Unfederated Malay States Negeri-Negeri Melayu Tidak Bersekutu (Malay) | |
|---|---|
| 1909–1942 1942–1945 (Japanese occupation) 1945–1946 | |
Malaya in 1922: | |
| Status | Protectorates of theBritish Empire |
| Common languages | Malay (de facto official) English (lingua franca) Chinese Tamil |
| Religion | Sunni Islam Christianity Buddhism Taoism (includingChinese folk religion) Hinduism |
| Membership | |
| Government | Constitutional monarchy |
| Monarch | |
• 1909–1910(first) | Edward VII |
• 1936–1942; 1945–1946(last) | George VI |
| Historical era | British Empire |
| 9 July 1909 | |
| 15 February 1942 – 2 September 1945 | |
| 2 September 1945 | |
| 1 April 1946 | |
| Currency | Straits dollar (1909–1939) Malayan dollar (1939–1942; 1945–1946) |
| Today part of | Malaysia |
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Early kingdoms
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Rise of Muslim states
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Colonial period
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World War II
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Formative period
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Independence period
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Modern period
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Incidents
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TheUnfederated Malay States (Malay:Negeri-Negeri Melayu Tidak Bersekutu;Jawi:نݢري٢ ملايو تيدق برسکوتو) was the collective term for five distinctBritish protected states situated in theMalay Peninsula during the early to mid-twentieth century. These states wereJohor,Kedah,Kelantan,Perlis andTerengganu. In contrast to the neighbouringFederated Malay States comprisingSelangor,Perak,Pahang andNegeri Sembilan, the Unfederated Malay States did not share a unified administration or common institutions. Though they were nominally independent, each of them functioned as an individual protectorate under British oversight and were not recognised as a single entity in international law.[1][2]
Following the conclusion ofWorld War II, the British crown colony known as theStraits Settlements was formallyde jure dissolved in 1946 (having been renderedde facto defunct with theJapanese occupation of Malaya and theFall of Singapore in 1942).[1][2]Penang andMalacca were subsequently combined with both the Unfederated and Federated Malay States to form theMalayan Union.[1][2]Singapore was administratively separated and established as a standalone crown colony directly governed by the United Kingdom, independent of any Malayan political framework.[1][2]
In response to widespread local opposition, the Malayan Union was restructured in 1948 into theFederation of Malaya, comprising eleven states.[1][2] Of these, nine continued as British protected states, while Penang and Malacca remained crown colonies.[1][2] The Federation of Malaya achieved full independence on 31 August 1957 and was latertransformed into Malaysia on 16 September 1963 through the inclusion ofSarawak,Sabah and Singapore.Singapore was ultimatelyseparated once more from Malaysia and became asovereign state on 9 August 1965.[1][2]
Johor accepted a treaty of protection with the United Kingdom in 1885, and eventually succumbed to British pressure to accept a resident "Advisor" in 1914. Unlike the other Malay states under British protection, however, Johor remained outside of the Federated Malay States (formed in 1895).[1][2]
Under theBangkok Treaty of 1909,Siam transferred its rights over Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perlis to the United Kingdom.[3] These states then became British protected states. With the assistance ofJapan, they temporarily returned toThai jurisdiction for the latter part ofWorld War II but was returned to Britain after the defeat and surrender of theAxis Powers.[1][2]
The chief officer of the Britishcolonial administration was the "Advisor". In contrast with the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States enjoyed greater autonomy. Thede facto official language of the Unfederated Malay States wasMalay (written with theJawi script).[1][2]
