HISTORY OF MALAYSIA

COURSE CODE : MTC 016TOPIC : COLONIAL

ERA

• Malaysia was once a colonized land.

• Portuguese, Dutch, British Japanese and even the Siamese had colonized Malaysia before.

• But only the British & Japanese had left major impacts on the country.

• The main factors for colonizing were:– Vast natural resources– A place to extend political

influence & faith (religion)

Malacca Sultanate

• Founded in 1400 by Parameswara, a Prince from Palembang

• Malacca prospered due to his leadership, as well as to the strategic position of Malacca itself.

• More traders attracted to use its port – stable system of government

- diplomatic relations with foreign countries i.e. China & Siam

- well shielded by the mountainous Sumatera and the Peninsula from the impact of the monsoon winds blowing from both the East and West

- Central to two major trading nations i.e. China and India

• Fall of the Sultanate – due to weak successor and also coincided with the attack by the Portuguese

• Malacca fell into the hands of the Portuguese in 1511 – the beginning of a long series of foreign interventions and domination.

Colonial Era

• The Portuguese : 1511 – 1642

• The Dutch : 1642 – 1786• The British : 1786 – 1957• Japanese occupation :

1941 - 1945

The Coming of the British

• Towards the end of the 18th century, the British arrived searching for a settlement to promote their trade with China.

• Also searching for bases to prevent French domination of the Indian Ocean

• Also to shelter their naval and trading vessels from the monsoon period.

• The British East India Company obtained an agreement with the Sultan of Kedah where the Company could occupy Penang Island in return for:– an annual rent: and – help against the Sultan’s

enemies, that is, the Siamese in the North and the Bugis in Selangor. (That never came)

• Penang soon became a busy settlement as Chinese and Indian traders quickly saw the advantages in coming to Penang because it was free port and there were no high taxes to pay.

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS• The three British colonies -

Penang, Malacca, and Singapore were united in 1829 - came to be known as the Straits Settlements. 

• 1st capital was in Penang; then Singapore in 1832

• At first, all policy matters were decided by the British administration in India.

• Later, they were placed directly under the jurisdiction of the Colonial Office in London.

• Effects:– More efficient administration– More commercial agriculture– Pirate activities eradicated– Began to pay attention to

the Malay States

MALAY STATES

• Before 1873, the British government was not interested in intervening with the affairs of the Malay states.

• The local Malay sultanates continued on their own affairs

• After Malacca was under the British rule, the new Muslim trading center was Johor and then Perak.

• In the late 1860's, a number of Malay nobilities began fighting each other for control of the throne of Perak.

• This caused enough disturbance in the region to inspire Britain to intervene

• The 1st Malay state to accept British intervention was Perak (through the Pangkor Treaty in 1874.

• Followed by Negeri Sembilan, Pahang & Selangor

Perak 1874 : The Pangkor Treaty

Before treaty = claimed to non-intervention policy

Major effect of PT : Formal intervention = with “assistant” of British Resident (“advice” – collect tax)

TEXT OF THE PANGKOR TREATY HELD ON 20 JANUARY 1874  

1)Raja Abdullah was acknowledged as the legitimate Sultan to replace Sultan Ismail who would be given a title and a penchant of $1000 a month. 

2) The Sultan will receive a British Resident whose advice had to be sought and adhered to in all matters except those pertaining to the religion and customs of the Malays. 

3) All collections and control of taxes as well as the administration of the state had to be done under the name of the Sultan but arranged according to the Resident's advice. 

4) The Minister of Larut would continue to be in control, but would no longer be recognized as a liberated leader. Instead, a British Officer, who would have a vast authority in administrating the district, would be appointed in Larut. 

5) The Sultan and not the British government would pay the Resident's salary. 

• The rulers of the four states signed treaties by which they agreed to accept a British Resident whose advice should be asked and taken in all matters except those concerning Malay religion and custom

• Factors behind the need to intervene:– Internal weaknesses such

as civil war, disunity– Presence of economic

resources such as tin ore & agriculture products

– Strong competition among the western powers for colonies to meet the economic needs of their country

• Positive effects of the Intervention:– Administration

• State was divided into districts, divisions, villages with its own head.

• Police force was established

– Economy• Public infrastructure were

built to facilitate transport & exploitation of resources

– Social• Taxation system & imposition

of licenses on boats & firearms were introduced.

• Ban on slavery.• Encourage immigration of

foreign workforce, from China & India to assist the development of rubber estates & tin mines

• Negative Effects:– Imbalances & lack of

uniformity in development of infrastructure

– Monopoly of economic resources by the immigrant & Westerner

– Social problems caused by the influx of foreign workers, creating social gaps

FEDERATED MALAY STATES• In 1889, Frank Swettenham

the Resident of Perak saw the great progress that would follow if the four states of Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang were joined together in a Federation.

• The Governor of the Straits Settlements gave his consent to the formation of the Federation.

• The Malay Rulers and the other residents also accepted the idea of federation and in 1895 the four Malay States under British Protection became the Federated Malay States through the Federation Agreement.

• Factors of its establishment:– To address Pahang’s

financial problems– For a more efficient &

uniform administration– To check the Resident’s

power– For security

• Through a federation the resources of all the member states could be collected & used for a common benefit to develop the other states with minimal administration costs

• Conditions of the Federation Agreement– The acceptance of a

Resident General = to control the Residents & coordinate policies

• Effects of the Agreement– Centralization of

administrative power in the hands of the Resident-General in Kuala Lumpur

– The gradual loss of the powers of the rulers in their own states.

– Establishment of more federal departments leading to more British officers

• To strengthen control over the states, the Federal Legislative Council 1909 was established.

• Aim – to increase the power of the rulers & residents

• Actual motive – to increase the power of British Governor in Singapore.

BRITSIH GOV

Federal Legislative Council

High Commissioner

Chief Secretary (RG)

4 Residents

State Legislative Council

4 Sultans

Unofficial members

• Effects of the Council:– Gradual weakening power

of the Sultans and the State Executive Council, because Sultan became only the ordinary member with no decision-making power.

– Laws were sign by the HC & the not the Sultan

– Placed all authorities in the HC

UNFEDERATED MALAY STATES• In 1906, there was a

rubber boom as the motorcars had just been invented and there was a great demand for rubber to make into tyres for the factories all over the world especially in the United States of America.

• The British therefore wanted to bring the rest of Malaya under its control and to fix a definite frontier between Siam and British Malaya.

• A treaty was signed with Siam in 1909 and Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis came under British protection.

• These states formed a separate group called the Unfederated Malay States and British Advisors were sent to these States to help the Sultans to run the country effectively

• In 1914, Johor signed a treaty with the British and accepted a British Advisor

• In 1919, the British administratively combined all 5 states as the Un-Federated Malay States.

• Thus after 1914, Malaya was divided into three political units that is,– The Straits Settlements, – The Federated Malay States– The Unfederated Malay

States

The Borneo States

• Sarawak: British protectorate ruled by the Brooke family, descendants of James Brooke

• Sabah: British protectorate ruled by the Chartered Company of British North Borneo

JAPANESE OCCUPATION• Attacked on 8 December

1941; • Singapore, the supreme

symbol of British power in Southeast Asia, fell on 15 February 1942; Sarawak and British North Borneo were occupied shortly afterwards.

• Shortest occupation but “big” mark on the country

• Effects of Japanese Invasion:– Social

• Worsened relationship among races

• Led to communism– Economic

• Economic activities disrupted due to destroyed infrastructure

– Political• Raised political awareness

among the people

• During this time, large numbers of Chinese fled to the jungle and established an armed resistance which, after war's end, would become the basis for an infamous communist insurgency.

• In 1945, when W.W.II ended, Britain resumed control again, but Malaya's independence movement had matured and organized itself in an alliance under Tunku Abdul Rahman.

The (Early) Struggle for Independence

• Dato Bahaman (Pahang)• Dato Maharaja Lela

(Perak)• Tok Janggut (Kelantan)• Mat Salleh (Sabah)• Sarif Masahor• Rentap

MALAYAN UNION

• Drafted upon the colonies = united under 1 gov (SS,FMS & UFMS)

• Supposed to reestablish Brit after “shame” over easy defeat by Jap

• Among reasons for MU :– Admin efficiency– 1st step towards self-

gov

MU

• Features of MU– Member state = exclude

S’pore– The Union was to be

administered by a British Governor (head of MU), assisted by the Executive Council & Legislative Council, Sultan =limited power

– Citizenship = all

• Failure of MU :– Strong Malay opposition

• Ltd sovereign power• Liberal citizenship• Manner obtained agreement• Manner of intro MU

– Chinese & Indian = more focus on mainland

– Ex-Brit officers

• 01/04/1946

FEDERATION OF MALAYA 1948• June 1946, the British appointed

a Working Committee to come up with new Constitution to replace the MU.

• Some of basic features of the new constitution in the Federation of Malaya:– Gov

• Head = HC• Federal Legislative Council • Federal executive Council

– Malay Rulers• Conference of Rulers• Restore rights, duties, etc (?)

– Citizenship– Malay Rights

The Emergency 1948

• CPM had taken the period of uncertainty and transition to launch their attack in an attempt to take over the country

• British declared a state of emergency on 16 June 1948

• Developed counter-insurgency policies

1. Invoked Emergency Regulation 1949

2. Introduced National registration

3. Introduced Brigg Plan4. Formed War Executive

Committee5. The British also launched

a psychological warfare against the communists

• By early 1950s CPM terrorism had been reduced to a minor problem

• Emergency regulations were not lifted until 1960

• One permanent result of the Emergency was a highly centralized federation, the states having relinquished most of their sovereign powers so that the crisis could be handled efficiently

ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE

• Member System 1951• Local Government

Election 1951-52• First Federal Election

1955• The Merdeka Mission

1956

The Merdeka Mission 1956

• Fr 18/01 – 18/02 1956 = the Tunku led a Malayan delegation to London to negotiate for independence.

• Attended by 4 reps fr Malay rulers & 4 reps fr Alliance

• Result of discussion – British agreed to grant Malaya independence by 31st August 1957

• Also agreed to appoint an independent Constitutional Commission

• ICC = draw consti for a full self-gov

• Headed by Lord Reid – known as Reid Commission.

The Reid Comission

• Examine existing constitutional arrangement

• Also to make recommendation for a federal form of consti for the whole country.. based on parliamentary democracy.

• Collect data and memo ; prepared report & constitutional framework; came up with several drafts after some negotiations

• The Reid Commision submitted its draft Constitution in February 1957

• Amended – taken into consideration the interest of the three main racial groups.

• FLC approved on 15/08/57• Came into force on 27/08/57.

Important features of FC

• Status of ruler = Head of State – The YDPA elected from among and by the nine Malay Rulers.

• Special position of Malays and Bumis

• Citizenship • Islam = official religion of

federation• Malay language = official

language

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!• Malaya did achieve its

independence as agreed upon on 31st August 1957.

• Officially proclaimed by Tunku Abdul Rahman at the Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur

• TAR became the first PM Malaya

FORMATION OF MALAYSIA• A federation comprising

Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, North Borneo (later called Sabah), and Brunei

• Idea of unity:– British =1888– Local calls = Ghazalie Shafie (Malaysian senior

politician) - 1954 Cheng Lock, TAR and Singapore

leader David Marshall : 1955; Lee Kwan Yew:1959 Open suggestion TAR: 1961

(Foreign Correspondence Association of Southeast Asia)

By ties of sentiment as well as of business, we in Singapore have always been closest to the Federation of Malaya. If merger and independence could come sooner and easier through the Borneo sister territories coming in together with us into political integration with the Federation of Malaya,then we support it for it would also mean that we would havea larger and more powerful economic base for our newnation.

Lee Kuan Yew, June 1961 1

Why ? (Factors contributed to formation of Malaysia)

– Security – S’pore gov losing grip to opposition (ex PAP) = spread of communism = “endanger peace of Fed;” Brunei; fight for communism = too much for Brit’s investment

– Balanced population – Spore = more C; Borneo states =indigenous populations = retain political supremacy of Bumis

– Development – foster regional understanding, potentials to be developed with 1 central gov

– Economic cooperation = resources to be developed ; Sopre = international trade, Brunei =oil, M’sia = mineral & agriculture

– Independence = fasten the process of independence for Singapore and Borneo States from the British

Challenges • Internal response ;

– Spore = general=accepted, opposed by the opposition centered on the left wing group that had included former PAP members + the labour group.

– Brunei = not unanimous – supported by the Sultan and his Court. Opposed by Parti Ra’yat led by AM Azahari in favour especially of the Brunei supremacy, got support from the Indonesian Communist Party

– Sbh & Srwk = encouraging response; after return from the Conference of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association – more convinced that the Malaysia proposal was indeed good for the Borneo territories.

• External response– British = ready

– Philippines = claim sovereignty over Sabah, broke off diplomatic ties. Basis of opposition:

1. British had no right to transfer Sabah over which it had a claim

2. Malaysia was an artificial and unstable Federation and therefore invited Chinese Communist subversion

3. Malaysia cannot protect North Borneo from communism either from China or Indonesia but the Philippines can.

4. There was already a plan for Malphilindo

– Indonesia = launched confrontation with Malaysia (1963 – 1966)

Steps Towards Realising Malaysia• The Borneo Dialogue• Malaysia Solidarity and

Consultative Committee (MSCC)

• Federation of Malaya- Singapore Agreement

• The London Mission• Cobbold Commission• Inter-Governmental

Committee

• The Singapore Referendum

- 70% • Brunei decided not to join

the federation of Malaysia

• The Gov of state of Kelantan vs. The Gov of Malaya & TAR (1968) 1 MLJ 129 = sought declaration Malaysian Agreement and Malaysia Act = null & void; no prior consultation

The Birth of Malaysia

• Despite all the initial obstacles and those that emerged along the way in the process of attaining Malaysia, the new nation was proclaimed – 15 September 1963

The Expulsion of Singapore

• 9 August 1965, /Malaysia expelled Singapore from the Federation.