Overview

After independence in 1957, the Malay monarchy was compelled to embrace Westminster-style constitutional monarchy, under which the role of the monarch is symbolic and affairs of the nation are run by Parliament and the executive branch. Palace, Political Party and Power: A Story of the Socio-Political Development of Malay Kingship, traces the history of the Malay rulers from the late colonial period to the first decade of the 21st century, considering the implications of the decline of the Malay rulers under colonial rule, the role of the Japanese Occupation of Malaya in defining postwar Malay identity. A key element of that identity was the relation between the Malays and their Rulers, and UMNO - the United Malays National Organisation - positioned itself the """"official"""" voice of the Malays and the Rulers. The postwar settlement underwent a significant change after the shocking outcome of the March 2008 General Election weakened UMNO's hold on power. Subsequently, the Malay Rulers have """"reinvented"""" themselves as active players in the affairs of the nation and have recovered some of their traditional rights. This book describes socio-political developments since the departure of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad have that worked in favor of a royal resurgence, and shows how the rulers have become a power to be reckoned with.

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9789971695071

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Kobkua Suwannathat-Pian is Professor of History at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia. She is an acknowledged authority on Thai-Malaysian relations and contemporary Thai socio-politics. Throughout her academic life that spans over 30 years, Kobkua has served as lecturer, visiting fellow and professor to some of the leading institutes of higher learning in the region, including Chiangmai University, Chulalongkorn University; Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Tenaga Malaysia and UPSI; Universiti Gadjah Mada; and the University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on socio-political issues in Thailand and Malaysia.

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