS
Bahru
f,NGAPORE
(U.K.
P. 3INTA)
N
KEPULAUAN RIAU
D 0
.Sintang
,,PULAU,PlJLAU
LINGGA
S?J
10 Miles
g 10 Kilometers
Kuala
Belait
2 Bnundortes are not necessarily those 114
recognized by the U.S. Government.
SEPIA
OILFIELD
/DIVISIONS OF
BRITISH BORNEO
SARA WAK
I. First Division
2. Second Division
3. Third Division
4. Fourth Division
5. Fifth Division
BRUNEI
6. Belait District
7. Tutong District
8. Brunei District
9. Temburong District
NORTH BORNEO
10. Labuan and Interior Residency
11. West Coast Residency
12. East Coast Residency
cQs
Medang.
Tre. ISLAND
PULAIr'ss.,
esstsl
5
O
ud1.6-
ota Doled /
T COAST 1"
iSIDENCY
StILU
SEA
CAGAYANU
S LU
ISLAND
oRanau
sANIC'AKA
RESIDENCY
de petroleum pipe
roleum products pi
DISTRICTS of BRUNEI
1. BRIJNEI AND MUAILA
2. TUTONO
3. BELA1T
4 TEMBURONG
LASUAN
BRUNEI Vtor
British Prinectorate)--1,
oketon
BRUN uara
Tuiong
0 11 T H-
S E- A
\
--$
RES_IDENC,
( SIBUTU
GROUP
Lawes
4(
-N ivis,,i( ,
/
.----. ,
\ 1
AMOR
SIDENCI
BRITISH BORNEO
IRD DIVISION
0 R N E 0
c (INDONESIA)
CULTIVATED CROPS
Ei Rubber k Rice
Coconuts (copra) () Sago
o Pepper 9 Tobhcco
_._._ Internal administrative boundary
o Internal administrative capital
Road 1-1--i? Railroad Airfield
O 50 r 190 Miles
O 0 1.150 Kilometers
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Population Groups
Chinese
Malays
Indians and Pakistanis
Eurasians
Europeans
Others
Total
1960
Number Percent
1,230,700
227,300
137,800
12,200
12,700
13,400
1,634,100
75.3
13.9
8.4
0.8
0.8
0.8
100.0
1947
Percent
77.8
12.1
7.3
1.o
1.0
0.8
100.0
The total population increase from 1947 to 1960 was 74.1 percent. Although
the Chinese population increased 68.6 percent and the Malay 99.7 percent during
this period, the percentage of Chinese to the total population declined only
slightly -- to 75.3 percent. The birth rates of all segments of the population
are high and, as a result, about half of the population of Singapore is under
19 years of age. The overall density amounts to almost 8,000 persons per square
mile on the 210-square-mile island. Actually, however, 75 percent of the popu-
lation is concentrated within the limits of the city, which occupies some 32
square miles on the south side of the island.
British Borneo (Sarawak, Brunei, and North Borneo): An outstanding charac-
teristic of the population of British Borneo is its great diversity. In the
complicated ethnic picture are many tribal groups that differ from each other in
language, customs, and economic pursuits. In Sarawak, for example, the census
category, "Malays and Other Indigenous," includes Malays, Sea Dayaks, Land Dayaks,
Melanau, Kayans, Kenyahs, Bisayaks, Kedayans, Kelabits, Muruts, and other smaller
groups. Even within groups such as the Sea Dayaks, the language of a tribe in
one area may be unintelligible to a tribe in another area. For most of the indig-
enous people, group consciousness does not go beyond the confines of the village.
The ethnic composition of the population of British Borneo by number and per-
cent is presented in the following tabulation:
Population Groups
1960
Number Percent
Malays and Other Indigenous 876,079 68.3
Chinese 355,681 27.7
Europeans and Others 50,828 4.o
Total
1,282,588 100.0
1947
Percent
72.7
24.7
2.6
100.0
The increase in the percent of Chinese is particularly significant in view of the
great diversity among the other groups. Unlike Singapore, North Borneo has a
perennial shortage of labor which is met through the immigration of migrant work-
ers. Some 10,000 Indonesian migrant laborers may be found in the Tawau-Sandakan
area at any given time.
Tasks and Challenges
Major sources of possible friction in the Federation of Malaysia will be its
ethnic complexity and the inherent fears and antipathies among its peoples. Ma-
laya, which has dreaded being swamped by the predominantly Chinese population of
Singapore, sees a possible solution to this problem in the combined population of
the new Federation. A comparison of the number of Chinese in each component and
in the total population of Malaysia is shown below for 1960 and 1947:
Malaya
Singapore
North Borneo
Brunei
Sarawak
Malaysia
Chinese
2,520,000
1,230,000
104,855
21,759
229,067
4,106,381
1960 Estimates 1947
Total
6,815,000
1,634,ioo
454,328
83,869
744,391
Percent of
Total
36.9
75.3
23.0
25.0
30.7
9,,731,688 42.1
Chinese
1,887,000
929,473
74,374
8,300
145,158
2,843)305
Total
908, 000
938,144
334,141
40,657
546,385
6 767 34i
Percent of
Total
CQN4:14.DENZIAL_
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38.4
77.8
22.2
20.4
26.5
42.1
,E3,4444:1434E1104f4,41
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O9 ri is orneo on the island of Borneo is noteworthy in the
context of potential ambitions of a nationalistic Indonesia, which currently
governs three-quarters of the island. The 900-mile international border on
Borneo extends through a sparsely populated, generally densely forested, moun-
tainous region; only a very mall segment of the boundary in the area southwest
of Kuching has been demarcated. When the primitive people of interior Borneo
move across this border, they almost certainly do so in total ignorance of the
existence of a boundary. The location of the Indonesian-owned Natuna Islands
midway between British Borneo and Malaya may create further difficulties should
Indonesian expansionist aspirations toward British Borneo materialize. Some
reports also indicate that the Philippines may press an old claim to North Borneo
that is based on a grant given to the Sultan of Sulu in 1704. Groups in North
Borneo opposed to federation would probably seize upon any of these situations
to further their attempt to block the formation of Malaysia.
The proximity of Malaya to Sumatra, in conjunction with the ethnic and reli-
gious affinities of their peoples -- most of whom are Malay stock and adherents
of the Islamic religion -- suggests possible future relations between Malaysia
and Sumatra. Malaysia would probably offer attractions for the Sumatrans, who
are traditionally more conservative than the Javanese, should the Indonesian
Government move too far to the left politically. During the Japanese occupation,
Sumatra was governed from Singapore.
Terrain
The terrain of much of Malaysia is not conducive to human occupance and eco-
nomic development. The interiors of Malaya and British Borneo are mostly moun-
tainous and densely forested; and the extensive coastal swamps, especially in
Sarawak, not only are unsuited to settlement but also impede access to the inte-
rior. Largely as a consequence of the restricting influence of the forests, the
swamps, and the infertile lateritic soils, an estimated 8o percent of Malaysia
is uninhabited and devoid of any form of productive economy. Population con-
centrations and economic activity are chiefly in the foothills, along some of
the valleys, and on the coastal plains. Transportation routes are restricted
and inadequate. Where they exist, the routes not only serve as unifying ele-
ments among the settlements but also set the pattern for future development, as
in the case of the Malayan rubber plantations, which generally became estab-
lished in areas that could be serviced by the existing tin-field rail lines.
Economic Aspects
The economies of the components of Malaysia are dominated by agriculture
except for Singapore, which is dependent upon trade, and Brunei, which relies
on petroleum production. Non-food commodities -- principally rubber, palm oil,
and copra or coconut oil -- are the chief agricultural products of Malaya on
the basis of both acreage and value. In British Borneo the same crops rank
first in value but they are surpassed in acreage by food crops, chiefly rice.
The major nonagricultural products are tin, petroleum, timber, iron ore, and
bauxite (see Maps 358)-f2B and 35842C).
An indication of the relative importance of these products in the economies
of the producing components of Malaysia is given below:
Principal Exports
Million Malayan Dollars 2/
(1960)
Malaya
North Borneo
Brunei
Sarawak
Rubber
1,829.0
40.2
4.5
122.4
Tin
507.0
0
0
0
Petroleum
0
0
240.1
2.0
Timber
Iron ore
55.0
140.0
91.0
o
Negl.
o
Negl.
o
Copra and coconut oil
24.0
40.2
Negl.
Negl.
Palm oil
60.0
Negl.
Negl.
Negl.
Pepper
Negl.
Negl.
Negl.
17.2
Bauxite
6.5
o
o
4.0
a. All monetary units in this memorandum are Malayan dollars, the common
monetary unit established after World War II by the British for the Malaysia
area; at official exchange rates one US dollar equals three Malayan dollars.
Malaya obviously will be the main source of exports from the new Federation, and
the chief exports, at least for the near future, will be rubber, tin, petroleum,
timber, and iron ore. Currently, the economies of the Malaysian components are
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not complementary, although much of the petroleum produced in Brunei and in the
Miri field of Sarawak is processed and refined in the Lutong refinery of Sarawak
(see Map 35842C). Malaya and Singapore, however, are pushing industrial devel-
opment, and new industries may use some of the primary production as raw materi-
als. Federation probably will benefit Singapore (which in recent years has been
plagued by decreasing trade) because the components can be expected to channel
more of their trade through the port.
In addition to being a focus of interocean shipping, Singapore is a main
port of exit and entry for much of Malaya and a center for the coastal trade
of Indonesia and British Borneo. Raw produce from these areas is sent to
Singapore and, after processing, grading, and packing, is exported to world
markets.
In 1959, the total trade of Singapore amounted to 35,826.2 million, of which
.3,105.6 million were imports and 32,720.7 million exports, leaving an unfavor-
able trade balance of 3381l.8 million. The main imports were rubber, petroleum
products, rice and other foodstuffs, and textiles; the chief exports were rubber,
petroleum products, ship and aircraft, stores, and rice and other foodstuffs. By
value the chief sources of imports were Indonesia, the United Kingdom, japan, and
Sarawak; and the chief recipients of exports were the United States, the United
Kingdom, "Other Countries in Europe," Japan, and Indonesia. In 1959, Indonesia
provided 37 percent of the imports by value but received only 4.8 percent of the
exports as compared with 14.2 percent in 1958 -- a decrease caused largely by a
virtual embargo on textile imports by Indonesia. In view of the economic diffi-
culties of Singapore, it is worth noting that British military bases there employ
directly 35,000 Singapore citizens and indirectly, many thousands more.
Demography
Malaya: The estimated population of Malaya in 1960 was 6.82 million or about
70 percent of the total for the entire Malaysian area. The following tabulation
gives the 1957 census figures for the ethnic composition of the population by
number and by percent of the total and, for purposes of comparison, the corre-
sponding percentages for 1947.
Population Groups
1957
1947
Percent
Number
Percent
Malays
3,126,706
49.8
49.5
Chinese
2,332,936
37.2
38.4
Indians
695,985
11.3
10.8
Europeans
and Others
123,136
1.7
1.3
Total
6,278,763
100.0
100.0
Significantly, the 1957 census shows that, of the 2.67 million persons in urban
centers, 64 percent or 1.7 million were Chinese. (The percentage of Chinese to
the total population by second-order administrative division for the Malaysian
area is shown on Map 35842D.)
Because of restrictions on immigration of other races since 1931 and a higher
birthrate among the Malays, the percentage of Malays to the total population in-
creased slightly between 1947 and 1957, whereas the percentage of Chinese decreas-
ed slightly. Projections indicate that the proportion of Malays can be expected
to increase to 51.6 percent by 1972 and that of Chinese to decrease correspond-
ingly. The segment of population involved will still be under voting and employ-
ment age in 1972. At present about 60 percent of the population is under 21 years
of age.
The Malay population has its chief concentrations in the rice areas of the
northeast and northwest and along the Johore coast, whereas the Chinese and
Indians are most densely settled in a belt about 40 miles wide along the west
coast. The concentration in this belt, which coincides largely with the areas
of tin and rubber production, reflects the importation of Chinese and Indian
laborers by the thousands during the 1800's.
Singapore: The official estimate of the population of Singapore as of June
1960 was 1,634,100 or about 17 percent of the total population of the Malaysian
area as of 1960. Its ethnic composition by number and percent follows:
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