Lush rubber plantations and rich rice fields stretch mile after placid mile across rural Malaya. In the bustling cities, where a new school or factory opens almost daily, the economy booms along quietly. Last week, as the Federation of Malaya celebrated the fourth anniversary of independence, the tranquillity was briefly broken by countrywide lantern processions, garden parties and a parade of 24,000 schoolchildren at Kuala Lumpur's cavernous Merdeka (Independence) Stadium. Said Malaya's pragmatic Prime Minister Tengku Abdul Rahman, 58: "We can look back on these past four years of freedom with a genuine feeling of achievement and success."
Short years ago, marauding Communists turned placid plantations into armed camps, terrorized the countryside and threatened the emergence of Malaya as a free nation. But with British help, Malaya beat back the Red challenge. And thanks to its rich endowment of rubber and tin, the country's economy prospered. Last year Malaya topped all other nations in the production of both items (709,000 tons of rubber, 50,000 tons of tin), sent enough abroad, mostly to the U.S., to boost its foreign exchange reserves to a healthy $430 million. More than 95% of Malaya's children attend primary school, 100,000 automobiles ply a network of well-surfaced new roads, and Malaya's one airline (Malayan Airways Ltd.) has a perfect safety record after 14 years of operation. "We want to create the climate for good business," says Prime Minister Abdul Rahman. "We must raise the standard of living through economic development and achieve unity through education—and the hell with highfalutin political ideas.''
National Amity. Malaya's politicians have become practical and moderate out of bitter experience with extremes. After many weary years (1948-60) of fighting Communists, they are not dazzled by grandiose schemes of social change. Since the nation of 7,000,000 people is a patchwork of Malays (50%), Chinese (37%) and Indians (11%), all with divided loyalties, Malaya's leaders must compromise to make progress. They cannot afford the truculent nationalism of other emerging nations.