Abstract :
This article examines the policies of the British colonial administration in Malaya towards the formation and development of political parties between 1945 and 1957. The period 1945-1957 witnessed the emergence of political parties of various ideological dispositions and was an important formative period in the development of the modern party system in Malaysia. While there are numerous studies of political parties in Malaysia, no serious study has been undertaken to examine the policies and legislation governing theformation and activities of political parties in the postwarperiod concerned. This article examines the policies of the colonial administration towards political parties and legislation that were introduced during this period to regulate the establishment and functioning of political parties. In a broader sense, this study examines the extent to which the British colonial administration attempted to influence party politics and political activities in the period leading up to Malayan independence in 1957.
