Federated Malay States Negeri-Negeri Melayu Bersekutu (Malay) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1895–1942 1942–1945 (Japanese occupation) 1945–1946 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Motto: Dipelihara Allah (English:"Under God's Protection") | |||||||||||||||||||
 British Malaya in 1922: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Federal protected state of theBritish Empire | ||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | Kuala Lumpur1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Common languages | |||||||||||||||||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam Christianity Buddhism Taoism (includingChinese folk religion) Hinduism | ||||||||||||||||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | |||||||||||||||||||
• 1895–1901(first) | Victoria | ||||||||||||||||||
• 1936–1942; 1945–1946(last) | George VI | ||||||||||||||||||
| Resident General | |||||||||||||||||||
• 1896–1901(first) | Sir Frank Swettenham | ||||||||||||||||||
• 1939–1942(last) | Hugh Fraser | ||||||||||||||||||
| Legislature | Federal Legislative Council | ||||||||||||||||||
| Historical era | British Empire | ||||||||||||||||||
• Federated | 1895 | ||||||||||||||||||
• Treaty of Federation | 1 July 1896 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 15 February 1942 – 2 September 1945 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 September 1945 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1 April 1946 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||||||||
• 1933[1] | 1,597,700 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Currency | Straits dollar (1898–1939) Malayan dollar (1939–1942; 1945–1946) | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Today part of | Malaysia | ||||||||||||||||||
1 Also the state capital of Selangor ² Malay usingJawi script, althoughRumi script is commonly used as well. ³ Later Chief Secretaries to the Government and Federal Secretaries | |||||||||||||||||||
TheFederated Malay States (FMS,Malay:Negeri-Negeri Melayu Bersekutu,Jawi:نݢري٢ ملايو برسکوتو) was afederation of four integratedprotectorates in theMalay Peninsula comprisingSelangor,Perak,Negeri Sembilan andPahang. It was established in 1895 by the British government and lasted until 1946. In that year, these states joined with two of the formerStraits Settlements (Malacca andPenang, excludingSingapore) and theUnfederated Malay States to form theMalayan Union. The union was short-lived and in 1948 was replaced by theFederation of Malaya, which gained independence in 1957. This federation later becameMalaysia in 1963 following the inclusion ofNorth Borneo (nowSabah),Sarawak andSingapore.Singapore was eventuallyseparated from Malaysia and became asovereign state on 9 August 1965.[2][3]
Unlike theUnfederated Malay States, which retained greater internal autonomy, the real authority in the FMS resided with the four British Residents and the Resident-General.[2][3] The powers of the localrulers were significantly restricted and were largely confined to matters "touching Malay religion and customs". The administration of the FMS represented a more centralised and interventionist colonial governance model in contrast to the comparatively decentralised arrangements in the Unfederated States.[2][3] Nevertheless, the FMS remained nominally more autonomous than theStraits Settlements, which were directly governed by Britain through itsGovernor.
DuringWorld War II, the federation, along with theUnfederated Malay States and theStraits Settlements, was invaded andoccupied by Japanese forces which culminated in theFall of Singapore. After the Japanese surrender and the liberation of Malaya, the original federation was not reinstated. However, the federal model it had introduced remained influential and provided the administrative framework for theFederation of Malaya formed in 1948 and for the eventual creation ofMalaysia in 1963.[2][3]
On 20 January 1874, SirAndrew Clarke, governor of theStraits Settlements, concluded with the Sultan of Perak thetreaty of Pangkor 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 Selangor and Negri Sembilan, and in 1888 to Pahang.[4]
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, with real power resting in the hands of the agents of the British Government, at first called the Resident-General, and later the Chief Secretary.[4]
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 rulers, the four state Residents and four nominated unofficial members. This structure remained until the Japanese invaded Malaya on 8 December 1941.
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. At the formation of the Federated Malay States, the reigning rulers were:
In 1897 the firstdurbar was convened in the royal town ofKuala Kangsar, Perak as the platform for discussions for the four rulers. This formed the basis for theConference of Rulers that was created later on under Article 38 of theMalaysian Constitution on 27 August 1957.
.svg)
1:2. Flag of the Federated Malay States (1895–1946)The flag of the Federated Malay States 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 inMalaysia's national emblem. In the middle is an oblong circle with aMalayan tiger in it.
The National History Museum located near theDataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has a replica of the federation's flag.
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 asEastern 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 Protection) written inJawi 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.
This design forms the basis of theFederation of Malaya'snational coat of arms along with the guardiantigers 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 Selangor.
In addition to a state flag, the Federated Malay States also had anaval jack orensign for use on government ships. The ensign, with the four colours of the FMS, was flown byHMSMalaya, commanded by Captain Boyle under the5th Battle Squadron of theBritish Grand Fleet) during theBattle of Jutland in the North Sea. This was the only full-scale clash of battleships during World War I.
From 1896 to 1936, real power lay in the hands of the Resident-General, later known as Chief Secretary of the Federation.
| Order | Residents-Generals | From | Until | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frank Athelstane Swettenham | 1 January 1896 | 12 December 1901 | |
| William Hood Treacher | 5 October 1897 | 16 April 1898 | Acting | |
| 29 April 1900 | 12 December 1901 | Acting | ||
| 2 | 13 December 1901 | 31 December 1904 | ||
| William Thomas Taylor | 13 September 1904 | 31 December 1904 | Acting | |
| 3 | 1 January 1905 | 30 September 1910 | ||
| Edward Lewis Brockman | 11 May 1907 | 13 February 1908 | Acting | |
| Henry Conway Belfield | 4 May 1908 | 27 July 1908 | Acting | |
| Reginald George Watson | 26 February 1910 | 29 September 1910 | Acting | |
| 4 | 30 September 1910 | 31 January 1911 |
| Order | Chief Secretaries | From | Until | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur Young | 1 February 1911 | 1 September 1911 | |
| 2 | Edward Lewis Brockman | 2 September 1911 | 12 September 1920 | |
| Reginald George Watson | 3 April 1914 | 8 February 1915 | Acting | |
| Edward George Broadrick | 21 January 1918 | 5 February 1918 | Acting | |
| Reginald George Watson | 7 April 1918 | 25 August 1918 | Acting | |
| Frederick Seton James | 13 June 1920 | 3 October 1920 | Acting | |
| 3 | George Maxwell | 13 September 1920 | 6 May 1926 | |
| Arthur Blennerhassett Voules | 14 October 1920 | 4 March 1921 | Acting | |
| Oswald Francis Gerard Stonor | 21 December 1921 | 9 January 1922 | Acting | |
| Edward Shaw Hose | 11 May 1923 | 24 October 1923 | Acting | |
| 4 | William Peel | 9 May 1926 | 9 April 1930 | |
| Henry Wagstaffe Thomson | 6 May 1927 | 5 June 1927 | Acting | |
| 10 September 1927 | 31 March 1928 | Acting | ||
| Charles Walter Hamilton Cochrane | 30 November 1929 | 8 April 1930 | Acting | |
| 5 | 9 April 1930 | 24 March 1932 | ||
| Andrew Caldecott | 25 July 1931 | 23 March 1932 | Acting | |
| 6 | 24 March 1932 | 3 February 1933 | ||
| 7 | Malcolm Bond Shelley | 4 February 1933 | 4 April 1935 | |
| 8 | Marcus Rex | 4 April 1935 | 24 February 1936 |
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
| Order | Federal Secretaries | From | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christopher Dominic Ahearne | 24 February 1936 | 6 May 1939 |
| 2 | Hugh Fraser | 6 May 1939 | 15 February 1942 |
In the Federated Malay States, the individual state were still ruled by rulers (a yamtuan in Negeri Sembilan and sultans elsewhere) 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.
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).[5]
State capital:Ipoh, Perak
Districts:
State capital:Kuala Lumpur (also served as the federal capital cum administrative centre)
Districts:
State capital:Seremban
Districts:
State capital:Kuala Lipis
Districts:
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.
The Federated Malay States initially used theStraits dollar issued by theBoard of Commissioners of Currency for the Straits Settlements. 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, the Malayan dollar (ringgit in Malay) for used in Malaya and Brunei replacing the Straits dollar at par value. It had denominations ranging from 1 cent to 1,000 Malayan dollars.
The Federated Malay States main economic activities were agriculture and mining with emphasis onrubber andtin. The FMS and Malaya as a whole was the main supplier of these two commodities for British industrial needs. Rubber 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 put into the development ofKuala Lumpur, as the capital of the federation. This period also saw rapid growth in terms of communications infrastructure such as interstate roads, the expansion of theFederated Malay States Railways'narrow-gauge railway line between the Padang Besar and Singapore, and Port Swettenham (present-dayPort Klang). 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 calledKampung Baru. Public buildings were also constructed such as theKuala Lumpur railway station, theGovernment Offices of the FMS andMasjid Jamek.
The table and section below illustrated the economic growth of the federation and its member states.
| Year | Revenue | Expenditure | Import | Export |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1875 | $409,394 | $436,872 | $831,375 | $739,972 |
| 1880 | $881,910 | $794,944 | $2,231,048 | $1,906,952 |
| 1885 | $2,208,709 | $2,261,954 | $8,667,425 | $9,961,786 |
| 1890 | $4,840,065 | $5,237,275 | $15,443,809 | $17,602,093 |
| 1895 | $8,481,007 | $7,582,553 | $22,653,271 | $31,622,805 |
| 1900 | $15,609,807 | $12,728,930 | $38,402,581 | $60,361,045 |
| 1905 | $23,964,593 | $20,750,395 | $50,575,455 | $80,057,654 |
| 1910 | $26,553,018 | $23,598,610 | $53,255,151 | $102,851,990 |
| 1915 | $40,774,984 | $42,838,631 | $61,343,935 | $162,429,254 |
| 1920 | $72,277,146 | $100,433,471 | $175,916,712 | $289,112,016 |
| 1921 | $54,449,568 | $114,386,546 | $102,914,877 | $134,955,549 |
| 1922 | $52,494,110 | $49,811,007 | $78,822,349 | $140,429,775 |
Note: All values are inStraits dollars (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.
The revenue of Selangor in 1875 amounted to $115,656; in 1905 it had increased to $8,857,793. Of this latter sum $3,195,318 was derived from duty on exported tin, $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 was 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 65,573 acres (265 km2).
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 spent on railway upkeep and construction and $2,176,100 on 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 output figure 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. Excluding 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.
The revenue of the Negri Sembilan amounted to $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 spent on 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.
The revenue of Pahang in 1899 amounted to $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 spent on public works. Pahang is still a source of expense to the federation, its progress having been slowed 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.
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 ofHMSMalaya; this was a motion proposed in the Federal Council by the Sultan of Perak in 1913 and supported by the Sultan of Selangor. Thebattleship which cost $25,000,000 (approximately £2,945,709) was one of five of theQueen Elizabeth-class battleship, displacing 31,000 tons, mountingfifteen-inch guns and capable of 25 knots (46 km/h). The most modern ships of their day, they formed the5th Battle Squadron and fought as such atJutland in 1916. HMSMalaya was also refurbished and was in service throughout World War II.[citation needed]
After theJapanese landed in Malaya on 8 December 1941, the Japanese forces began their invasion of theMalay Peninsula. Japanese forces began their invasion of the FMS by crossing the Thailand–FMS border atKroh.Ipoh, the state capital of Perak, fell on 26 December 1941.Kuala Lumpur, 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, 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 theBattle of Gemas on 15 January 1942, the entire FMS was now in Japanese hands.
All ofMalaya includingSingapore remained underJapanese occupation until thesurrender of Japan on 2 September 1945.
The federation was formally dissolved on 1 April 1946, and was incorporated into theMalayan Union thereafter. This in turn was succeeded by theFederation of Malaya in 1948, which gainedindependence in 1957, and later becameMalaysia in 1963.
While the four states issued their ownpostage stamps as before, there were additional issues for the Federated States as a whole.
FormerBritish Empire and currentBritish Overseas Territories | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
3°09′35″N101°42′00″E / 3.1597°N 101.7000°E /3.1597; 101.7000
_(cropped).jpg)
