DARURAT DI TANAH MELAYU, 1948-1960: PENELITIAN AWAL BERDASARKAN LAPORAN AKHBAR NANYANG SIANG PAU

EMERGENCY IN MALAY PENINSULA, 1948-1960: PRELIMINARY RESEARCH BASED ON NANYANG SIANG PAU NEWSPAPER REPORTS

Abstract

Artikel ini membincangkan mengenai corak kehidupan masyarakat Cina di Tanah Melayu berikutan pengisytiharan darurat pada tahun 1948 hingga 1960. Pendudukan Jepun di Tanah Melayu menimbulkan prasangka dan keruncingan hubungan etnik. Hal yang demikian diterjemahkan dalam bentuk pergaduhan di antara orang Melayu dan Cina apabila tentera Jepun menyerah kalah. Parti Komunis Malaya yang mahu mengambil tampuk pemerintahan mula bertindak zalim dan melakukan keganasan di Tanah Melayu. Penelitian makalah ini ialah terhadap berita yang dilaporkan oleh akhbar Nanyang Siang Pau yang mula diterbitkan selepas Perang Dunia Kedua. Akhbar tersebut merupakan medium penting bercorak harian dan melaporkan keadaan semasa yang banyak melibatkan etnik Cina. Di samping itu, corak kehidupan masyarakat Cina dan usaha yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan dalam pembanterasan komunis turut diteliti. Perbincangan artikel ini menggunakan pendekatan sejarah yang merujuk kepada rekod Arkib Negara Malaysia, akhbar Nanyang Siang Pau dan dokumen sekunder yang lain. Di samping itu, wawancara bersama informan juga turut digunakan. Hasil penelitian mendapati bahawa akhbar Nanyang Siang Pau menjadi salah satu saluran penting dan bermakna dalam merekodkan serta memberikan maklumat kepada masyarakat Cina ketika berlaku peristiwa darurat di Tanah Melayu.

This article discusses the patterns of life of the Chinese community in Malaya following the declaration of the Emergency from 1948 to 1960. The Japanese occupation of Malaya created suspicion and heightened ethnic tensions. This situation was reflected in clashes between the Malays and the Chinese after the Japanese forces surrendered. The Malayan Communist Party, which sought to take control of the government, began to act cruelly and carry out acts of violence in Malaya. This article examines news reports published by Nanyang Siang Pau, a newspaper that began publication after the Second World War. The newspaper was an important daily medium that reported current developments, many of which involved the Chinese community. In addition, the article also examines the living patterns of the Chinese community and the efforts undertaken by the government to combat communism. The discussion in this article adopts a historical approach by referring to records from the National Archives of Malaysia, Nanyang Siang Pau newspaper reports, and other secondary documents. Interviews with informants are also used. The findings show that Nanyang Siang Pau served as one of the important and meaningful channels for recording and providing information to the Chinese community during the Emergency in Malaya.