论太平洋战争时期英国策划马来亚联盟的动机

The British Motives for the Malayan Union Scheme

太平洋战争时期,英国做出了一个对战后马来亚历史发展有深远影响的决策:分解海峡殖民地,将马六甲、槟榔屿与马来联邦、马来属邦合并成马来亚联盟,剥夺原来马来统治者名义上的主权,将马来亚地区彻底变成殖民地。英国正式发表的政策文件声称,建立马来亚联盟的意图是将马来半岛地区融为一体,增强其防卫能力,提高行政效率,为将来马来亚自治做好准备。许多学者赞成英国官方的说法。档案材料显示,促进自治,增进安全,都是英国当局用以对付国内外舆论、应付国际压力的借口,英国的真正意图是要重新占领马来亚,恢复殖民统治,利用马来亚重要的经济和战略资源为英帝国服务。

During the Pacific War, the British Government decided to establish a Malayan Union in postwar Malaya,composed of Malacca,Penang and nine Malay States. Thus the symbolical sovereignty of the Malay Rulers had been usurped by the British Government,and the indirect rule was replaced by the direct one. In the official documents for publicity,the British Government claimed that pre-war system of government in Malaya would not lead itself to the direction of self-government and democratic progress. Therefore, the creation of the Union was to integrate the Malay Peninsula,to enhance its defense ability as well as to prepare for its self-rule. However, the file evidences indicate that the real intention of the British Government would be the restoration of the colonial rule in Malaya.