Malaysian Studies

MPW 1133

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WHAT DO YOU KNOW

ABOUT MALAYSIA?

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CHAPTER 1
PRE-HISTORICAL PERIOD OF
MALAYSIA

Ancient Malaysia
35,000 BC - 100 BC

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Early Hindu Kingdoms

100 BC - 1400 AD

Islam and the

Golden Age of Malacca
1400 - 1511 AD

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Colonial Malaysia
1511 - 1957

Independence and
Onwards
1957 - Present Day

Ancient Malaysia:
35,000 BC - 100 BC

Historians - Malaysia's ancient past as something "shrouded

in mystery," a kind of black hole in Asian history.
- The truth is - not much archeological evidence
or
written records from ancient Malaysia.
(will take time to find them)

35,000 years BC(Before Christ)

- homo sapiens have been in Malaysia
- oldest known evidence of human habitation
Niah Caves in Sarawak.
(next)

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Hindu Kingdoms:
100 BC - 1400 AD

Malay Peninsula Savarnadvipa (the Land of Gold - in early writings

from India).
Indian traders called mystical, fantastically wealthily In the Bujang Valley in Kedah is Malaysia's
most extensive archeological site -- the
kingdom - gold, aromatic wood, and spices.
sprawling ruins of an ancient Hindu kingdom
dating
back to 300 AD. Over 50 tomb temples
Indian also brought a pervasive culture & religions.
dot the site, and hundreds of relics are on
(Hinduism and Buddhism).
display in the nearby Bujang Valley
Archaeological Museum
the most visible example of the early Indian influence is:

The Malay Wedding Ceremony:

a lasting legacy of early Indian influence.
(next)
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Islam and the Golden Age of

Malacca:
1400 AD - 1511 AD
13th century
-Srivijaya's influence declined
Tome Pries, a Portuguese apothecary
-There were need for secure, well-equipped port in the region.who visited Malacca in the early 16th

century, said that the city was "of such

importance and profit that it seems to me
it has no equal in the world."

Malacca

-founded in 1400 by Palembang prince named Parameswara.

-Perfectly located for trade
-most influential port in Southeast Asia
With these traders came Islam
-rulers now referred to themselves as
sultans, (heads of a highly organized
municipal government)

Portuguese settlement

Chinese influence
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Highly Organized Municipal Government.

Syahbandars

( harbor master)

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Bendahara

(chief minister)

Temenggung

(customs official)

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Laksamana

(marine captain)

REASON for MALACCAS

SUCCESS
Natural port & safety of its sea lanes.
- Orang Laut
Commercial facilities:
- security within the town
- protection of foreign merchants & goods
e.x: underground warehouse fire & theft
Efficient legal & Administrative machinery
a. Undang-undang Melaka ( Malaccan Law)
b. Undang-undang laut Melaka ( Malaccan Meritime Law)
c. 4 Syahbandars (Harbour Masters) Gujarati, Indian, Jawa & China.
Centre for spread the religion.
Good relation with big empires .
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THE FALL of MALACCA

No good ruler. After the death of Tun Perak - sultan Mahmud
became weak.
Portuguese too strong for Malaccan people.
Traders start to look for other centres tax become too high.
After the collapse of Melaka the Sultane of Brunei in
Kalimantan rose to become the principal agent for the
propagation of Islam in that area.
Malacca marked the classical age of Malay Culture.

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REASON for MALACCAS

SUCCESS

Natural port & safety of its sea lanes.

- Orang Laut
Commercial facilities:
- security within the town
- protection of foreign merchants & goods
e.x: underground warehouse fire & theft
Efficient legal & Administrative machinery
a. Undang-undang Melaka ( Malaccan Law)
b. Undang-undang laut Melaka ( Malaccan Meritime Law)
c. 4 Syahbandars (Harbour Masters) Gujarati, Indian, Jawa & China.

Centre for spread the religion.

Good relation with big empires .

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EUROPEAN PENETRTION &

COLONIALISM
Reason for them to come to Malaya
to conquer & get the natural resource (Raw material).
spread Christianity in this regions.

They ruled our country for 446 years.

Malacca falls to:
Portuguese1511

Dutch
1641

British
1791/1824

Japanese 1941

British
1945

(British & Japanese left very deep scares )

- aspect : Social, Politic, Economy
(Contd)

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EUROPEAN PENETRTION &

COLONIALISM (Contd)
1511 Malacca conquered by Portuguese. Malay Sultanate reestablished in Johore.
1641 Portuguese rule in Malacca overthrown by Dutch.
1699 Sultan Mahmud murdered, ending Malaccan dynasty.
1786 Francis Light founds British trading settlement on
Penang.
1824 British acquired Malacca from the Dutch in exchange
for Bencoolen in Sumatra.
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Colonial Era
Reflects the attraction of the country & of the Malay
Archipelago to the foreign countries
Subjugated by other powers for 446 years (1511 1957 )
Portuguese
Dutch
British

Japanese
and even Siamese

British & Japanese succeeded in colonizing and left the

impact on the people
The Factors for colonizing Malaysia:
vase natural resources & other sources of wealth
to extend political influence & Christian faith

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Table 1.3: Colonists and the Features of Domination

Colonist

Duration

Notes

Portuguese

1511 1641
(130 years)

Mainly in Malacca
Was opposed by the Malays of Malacca with the aid of Acheh
Did not leave behind many traces, except in the areas of language and dance

Dutch

1641 1824
(183 years)

Mainly in Malacca
Did not leave many traces; focused on colonizing Indonesia
Was opposed by the Malays who frequently received help from the Bugis

British

1824 1942

Colonized the whole of Peninsula Malaysia; two phases

Left behind significant influence on the way of the life of the people (P/E/S)
Was strongly opposed by the countrys population

1945 1957
(130 years)
Siamese

1821 1909
(88 years)

Was for a long time lord of the states in the north of the Malay Peninsula
Stayed mainly in the northern states of the Malay Peninsula namely, Perlis,
Kedah and Kelantan
Traces of influence very evident in the states in the north, especially in the
areas of religion (Buddhist) and art

Japanese

1942 1945
(3 years)

Colonized the entire country

Greatly influenced the life of the people, especially in terms of relations
between the races
Was opposed by the whole country

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Portuguese (1511 1641)

The main reason:
to control the maritime trade in the East
Spread Christianity

Failure to expend power:

Inconsistency between their:
trading practices
Religion
Alfonso de Albuquerque using force to make the group of
merchants leave Malacca and they viewed the Portuguese as
enemy to other Islamic countries

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Portuguese (1511 1641) Cont

Main influences evidences:

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Eurasian community
romanized writing
language
terminology (palsu, almari, jandela, garpu & tuala in Malay)
Led to start Johore-Riau Malay Kingdom

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Dutch (1641 1824)

Defeted Portuguese with assistance from Johore
Dutch activities mostly from Batavia (Jakarta) in Jawa Island
Only interested in tin ore in the Malay Peninsula
Dutch left after agreement with British in 1824 (Malacca was
passed to British)

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British (1824 1942)

1786: Penang was founded by by Francis Light
*(after an agreement between Francis Light & Sultan Abdullah - protect Kedah from Siamese threat)

1819: Singapore was founded by Stamford Raffles

*(achieved through the manipulation by the British of a local issues of misunderstanding between
Chief Military Officer Abdul Rahman (Singapore Administrator) & Sultan Abdul Rahman in Riau )

The general tendency:

Focus on opening of Singapore
Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 March 17: Malay Archipelago divided
to two different geo-political area in 19 & 20 century
The establishment & transfer of power of the Straits Settlements
The growth of the tin mining industry
Increase of Chinese population
The intervention of the Malay States in 1874
Progress in British administration
Formation of the Federated Malay States in 1896
Opening of rubber estate
See table 1.4: The Chronology Of British Colonization pg. 10
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British (1824 1942) Cont

Straits Settlements
Consisted of Singapore, Malacca & Penang Island
United in 1829
Penang Island:1st capital state with Governor as
head
Administration of Straits Settlements transferred
from Culcutta in India to London coursed:
More efficient administration
Commercial agriculture (black paper, gambier,
nutmeg, clove & sugar cane)
Pirate activities were eradicated
British began to pay attention to the Malay state
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British (1824 1942) Cont

British Intervention in Malay States, Sabah & Sarawak
There had been several cases of indirect intervention:
Raja Ali & Temenggung Ibrahim in Johore
Naning War of 1831
Andersons agreement with Selangor & Perak in 1825

In September 1873, Lord Kimberly-inaugurated intervention policy

Before that British intervened only in Sarawak
* See Table 1.5: Summary of British Intervention in the Malay States,
Sabah & Sarawak

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Table 1.5: Summary of British Intervention in the Malay States, Sabah & Sarawak
State

Record of Events

Sarawak
(1824)

James Brooke occupied Sarawak after fulfilling his promise to Raja Muda Hashim to
quell the rebels
James Brooke was coronated King of Sarawak in 1824
The Sultan of Brunei agreed to sign the Agreement of 1842 to confirm James Brooke
as the governor of Sarawak for fear to British threat

Perak
(1874)

The British intervened with the excuse of protecting the intrest of British merchants
Chaos broke out with the Larut War (the clamor for control of the tin mines) that
involved the Chines secret sicieties, Hai San & Ghee Hin, and the civil war (the
struggle for the throne between Raja Abdullah & Raja Ismail)
Chieftains such as Ngah Ibrahim (Larut Minister) & Raja Abdullah requested for
British
intervention
Anxiety on the part of the British that other European powers will intervene in the
Malay States
The Pangkor Treaty was signed on 20th January 1874
J.W.W. Birch was appointed the first Resident

Selangor
(1874)

Civil war involving Raja Mahadi & Raja Abdullah

Tengku Kudin & Yap Ah Loy supported Raja Abdullah; the princes of the Selangor
Sultan and Sayid Masyor supported Raja Mahadi
British intervention to interfere was not successful because the Malay chieftains did
not want the British to interfere

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Table 1.5: Summary of British Intervention in the Malay States, Sabah & Sarawak
Cont
State
Selangor
(1874)
Cont

Record of Events
In 1873, 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 &
J.G. Davidson as the Resident

Sungai Ujung
(1874)

Struggle for power in Sungai Linggi between Dato Kelana Said Abdul Rahman & Dato
Bandar Kulup Tunggal
Dato Kelana sought help from the English & was subsequently acknowledged as chief of
Sungai Ujong. However, the appointment of Dato Kelana & British presence were
opposed
by Dato Bandar Kulup Tunggal
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 the struggle between Wan Mutahir & Wan Ahmad for the post of
Chief Minister
The British were worried over Sultan Ahmads suggestion to give trade concessions to
Western powers
In February 1888, a British citizen (of Chinese descent) was murdered in Pekan (near the
sultans palace)
The British took that as an excuse to intervene
Sultan Ahmad accepted the British Resident J.P. Rodger

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Table 1.5: Summary of British Intervention in the Malay States, Sabah & Sarawak
Cont

State

Record of Events

Sabah
(1946)

Part of Sabah was under the Brunei Sultanate since the 16 th century
Was leased to Charles Lee Moses in 1865 & subsequently sold to Baron Von
Overbeck
T he Sulu Sultanete agreed to give up their land in Sabah to Overback & Dent in 1878
The North Borneo Chartered Company was established to administer Sabah
On 15th July 1946, Sabah was declared a British colony

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BRITISH INTERVENTION in
THE MALAY STATES
-From 1824 1873, the British in Malaya had tried to refrain
from interfering in the affairs of the Malay states.
- When the Straits Settlements were transferred from the control
of the Indian government to the Colonial Office in 1867, the
traits community thought that there would be intervention.
- Sir Andrew Clarke 1874, who changed the policy of nonintervention to one of intervention.

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REASONS FOR THE CHANGE

OF POLICY
1.

The increase in demand for tin and other raw materials.

2.

Need for markets to buy British Goods.

3.

Need for New Fields of investment.

4.

Anarchy in the Malay state.

5.

Change in British Policy of Non-intervention.

6.

Fear of European rivals

7.

Opening of the Suez Canal.

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THE RESIDENTAL SYSTEM IN

MALAY STATE
During the last three decades of the nineteenth century, Britain
became increasingly involved in the internal affair of the
Malay State.
Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang, the sultans
accepted British officials to help them rule.
These officials were called Residents, and the system of
governing with assistance from a resident was know as the
Residential System.

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THE ROLE of THE RESIDENTS

1. To advise on the collection and control of
revenue.
2. Encouraging economic growth.
3. To restore and maintain peace in their states.
4. Diplomatic role.
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THE BENEFITS of THE

RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM
1.

Political stability and the enforcement of law and order.

2.

More effective government.

3.

Substantial economic growth.

4.

Foreign investment more effective exploitation of natural resources.

5.

Greater revenue higher standard of living.

6.

Multi-cultural society increase in Malayas population.

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THE DIMERITS of THE

RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM
1. No uniformity of government.
2. The lack of co-ordination increasingly
powerful at the expense of the local Sultans
and chiefs.
3. Varying amounts of economic growth within
their states.
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THE TRANSFER of THE

NORTHERN MALAY STATES

By the beginning of the twentieth century, British influence in the Malay Peninsula could be
seen in the:
1.
Straits Settlements (Malacca, Penang and Singapore)
2.
Federated Malay State (Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang)

There were still five state, however, which remained independent of British influence. These
were Johore, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu.

In 1909, the four most northern states came under direct British protection as the
UNFEDERATED MALAY STATES.

1909, The Bangkok Treaty.

Only Johore remained independent, though in 1914 it too appointed a British official to give
advice.

Although this official did not have status of a Resident, his appointment completed the
establishment of British control in the Malay Peninsula.

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THE RISE OF JAPAN

In the period up to 1941, Japan emerged as a major power strong enough
to challenge the United States.
- the growth of Japanese power was demonstrated in the RussoJapanese War of 1904 1905.
- during World War One, Japans power was further increased.
- Although Japan developed rapidly as an industrialized nation, its
people faced many problems.
- Population was growing rice production could not keep up with
this increase.
- No raw material valuable commodities such as oil, rubber and iron
had to be imported.
- World went to into economic recession after 1929.
- The answer to Japans problems was provided by the army.
- if more land, more raw materials and alternative markets were needed,
then they should be taken by force. Therefore, in 1931, Japan went to
war.
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JAPANS PLAN FOR A NEW

ORDER
In 1938, Japan devised a plan for establishing a New Order
in Asia (Greater Asia Co. Prosperity Plan).

- this involve setting up an organization under Japans

leadership to provide economic growth and political
independence.

- in reality, it meant Japan gaining control of Asia and

exploiting Asia raw material for its own use.

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THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION of

MALAYA and SINGAPORE (1942 1945)
- M & S went through three and half years of Japanese
occupation.
- It was a period of great hardship and suffering for the
population.
- Food was scarce, economic activities came to a standstill and
there was unemployment.
- Japanese rule was cruel and ruthless and the population lived
in fear.
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JAPANESE ADMINISTRATION
-

A military government in Malaya & Singapore

President or Gunseikan as its head.
Singapore was renamed Syonan-to means Light of the South
Malaya was renamed New Malai.
It was divided into 8 provinces.
Japanese Governor was the Chairman.
Sultan was the V-Chairman.
Sultans were not given any power to rule.
Japanese were appointed as heads of the various departments while the actual
running of the administration was carried out by the local people.
Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu were restored to Siamese as a reward
for Siamese cooperation with the Japanese.
The Japanese Military Administration demanded absolute cooperation and severely
punished anyone who opposed their rule.
The Kempeitai or Japanese military police took control of the local police.

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JAPANESE ADMINISTRATION
-

The Japanese Nipponization.

There were a decline in living condition.
Tin and rubber industries had close down.
There were great unemployment and poverty.
There was shortage of food.
Uncontrolled issue of paper money by the Japanese
banks resulted in worthless currency and inflation.
- Public health service were very poor.

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THE RACIAL POLICY of THE

JAPANESE
- Anti European. However, the local people also
suffered.
- Chinese the Japanese distrusted them. Tortured and
thousands were sent to work on the Death Railway.
- Indians were treated better.
- Malays were treated well (to win their support and
cooperation)
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RESISTANCE AGAINTS THE

JAPANESE
- the strict and harsh rule of the Japanese resulted in hatred for
them.
- Many resistance groups were organized against the Japanese.
- Force 136 and the stronger and most popular was MPAJA.
- MPAJA led by MCP (Malayan Communist Party).

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THE IMPACT of THE

JAPANESE OCCUPATION
- Two atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On 15 August 1945, Japan
surrendered. 9 Sept. 1945 the formal Japanese surrender.

1. Lawlessness and Violence

2. Thousands of people dead

3. Racial hostilities

4. The MCP Strengthened

5. Economic problems

6. Social and Public Health services in disorder

7. British prestige lowered

8. Development of Malay Nationalism

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