Comments on: Why did the Chinese travel to Malaysia ?

By: Andoryu.net

Andoryu.net — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:25:46 +0000

Many reasons as follows in no particular order:

1. WW2 in mainland China
2. Political situation in China is not stable
3. Job opportunities in Malaya, e.g. tin mining
4. The British government during that time also tried to entice expertise from other country to Malaya by granting them citizenship as per jus soli to their children
5. Malaya is under the protection of the strong British Empire and the Chinese thought it was safer to be in Malaya and Singapura rather than China
6. There were also strong Chinese clans/ communities and network in Malaya such as the “Hai San” and the “Ghee Hin”

*** Please do not simply trust Wikepedia for information because there is a lot of wrong information there.

By: pengayap

pengayap — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:05:52 +0000

because Airasia sold them cheap tickets.

By: anderson

anderson — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:06:58 +0000

Chinese from southern part of china came to “malay”(Malaysia) then is to look for better life and better job. during that time life is hard in china. the other reason they are here because of “trade” or business opportunity.
they didnt agree on anything when they come here. its just like a gold rush in america. everyone look for better job and a better life.

By: Ken B

Ken B — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:17:17 +0000

They didnt, Malaysia did not exist at that time.
They came to the Straits Settlements.

By: AQ

AQ — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:40:41 +0000

Money. British paid Chinese workers amounts they could only dream of in China. However, many Chinese came independently, one of earliest Chinese visits being Admiral Zheng He’s fleet on the break of 15th century AD. Chinese presence in Borneo has been permament of at least 18th century, which is before the start of Brooke’s rule in Sarawak and British rule in North Borneo. Wikipedia states that the British also used drug to attract more Chinese to immigrate to Malaya.

Chinese not just came to Malaysia, they have settled in many places around Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific region, some of them areas under British rule and some not. Chinese still consist an economically powerful minority in Philippines (but only 2% of the population), Indonesia and Thailand (up to 10%), where they are given little or no minority rights. Chinese have settled as far as Mauritius and South Africa and some in East Africa, though almost all have flead after the end of the colonial rule. In late 19th century Chinese labourers were brought to construct railway in USA and some Chinese emigrated as far as South America.

Overpopulation and overall poverty were the main factors causing migrations of the Chinese. Higher incomes in other countries are those that attracted economic emigrants the most, while some people also emigrated for other reasons, such as political – especially after the communists took over, and individuals who emigrated out of personal reasons.

While some Chinese assimilated into local societies (like Peranakan or the Straits Chinese in Malaysia), most of Chinese maintained their culture and traditions. Influences of Chinese culture are also felt in other cultures such as Malay, Thai, Japanese, Korean and Philippino.

In some places Chinese minorities have eventually become the majority (first Taiwan and later Singapore). According to the statistics, no matter how much DAP, MCA and muhibbah agitators accent historical ties with China, vaste majority of the Chinese in Malaysia came in late 19th century and first half of the 20th century. Their proportion continued to increase until Malayan independence when all residents of Malaya were granted citizenship.

But regarding rubber tapping you’re wrong: only few Chinese worked as rubber tappers, most of rubber tappers being Indian, followed by Malays. Chinese in Malaysia worked as miners and craftsmen, soon they started opening shops and banks. Chinese in Malysia represent about 30% of entire population, although their proportion was higher in 1957. Due to smaller natality compare to that of Malays, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak, the proportion of the Chinese continues to decrease. That is also due to some migration of educated Chinese to Europe, Australia, New Zealand and USA. Many also work or even move to Singapore. Chinese population in Malaysia is one of the largest outside PRC and Taiwan and thus the status of the Chinese in Malaysia has to be recognised.

Latest most desired target destinations of Chinese emigration are the US, Canada, Australia and EU. Chinese presence in the Arab countries is also increasing, great majority of Chinese immigrants to Saudi Arabia being Chinese Muslims, those to poorer countries such as Egypt and Syria non-Muslims. Chinese immigrants are found even in poor countries like Afghanistan (which is fighting rising Chinese prostitution) and Pakistan. Serbia’s Milosevic imported some 30,000 Chinese and granted them citizenship to vote for him on the last election before he was arrested and extradicted to the Hague.

Edit:
Andoryu, you really hate Wikipedia, do you? You want to tell us that the rest of the web is 100% reliable?

By: Lionel

Lionel — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:20:29 +0000

Most Chinese immigrants of Malaya came from southern China, mostly from the province of Fujian and Guangdong. In the nineteenth century, many came as indentured labourers, known as coolies (Chinese: ??). The British used drug to attract more Chinese to migrate to Malaya to work in mining sectors. Others came freely to work, and were supported by Clan Associations.