In the Malaysian context in which class and ethnic relations are dominant and sensitive in social life, a study of the position of Chinese women may seem irrelevant, secondary or even divisive. It is my argument, however, that as members of a gender, women's social experiences differ from those of men, and it is through an understanding of the dynamic interplay between class, ethnic and gender relations at various levels that we can come to closer grips with the complexities of social life in Malaysia.

This study, however, does not attempt to undertake such a major and complicated project; instead, it is a preliminary investigation into one gender category and its members' particular experiences at work. By focusing on the origins and conditions of Chinese women's work, using a socio-historical approach, this study hopes to contribute towards understanding the complexities of Malaysian life and Malaysian women. The choice of focus is based simply on personal considerations of its suitability as a starting point.

This paper is a revised but close version of my thesis submitted to the Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, in partial fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies in 1981. As the research was covered within a very short period of four months, there are inevitably huge gaps of information. The nature of preliminary investigation also accounts for this study's somewhat unbalanced contents as only some aspects are relatively well covered while others are incomplete or missing, and for the incompleteness of analysis. Certain gaps are also inevitable due to the severe lack of studies into the position of Malaysian women, which resulted in much time consumed in gleaning between lines to obtain facts or mere hints, often without success. Where materials do make direct or indirect references to women, they tend to be fragmentary and vague.

I have relied heavily on some of the most commonly used and well-known sources in English for my references.