the colonization of british malaya
HIS 112 Assignment | By Kariann Tan
TIMELINE OF BRITISH MALAYA
British East India Company acquires Penang, its original hub of trade in Southeast Asia. This role would be given away to Singapore decades later, at which time Penang would start to reorient itself as the region’s main tin exporter.
Sir Stamford Raffles acquires Singapore. Singapore would be quickly built into the main center for trade between Europe and Southeast Asia, with free trade allowing for commerce to move freely through the country.
Britain acquires Malacca, which, along with Penang and Singapore, would later comprise the Straits Settlements. Malacca existed as a smaller port of commerce compared to Penang and Singapore.
The Straits Settlements were established by Britain, formally establishing their interest in the region.
The British Colonial Office takes direct control of all three main ports, allowing the government full control, instead of exerting influence on outside parties like English statesmen and trading companies.
Pangkor Treaty formalizes British political control in their economic footholds, opening the door for more imperialism in Malaya. Over the next few decades, Britain would establish political control to curb conflict between the native population.
By the early 1900s, Britain had established full political control over the regions, declaring them Crown colonies.
A calm, ethnically divided Malaya economically develops, with a divided class system persisting. Both the class and ethnic divisions were encouraged by British rulers, who saw this as a way to discourage uprisings.
Japanese invade Malaya, needing resources for war badly. This caught the British by surprise, who had been preparing for an invasion on their main hub of commerce, Singapore. Japan quickly took control of Malaya, establishing a harsh rule.
British returned after Japan’s colonization and established more settlements (military administration in the Straits Settlements).
Strait Settlements were dissolved and replaced by the Malayan Union, to unify the Malayan peninsula under a single government
Racial tensions rise to the point where the Malayan Emergency broke out between the MCP, MNLA, and the Commonwealth troops.
A constitutional conference proposed the appointment of the Reid Commission to devise a constitution for a fully self-governing and independent Federation of Malaya.
Independence over the Federation of Malaya.