SPM Sejarah key terms

A feeling of loyalty and devotion to one's nation, which in Malaya grew among educated elites and religious reformers who wanted independence from colonial rule.

Reformist Malay-Muslim group in early 20th-century Malaya, inspired by Middle Eastern Islamic modernism, who urged education and social change through magazines such as Al-Imam.

Traditionalist Malay-Muslim scholars who defended established religious practice and resisted the reformist ideas of the Kaum Muda, especially on education and interpretation of Islam.

An Islamic school teaching religious subjects alongside some modern subjects; its growth in Malaya reflected reformist influence and produced a literate, politically aware Malay elite.

British administrative scheme of 1946 that merged the Malay states and Straits Settlements under a governor and weakened Malay rulers' sovereignty; mass Malay opposition led to its replacement by the Federation of Malaya.

United Malays National Organisation, founded in 1946 to oppose the Malayan Union; it became the dominant Malay political party and led the independence movement with allied parties.

Agreement replacing the Malayan Union, restoring the Malay rulers' positions and tightening citizenship rules; it was the constitutional basis for self-government and later independence.

Communities Liaison Committee set up in 1949, bringing together Malay, Chinese and other leaders to discuss citizenship and education, building habits of inter-ethnic negotiation before independence.

Alliance of UMNO, MCA and MIC formed to contest the 1955 election; its landslide win gave it a mandate to negotiate independence from Britain.

Reid Commission of 1956–57 that drafted the constitution of independent Malaya, addressing citizenship, the position of Malay rulers, Islam and special safeguards for Malays.

The Federal Constitution of Malaya (1957) and later Malaysia, setting out the monarchy, citizenship, fundamental liberties, federal-state division and special provisions for Malays.

The unwritten understanding in the independence settlement: citizenship for non-Malays in exchange for recognising Malay special rights, Islam as official religion and Malay as national language.

The Emergency declared in 1948 against the Malayan Communist Party; it brought resettlement of rural Chinese into new villages, military operations and restrictions on movement until 1960.

The Communist Party's mass support network of food suppliers, couriers and informants among rural Chinese; cutting it off was the aim of resettlement and food-control policies.

Briggs Plan of 1950 that moved scattered squatters into guarded new villages to separate them from communist guerrillas, combining resettlement with food denial and local defence.

Tunku Abdul Rahman's 1961 proposal to merge Malaya with Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei into one federation, justified by economic strength and regional stability.

Cobbold Commission of 1962 that surveyed opinion in Sabah and Sarawak on joining Malaysia; its report supported federation and shaped the terms of entry.

The Malaysia Agreement signed in London, setting conditions for Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore to join the federation, including safeguards later written into the constitution.

Indonesia's armed and political campaign against the formation of Malaysia from 1963, involving border incursions, sabotage and propaganda until it ended in 1966.

Racial riots after the 1969 general election, which revealed deep economic and social imbalances and led to emergency rule, the NOC and a new national ideology.

National ideology proclaimed in 1970 with five principles: belief in God, loyalty to king and country, the constitution, rule of law, and good behaviour and morality.

New Economic Policy launched in 1971 to reduce poverty and restructure society so that economic roles were no longer tied to ethnicity, with targets for Malay ownership and participation.

National Front coalition that replaced the Alliance in 1974 by widening membership to more parties; it dominated Malaysian politics for decades through consensus and power-sharing.

Vision announced in 1991 aiming for Malaysia to be a fully developed, united and self-confident nation by 2020, listing nine challenges including unity and economic justice.

Look East Policy of 1982 that encouraged Malaysians to learn from Japanese and South Korean work ethics, management and industrial practices rather than Western models alone.

Industrialisation, especially the shift from import substitution to export-oriented manufacturing from the late 1960s, which transformed Malaysia's economy and urban employment.

The system in which one country rules another territory and its people; in Southeast Asia it shaped borders, economies and anti-colonial movements studied in this syllabus.

The policy of extending a state's power over other lands, often driven by trade, raw materials, strategic rivalry and ideas of cultural superiority in the 19th century.

The process by which colonies gained independence, in Southeast Asia largely after the Second World War through negotiation, armed struggle or a mixture of both.

Independence movements across Southeast Asia that drew on education, religion, wartime experience and anti-colonial grievance, producing leaders such as Sukarno, Ho Chi Minh and Tunku Abdul Rahman.

The global rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union after 1945, which shaped Southeast Asian conflicts including the Vietnam War and influenced Malaysia's foreign policy.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations, founded in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand to promote regional cooperation, stability and economic growth.

Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, agreed by ASEAN states in 1995, committing members not to develop or host nuclear weapons in the region.

Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality declared by ASEAN in 1971, aiming to keep Southeast Asia free from great-power interference during the Cold War.

Evidence produced at the time of an event, such as letters, speeches, photographs, official records or artefacts, used by historians to build firsthand accounts.

Later material such as textbooks, journal articles or documentaries that interprets and comments on primary evidence rather than originating from the period studied.

The reliability of evidence judged by its author, date, purpose, bias and whether it can be checked against other sources; central to source-based questions.

A reasoned judgement at the end of an answer that weighs the evidence presented and directly answers the question asked, rather than merely repeating earlier points.

Drawing a conclusion that goes beyond the literal words of a source, supported by specific details quoted or described from it, as required in KBAT source questions.