13 May incident

1969 Sino-Malay sectarian violence in Kuala Lumpur March 2015 May 2026 13 May IncidentPeristiwa 13 Meiڤريستيوا 13 مي五一三事件13 மே சம்பவம் Page 6 of The Straits Times, published on 15 May 1969 (cropped).jpg 300px Crowds on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, with the flames of a burning car and shophouse, 13 May 1969. 1969 05 13 y Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Results of the 1969 Malaysian general election, when the ruling Alliance Party lost seats to the Chinese-majority Democratic Action Party and Parti Gerakan. Widespread rioting, looting, assault, arson, protests, property damage, murder Declaration of a state of emergency by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Suspension of Parliament Temporary establishment of the National Operations Council Resignation of Tunku Abdul Rahman as prime minister Implementation of Rukun Negara Implementation of New Economic Policy Increased racial tensions between the ethnic groups of the country Eventual formation of Barisan Nasional Flag of the United Malays National Organisation.svg UMNO, Malay supporters and civilians Malaysian Chinese and Indian civilians Malaysia Malaysian Government 18px Royal Malaysia Police Federal Reserve Unit General Operations Force 18px Malaysian Army Royal Malay Regiment Flag of the United Malays National Organisation.svg Harun Idris 18px Mohamed Salleh IsmaelFlag of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg Tunku Osman 25 killed (official figure, disputed) 143 killed (official figure, disputed)600 killedMay 13: 50 Years Later https://www.rage.com.my/may13/ R.AGE The Star Media Group 4 July 2026Lui Mabel Why film on Malaysian history's darkest day, Snow in Midsummer, about the deadly 1969 sectarian riots, was so hard to make https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3261692/why-film-malaysian-historys-darkest-day-snow-midsummer-about-deadly-1969-sectarian-riots-was-so-hard South China Morning Post 7 May 2024 4 July 2026 (other source)3,500 refugeesSlimming 1969 49 Unknown The 13 May incident was a period of violent racial conflict that erupted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 13 May 1969, following that year's general election. The clashes primarily involved the Malay and Chinese communities and were caused by political and ethnic tensions after opposition parties such as the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Gerakan made substantial electoral gains in the election, challenging the ruling Alliance Party's dominance.Cheah Boon Kheng Malaysia: The Making of a Nation Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Singapore 2002 97–100 9789812301758 In response, the king, on the government's advice, declared a state of emergency, suspended parliament, and entrusted civilian administration to the National Operations Council (NOC) under Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak. While official sources cited 196 fatalities, other sources suggest the toll was much higher—from nearly 600 to over a thousand, with most victims being Chinese.Kua Kia Soong May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969 Suaram Petaling Jaya 2007 17 9789834136765 Thousands were injured or displaced, and curfews were enforced to restore order.Means Gordon P. Malaysian Politics: The Second Generation Oxford University Press Singapore 1991 26–30 9780195889888 https://web.archive.org/web/20071011030700/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/16/asia/AS-GEN-Malaysia-Race-Riot-Book.php 11 October 2007 http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/16/asia/AS-GEN-Malaysia-Race-Riot-Book.php New book on 1969 race riots in Malaysia may be banned, officials warn International Herald Tribune 16 May 2007 22 November 2022 The event was significant in Malaysian politics, as it forced the first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, to step down from office and hand power to Abdul Razak Hussein. It was also a pivotal moment that reshaped Malaysia's socioeconomic policies, as Abdul Razak's government shifted their domestic policies to favour Malays with the implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP), and the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) restructured the political system to advance Malay dominance through affirmative action in accordance with the ideology of Ketuanan Melayu ( "Malay supremacy").Jomo K. S. The New Economic Policy and Interethnic Relations in Malaysia UNRISD United Nations Research Institute for Social Development 2004 3–5 https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/45937/7.pdf 13 June 2025 The incident has remained a sensitive and, at times, taboo topic in Malaysian society, with open discussion often avoided due to prevailing political sensitivities.Weiss Meredith L. Political Violence in Southeast Asia Since 1945: Case Studies from Six Countries Taylor Jon Malaysia: The Politics of Ethnic Violence Routledge 2023 128–129 9780367675592 Ethnic relations between the Malay and Chinese communities have stabilised since the incident but remain fragile, occasionally strained by political rhetoric and socioeconomic disparities.Sepanyol Safwan Ethnic Relations in Peninsular Malaysia: The Cultural and Economic Dimensions Academia.edu 2018 https://www.academia.edu/35199883 13 June 2025 Precursors Ethnic divide History of Malaysia On 31 August 1957, Malaya gained its independence from colonial rule. The country, however, suffered from a sharp division of wealth between the Chinese, who dominated most urban areas and were perceived to be in control of a large portion of the nation's economy, and the Malays, who were generally poorer and lived in more rural areas. The special privileged position of Malay political power, however, is guaranteed under Article 153 of the constitution, written during Malayan independence. https://books.google.com/books?id=PdfIAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA39 The Christianity of culture: conversion, ethnic citizenship, and the matter of religion in Malaysian Borneo 39 Liana Chua Palgrave Macmillan 2012 978-1-137-01272-2 There were heated debates between Malay groups wanting radical measures to institutionalise Malay supremacy (Ketuanan Melayu), while Chinese groups called for their "racial" interest to be protected, and non-Malay opposition party members arguing for a 'Malaysian Malaysia' rather than Malay privilege.https://books.google.com/books?id=n0L9AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA14 Islam, Politics and Youth in Malaysia: The Pop-Islamist Reinvention of PAS Dominik M. Mueller 13–14 Routledge 2014 978-0-415-84475-8 In 1963, amid a background of racial tension, Malaysia was formed as a federation that incorporated Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia), Singapore, North Borneo, and Sarawak. There had been several incidents of racial conflict between Malays and Chinese before the 1969 riots. For example, in Penang, hostility between the races turned into violence during the centenary celebration of George Town in 1957, which resulted in several days of fighting and several deaths,https://books.google.com/books?id=UwA1aaB2WGgC&pg=PA275 The Deadly Ethnic Riot Donald L. Horowitz University of California Press 2003 275 978-0-520-23642-4 and there were further disturbances in 1959 and 1964 as well as a riot in 1967, which originated as a protest against currency devaluation but turned into racial killings.http://penangmonthly.com/penangs-forgotten-protest-the-1967-hartal/ 25 August 2014 Penang's forgotten protest: The 1967 Hartal Penang Monthly 7 May 2015 30 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161130121707/http://penangmonthly.com/penangs-forgotten-protest-the-1967-hartal/ dead https://books.google.com/books?id=UwA1aaB2WGgC&pg=PA255 The Deadly Ethnic Riot Donald L. Horowitz University of California Press 2003 255 978-0-520-23642-4 In Singapore, antagonism between the races led to the 1964 race riots, which contributed to the separation of Singapore from Malaysia on 9 August 1965. 1969 national election In the 1969 general election, the governing coalition of the Alliance Party faced a strong challenge from opposition parties, in particular the two newly formed and mainly Chinese parties, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Gerakan. The election was preceded by outbreaks of racial incidents that contributed to a tense atmosphere. A Malay political worker was killed by a Chinese gang in Penang, while a Chinese Labour Party activist was shot and killed in a clash with police in Kuala Lumpur.Julian C. H. Lee https://books.google.com/books?id=ffqhasVKyncC Islamization and Activism in Malaysia 41 Institute of Southeast Asian Studies 2010 978-981-4279-03-1 Radical opponents called for a boycott of the election and threatened violence, but the funeral procession of the shot activist, which drew large crowds of more than ten thousand and was held before election day, passed largely peacefully despite a number of disruptive incidents.May 13: Before and After. by Tunku Abdul Rahman; Malaysia: Death of a Democracy. by John Slimming; The May 13 Tragedy: A Report. by The National Operations Council; The May Thirteenth Incident and Democracy in Malaysia. by Goh Cheng Tiek Gayl D. Ness The Journal of Asian Studies 31 3 May 1972 734–736 10.1017/s0021911800137969 2052316Ranjit Gill https://p-library2.s3.filebase.com/singapore-malaysia/Ranjit%20Gill/Of%20Political%20Bondage%20%281954%29/Of%20Political%20Bondage%20-%20Ranjit%20Gill.pdf Of Political Bondage Sterling Corporate Services 1990 981-00-2136-4 Singapore 78–80 5 September 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220904173053/https://p-library2.s3.filebase.com/singapore-malaysia/Ranjit%20Gill/Of%20Political%20Bondage%20%281954%29/Of%20Political%20Bondage%20-%20Ranjit%20Gill.pdf 4 September 2022 livehttps://books.google.com/books?id=QooeAAAAMAAJ Malay Politics in Malaysia: A Study of the United Malays National Organisation and Party Islam N. John Funston Heinemann Educational Books (Asia) 1980 208 9780686318187 The general election was held on 10 May 1969, without any incidents. The result showed that the Alliance had won less than half of the popular vote, a major setback for the ruling coalition.Ooi 2004 138–139 On the national level, the Alliance had gained a majority of seats in parliament, albeit a significantly reduced one. The number of seats won by the Chinese component of the Alliance, the Malaysian Chinese Association, had been reduced by half. On the state level, the Alliance had only gained the majority in Selangor by co-operating with the sole independent candidate as the opposition had tied with the Alliance for control of the Selangor state legislature (although immediately after the election, it was unclear that the Alliance would still have control). The Alliance lost control of Kelantan (to the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party) and Perak, and the opposition Gerakan won control of the state government in Penang.https://books.google.com/books?id=NOtXcEmHdjoC&pg=PA105 Malaysia: The Making of a Nation Boon Kheng Cheah 105 Institute of Southeast Asian Studies 2002 978-9812301543 Post-election celebrations On the nights of 11 and 12 May, the DAP and Gerakan celebrated their success in the election, with permission being sought by Tan Chee Khoon from the police. In particular, a large Gerakan procession welcomed the Gerakan leader, V. David.https://books.google.com/books?id=iG5wAAAAMAAJ&q=%2211th+and+12th+May,+the+Opposition+celebrated%22 May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969 Kia Soong Kua 2007 42 Suaram 978-9834136765 Opposition parades passed through Malay communities such as Kampung Baru and were alleged to be highly provocative, with non-Malays taunting Malays while bearing slogans such as "ms Semua Melayu kasi habis" (finish off all the Malays) and "ms Kuala Lumpur sekarang Cina punya" (Kuala Lumpur now belongs to the Chinese).https://books.google.com/books?id=RkWCNJCl0WAC&pg=PA78 Hwang In-Won 2003 Personalized Politics: The Malaysian State under Mahathir 78 Institute of Southeast Asian Studies 981-230-185-2 Some opposition supporters were said to have driven past the residence of the Selangor chief minister and demanded that he abandon the house in favour of a Chinese person. Celebrations by opposition parties were seen as an attack on Malay political power. Although the election results still favoured the Malays despite losses, the Malay newspaper Utusan Melayu suggested in an editorial that the results had jeopardised the future of Malay rule and that prompt action was required to shore it up. https://books.google.com/books?id=UwA1aaB2WGgC&pg=PA285 The Deadly Ethnic Riot Donald L. Horowitz University of California Press 2003 285 978-0-520-23642-4 On 12 May, members of UMNO Youth indicated to Selangor's Menteri Besar, Harun Idris, that they wanted to hold a victory parade. UMNO then announced a procession that would start from Idris's residence. Tunku Abdul Rahman would later call the retaliatory parade "inevitable, as otherwise the party members would be demoralised after the show of strength by the Opposition and the insults that had been thrown at them". Malays were brought from the rural areas into Kuala Lumpur, which was then a predominantly Chinese city. Thousands of Malays, some of them armed, arrived to join the parade. https://books.google.com/books?id=UwA1aaB2WGgC&pg=PA284 The Deadly Ethnic Riot Donald L. Horowitz University of California Press 2003 284 978-0-520-23642-4 Rioting Early events The UMNO procession was planned for 7:30 pm on 13 May. That morning, Malays began to gather at the residence of Harun Idris on Jalan Raja Muda, on the edge of Kampung Baru, although some were already there as early as Sunday evening. They came from various parts of the state, such as Morib (Harun's constituency) and Banting, and some were said to have came from parts of Perak.Slimming 1969 27 According to the National Operations Council's (NOC) official report, at around 6:30 pm, fistfights broke out in Setapak between a group of Malays from Gombak travelling to the rally and Chinese bystanders who taunted them, and this escalated into bottle- and stone-throwing.von Vorys 1975 328 News of the fighting then reached the gathering crowd in Jalan Raja Muda, and shortly before 6:30 pm, many Malays broke off from the rallying point at Idris's house and headed through adjoining Chinese sections. The Malays, armed with parangs and kris, burned cars and shops, killed, and looted in the Chinese areas. According to Time, at least eight Chinese people were killed in the initial attack.Preparing for a Pogrom http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900859-1,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20071019061451/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C900859-1%2C00.html 19 October 2007 Time 3 18 July 1969 14 May 2007 dead Once violence broke out, it spread rapidly and uncontrollably throughout the city within 45 minutes,http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900859,00.html Race War in Malaysia Time 23 May 1969 14 May 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070518061525/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C900859%2C00.html 18 May 2007 dead to Jalan Campbell, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Batu Road), Kampung Datuk Keramat, Kampung Pandan, Cheras, and Kampung Kerinchi.The National Operations Council 1969 49 Retaliations and armed response thumb|Cars at Jalan Raja Muda, where the riots first began, were overturned and set ablaze. According to John Slimming, who wrote an account of the riot in 1969, the Chinese were taken by surprise and did not retaliate for more than an hour.Slimming 1969 29 The NOC's official report, however, suggested that Chinese secret society elements had prepared for trouble and were in action when the violence started in Kampung Baru.The National Operations Council 1969 53–54 On Batu Road, Chinese and Indian shopkeepers began to form themselves into an improvised defence force, while a Malay mob attempting to storm the Chow Kit Road area was met with armed secret society gang members and ran.von Vorys 1975 333 The Chinese attacked Malays who were found in Chinese areas, and Malay patrons in cinemas were singled out and killed.von Vorys 1975 333 The Chinese also attempted to burn down the UMNO headquarters on Batu Road and besieged the Salak South police station.Slimming 1969 29 The National Operations Council 1969 60 The Sungai Besi police station was attacked, by mobs of unknown ethnicity, according to a report in The Straits Times.14 May 1969 State of crisis in Selangor https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19690514-1.2.2?qt=sungei,%20besi,%20police,%20station&q=sungei%20besi%20police%20station 28 May 2025 The Straits Times 1, 22 The police station at Sungei Besi was attacked. thumb|left|upright|Shophouses set on fire in Kampung Pandan Early in the evening, the rioters were met by police, who used tear gas in an attempt to control them. A 24-hour curfew for Kuala Lumpur was imposed at 7:00 pm.Tunku Abdul Rahman 1969 87 Later, between 8:30 and 9:00 pm, a shoot-to-kill order was given by Inspector General of Police Mohamed Salleh bin Ismael. This was followed by another shoot-to-kill order from the Chief of Armed Forces, General Tunku Osman Jiwa.Slimming 1969 30–31 The army was deployed, and they entered the areas affected by rioting at around 10:00 pm.The National Operations Council 1969 61 Many people who were unaware of the curfew order were shot. Some were also shot while standing in their own doorways and gardens. Foreign correspondents reported seeing members of the Royal Malay Regiment firing into Chinese shophouses for no apparent reason.Slimming 1969 30–31 By 5:00 am the next morning, the authorities at Kuala Lumpur Hospital reported that there were about 80 dead at the facility. Members of the hospital staff also reported that the initial casualties between 7:00 and 8:30 pm had all been Chinese suffering from parang slashes and stab wounds, but that between 8:30 and 10:30 pm, the victims were equally divided between Chinese and Malays. However, after about 10:30 pm, the casualties were almost all Chinese, with nearly all of them suffering from gunshot wounds.Slimming 1969 30–31 Later events thumb|Burnt-out shophouses on Jalan Campbell The army gathered at crucial road junctions and patrolled the main streets, but even though a curfew had been announced, young men in areas such as Kampung Baru and Pudu ignored the order. Although most of the killings occurred on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the burning and looting of Chinese shops and houses by Malays continued, with most incidents of serious arson occurring on Thursday night and Friday; over 450 houses were burnt.Slimming 1969 41–43 People displaced by the riots, most of them Chinese, were sent to official refugee centres in different parts of town—the Malays to Stadium Negara and the Chinese to Stadium Merdeka, Chinwoo Stadium, and Shaw Road School. By Sunday, the number of Chinese refugees had increased to 3,500 in Merdeka Stadium, 1,500 in Chinwoo Stadium, and 800 in Shaw Road School, while the Malays in Stadium Negara had decreased from 650 on Thursday to 250 on Sunday.Slimming 1969 49 Over a thousand refugees were still left in Merdeka Stadium a month after the riot.Slimming 1969 51 left|thumb|257x257px|Jalan Pasar in Pudu under curfew The curfew was relaxed briefly but quickly reimposed on Thursday morning. It was lifted again for three hours on Saturday morning. The curfew was gradually relaxed as the situation slowly returned to normal, but by the end of the month, it was still in force from 3:00 pm until 6:30 am.Slimming 1969 44–46 The violence was concentrated in urban areas, and except for minor disturbances in Malacca, Perak, Penang, and neighbouring Singapore, where the populations of Chinese people were larger, the rest of the country remained calm.Slimming 1969 47–49 On 28 June 1969, rioting broke out again in Sentul when Malays attacked Indians, and 15 were killed.Slimming 1969 64 Casualties According to disputed police figures, a total of 196 people were killed in the riots.Hwang, p. 72. The official figures gave 143 of the dead as Chinese, 25 Malay, 13 Indian, and 15 others (undetermined),von Vorys 1975 364 although unofficial figures suggested a higher number of Chinese deaths.https://books.google.com/books?id=64Fvi7j42wMC&pg=PA226 Social Cohesion and Conflict Prevention in Asia: Managing Diversity Through Development Nat J. Colletta Teck Ghee Lim Anita Kelles-Viitanen Washington, DC : World Bank 2001 226 978-0-8213-4874-1 The police were authorised to bury any dead bodies found or dispose of them in any way they could without inquests or inquiries, and many of these were disposed of undocumented, which made estimation of the number of deaths difficult. Some were reported to have been thrown into the Klang River, and some were believed to have been disposed of in pools in tin mines.Slimming 1969 48 A mass burial of the victims was also captured on film at the Sungai Buloh leper colony near Kuala Lumpur.Slimming 1969 48–49 Western diplomatic sources at that time put the toll at close to 600, and Slimming estimated the number to be around 800 in the first week by including hundreds who were officially missing; other observers and correspondents suggested four-figure numbers.von Vorys 1975 368 Slimming 1969 47–48 According to official figures, 439 individuals were also recorded as injured. 753 cases of arson were logged, and 211 vehicles were destroyed or severely damaged. Immediate effects Immediately after the riot, the government assumed emergency powers and suspended parliament, which would reconvene again in 1971. It also briefly suspended the press and established the National Operations Council (NOC).Malaysian Politics in the New Media Age: Implications on the Political Communication Process Pauline Pooi Yin Leong 2019 Springer Nature Singapore https://books.google.com/books?id=JpCqDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA86 9789811387838 86 Declaration of emergency thumb|The Proclamation of Emergency issued by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 15 May 1969. thumb|upright|The first emergency ordinance issued after the emergency proclamation On 13 May, in the wake of the riots, the home minister, through the Public Order (Preservation) Act 1958, declared the police districts of Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Kuala Langat, Klang, Kuala Selangor, Kuala Kubu Bharu, Rawang, and Kajang as areas in a "state of danger to public order", which granted the police wide-ranging powers to impose curfew, ban assemblies, cordon off areas, and erect barricades. The next day, the danger area was expanded to cover the entirety of Peninsular Malaysia.Das Cyrus Vimalakumar Emergency Powers and Parliamentary Government in Malaysia: Constitutionalism in a New Democracy July 1994 20 February 2026 PhD Brunel University https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/bitstream/2438/5240/1/FulltextThesis.pdf 356–357, 366 On 15 and 16 May, a state of emergency and accompanying curfew were declared throughout the country. On 15 May, the NOC, also known as the Majlis Gerakan Negara, headed by Abdul Razak Hussein, was established following the proclamation of emergency by the king of Malaysia, Ismail Nasiruddin of Terengganu. Parts of the constitution were also suspended. On the same day, the king proclaimed the whole country as a "security area" under the Internal Security Act 1960, which rendered anyone caught with unlicensed firearms in the country to be liable to the death penalty.Das 1994 366-367 With parliament suspended, the NOC became the supreme decision-making body for the next 18 months. State and District Operations Councils took over state and local governments. The NOC implemented security measures to restore law and order in the country, including the establishment of an unarmed vigilante corps, a territorial army, and police force battalions. Abdul Razak, as the director of the NOC, also called out military reservists to aid in the restoration of public order.Das 1994 36719 May 1969 Proclamation of Calling Out Naval Volunteer Reserve [P.U.(A) 154/1969] https://www.scribd.com/document/1024201017/Proclamation-of-Calling-Out-Naval-Volunteer-Reserve-P-U-A-154-1969 16 May 2026 LexisNexis Scribd19 May 1969 Proclamation of Calling Out the Air Force Volunteer Reserve [P.U.(A) 155/1969] https://www.scribd.com/document/1024201020/Proclamation-of-Calling-Out-the-Air-Force-Volunteer-Reserve-P-U-A-155-1969 16 May 2026 LexisNexis Scribd Newspaper publications were suspended on 15 May16 May 1969 Malaysian Govt suspends all newspapers https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19690516-1.2.5 3 June 2025 The Straits Times 1 but resumed on 18 May,17 May 1969 Newspapers again tomorrow https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19690517-1.2.9 3 June 2025 The Straits Times 118 May 1969 Our papers on sale again in Malaysia https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19690518-1.2.5 3 June 2025 The Straits Times 1 and a new censorship law was gazetted on 21 May.von Vorys 1975 352–35422 May 1969 Censorship rules are gazetted https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19690522-1.2.12 3 June 2025 The Straits Times 125 May 1969 Censorship 'only when absolutely necessary' https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19690525-1.2.8 19 June 2025 The Straits Times 1 Foreign publications were banned, citizens found in possession of foreign news clippings were detained, and foreign reporters were criticised over allegations of racial bias by the army.Slimming 1969 54–56 The restoration of order in the country was gradually achieved. Curfews continued in most parts of the country but were gradually scaled back. Peace was restored in the affected areas within two months. In February 1971, parliamentary rule was re-established.https://books.google.com/books?id=m8RQZk8BpvkC&pg=PA183 Emergency Powers in Asia: Exploring the Limits of Legality Victor V. Ramraj Arun K. Thiruvengadam 183 Cambridge University Press 2009 978-0521768900 However, the emergency proclamation was only annulled by the parliament in December 2011, 42 years later,24 November 2011 PM Tables Motion to Revoke Three Emergency Proclamations http://lib.perdana.org.my/PLF/News_Online/2011/00013/Bernama%5B24Nov2011%5DPM%20Tables%20Motion%20To%20Revoke%20Three%20Emergency%20Proclamations.pdf 26 May 2025 Bernama21 December 2011 Dewan Negara approves revocation of 3 emergency proclamations https://www.theborneopost.com/2011/12/21/dewan-negara-approves-revocation-of-3-emergency-proclamations-latest/ 26 May 2025 Borneo Post Online24 November 2011 Penyata Rasmi Dewan Rakyat Official Statement of the House of Representatives https://www.parlimen.gov.my/files/hindex/pdf/DR-24112011.pdf 16 March 2025 Parliament of Malaysia 17–49 ms20 December 2011 Penyata Rasmi Dewan Negara Official Statement of the House of the Senate https://www.parlimen.gov.my/files/hindex/pdf/DN-20122011.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20210225204559/https://www.parlimen.gov.my/files/hindex/pdf/DN-20122011.pdf 25 February 2021 16 March 2025 Parliament of Malaysia 22–31 ms with all remaining emergency ordinances lapsing in June 2012.Whiting Amanda 16 February 2014 Essay: Emerging from Emergency Rule? Malaysian Law 'Reform' 2011–2013 https://download.ssrn.com/21/06/29/ssrn_id2396928_code258113.pdf?response-content-disposition=inline&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEKn%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJGMEQCIBjxepvIaWSTBqJCRP5Gb4YmBsl6PkRH6lDOkkSrcT6AAiBp5GUfJy7BGiDf1m7ZxV0vdockZnpjmnO7TeuPBTp7GCq8BQhyEAQaDDMwODQ3NTMwMTI1NyIMoDaqoyYv5KpSIyepKpkFkQv67LJx4ni8niO%2BbpZYS%2FqD1Nc2cVQUWtAz8EZxVdHsUnTQlHt6B%2FvP2l1bZTK6HHQCpG9t43BBhQ0r6wWZpUi3F61CUmp%2B6F4jnCK06OIZlvbCyMRU0sShAAGejJ3KX0%2F8Yidn0vjRuiCk4NzuN2sqzOhXSLwT527sGBk7c2bfGueJopzBR%2FbHBUFXXkWxkZod9kHoNqTGW7eDocJWFRLrQftxQpGnfgWHFoceqeTnRXxjYoCIMKJLGeeTuRCApU02Ci6CKSTCeSKtByHE5NrohVucr0iqehe%2BgIpOq%2B5VXq1ZXCXe5VTb9BDuGZFQMdCLyqed74XE5kfNexUr2tzzDLwn%2B8RWo%2B5C7tDIlHKMaWA0zd6OR0IqooXORBs7mNzKxEXoSBnnLb9YtH1ecKZbsdhij90bgo1EiieoLnIkTTStyjdXd%2FLLNf7WQB35teemvEtV5sDfyPtsY%2Bd3Akegq8kBunW%2BZ%2F%2F5OFthNHJqS2zcwOCJ%2BN0CBbPoH0H5O04jY%2BMxvDYbLkBTkA6MrS771X6fXNZqi6Jo445%2FoGN774xdPHskqZ%2B7QrqAZbmYh%2B2%2FkadWvIBqoxyXKVOodHiUDwSsNQgKY46llDQ4HEW5fZAhJmvxPEM%2BliIrDpVwhz7fi9ao0W7atPj%2BRldf1Ud4Ik%2Boq3GR5smPuYEuozkJDcqxN1WHyWsM9g3vfOhbTlPfprCpywtwMnNgWoVQ%2F9M2GqdEpOwitWFE1Ieqwx8y%2Fd8NS6Pptbd7xzI5c8oZBuicx%2BrzTFrig%2FM8TN5O5L3tlbzq4OFUR04OP%2BxBGq2dvQ5FjvoCcBJ31nK5ahzGIMEPKytWqGPEaa3o%2BKhC%2FzEuCKwkN5WtOG3%2Bf6kKCV8nKbrVEIHz5Qkw1pfbwQY6sgGtLbbMNpJlmry4Vc27M8Bnf%2BAYDdBXd0AHe7RBKabi7w8XsYR5sn9T4HB%2B649RkzM1r%2BeihwlAPFWtDC7MdsaPo3sEEayf9dsZ8dbhQD4fLT8tIY9lxkUsR83o4TyYma52MaN7u8xVCjNEKQcx3esQWfHT0swKms1bYKe230zzZccwoe0DyRFOf1ajQnUKa0dHNizqxjdr8Fb%2BuptKDQiYqAlTwucE1CQLSR4%2B%2B5CzYORW&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20250528T093010Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAUPUUPRWEVUMKCRLB%2F20250528%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=72c33de31394aff483f47e8c3f9b197dad2c53cd12b4ff3c116932d551d2cc9d&abstractId=2396928 Australian Journal of Asian Law 14 2 332–333 SSRN Official assessment The NOC released a report on 9 October 1969, which cited "racial politics" as the primary cause of the riots, but it was reluctant to assign blame to the Malays.von Vorys 1975 363 The Malays who already felt excluded in the country's economic life, now began to feel a threat in their place in the public services. No mention was ever made by non-Malay politicians of the almost closed-door attitude to the Malays by non-Malays in large sections of the private sector in this country.von Vorys 1975 362–363 Certain non-Malay racialist election speakers constantly worked up non-Malay passions against Malay policemen and officers, alleging partial treatment of the enforcement of the law. They contributed directly to the breakdown in respect for the law and authority amongst sections of the non-Malay communities.von Vorys 1975 363 It also attributed the cause of the riots in part to both the Malayan Communist Party and secret societies: The eruption of violence on 13 May was the result of an interplay of forces... These include a generation gap and differences in interpretation of the constitutional structure by the different races in the country...; the incitement, intemperate statements and provocative behaviours of certain racialist party members and supporters during the recent General Election; the part played by the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) and secret societies in inciting racial feelings and suspicion; and the anxious, and later desperate, mood of the Malays with a background of Sino-Malay distrust, and recently, just after the General Elections, as a result of racial insults and threat to their future survival in their own country' Extract from The 13 May Tragedy, a report by the National Operations Council, October 1969.Professor Dato' Dr. Zakaria Haji Ahmad. The Encyclopedia of Malaysia, "Government and Politics". 981-3018-55-0 It however said that the "trouble turned out to be a communal clash between the Malays and the Chinese" rather than an instance of communist insurgency.von Vorys 1975 363 The report also denied rumours of lack of evenhandedness by the security forces in their handling of the crisis.von Vorys 1975 365 Tunku Abdul Rahman, in a book released two weeks before the report, blamed the opposition parties for the violence, as well as the influence of the communists, and thought that the incidents were sparked by Chinese communist youths. He absolved the majority of the Malays, Chinese, and Indians of any responsibility and considered the Malays who converged in Kuala Lumpur on 13 May to be merely responding to "intolerable provocations".von Vorys 1975 361–362 Aftermath The Rukun Negara, the de facto Malaysian oath of allegiance, was a reaction to the riot. It was introduced on 31 August 1970 as a way to foster unity among Malaysians. The Malay nationalist Mahathir Mohamad, who was then a lesser-known politician and lost his seat as an UMNO candidate in the 10 May election, blamed the riot on the government and especially on Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman for being "simple-minded" and not planning for a prosperous Malaysia where the Malays have a share of the economic stake. Abdul Rahman in turn blamed "extremists" such as Mahathir for the racial clashes, which led to Mahathir's expulsion from UMNO.Ooi 2004 819 This propelled him to write his seminal work The Malay Dilemma, in which he posited a solution to Malaysia's racial tensions based on aiding the Malays economically through an affirmative action programme. After the riots, Abdul Rahman was forced into the background, with the day-to-day running of the country handed to the deputy prime minister, Abdul Razak Hussein, who was also the director of the NOC. On 22 September 1970, when the parliament reconvened, Abdul Rahman resigned his position as prime minister, and Razak Hussein took over.Ooi 2004 114 In his 2007 book, May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969, Kua Kia Soong argued that, based on declassified British embassy dispatches, the riot was a coup d'état staged against Tunku Abdul Rahman by UMNO political leaders in association with the army and the police.https://www.scmp.com/article/592766/politicians-linked-malaysias-may-13-riots South China Morning Post Politicians linked to Malaysia's May 13 riots Baradan Kuppusamy 14 May 2007 He characterised the 13 May incident as more than spontaneous communal unrest, arguing that it reflected deeper structural inequalities and manipulation that was exploited by political elites to justify a consolidation of Malay political ascendancy. Malaysian academic Shamsul Amri Baharuddin has critiqued essentialist narratives of Malay identity and highlighted how the incident helped propagate constructed notions of "Malayness" that reinforced state policies and public discourse.Shamsul A. B. A History of an Identity, an Identity of a History: The Idea and Practice of 'Malayness' in Malaysia Reconsidered Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 32 3 2001 355–366 10.1017/S0022463401000194 In an attempt to form a broader coalition, the Barisan Nasional was formed in place of the Alliance Party, with former opposition parties such as Gerakan, PPP, and PAS invited to join the coalition.Joseph Liow Michael Leifer Dictionary of the Modern Politics of Southeast Asia https://books.google.com/books?id=G5KLBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA102 20 November 2014 Routledge 978-1-317-62233-8 102– After the 1969 riot, UMNO also began to restructure the political system to reinforce its power. It advanced its own version of Ketuanan Melayu, whereby "the politics of this country has been, and must remain for the foreseeable future, native [i.e., Malay] based: that was the secret of our stability and our prosperity and that is a fact of political life which no one can simply wish away." https://archive.org/details/southeastasianaf00_0 registration Southeast Asian Affairs 2002 Daljit Singh Anthony L Smith Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Lee Hock Guan 178 9789812301628 2002 This principle of Ketuanan Melayu has been repeatedly used in successive elections by UMNO to galvanise Malay support for the party, https://archive.org/details/southeastasianaf00_0 registration Southeast Asian Affairs 2002 Daljit Singh Anthony L Smith Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Lee Hock Guan 183 9789812301628 2002 and it remained the guiding principle of successive governments.https://www.asiasentinel.com/p/ketuanan-melayu-power-deep-state-malaysia Ketuanan Melayu: Power and the Deep State in Malaysia Asia Sentinel 7 August 2019 Burials There are two burial grounds for the victims of the riot, one in the Sungai Buloh leprosarium compound and the other in the Taman Ibukota Muslim Cemetery in Gombak.Heong Hong Por December 2017 Family Narratives and Abandoned Monuments of the May 13 Riot in the Sungai Buloh Leprosarium https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322493772 Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 90 2 35–54 10.1353/ras.2017.0019 ResearchGate According to the NOC report, 103 victims were buried in Sungai Buloh,The National Operations Council 1969 68–69 of which 99 were Chinese; 2 were Indian; and 2 were Malay.13 May 2019 May 13: 50 Years Later https://www.rage.com.my/may13/ 4 June 2025 R.AGE They were interred between 18 May and 2 June 1969.The National Operations Council 1969 68–69 Among the 103 victims, 18 were marked as "unidentified", with only their ethnicity, sex, and date of death specified on the tombstones. However, some contemporary news reports have put the total count of tombstones in Sungai Buloh at either 102,K Carolyn 23 November 2024 Heritage group to manage May 13 burial site in Sungai Buloh https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/11/23/heritage-group-to-manage-may-13-burial-site-in-sungai-buloh 4 June 2025 Free Malaysia Today 112,Yoke Teng Yip 18 March 2017 MPS: We did not approve land clearing https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/03/18/mps-we-did-not-approve-land-clearing-work-done-near-sungai-buloh-cemetery-was-illegal/ https://web.archive.org/web/20170321231024/https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/03/18/mps-we-did-not-approve-land-clearing-work-done-near-sungai-buloh-cemetery-was-illegal/ 21 March 2017 4 June 2025 The Star or 114.Sufari Nazir 13 May 2017 May 13 burial ground https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/g/3014 4 June 2025 The Malaysian InsightZ.M. Tahir Alfian 11 May 2019 May 13 survivors still haunted 50 years on https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/153799 4 June 2025 The Malaysian Insight 18 victims were interred at Taman Ibukota Muslim Cemetery on 18 May 1969, based on the NOC report.The National Operations Council 1969 68–69 According to the cemetery record, however, only 11 victims of the riot were buried. In 2017, illegal land clearing was carried out near the Sungai Buloh burial site, with the intention to develop it into a parking lot, which was stopped by the authorities after it attracted public attention from civil society groups.Tariq Qishin 1 May 2017 Sg Buloh May 13 cemetery won't be cleared: MPS https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/05/01/effort-to-gazette-cemetery-as-heritage-site-continues-conservationists-working-hard-to-ensure-mass-b/ https://web.archive.org/web/20170504102157/https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/05/01/effort-to-gazette-cemetery-as-heritage-site-continues-conservationists-working-hard-to-ensure-mass-b/ 4 May 2017 4 June 2025 The Star Since then, there have been multiple calls for the government to preserve the cemetery and declare it a heritage site.Yoke Teng Yip 14 April 2017 Groups seek heritage status for Sungai Buloh's May 13 cemetery https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/04/14/sungai-buloh-cemetery-cleaned-up-as-groups-seek-heritage-site-status/ https://web.archive.org/web/20170416234833/https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/04/14/sungai-buloh-cemetery-cleaned-up-as-groups-seek-heritage-site-status/ 16 April 2017 4 June 2025 The StarBusst Natasha 13 May 2025 Preserve and memorialise May 13 burial grounds, govt told https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/05/13/preserve-and-memorialise-may-13-burial-grounds-govt-told 4 June 2025 Free Malaysia Today In September 2024, the Selangor government gazetted the Sungai Buloh burial ground as a reserved land for a non-Muslim cemetery and placed it under the care of the Friends of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Heritage Association, a non-governmental organisation.5 September 2024 Gazettement of May 13 Riot Victims Burial Grounds as Non-Muslim Cemetary Reserve (Selangor GN No. 4517 of 2024) https://www.scribd.com/document/862092954/Gazettement-of-May-13-Riot-Victims-Burial-Grounds-as-Non-Muslim-Cemetary-Reserve-Selangor-GN-No-4517-of-2024 4 June 2025 Warta Kerajaan Negeri Selangor 3639–3640 Scribd See also 1964 race riots in Singapore 1969 race riots of Singapore, spillover from the 13 May incident May 1998 riots of Indonesia, a similar incident 2001 Kampung Medan riots Operation Lalang Snow in Midsummer, a 2023 historical drama film evoking the events of 13 May References Citations General sources The National Operations Council 1969 http://langkasa-norul.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-may-13-tragedy.html The May 13 Tragedy: A Report Official report by the NOC. Ooi Keat Gin 2004 https://psv4.userapi.com/s/v1/d/UYHGMVNTidi88LuUXRpTllF1i1BD7iFgv5-wq6REGoVPEBO9-GLqCECYovqinHVGHq-EPa43EVNZlAXYiFbl9ICY8gB7w8PbdPeF5OhoFq57D8Wu/Southeast_Asia_A_Historical_Encyclopedia_From_Angkor_Wat_to_East_Timor.pdf Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to East Timor ABC-CLIO 978-1-57607-770-2 Slimming John https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/p-library/books/1436e8f1451fa0728aaa669d459425a0.pdf The Death of a Democracy John Murray Publishers Ltd 1969 978-0-7195-2045-7 London Book written by a British journalist from The Observer who was in Kuala Lumpur at the time. Tunku Abdul Rahman 1969 Kuala Lumpur http://lib.perdana.org.my/PLF/Digital_Content/NLM/Batch2/NL_B02_PDF-DVD01/27%20July%202005/M305.899230505ARP%5bMay13-Before&After%5d%5bTunkuAbdulRahmanPutraAl-Haj%5d%5b1996%5d.pdf 13 May: Before and After Utusan Melayu Press Ltd An account given by the then-Prime Minister of Malaysia. von Vorys Karl 1975 http://press.princeton.edu/titles/2115.html Democracy Without Consensus: Communalism and Political Stability in Malaysia Princeton University Press 978-0-691-07571-6 Paperback reprint (2015) 978-0691617640. Further reading Abdillah Noh Malaysia's State Formation: Small Steps and Large Outcomes of a Contested Leviathan 2024 Taylor & Francis 9781003805816 https://books.google.com/books?id=FXbpEAAAQBAJ Category:1960s in Kuala Lumpur Category:1969 in Malaysia Category:1969 riots Category:Ethnic riots Category:History of Selangor Category:May 1969 in Asia Category:Protests in Malaysia Category:Riots and civil disorder in Malaysia Category:Anti-Chinese violence in Asia Category:Anti-Indian sentiment in Asia Category:Sectarian violence Category:1969 murders in Asia Category:Racism in Malaysia Category:Electoral violence Category:Looting in Asia Category:20th-century political riots Category:Fires in Malaysia Category:Arson in the 1960s Category:1969 fires Category:1960s fires in Asia Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 1969 Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in Malaysia Category:Residential building arson attacks in Asia Category:Attacks on shops in Asia Category:Arson attacks on vehicles in Asia Category:Urban fires in Asia Category:Attacks on cinemas and movie theaters Category:Attacks on headquarters of political parties Category:Attacks on police stations in Asia Category:Attacks on police stations in the 1960s Category:Police brutality in Asia Category:Military history of Malaysia Category:1969 mass murders Category:20th-century mass murders in Asia Category:Mass murders in Malaysia