Note 2:

Colonization of Malaysia
MALACCAN SULTANATE
Introduction
-

Founded by ___________________--, a prince from Palembang, Sumatra in the early 15 th

century.

Parameswara fled Palembang when it was attacked by the Majapahit army from Java and
went to Temasik (Singapore) and killed its ruler, Temagi, who represented Ayhuthia (siam).
Five years later, Ayuthia attacked Temasik and he fled and settled at a place which was later
called Melaka (Malacca).

General features :a) __________________________

b) __________________________
c) __________________________
d) ____________________________

Similarities with present Malaysia

1) Islam as the official religion
2) Government system :a) Sultan head of state, Islam and army
b) Ministers / Officers :
- ___________________(Prime Minister)
- ________________ (Chief of Security / Police)
- _________________________ (Finance)
- _______________________(Navy)
- _____________________ (Trade and Port)
3) Law :a) Undang-undang Melaka / Hukum Kanun Melaka (____________)
b) Undang-undang Laut Melaka (___________________)
Factors that helped Malacca to prosper
1) Geographic :a) Location between India and China trade route
b) sheltered from the South West and North East monsoon
c) deep natural port
d) people living by the seaside (orang laut) help to defend from attacks
2) Economic :a) concentration on trade centre for trade in the Malay Archipelago
b) centre of entreport trade international level
3) Political & Administration :a) relation with China (superpower)
- protection from Siam

- foster trade
b) efficient administration
- maintain peace
- port & trade officer (Syahbandar)
- strong military
c) good tax collection system
d) just law Hukum Kanun Melaka & Undang-undang Laut Melaka
e) Malay language as lingua franca (language for trade), single language makes trading
easy
f) good monetary system
g) diplomatic ties with Jaya, India, Siam (besides China)
h) expansion of power
- whole of Peninsula Malaysia and part of Sumatra
- helps trade and easy to fight pirates
i) Islam as official religion
- expand trade with Muslim traders from India and Arab
- centre of Islamic propogation
Factors that brought to Malaccas downfall
-

Peak of prosperity : period of ____________________________

After that, started to deteriorate until 1511 (Portugese occupation)

1. Internal
a) lack of good leadership after the death of Bendahara Tun Perak who helped to build the
empire
- Tun Mutahir (a Tamir-Muslim) replaced him weak leadership which caused fight for
power
b) weak ruler
- _____________________ paid less attention to administration
- curruption and slandering
- high taxes, traders went to other ports
c) disunity among the people Tun Mutahirs weak administration caused bad relations
between Malays and Tamil-Muslims

2. External
a) discovery of sea route to the east through Cape of Good Hope (Southern Africa) by
______________________ (1488)
- made travelling from west to east easier for trade and concurring
b) traders moved to other ports high taxes in Malacca
c) attack by Portugese in 1511 leaded by Alfonso d Albuquerque

Other Malay states

-

Old : Kedah, Pahang, Perak

New : Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kelantan, Selangor

Johor established a big empire after Malacca fell and became center for trade

Governments at Perak and Johor were founded by sons of Sultan Mahmud Syah

FOREIGN RULE / COLONISATION IN MALAYSIA

-

First came as traders.

Looking for source of raw material.

Total period 446 years since 1511.

Portugese, Dutch, British, Japanese, British

Siam Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu before giving them to British.

Left important impact on administration system, economy, education and ethnics relations.

Portugese
-

130 years, from 1511 to 1641.

Unable to expand beyond Malacca town (failed in Rembau and Naning)

Also unable spread Christianity widely.

Effects of colonization :a) Serani race result of marriage with locals

b) introduced Roman alphabet
c) word used in Bahasa Melayu almari, palsu, jendela, garpu, tuala
d) fall of Malacca brought the emergency of the Johor-Riau Empire

Dutch
-

Started trading in the 17th century at Betawi (Batavia) in Java.

Dutch East India Company (VOC) in 1602 to control spice trade and tin mining.

Attacked Portugese in Malacca to bring traders to Betawi, succeeded in 1641 with help from
Johor.

Not many effects of Dutch rule in Malacca, some red buildings.

British
-

Established British East India Company in 1,600 at first to facilitate trade with China.

Began interested in Malay Archipelago :a) _________________________________________

b) ___________________________________________

11th August 1786 Francis Light started a settlement at Penang island after giving empty
promises to the Sultan of Kedah.

6th February 1819 Stamford Raffles settled at Singapore after signing agreement with
Temenggung Abdul Rahman from Johor.

English Dutch Treaty

-

Dutch became unhappy because Singapore was doing well and becoming a threat to Betawi.

17th March 1824, the English Dutch treaty was signed.

Effects of the treaty :division of Malay Archipelago into two one under British and one under Dutch :a) break of Johor-Riau Empire Riau went to Dutch
b) competition between Dutch and English especially after Singapore prospered

Lasting effect : 2 different political systems and foreign influence between Malaysia and
Indonesia.

1826 Straits Settlement (Penang, Malaca, Singapore) to protect and expand trade.

Expansion of British colonization

-

Motive : economy.

Facilitated by internal problems of the states.

1841 James Brooke took over Sarawak
1874 British intervention in Perak
1874 Selangor received British advisor
1875 Sultan of Brunei gave up his territory in Sabah to the British
1888 British intervention in Pahang
1909 Bangkok Treaty : Siam gave up Kedah, Perlish, Kelantan, Terengganu to the
British
1914 Johor received British advisor

Major factors of British colonisation

a) Economy
- British need raw material (tin, agricultural products) for industry due to the Industrial
Revolution
- Investment by English businessmen especially in mining.
b) Fear of other western powers
- in 1870s , Italy, France, German, Russia competing to occupy countries to get raw
material supply
c) Situation of anarchy (lawlessness, social and political disorder, no government order):i) civil war between rulers and noblemen over throne and territory (Perak, Selangor,
Sungai Ujung, Pahang)
ii) wars between Chinese secret societies
iii) pirate activity at Straits of Malacca
BRITISH ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM

What is the resident system?

Resident System
the British advisor to the Malay rulers :a) 1874 Perak, Selangor, Sungai Ujung
b) 1888 Pahang
c) 1895 whole of Negeri Sembilan
d) 1914 Johor
- effects :a) Politic : traditional ruling system destroyed;
- Rulers and noblemen : no absolute power (only on religion and customs)
- Resident : too powerful, brought in own system
b) Economy :- encouraged investment
- tin mining developed
- introduction of new crops (coffee and rubber)
- urbanization
- no uniformity and balance in wealth distribution between states : more investment in
mining areas and towns, therefore causing monopoly by foreign investors and
immigrants, locals left behind
c) social :- rapid infrastructure development eg. transport, health, telegraph, port, water supply,
electricity, schools etc, but only at areas with British interest eg. towns, areas with
economic activities, but rural areas are neglected
- brought in immigrants from China and India causing rapid population increase, but
relations with locals not close causing social gap
-

Federated Malay States (FMS)

-

1895 through Federal Treaty.

Consists of _______________________________________

Beginning of durbar Conference, members are :a) British High Commissioner

b) Malay Rulers (Sultans) of FMS
c) Resident General
d) Residents of the four FMS

First conference : 1897, __________________________

Second (last) conference : 1903, ___________________________

Replaced by Federal Council in 1909

Reasons for having FMS :1) financial problems in Pahang

2) administration efficient, uniform, to control power of residents
3) to exploit the economy of FMS better

Effects :1) concentration of power under Resident General

2) Sultans lost more of their power
3) positions in government departments held by British officers
4) stability more investment in tin and rubber; increase in population with more Chinese
and Indian immigrants brought in

Federal Council : strengthen British position with most administrative power under Resident
General (as if he is the true ruler of FMS)

Power Decentralisation
-

1920s, world economic recession

1925, British began decentralisation of power :

a) to cut cost (economic motive)
b) as a strategy to establish Federation of Malaya

To attract non-FMS which only have British advisor (not resident). Whereby the sultan may or
may not follow his advice

To expand power in non-FMS.

States have own law implemented by British Officers.

1939, all except Police, Customs, Finance, Defence departments given back to states.

1941, had to stopped because of Japanese invasion.

JAPANESE OCCUPATION
-

15th February 1942 all of Malaya and Singapore.

Ended 12th September 1945, ________________________________

Easy victory; reasons :1) British army not well prepared for war
- didnt expect invasion to start from north (Kelantan)
2) weak British navy
- no naval defence after HMS Prince of Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales sunk by
Japanese airplanes
3) preparations by Japanese army
- gathered information on British army (location, strength, equipment) before attacking
- good intelligence network / sent spies before war
4) advantages of Japanese army :- well trained, good leadership (Yamashita, Tsuji), high spirits to win for Japanese
interest
- good and practical tactics eg. use bicycle in jungle (better compared to British using
trucks)
5) disadvantages of British army :
- low fighting spirit because they are not defending their own country, especially after
some early defeats

young soldiers from India, inexperienced

conclusion : British lost because of own mistake

Japanese administration
-

Malaya changed to New Malai, under military admin in Singapore.

Singapore changed to Syonan, separate administration from Malaya.

Penang, Malacca, Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan combined under one
administration.

Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu given to Siam in 1945 for allowing Japanese to go
through Sian to invade Malaya.

Head of Malay states : Governor.

Sultan : head of religion and customs.

Effects of Japanese Occupation

-

More negative effects than positive.

Made drastic social, economic and political changes, British had to change its policies when
they came back. This is said to have increased the process of independence.

Social effects :1) Oppression, especially on the Chinese as a continuation of the Sino-Japanese war in
1937. Also many Malay and Chinese became forced labour to build the railway from
Burma to Siam (Death Railway)
2) Chinese fled to the outskirts of the jungle and rural areas and opened new settlements,
met with Malay villagers, causing culture shock
3) disharmony between Malays and Chinese because Japanese generally treated Malays
better : encouraged them join army, police, and become active in politics)
- caused tension when Japanese surrendered.
4) Japanese education system : more on moral training than academic.
- develop Japanese identity and encourage to be hardworking

Economic situation was very bad; effects :1) property and infrastructure destroyed by British before running away
2) tin mining and rubber industry couldnt be continued
3) no foreign trade
4) consumer goods and food, especially rice was scarce
- Japanese forced people to plant tapioca and sweet potatoes
5) inflation uncontrolled money distribution
6) infrastructure handled badly by Japanese

Political effects :1) Japanese encouraged political awareness (especially among the Malay), - slogan : Asia
for Asians
2) gain experience in administration, through experience working in Japanese
administration
3) encouraged Malay nationalism and involvement in political organisations eg. KRIS
4) Indians and Chinese strengthen amongst themselves, causing difficulties later on in the
future in establishing national spirit

Indians encouraged to give attention to free India from British. Chandra Bose lead a
group with the slogan : Chalo Delhi
5) Malayan Communist Party (MCP) became a strong party in 1945 1948, members
mostly Chinese influenced and controlled Malayan Peoples Anti Japanese Army
(MPAJA)
-

Post Japanese Occupation

-

Japanese defeat marked the end of World War Two.

Before British came back, (MCP) took control for 14 days, unstable situation, anarchy and
killings.

British came back and set up British Military Administration (BMA).

MCP became very active, BMA declared Emergency in Prak and Johor on 16 th June and
whole Malaya on 17th June 1948.

Steps taken during Emergency included Briggs Plan, Templer Plan and Baling Conference
(28, 29th Dec. 1955).

1960, MCP influence decreased and on 31st July, 1960, Emergency declared over.