British Malaya

British Malaya
Tanah Melayu British (Malay)
1826–1942
1942–1945 (Japanese occupation)
1945–1957
Flag of British Malaya
Anthem: "God Save the King/Queen"
British dependencies in Malaya and Singapore, 1888
British dependencies in Malaya and Singapore, 1888
Demonym(s)Malayan
Membership
GovernmentImperial
• 1826–1830
George IV
• 1830–1837
William IV
• 1837–1901
Victoria
• 1901–1910
Edward VII
• 1910–1936
George V
• 1936–1936
Edward VIII
• 1936–1942
George VI
• 1942–1945
Interregnum
• 1945–1952
George VI
• 1952–1957
Elizabeth II
LegislatureParliament
House of Lords
House of Commons
History
17 March 1824
27 November 1826
20 January 1874
15 February 1942 – 2 September 1945
12 September 1945
1 April 1946
1 February 1948
16 June 1948
18 January 1956
31 July 1957
31 August 1957
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kedah Sultanate
Johor Sultanate
Dutch Malacca
Selangor
Perak
Pahang
Negeri Sembilan
Rattanakosin Kingdom
Federation of Malaya
Colony of Singapore

The term "British Malaya" (/məˈlə/; Malay: Tanah Melayu British) loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British hegemony or control between the late 18th and the mid-20th century. Unlike the term "British India", which excludes the Indian princely states, British Malaya is often used to refer to the Federated and the Unfederated Malay States, which were British protectorates with their own local rulers, as well as the Straits Settlements, which were under the sovereignty and direct rule of the British Crown, after a period of control by the East India Company.

Before the formation of the Malayan Union in 1946, the territories were not placed under a single unified administration, with the exception of the immediate post-war period when a British military officer became the temporary administrator of Malaya. Instead, British Malaya comprised the Straits Settlements, the Federated Malay States, and the Unfederated Malay States. Under British hegemony, Malaya was one of the most profitable territories of the empire, being the world's largest producer of tin and later rubber. During the Second World War, Japan ruled a part of Malaya as a single unit from Singapore.[1]

The Malayan Union was unpopular and in 1948 was dissolved and replaced by the Federation of Malaya, which became fully independent on 31 August 1957. On 16 September 1963, the federation, along with North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak, and Singapore, formed the larger federation of Malaysia.[2]

  1. ^ Cheah Boon Kheng 1983, p. 28.
  2. ^ C. Northcote Parkinson (June 1956). "The British in Malaya". History Today. 6 (6): 367–375.

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