Colonial Era

Colonial Era• Malaysia was once a colonized land• It also classified as one of the

Commonwealth countries- that is a former British colony

• Malaysia was subjugated by other powers for approximately 446 years ( from 1511 until 1957)

• The Portuguese, Dutch, British, Japanese & even Siamese had colonized Malaya before.

Colonial Era Cont’d..

• But only the British and Japanese succeeded in colonizing almost the whole country & left the impact on the people.

Colonists & The Features Of Dominations

Colonists & The Features Of Dominations

Colonists & The Features Of

Dominations(Cont’d)

• The factors of colonizing Malaysia are closely tied to the vast natural resources and other sources of wealth after by the colonists.

• Furthermore, Malay Archipelago was also a place for them to extend their political influence & Christian faith.

Portuguese• Led by Alfonso de Albuquerque• Took over Malacca in 1511• The main reason:- To control the maritime trade in the East- Spread Christianity- As the achievement on opening sea way to

the East

Evident from the Portuguese traces left

behind• Exist of Eurasian community, who are Catholic

and Portuguese customs• Introduction of Romanized writing, language

and terminology such as palsu, almari, jendela, garpu and tuala in Malay and Malay dance

• The downfall of Malay Kingdom of Malacca & led to the start of Johor- Riau Malay Kingdom

Evident from the Portuguese traces left

behind• Exist of Eurasian community, who are Catholic

and Portuguese customs• Introduction of Romanized writing, language

and terminology such as palsu, almari, jendela, garpu and tuala in Malay and Malay dance

• The downfall of Malay Kingdom of Malacca & led to the start of Johor- Riau Malay Kingdom

Chronology of Portuguese Colonization

Dutch• The Dutch defeated the Portuguese and

took over Malacca in 1641 with the help from Johor

• The centre of Dutch activity was not in Malacca, but Batavia ( Jakarta) in the island of Jawa.

• They only interested in the tin ore in the Malay Peninsular

• However the Dutch left after an agreement with the British in 1824

Anglo- Dutch Treaty 1824

• The treaty was signed on 17 March 1824 with the aim of ending all rivalry between the British and the Dutch in the East.

• Before this, English & the Dutch has been hostile because of trade.

• Besides that, Dutch not happy with the British occupation of Singapore.

• The hostility increases when some British people were killed in Ambon (a Dutch colony).

Anglo- Dutch Treaty 1824

• The consequences of the treaty was clear; the Malay Archipelago was split into two spheres of Dutch & British influence.

• The Dutch handed Malacca to the British in exchanged for Bencoolen (Bangkahulu).

British ColonizationThe Chronology of British Colonization

Year Events

1786 Penang Island founded by Francis Light

1819 Singapore was founded by Stamford Raffles

1824 The Dutch handed over Malacca to the British as a result of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty

1826 Penang Island, Malacca & Singapore were combined into one administrative unit known as the Straits Settlements.

1841 James Brooke took over Sarawak

1874 British intervention in Perak, through the Pangkor Agreement

1874 British intervention in Sungai Ujung

1878 The Brunei Sultan handed over Sabah to British

British ColonizationThe Chronology of British Colonization

Year Events

1888 British intervention in Pahang

1896 Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan & Pahang were unite into one administrative unit known as the Federated Malay States

1909 Under the Bangkok Agreement, Siam handed over Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan & Terengganu to the British ( these are Unfederated Malay States0

1914 Johor accepted a British advisor

1945 The British Military Administration (BMA) was establish

1946 The Malayan Union established in Peninsular Malay

1948 The Federation of Malaya was established to replace the Malayan Union

1957 The Malaya achieve independence

Straits Settlements

• After the Treaty, British transfer of power of the Straits Settlements.

• It consist of Singapore, Malacca & Penang.• These states were unite in 1826 & Penang was

the first capital state with a Governor as head.• 1832, the head was transferred to Singapore

because of Singapore more develop than Penang at that time.

Straits Settlements

• On 1st April 1867, the administration of the straits Settlement was transferred from Calcutta India to the Colonial Office in London.

• This transfer of administration largely influenced the historical development of the country.

• The administration become more efficient, commercial agriculture , such as black pepper, gambier, nutmeg , clove & sugar cane.

Penang and Kedah

• The English merchants set up the British East India Company in 1600 with the intention of improving trade in the region.

• On 11 August 1786, Francis Light tries to take over Penang and after an agreement between Light and Sultan Abdullah; Penang Island came under the occupation of the British in order to protect Kedah from Siamese threat.

Penang and Kedah

• On 1 May 1791 the Union Jack was officially raised in Penang for the first time.

• Penang was later named Prince of Wales Island while Perai was renamed Province Wellesley.

FACTORS OF BRITISH INTERVENTION

1. There was no unity among the inhabitants and this gave the British the chance and excuse to intervene by installing an advisor/Resident.

2. The presence of important economic resources such as tin ore and agricultural products (commercial agriculture) in these states.

3. There was strong competition among the western powers for colonies to meet the economic needs of their country thus increasing the need for intervention.

Resident System

• The British introduced the Resident System in Malaya through the Pangkor Engagement.

• According to the Pangkor Engagement, each resident was to advise the sultan on all administrative matters except those pertaining to Malayan religion and custom, but in practice the resident ruled.

The Weaknesses of Resident System

• There weren’t enough British officers to administer it, and a few these officers could converse in the native language.

• There was already a hierarchy in the states.• Religious matters could be separated from politics,

but custom was strong. Revenues collected were the personal income of the Sultan and his chiefs.

• The residents lack of respect and understanding of Malayan custom, language, and religion.

Federated Malay States (FMS)

• Selangor • Perak• Pahang• Negeri Sembilan

 

consolidated under one central ruling system through The Federation Agreement in 1896

Federated Malay States Treaty

• British Colonial administrator Frank Swettenham (1850–1946) suggested the idea to form the Federated Malay States, and the FMS was established 1 July 1896 and terminated in 1946.

• Swettenham and other British officers felt that a central government was needed for greater unity, uniformity, and cooperation between these states.

• The FMS headquarters were established in Kuala Lumpur, where a Federal Civil Service consisting of departments such as Justice, Communications, Finance, and Public Works was set up.

Unfederated Malay States

• Kelantan• Terengganu• Kedah• Perlis• Johor

Unfederated Malay States

• Under the Bangkok Treaty of 1909, Siam (as Thailand was once known) transferred whatever rights or power over the northern Malay states (Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis) to the United Kingdom.

• The British later imposed treaties similar to the Federated Malay States towards these northern states.

• Johore accepted a treaty of protection in 1885 and eventually succumbed under pressure to accept a British Advisor in 1904.