CHAPTER 2.1

POLITICAL PROCESS

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.

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

(Cont’d)

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

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 dance

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

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

Ruins of a Dutch fort

The Dutch Square, with Christ Church (built in 1753) (left) and the Stadthuys

(right).

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 were 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(Cont’d)

• 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

ColonizationYear 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

The Chronology of British Colonization

(Cont’d)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

British Colonization (Cont’d)

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

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

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

because of Singapore was more develop than Penang at that time.

British Colonization (Cont’d)

• 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.

Cont’d…

• 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.

Johor and Singapore

• Modern Singapore was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles with a great deal of help from Major William Farquhar.

• On 6th February 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles occupied Singapore, as it was seen as a suitable new base for the British in the Islands of the Malay Archipelago.

Cont’d…

• This was achieved through the manipulation by the British of a local issue of misunderstanding between the Chief Military Officer Abdul Rahman (Singapore Administrator) and Sultan Abdul Rahman in Riau. Tengku Hussiens was appointed as the Sultan of Singapore

British Intervention in Malay States ,

Sabah & Sarawak

In Malay States

• Before 1873, the British government did not have any policy of intervention in the affairs of the Malay states in Peninsular Malaya.

• However even before, there has been several cases of indirect intervention in the matters of the Malay states.

• It include the dispute between Raja Ali and Temenggung Ibrahim in Johor in the middle of 19 century, the Naning War of 1831 and the Anderson’s Agreement with Selangor & Perak in 1825

In Malay States (cont’d)

• But, in September 1873, Lord Kimberly, Secretary of the colonial office started the policy of the intervention in the affairs of Malay States.

PERAK (1874)• The British intervened with the excuse of

protecting the interests of British merchants.• Chaos broke out with the Larut War (the

glamour for control of the tin mines) that involved the Chinese secret societies, Hai San and Ghee Hin, and the civil war (the struggle for the throne between Raja Abdullah and Raja Ismail).

Cont’d…

• Chieftains such as Ngah Ibrahim (Larut Minister) and Raja Abdullah requested for British intervention.

• Anxiety on the part of the British that other European power will intervene in the Malay States.

• The Pangkor Treaty was signed on 20th January 1874• J.W.W Birch was appointed to be the first Resident.

SELANGOR (1874)

• Civil war involving Raja Mahadi and Raja Abdullah.

• Tengku Kudin and Yap Ah Loy supported Raja Abdullah, the princes of the Selangor Sultan and Sayid Masyor supported Raja Mahadi.

• British intention to interfere was not successful because the Malay chieftains did not want the British to interfere.

Cont’d..

• In 1978, a British cargo boat was attacked by pirates; the British took this as an excuse to intervene.

• In August 1874, Frank Swettenham was appointed official advisor to the Sultan and J.G Davidson as the Resident.

SUNGAI UJUNG (1874)

• Struggle for power in Sungai Linggi between Dato’ Kelana Sayid Abdul Rahman and Dato’ Bandar Kulup Tunggal.

• Dato’ Kelana sought help from the English and was subsequently acknowledged as chief of Sungai Ujong.

• However, the appointment of Dato’ Kelana and British presence were opposed by Dato’ Bandar Kulup Tunggal.

Cont’d..

• The British army, led by W.A Pickering, successfully defeated Dato’ Bandar Kulup Tunggal.

• Sungai Ujong accepted British Advisor, W.I.Tatham.

PAHANG (1880s)

• Civil war broke out due to struggle between Wan Mutahir and Wan Ahmad for the post of Chief Minister

• The British were worried over Sultan Ahmad’s suggestion to give trade concessions to Western powers.

• In February 1888, a British citizen (of Chinese descent) was murdered in Pekan (near the Sultan’s palace)

Cont’d..

• The British took that as an excuse to intervene• Sultan Ahmad accepted the British Resident

J.P.Rodger

SABAH (1946)

• Part of Sabah was under the Brunei Sultanate since the 16th century

• Was leased to Charles Lee Moses in 1865 and subsequently sold to Baron Von Overbeck

• The Sulu Sultanate agreed to give up their land in Sabah to Overbeck and Dent in 1878.

• The North Borneo Chartered Company was established to administer Sabah.

• On 15th July 1946, Sabah was declared a British colony.

SARAWAK (1842)

Sarawak (1842) James Brooke occupied Sarawak after fulfilling

his promise to Raja Muda Hashim to quell the

rebels

James Brooke was coronate King of Sarawak

in 1842

The Sultan of Brunei agreed to sign the

Agreement of 1842 to confirm James Brook as

the governor of Sarawak for fear of British

threat

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.

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.