The Trade Union Movement in Peninsular Malaysia, 1957–1969

After independence, the trade union movement in Peninsular Malaysia continued to be subject to repression by the post-colonial state. Labour militancy emerged in the early and mid-sixties, only to be harshly suppressed together with the rest of the leftist challenge. Ineffectual, collaborationist and economistic leaders were thus allowed to clearly dominate the trade union movement by the end of the sixties.