)
Under God's Protection
, capital =
Kuala Lumpur
, anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera''
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia
, pushpin_map_caption =
, coordinates =
, sub ...
1
, religion =
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...
, legislature = Federal Legislative Council
, type_house1 = State level
, common_languages =
, title_leader =
Monarch
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...
, leader1 =
Victoria
, year_leader1 = 1895–1901
(first)
, leader2 =
George VI
George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...
, year_leader2 = 1936–1946
(last)
, title_deputy = Resident General
, deputy1 =
Sir Frank Swettenham
, year_deputy1 = 1896–1901
(first)
, deputy2 =Hugh Fraser
, year_deputy2 = 1939-1942
(last)
, stat_pop2 = 1,597,700
, stat_year2 = 1933
, currency =
Straits dollar
The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1898 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Kingdom of Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo.
H ...
until 1939
Malayan dollar
The Malayan dollar ( Malay: ''ringgit'', Jawi: رڠڬيت) was the currency of the British colonies and protectorates in Malaya and Brunei until 1953. It was introduced in 1939, replacing the Straits dollar at par, with 1 dollar = two shillings ...
until 1953
, today =
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
*
Perak
Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand' ...
*
Selangor
Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sem ...
*
Kuala Lumpur
, anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera''
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia
, pushpin_map_caption =
, coordinates =
, sub ...
*
Putrajaya
Putrajaya (), officially the Federal Territory of Putrajaya ( ms, Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya), is a planned capital city which functions as the administrative capital and the judicial capital of Malaysia. The seat of the federal governm ...
*
Negeri Sembilan
*
Pahang
Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
, footnotes =
1 Also the state capital of Selangor
² Malay using Jawi (Arabic) script
³ Later Chief Secretaries to the Government and Federal Secretaries
The Federated Malay States (FMS, ms, Negeri-negeri Melayu Bersekutu,
Jawi: ) was a
federation
A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-gover ...
of four
protected states in the
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula ( Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The ar ...
—
Selangor
Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sem ...
,
Perak
Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand' ...
,
Negeri Sembilan and
Pahang
Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
—established by the
British government in 1896, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with two of the former
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Com ...
(Malacca and Penang) and the
Unfederated Malay States, formed the
Malayan Union. Two years later, the Union became the
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya ( ms, Persekutuan Tanah Melayu; Jawi: ) was a federation of what previously had been British Malaya comprising eleven states (nine Malay states and two of the British Straits Settlements, Penang and Malacca)''See' ...
, which achieved independence in 1957, and finally
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
in 1963 with the inclusion of
North Borneo
(I persevere and I achieve)
, national_anthem =
, capital = Kudat (1881–1884);Sandakan (1884–1945);Jesselton (1946)
, common_languages = English, Kadazan-Dusun, Bajau, Murut, Sabah Malay, Chinese etc.
, ...
(present-day
Sabah
Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory ...
),
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...
and
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
.
Real power in the FMS and its constituent states rested with the four local British Residents and the Resident-General, the discretionary powers of the local sultans being essentially reduced to matters "touching Malay Religion and Customs".
The federation, along with the other
Malay states and
British possessions of the peninsula, was overrun and
occupied by the Japanese during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. After the liberation of Malaya following the
Japanese surrender, the federation was not restored, but the federal form of government was retained as the principal model for consolidating the separate States as an independent
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya ( ms, Persekutuan Tanah Melayu; Jawi: ) was a federation of what previously had been British Malaya comprising eleven states (nine Malay states and two of the British Straits Settlements, Penang and Malacca)''See' ...
and the Federation's later evolution into
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
.
Formation and power structure
On 20 January 1874,
Sir Andrew Clarke, governor of the
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Com ...
, concluded with the Sultan of Perak the
treaty of Pangkor
The Pangkor Treaty of 1874 was a treaty signed between Great Britain and the Sultan of Perak on 20 January 1874, on the Colonial Steamer Pluto, off the coast of Perak. The treaty is significant in the history of the Malay states as it legitimi ...
whereby the Sultan agreed to "receive and provide a suitable residence for a British Officer to be called Resident, who shall be accredited to his court, and whose advice must be asked and acted upon on all questions other than those touching Malay Religion and Customs". The residency system was extended the same year to the states of Selangor and Negri Sembilan, and in 1888 to Pahang.
[Simon C. Smith, "Rulers and Residents: British Relations with the Aden Protectorate, 1937–59", ''Middle Eastern Studies'', Vol. 31, No. 3 (Jul., 1995), p. 511.]
To promote greater administrative efficiency, these four states were brought together in 1895-1896 to form the Federated Malay States. This structure was highly centralized, real power resting in the hands of the agents of the British Government, at first called the Resident-General, and later the Chief Secretary.
The British established the Federal Council in 1898 to administer the Federation. It was headed by the High Commissioner (The Governor of the Straits Settlement), assisted by the Resident-General, the Sultans, the four state Residents and four nominated unofficial members. This structure remained until the Japanese invaded Malaya on 8 December 1941.
The sultans and First Durbar
Although the Resident-General was the real administrator of the federation, each of the four constituent states of the federation retained their respective hereditary rulers (sultans). At the formation of the Federated Malay States, the reigning sultans were:
#
Sultan Alaiddin Sulaiman Shah of
Selangor
Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sem ...
#
Sultan Idris Murshidul ‘Adzam Shah I of
Perak
Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand' ...
# Yamtuan
Tuanku Muhammad Shah of
Negeri Sembilan
# Sultan
Ahmad Mu’adzam Shah of
Pahang
Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
In 1897 the first
Durbar
Durbar can refer to:
* Conference of Rulers, a council of Malay monarchs
* Durbar festival, a yearly festival in several towns of Nigeria
* Durbar floor plate, a hot-rolled structural steel that has been designed to give excellent slip resistance ...
was convened in the royal town of
Kuala Kangsar, Perak as the platform for discussions for the four Rulers. This formed the basis for the
Conference of Rulers
The Conference of Rulers (also Council of Rulers or Durbar, ms, Majlis Raja-Raja; Jawi: ) in Malaysia is a council comprising the nine rulers of the Malay states, and the governors or '' Yang di-Pertua Negeri'' of the other four states. It w ...
that was created later on under Article 38 of the
Malaysian Constitution
The Federal Constitution of Malaysia ( ms, Perlembagaan
Persekutuan Malaysia) which was promulgated on 16 September 1963, is the supreme law of Malaysia and contains a total of 183 articles. It is a written legal document which was preceded ...
on 27 August 1957.
Flag and emblem of the Federation
Flag
The Federated Malay States had a flag of its own until its dissolution in 1946. The flag consisted of four different-coloured stripes, from top to bottom: white, red, yellow and black. Different combinations of these colours represent the four states that formed the FMS — red, black and yellow are for Negeri Sembilan; black and white for Pahang; black, white and yellow for Perak; and red and yellow for Selangor. The same design concept is used in
Malaysian national emblem. In the middle is an oblong circle with a
Malayan tiger in it.
The National History Museum located near the
Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has a replica of the federation's flag.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of the Federated Malay States featured a shield guarded by two tigers. On the top of the shield is the crown (known as ''Eastern Crown'' in English heraldry), symbolising the federation of monarchies under the protection of the United Kingdom. A banner with the phrase "Dipelihara Allah" (Under God's (Allah) Protection) written in
Jawi is located underneath the shield.
The combinations of the four colours of the shield represents the colours of the flags of the states of the FMS in the same way the stripes of the FMS flag do.
# Red and yellow for
Selangor
Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sem ...
# Black, white and yellow for
Perak
Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand' ...
# Red, black and yellow for
Negeri Sembilan
# Black and white for
Pahang
Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
This design forms the basis of the
Federation of Malaya's national emblem along with the guardian
tigers and a quartered shield of the same, symbolic four colours mentioned above.
The phrase "Dipelihara Allah" was also adopted as the current state motto for the state of Selangor.
Naval Ensign
In addition to a state flag, the Federated Malay States also had a
naval jack or
ensign for use on government ships. The ensign, with the four colours of the FMS, was flown by
HMS ''Malaya'', commanded by Captain Boyle under the
5th Battle Squadron of the
British Grand Fleet) during the
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland (german: Skagerrakschlacht, the Battle of the Skagerrak) was a naval battle fought between Britain's Royal Navy Grand Fleet, under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet, under Vice ...
in the North Sea. This was the largest and the only full-scale clash of battleships during World War I.
Government
Resident-General
From 1896 to 1936, real power lay in the hands of the Resident-General, later known as Chief Secretary of the Federation.
Chief Secretary to the Government
Federal Secretaries
After 1936 the Federal Secretaries were no more than co-ordinating officers,
under the authority of the High Commissioners, which are always the Governors of the Straits Settlements
State Council
In the Federated Malay States, the individual State were still ruled by the Sultan but was now advised by the State Council for the purpose of administrating the State. The State Council was made up of the Resident (or in certain cases by the Secretary to the Resident), native chiefs, and representative(s) of the Chinese community nominated by the Sultan. The council discussed matters of interest for each respective state such as legislative and administrative issues as well as revision of all sentence of capital punishment. The Resident and his staff (mostly consist of European and Malay) carried on with the administrative work.
Residents
= Selangor
=
* 1875 – 1876 James Guthrie Davidson
* 1876 – 1882
William Bloomfield Douglas (born 1822 – died 1906)
* 1882 – 1884
Frank Athelstane Swettenham
Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham (28 March 1850 – 11 June 1946) was a British colonial administrator who became the first Resident general of the Federated Malay States, which brought the Malay states of Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and P ...
(born 1850 – died 1946)
* 1884 – 1888
John Pickersgill Rodger
Sir John Pickersgill Rodger, (12 February 1851 – 19 September 1910) was a British colonial administrator.
Early life
Rodger was born in 1851 at Marylebone in London, the second son of Sir Robert Rodger and his wife Sophia (née Pickersgill) ...
(1st time) (acting) (born 1851 – died 1910)
* 1889 – 1892
William Edward Maxwell
Sir William Edward Maxwell, (5 August 1846 – 14 December 1897) was a British colonial official who served as Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements and Governor of the Gold Coast, then a British colony.
Early days
Born on 5 August 18 ...
(born 1846 – died 1897)
* 1892 – 1896
William Hood Treacher
Sir William Hood Treacher (1 December 1849 – 3 May 1919) was a British colonial administrator in Borneo and the Straits Settlements. He founded the Anglo Chinese School in Klang on 10 March 1893.
Family
Treacher was the fourth son of Rev. ...
(born 1849 – died 1919)
* 1896 – 1902
John Pickersgill Rodger
Sir John Pickersgill Rodger, (12 February 1851 – 19 September 1910) was a British colonial administrator.
Early life
Rodger was born in 1851 at Marylebone in London, the second son of Sir Robert Rodger and his wife Sophia (née Pickersgill) ...
(2nd time) (s.a.)
* 1902 – 1910
Henry Conway Belfield
Sir Henry Conway Belfield, (29 November 1855 – 8 January 1923) was an English colonial administrator.
The son of John Belfield, JP, of Primley Hill, South Devon, and of Eliza Conway Bridges, daughter of Captain George Bridges, RN, Belfield ...
(born 1855 – died 1923)
* 1910 – 1913
Reginald George Watson
Sir Reginald George Watson was born in June 1862, in Portland Place, Bath. He was the son of General E.D. Watson of Bengal Army. Watson married Sydney Francis Vivien Presgrave. He died in 1926.
Education
Watson received his education at Haileyb ...
(born 1862 – died 1926)
* 1913 – 1919 Edward George Broadrick (born 1864 – died 1929)
* 1919 – 1921 Arthur Henry Lemon (born 1864 – died 1933)
* 1921 – 1926 Oswald Francis Gerard Stonor (born 1872 – died 1940)
* 1926 – 1927 Henry Wagstaffe Thomson (born 1874 – died 1941)
* 1927 – 1931 James Lornie (born 1876 – died 1959)
* 1932 – 1933
G. E. Cater (born 1884 – died 1973)
* 1933 – 1935 George Ernest London (born 1889 – died 1957)
* 1935 – 1937
Theodore Samuel Adams (born 1885 – died 1961)
* 1937 – 1939
Stanley Wilson Jones
Stanley Wilson Jones (1 July 1888 – 17 January 1962) was a colonial administrator. He was a cadet of Malayan Civil Service in 1911 and spent his civil service career in Federated Malay States and Straits Settlements. He was the British Resi ...
(born 1888 – died 1962)
* 1939 – 1941 G. M. Kidd
* 1941 Norman Rowlstone Jarrett (acting) (born 1889 – died 1982)
= Perak
=
* 1874 – 1875
James Wheeler Woodford Birch (born 1826 – died 1875)
* 1876 – 1877 James Guthrie Davidson
* 1877 – 1889
Hugh Low (from 1883, Sir Hugh Low) (born 1824 – died 1905)
* 1889 – 1896
Frank Athelstane Swettenham
Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham (28 March 1850 – 11 June 1946) was a British colonial administrator who became the first Resident general of the Federated Malay States, which brought the Malay states of Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and P ...
(born 1850 – died 1946)
* 1896 – 1902
William Hood Treacher
Sir William Hood Treacher (1 December 1849 – 3 May 1919) was a British colonial administrator in Borneo and the Straits Settlements. He founded the Anglo Chinese School in Klang on 10 March 1893.
Family
Treacher was the fourth son of Rev. ...
(born 1849 – died 1919)
* 1902 – 1903
John Pickersgill Rodger
Sir John Pickersgill Rodger, (12 February 1851 – 19 September 1910) was a British colonial administrator.
Early life
Rodger was born in 1851 at Marylebone in London, the second son of Sir Robert Rodger and his wife Sophia (née Pickersgill) ...
(born 1851 – died 1910)
* 1905 – 1910
Ernest Woodford Birch
Sir Ernest Woodford Birch, Wright, Arnold, Twentieth Century Impressions of British Malaya: Its history, ''People'', commerce, industries and resources, 1908 (29 April 1857 – 17 December 1929) was a British colonial administrator who served as ...
(born 1857 – died 1929)
* 1910 – 1912
Henry Conway Belfield
Sir Henry Conway Belfield, (29 November 1855 – 8 January 1923) was an English colonial administrator.
The son of John Belfield, JP, of Primley Hill, South Devon, and of Eliza Conway Bridges, daughter of Captain George Bridges, RN, Belfield ...
(born 1855 – died 1923)
* 1912 – 1913
William James Parke Hume
Lieutenant Colonel William James Parke Hume, C.M.G. was born on 25 January 1866, in Batticaloa, Ceylon. He was the son of William Walker Hume (1826-1897) and Henrietta Marion Kelly daughter of Luke Kelly. William married Alice Stevenson in 1903. ...
(1st time) (acting) (born 1866 – died 1952)
* 1913 – 1919
Reginald George Watson
Sir Reginald George Watson was born in June 1862, in Portland Place, Bath. He was the son of General E.D. Watson of Bengal Army. Watson married Sydney Francis Vivien Presgrave. He died in 1926.
Education
Watson received his education at Haileyb ...
(born 1862 – died 1926)
* 1919 – 1920
George Maxwell (born 1871 – died 1959)
* 1920 – 1921
William James Parke Hume
Lieutenant Colonel William James Parke Hume, C.M.G. was born on 25 January 1866, in Batticaloa, Ceylon. He was the son of William Walker Hume (1826-1897) and Henrietta Marion Kelly daughter of Luke Kelly. William married Alice Stevenson in 1903. ...
(2nd time) (s.a.)
* 1921 – 1926 Cecil William Chase Parr (born 1871 – died 1943)
* 1926 – 1927 Oswald Francis Gerard Stonor (born 1872 – died 1940)
* 1927 – 1929 Henry Wagstaffe Thomson (born 1874 – died 1941)
* 1929 – 1930
Charles Walter Hamilton Cochrane
Charles Walter Hamilton Cochrane, MCS, CMG (3 August 1876 – 26 October 1932), was the 17th British Resident of Perak and Chief Secretary to Government of Malaya from 1929 to 1932.
Career
In 1899, Cochrane joined the Federated Malay Civil Se ...
(born 1876 – died 1932)
* 1931 – 1932
Bertram Walter Elles (born 1877 – died 1963)
* 1932 – 1939
G. E. Cater (born 1884 – died 1973)
* 1939 – 1941
Marcus Rex
Marcus Rex, (11 September 1886 – 28 September 1971) was the last British Resident of Perak
Education and career
Rex's early education was at Highgate School, London, after which he gained a Bachelor of Arts ( BA) degree from Trinity College ...
(born 1886 – died 1971)
= Negeri Sembilan
=
* 1888 – 1891 Martin Lister (1st time) (born 1857 – died 1897)
* 1891 – 1894 W. F. B. Paul
* 1894 – 1895
Robert Norman Bland
Robert Norman Bland (1859–1948), or "R. N. Bland," as he was more commonly known then in The Straits, was Resident Councillor of Penang and a career civil servant in the Colonial Administration of the Straits Settlements.
Bland joined the C ...
(born 1859 – died 1948)
* 1895 – 1897 Martin Lister (2nd time) (s.a.)
* 1898 – 1901
Ernest Woodford Birch
Sir Ernest Woodford Birch, Wright, Arnold, Twentieth Century Impressions of British Malaya: Its history, ''People'', commerce, industries and resources, 1908 (29 April 1857 – 17 December 1929) was a British colonial administrator who served as ...
(born 1857 – died 1929)
* 1901 – 1902
Henry Conway Belfield
Sir Henry Conway Belfield, (29 November 1855 – 8 January 1923) was an English colonial administrator.
The son of John Belfield, JP, of Primley Hill, South Devon, and of Eliza Conway Bridges, daughter of Captain George Bridges, RN, Belfield ...
(born 1855 – died 1923)
* 1902 – 1903
Walter Egerton
Sir Walter Egerton, (1858 – 22 March 1947) had a long career in the administration of the British Empire, holding senior positions which included the Governorships of Lagos Colony (1904–1906), Southern Nigeria (1906–1912), and British Gui ...
(born 1858 – died 1947)
* 1904 – 1910 Douglas Graham Campbell (born 1867 – died 1918)
* 1910 – 1911
Richard James Wilkinson
Richard James Wilkinson (29 May 1867 – 5 December 1941) was a British Colonial administrator, scholar of Malay, and historian. The son of a British Consul, Richard James Wilkinson was born in 1867 in Salonika ( Thessaloniki) in the Ottoman ...
(born 1867 – died 1941)
* 1912 – 1919 Arthur Henry Lemon (born 1864 – died 1933)
* 1919 – 1921 J. R. O. Aldworth (acting)
* 1921 – 1925
Edward Shaw Hose (born 1871 – died 1946)
* 1925 – 1928 Ernest Charteris Holford Wolff (born 1875 – died 1946)
* 1928 – 1932 James William Simmons (born 1877 – died 19...)
* 1932 – 1937 John Whitehouse Ward Hughes (born 1883 – died 19...)
* 1937 – 1939 Gordon Lupton Ham (born 1885 – died 1965)
* 1939 – 1941 John Vincent Cowgill (born 1888 – died 1959)
= Pahang
=
* 1888 – 1896
John Pickersgill Rodger
Sir John Pickersgill Rodger, (12 February 1851 – 19 September 1910) was a British colonial administrator.
Early life
Rodger was born in 1851 at Marylebone in London, the second son of Sir Robert Rodger and his wife Sophia (née Pickersgill) ...
(born 1851 – died 1910)
* 1896 – 1900
Hugh Clifford
Sir Hugh Charles Clifford, (5 March 1866 – 18 December 1941) was a British colonial administrator.
Early life
Clifford was born in Roehampton, London, the sixth of the eight children of Major-General Sir Henry Hugh Clifford and his wife ...
(1st time) (born 1866 – died 1941)
* 1900 – 1901 Arthur Butler (born 18... – died 1901)
* 1901 – D. H. Wise (acting)
* 1901 – 1903
Hugh Clifford
Sir Hugh Charles Clifford, (5 March 1866 – 18 December 1941) was a British colonial administrator.
Early life
Clifford was born in Roehampton, London, the sixth of the eight children of Major-General Sir Henry Hugh Clifford and his wife ...
(2nd time) (s.a.)
* 1905 – 1908 Cecil Wray
* 1908 – 1909 Harvey Chevallier (acting)
* 1909 – 1910
Edward Lewis Brockman
Sir Edward Lewis Brockman (29 June 1865 – 10 January 1943) was a colonial administrator who served briefly as the Colonial Secretary to the Straits Settlements in 1911 and was the chief secretary to the Federated Malay States (FMS) from 191 ...
(born 1865 – died 1943)
* 1910 – 1911
Warren Delabere Barnes (born 1865 – died 1911)
* 1911 – 1917 Edward John Brewster (born 1861 – died 1931)
* 1917 – 1921 Cecil William Chase Parr (born 1871 – died 1943)
* 1921 – 1922 F. A. S. McClelland (acting) (born 1873 – died 1947)
* 1922 – 1926 Henry Wagstaffe Thomson (born 1874 – died 1941)
* 1926 – 1929 Arthur Furley Worthington (born 1874 – died 1964)
* 1929 – 1930 C. F. J. Green
* 1931 – 1935 Hugh Goodwin Russell Leonard (born 1880 – died 19...)
* 1935 – 1941 C. C. Brown
Administrative subdivisions
For the purpose of efficient administration, all the states of the federation were further divided into districts (Malay: ''Daerah''). Each district was administered by a District Office (Malay: ''Pejabat Daerah'') headed by a District Officer (Malay: ''Pegawai Daerah'').
Perak
State capital:
Ipoh, Perak
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak
, pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth
, pushpin_mapsize = 275px
, pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia
, coordinates ...
Districts:
: 1. Hulu Perak (''Upper Perak'')
: 2. Selama
: 3. Larut
: 4. Kerian
: 5. Matang
: 6. Kuala Kangsar
: 7. Kinta
: 8. Hilir Perak (''Lower Perak'')
: 9. Batang Padang
:Notes:
: 1. The territories of
Dinding and
Pangkor Island
Pangkor Island ( ms, Pulau Pangkor) is an island in Manjung District, Perak, Malaysia. It has a population of approximately 25,000. Nearby islands include Pangkor Laut Island, Giam Island, Mentagor Island, Simpan Island, and Tukun Terindak Islan ...
was
ceded to the British, administered as part of the
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Com ...
. Returned to the government of Perak in February 1935.
: 2. The capital of Perak was moved to
Ipoh
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak
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in 1935 and has remained there ever since.
Selangor
State capital:
Kuala Lumpur
, anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera''
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(also as the Federal capital)
Districts:
: 10. Hulu Selangor
: 11. Kuala Selangor
: 12. Kuala Lumpur
: 13. Klang
: 14. Hulu Langat
: 15. Kuala Langat
Negeri Sembilan
State capital:
Seremban
Districts:
: 16. Seremban
: 17. Port Dickson (Coastal District)
: 18. Jelebu
: 19. Kuala Pilah
: 20. Tampin
:Notes:
:
Tanjung Tuan (also known as Cape Rachado) was a Dutch possession (originally Portuguese before 1641), passed to the British in 1824. Administered as an exclave of
Malacca
Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has bee ...
until today.
Pahang
State capital:
Kuala Lipis
Districts:
: 21. Lipis
: 22. Raub
: 23. Bentong
: 24. Temerloh
: 25. Kuantan
: 26. Pekan
:Notes:
: The capital of Pahang was Kuala Lipis until 1953 when it moved to
Kuantan
Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Peni ...
.
The Federated Malay States as a forerunner to Malaysia
Justice
The first Supreme Court was established in 1906 and headed by the Judicial Commissioner, in whom supreme judicial authority was vested. The title of Judicial Commissioner was changed to Chief Judge in 1925.
Judicial Commissioners
* Lawrence Colvile Jackson
* 1913–1917 Sir
Thomas de Multon Lee Braddell
* 1919–1920 Sir
G. Aubrey Goodman
* 1920 Sir
John Robert Innes (acting)
* 1921–1925 Sir Lionel Mabbot Woodward
Chief Judges
* 1925–1929 Sir
Henry Hessey Johnston Gompertz
* 1929–1932 Sir
Lancelot Henry Elphinstone
Sir Lancelot Henry Elphinstone (2 September 1879 – 11 October 1965) was the 22nd Attorney General of Ceylon.
The son of Sir Howard Elphinstone, 3rd Baronet and Husband of Jane E Jamieson. Elphinstone was educated at Eton and Trinity College, ...
* 1933–1937 Sir Samuel Joyce Thomas
* 1937–? Sir Roger Evans Hall
* ?–1941 Kenneth Elliston Poyser
* 1941–c.1945 Sir
Harry Herbert Trusted
Economy
From the earlier period of the federation the currency in used was the Straits dollar issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency. As the currency depreciated over time, it was pegged at two shillings four sterling pence in 1906. In 1939, the British government introduced a new currency, Malayan dollar (''ringgit'' in Malay) for used in Malaya and Brunei replacing the Straits dollar at par value. It had the smallest denominations of 1 cent to a highest of 1000 Malayan dollar and retained the exchange rate as was from the Straits dollar.
The Federated Malay States main economic activity was mostly focused on agriculture and mining with emphasis on
rubber
Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...
and
tin. FMS and Malaya as a whole was the main supplier of these two commodities for the British industrial need. Rubber estates or plantations were established in all four states and tin was mined primarily in the Klang valley in Selangor and the Kinta Valley in Perak. This labour-intensive economic activities prompted the British to bring in immigrant workers from southern India to work at the plantations and workers from southern China to mine the tin.
The economic condition in the period can be viewed as self-sustainable, as the income of the federation was more than what was expended in terms of maintaining the administration and economic activities. In the later period, many resources were poured into the development of the city of
Kuala Lumpur
, anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera''
, image_map =
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, as the capital of the federation. This period also saw rapid growth in terms of communications infrastructure such as interstate roads, the expansion of the
Federated Malay States Railways
The Federated Malay States Railways (FMSR) was a consolidated railway operator in British Malaya (present day Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore) during the first half of the 20th century. Named after the then recently formed Federated Malay ...
'
narrow gauge railway
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller struct ...
line between the Padang Besar and Singapore, and Port Swettenham (present-day
Port Klang
Port Klang ( ms, Pelabuhan Klang) is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Known during colonial times as Port Swettenham ( ms, Pelabuhan Swettenham) but renamed Port Klang in July 1972, it is the largest port in the country. It is l ...
). Public schools and academic institutions were also opened along with an improvement in public health. An area in the city was also gazetted as a settlement for the Malay called
Kampung Baru. Public buildings were also constructed such as the
Kuala Lumpur railway station, the
Government Offices of the FMS and
Masjid Jamek
Jamek Mosque, officially Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque ( ms, Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad) is one of the oldest mosques in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak River and may be accessed via Jal ...
.
The table and section below illustrated the economic growth of the federation and its member states.
Note: All values are in Straits dollar
The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1898 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Kingdom of Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo.
H ...
s (One dollar fixed at two shillings and four pence sterling). Data for Pahang included only from 1890 onwards
Ref: Harrison, Cuthbert Woodville. An Illustrated Guide to the Federated Malay States. 1923
Selangor
The revenue of Selangor in 1875 amounted to only $115,656; in 1905 it had increased to $8,857,793. Of this latter sum $3,195,318 was derived from duty on tin exported, $1,972,628 from finance, federal receipts, and $340,360 from land revenue. The trade balance was chiefly derived from the revenue farms, which included the right to collect import duty on opium and spirits. The expenditure for 1905 amounted to $7,186,146, of which sum $3,717,238 was on account of federal charges and $1,850,711 for public works. The value of the imports in 1905 was $24,643,619 and that of the exports was $26,683,316, making a total of $51,326,935 equivalent to £5,988,000. Tin is the principal export. The amount exported in 1905 was 17,254 tons. The total area of alienated mining land at the end of 1905 amounted to .
Perak
The revenue of Perak in 1874 amounted to $226,333. That for 1905 amounted to $12,242,897. Of this latter sum $4,876,400 was derived from duty on exported tin, $2,489,300 from railway receipts, $505,300 from land revenue and $142,800 from postal and telegraphic revenue. The remainder is mainly derived from the revenue farms, which are leased for a short term of years, conveying to the lessee the right to collect import duties upon opium, wine and spirits, to keep pawnbroking shops, and to keep public licensed gambling-houses for the use of non-Malay only. The expenditure for 1905 amounted to $10,141,980. Of this sum $4,236,000 was expended upon railway upkeep and construction and $2,176,100 upon public works. The value of the imports into Perak during 1905 was over $20,000,000, and that of the exports exceeded $40,000,000, making a total of over $60,000,000, equivalent to about seven million sterling. The output of tin from Perak ranged between 18,960 tons, valued at $23,099,506 in 1899, and 26,600 tons, valued at $35,500,000, in 1905. The fluctuating character of the output was due to the uncertainty of the labour supply. The mining population was recruited exclusively from the districts of southern China, and during certain years an increased demand for labourers in China itself, in French Indo-China, in the Dutch colonies, and in South Africa temporarily and adversely affected immigration to the Straits of Malacca. The output had, moreover, been affected from time to time by the price of tin, which was $32.20 per pikul in 1896, rose to $42.96 in 1898, to $74.15 in 1900, and averaged $80.60 in 1905. Exclusive of tin, the principal exports were $108,000 worth of Para rubber, $181,000 of copra, $54,000 of hides, $48,000 of patchouli, and considerable quantities of timber, rattans and other jungle produce.
Negeri Sembilan
The revenue of the Negri Sembilan amounted to only $223,435 in 1888. In 1898 it had increased to $701,334, in 1900 to $1,251,366, and in 1905 to $2,335,534. The revenue for 1905 was derived mainly as follows: – customs $1,268,602, land revenue $145,475, land sales $21,407, while the revenue farms contributed $584,459. The expenditure in 1905 amounted to $2,214,093, of which $1,125,355 was expended upon public works. The trade returns for 1905, which are not, however, complete, showed an aggregate value of about $13,000,000. The value of the tin exported during 1905 exceeded $6,900,000, and the value of the agricultural produce, of which gambier represented $211,000 and damar $80,000, amounted to $407,990.
Pahang
The revenue of Pahang in 1899 amounted to only $62,077; in 1900 to $419,150. In 1905 it was $528,368. The expenditure in 1905 amounted to $1,208,176. Of this sum $736,886 was expended on public works. Pahang is still a source of expense to the federation, its progress having been retarded by the disturbances which lasted from December 1891 until 1895, with short intervals of peace, but the revenue was steadily increasing, and the ultimate financial success of the state is considered to be secure. Pahang owed something over $3,966,500 to Selangor and $1,175,000 to Perak, which had financed it for some years out of surplus revenue. The value of the imports in 1905 was $1,344,346, that of the exports was $3,838,928, thus making a total trade value of $5,183,274. The most valuable export is tin, the value of which in 1905 amounted to $2,820,745. The value of the gutta exported exceeded $140,000, that of dried and salted fish amounted to nearly $70,000, and that of timber to $325,000.
Education
Press and publications
Military history
WWI and the FMS
With the threat of Germany, the British Navy was in a drive for expansion. As a contribution, the Government and people of the Federated Malay States agreed to finance the commissioning of
HMS ''Malaya''; this was a motion proposed in the Federal Council by the Sultan of Perak in 1913 and supported by the Sultan of Selangor. The
battleship
A battleship is a large armour, armored warship with a main artillery battery, battery consisting of large caliber guns. It dominated naval warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The term ''battleship'' came into use in the late 1 ...
which cost $25,000,000 (approximately £2,945,709) was one of five of the
''Queen Elizabeth'' class, displacing 31,000 tons, mounting
fifteen-inch guns and capable of . The most modern ships of their day, they formed the
5th Battle Squadron and fought as such at
Jutland
Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...
in 1916. HMS ''Malaya'' was also refurbished and was in service throughout World War II.
WWII – Japanese invasion and dissolution
After the
Japanese landed in Malaya on 8 December 1941, the Japanese forces began their invasion of the
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula ( Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The ar ...
. Japanese forces began their invasion of the FMS by crossing the Thailand–FMS border at
Kroh.
Ipoh
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, map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak
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, pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia
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, the state capital of Perak, fell on 26 December 1941.
Kuala Lumpur
, anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera''
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, the capital of the Federated Malay States and the State of Selangor, was captured on 11 January 1942.
Seremban, the state capital of Negeri Sembilan, was captured two days later.
Kuantan
Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Peni ...
, in the eastern component state of Pahang, fell on 30 December 1941, meanwhile the capital,
Kuala Lipis was taken by the Japanese on 7 January 1942. With the conclusion of the
Battle of Gemas on 15 January 1942, the entire FMS was now in Japanese hands.
All of
Malaya including
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
remained under
Japanese occupation until the
surrender of the Japanese home islands.
Dissolution of the FMS
After the war the federation was dissolved formally on 1 April 1946, and was incorporated into the
Malayan Union thereafter. This in turn was succeeded by the
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya ( ms, Persekutuan Tanah Melayu; Jawi: ) was a federation of what previously had been British Malaya comprising eleven states (nine Malay states and two of the British Straits Settlements, Penang and Malacca)''See' ...
in 1948, which gained
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the stat ...
in 1957, and finally the establishment of
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
in 1963.
Postage stamps
While the four states issued their own
postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the f ...
s as before, there were additional issues for the Federated States as a whole.
Notable event
The Federated Malay States were within the flight path of American aviator
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart ( , born July 24, 1897; disappeared July 2, 1937; declared dead January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer and writer. Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many oth ...
on the Thailand–Singapore leg of her final and fatal attempt to cross the globe in 1937. She was given permission to enter FMS airspace with provision to land at
Taiping Airport on 7 June 1937.
See also
*
Unfederated Malay States
*
Malay states
*
The Straits Settlements
*
Federated Malay States Railway
*
HMS ''Malaya''
*
Pangkor Treaty of 1874
*
Federated Malay States Appeals Order in Council, 1912
References
Notes
* Harrison, Cuthbert Woodville. ''An Illustrated Guide to the Federated Malay States''. 1923
George Palmer Putnam Collection of Amelia Earhart Papers © Purdue University* Benfield, H. Conway
Handbook of The Federated Malay States''sabrizain.org'' Retrieved 23 January 2018.
{{coord, 3.1597, N, 101.7000, E, source:wikidata, display=title
Malay States, Federated
British Malaya
Malay States, Federated
Former countries in Malaysian history
History of Selangor
History of Perak
History of Negeri Sembilan
History of Pahang
1895 establishments in British Malaya
1946 disestablishments in British Malaya
States and territories disestablished in 1946
States and territories established in 1895