Embedded Files
Often regarded as the poorer cousin of the grander and more illustrious Raj - British rule in India - the gradual extension of colonial administration in the various Malay states throughout the 19th century is an enchanting tale in itself.
The spread of British rule over the Malay Peninsula was a gradual and calculated process, beginning with the founding of Penang in 1786.
You may begin with this very general and broad overview of Malaysia's long history.
This video focusses on the more recent aspect of Malay's past, when Europeans interacted with local Asians to develop Malaya.
(NEW & Exciting!)
Travel with Michael Portillo and the BBC as they take us up and down the beautiful land of Malaysia! - by train.
A wonderful way to learn about Malaya is by taking a railway journey through the country! If you can't actually do that, then follow the effervescent Michael Portillo on his travels through Southeast Asia and right through the heart of Malaysia!
From Penang to Kuala Kangsar (Perak)
Series 1 Episode 15
From the Malay royal town of Kuala Kangsar to the cool hill-station of Cameron Highlands (Pahang)
Series 1 Episode 16
From the national capital of Kuala Lumpur to the ancient town of Melaka
Series 1 Episode 17
From Melaka to Johor Bahru in the south
Series 1 Episode 18
And finally, onward and down to the stunning city of Singapore, founded by the indomitable Stamford Raffles
My PPT slides on British Colonisation of Malaya
The chapter Handout Notes are here.
The Tutorial handout for 2017 is here.
My PPT slides on the British Decolonisation of Malaya
Learn how the new nation of "Malaysia" (including Singapore!) was formed in 1963
Listen to Lee Kuan Yew speak in Malay, persuading the people to support the formation of Malaysia!
A VERY BRIEF CHRONOLOGY
1511 The Portuguese occupy Malacca
1641 The Dutch arrive and conquer Malacca
1786 The British establish a port at Penang
1819 Stamford Raffles (East India Company) establish a trading base at Singapore
1824 The Anglo-Dutch Treaty is signed, by which Malacca is transferred to British administration.
Penang, Singapore and Malacca are formed together as the Straits Settlements
1874 By the terms of the Pangkor Treaty, the British extend their rule over the Malay states of Perak, Selangor, Pahang and Negri Sembilan.
Each state receives a British "Resident" to advise on most matters.
1896 The four states with "Residents" are combined as the Federated Malay States (F.M.S.)
1909 The Siamese kingdom cede the northern Malay states of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Trengannu to the British.
Collectively, they become known as the Unfederated Malay States (U.F.M.S), which in 1911, came to include Johor.
1946 The FMS, UFMS, Malacca and Penang form the Malayan Union
This was reconstituted as the Federation of Malaya two years later.
1957 Independence is granted to the Federation of Malaya.
1963 The British crown colonies of Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo, join with Malaya as the new nation of Malaysia.
1965 Singapore leaves Malaysia.
USEFUL WEBSITES
A History of the Malay Peninsula
(Also known as the Sejarah Melayu)
This website contains one of the most comprehensive and accessible online libraries available.
(focussing on the rich history of the state of Perak)
(Malaya in the time of planters, pioneers, merchants, miners and civil servants)
(The residents of Ipoh are extremely proud of their history and heritage)
Reconstructing Policies, Remaking Society
(Exploring the "subaltern" history of Malaysia)
This is the personal blog of a Malaysian adventurer and traveller, with magical nuggets and photos on lesser-known spots in Malaysia
Another insightful personal blog of a Malaysian lady now living in Britain. She writes perceptively ona wide range of subjects. Of interest here are her lucid entries on The Second World War in Malaya,
the Malayan Emergency and the controversial Batang Kali incident.
Scroll down to the "History through my eyes" segment
Personal blogs seem the way to go, in discovering gems of information. This bog describes visits to all over the Asia region and has good write-ups on many places in Malaysia.
A useful first-stop portal for travellers
Great Malaysian Railway Journeys
Recreate and relive the wonderful nostalgia of a railway journey winding through the mountains and valleys of Malaysia? Check it out here.
MOVIES SET IN MALAYA
Windom's Way is a 1957 British thriller movie set in Malaya during the communist insurgency era.
The Planter's Wife is another 1950s drama film about a group of British planters fighting to defend their plantations from the communists.
The Letter (1929 version). Probably the most well known movie set in Malaya was "The Letter" which itself was adapted from Somerset Maugham's sensational short story of the same name. This version is rather blurry and dated, compared to the 1940 version, but equally enthralling.
VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES
(NEW!) The Formation of Malaysia
A comprehensive documentary covering the events leading up to the formation of Malaysia in 1963
Raffles Revealed: Great Expectations
(Explores the background and personal history of Raffles himself)
Raffles Revealed: Emporium of the East
(Raffles' activities in Bencoolen and Singapore are described here)
Kuala Lumpur 1952: cricket while the fighting goes on
The Malayan Emergency; the History Channel examines this very crucial period in Malayan history, when the colonial government battled to prevent the country being turned communist.
Malaya, the undeclared war. This documentary by the BBC turns the spotlight on Chin Peng, the leader of the Malayan Communist Party, whose one aim was to force Malayan into the communist sphere of influence.
Fahmi Reza takes a slightly left-wing approach in this documentary series tracing the ten years in Malaya's quest for idependence. Ten Years Before Independence - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
The Independence of Malaya video clip (6 min)
Preparations for Malaya's Declaration of Independence
The Proclamation of Independence Ceremony in 1957
Listen now to the audio recording of Mr Lee Kuan Yew in August 1965, declaring Singapore's independence from Malaya after two brief years of Merger.
SOME INTERESTING ARTICLES
Yap Ah Loy remains an important figure in Malayan history. He was a businessman, community leader and pioneer. But can we place his role in proper historical perspective? Raja Petra Kamaruddin argues that we should.
Meet Professor Farish Noor - intellectual, academician, thinker, historian and documentary maker. Never afraid to challenge norms and make people think.
The plural policies of the British colonial rule had an adverse impact of Malaysia today, as argued by historian Cheah Boon Kheng.
The pro-Malay aspect of British decolonisation, as analysed by Cheah Boon Kheng.
Six interesting things about the British colonists in Malaya during the Victorian era.
Fourteen schools in Malaysia more than a hundred years old but still going strong!
The oldest rubber tree in Malaysia, grown during colonial times.
How did British planters live in Malaya during colonial administration?
This is the bungalow where Captain Tristram Charles Sawyer Speedy lived! He was one of Malaya's most well-known and colourful colonial personalities.
A little history of the lovely town of Taiping. And more on the historically rich town here.
Stuff on the ever-present cooks in colonial households.
An imperial legacy: the lovely hill-stations of Malaya today.
The Star newspaper looks back on The Campaign for Merdeka.
What to do at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial in KL.
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