KEMEROSOTAN PERDAGANGAN NEGERI-NEGERI MELAYU BERSEKUTU PASCA PERANG DUNIA PERTAMA

TRADE SLUMP IN THE FEDERATED MALAY STATES AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Abstract

Artikel ini menganalisis trend kemerosotan perdagangan di Negeri-Negeri Melayu Bersekutu (NNMB) pada awal tahun 1920-an. Kebergantungan eksport timah dan getah mengakibatkan nilai imbangan perdagangan NNMB merosot setelah kejatuhan harga pasaran kedua-dua komoditi tersebut. Impak Perang Dunia Pertama telah melemahkan pasaran ekonomi di Eropah yang secara relatifnya telah melemahkan juga kuasa belinya terhadap bahan mentah dari NNMB. Penelitian terhadap dokumen pentadbiran NNMB dan CO 717 membuktikan tumpuan terhadap eksport timah dan getah mengakibatkan sektor perdagangan persekutuan rentan dengan risiko kejatuhan harga pasaran komoditi. Matlamat sebenar pelaksanaan dasar menstabilkan harga pasaran komoditi adalah untuk memastikan pengeluaran timah dan getah oleh syarikat British terus beroperasi. Tambahan lagi, langkah menstabilkan harga pasaran komoditi bertujuan melindungi syarikat dan firma milik British daripada kerugian kesan kejatuhan pasaran. Hasil kajian juga mendapati, walaupun sektor perdagangan NNMB merosot, imbangan perdagangan persekutuan kekal positif. Pelaksanaan usaha pemulihan harga pasaran komoditi juga membuktikan wujudnya hubungan simbiosis antara kerajaan kolonial NNMB dengan syarikat swasta. Hal ini demikian kerana, kebergantungan mereka terhadap eksport timah dan getah sebagai sumber pendapatan utama.

Kata Kunci: Neomerkantilisme; getah; timah; Rancangan Stevenson; Perjanjian Bandoeng

Abstract 

This article analyzes the trend of declining trade in the Federated Malay States (FMS) in the early 1920s. Dependence on tin and rubber exports resulted in a decline in the value of the FMS's trade balance after the fall in the market prices of these two commodities. The impact of the First World War weakened the economic market in Europe which relatively weakened its purchasing power for raw materials from the FMS. Study on the administrative documents of the FMS and CO 717 proved that the dependencies on tin and rubber exports resulted in the federal trade sector being vulnerable to the risk of falling commodity market prices. The real objective of the implementation of commodity market price stabilization policy is to ensure the continuous operation of tin and rubber production by British company. Furthermore, the policy was also aimed to protect British-owned companies and firms from losses that caused by market downturn. The study found that, although the FMS trade sector declined, the federal trade balance remained positive. The implementation of the commodity market price recovery policy also proves the existence of a symbiotic relationship between the colonial government of the FMS and private companies. This is so because of their dependence on tin and rubber exports as the main source of income. 

Keywords: Neomercantilism; rubber; tin; Stevenson Scheme; Bandoeng Agreement