History

BRITISH COLONIALISM IN MALAYSIA

In the late 18th century the British East India Company traded with, and partly controlled India. At that time time, they began looking for a base Malaysia.

In 1786, the British under Francis Light occupied Penang and founded Georgetown. In 1800 they took Province Wellessley.

In 1819 Sir Stamford Raffles founded a British trading post at Singapore.

By the treaty of London, 1824, the British and Dutch divided the region between them. The Dutch surrounded Malacca to the British. The Dutch were given control of Sumatra and all the area below the Malay Peninsula.

The British signed treaties of protection with Malay rulers from 1874 to 1930. In 1896 some of these states were grouped together as the Federated Malay States. Malaya was occupied by the Japanese 1942 to 1945.

All the Malay states, together with the Straits Settlements except for Singapore, were incorporated into a new federation in 1948.

This was the basis on which Malaya achieved independence in 1957. In 1963 Malaya joined with Singapore (which seceded in 1965), North Borneo and Sarawak to form Malaysia.

TIMELINE :

1786   Penang ceded to East India Company by Sultan of Kedah

1819   Singapore Island is leased to the East India Company

1824   Malacca transferred to British control. Singapore leased in perpetuity

1826   The three become known as the Straights Settlements

1867   The Straights Settlements become a British Crown Colony

1870s  First trials of rubber trees

1896   Federated Malay States formed from Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang

1904  The Non-federated States of Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and Perlis accept 

           British advisors

1914   Johor accepts British advisors

1941   Japan invades Malaya

1942   Malaya and Singapore are occupied by the Japanese

1948-  Communist insurgents cause ' Emergency' to be declared

1960

1957   Federation of Malaya achieves independence

1959   Singapore achieves independence

1963   Malaysia formed

1965   Singapore withdraws from Malaysia. Becomes a city state.

JAPANESE INVASION OF MALAYA

(1941-1945)

Japanese Invasion of Malaya or also called the Battle of Kota Bharu began just after midnight on 8 December 1941 (local time) before the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was the first major battle of the Pacific War and was fought between ground forces of the British Indian Army and the Empire of Japan.

The Japanese invasion of Malaya and also involved Singapore was swift and decisive putting the British rulers into a light previously never seen. The Japanese had already subjected the Chinese to invasion and many atrocities, Malaya's and Singapore's population were constituted from a large number of Chinese. Britain was already in dispute with Japan. This is the the story of the invasion.

TIMELINE:

December 8th, 1941: 

• Japanese troopships dropped anchor at Signora, Thailand (Siam). Thais allied themselves with the Japanese after realized that they were not in a position to resist. 
• The Japanese Army stormed ashore at Kota Bahru.
• The Japanese started an ariel bombardment of Singapore, Hong Kong and Pearl Harbor. 

December 9th, 1941:

• The airfields at Sunei Patani, Butterwoth and Alor Setar were in Japanese hands.                                

December 10th, 1941:

• The HMS of Wales and HMS Repulse were off the east coast Malaya heading towards a reported Japanese landing at Kuantan but they were intercepted by Japanese aircraft which attacked in wave after wave until the two ships were sunk.
• The Japanese troops who had been landed at Kota Bahru divided into two detachments. One marched down the east coast heading for Kuantan, the other south to the Perak River.

December 11th, 1941:

• Penang became the target of the Japanese bombers.

December 12th, 1941:

• Jitra was taken closely followed by Alor Setar at the same day. The British troops were forced to retreat south.

December 16th, 1941:

• The British evacuated Penang leaving it to the mercy of the advancing Japanese who eventually occupied ito 16th December 1941.

December 19th, 1941-January 31st, 1942:

• The onward march south saw Ipoh taken on 26the December followed by Kampar, Slim River and Kuala Lumpur, the Malayan capital.

• By 31st January 1942, the whole Malaya was controlled by the Japanese, only Singapore was in British hands.

February 1st-15th, 1942:

• The Japanese started their war on Singapore.

 September 12th, 1945:

• Admiral Lord Mountbatten accepted the Japanese surrender in Singapore, unconditionally.

JAPANESE DEFEAT

The Allied Forces did not set food on Malayan soil again until then 3rd September 1945 when a force was landed at Penang. Admiral Lord Mountbatten accepted the Japanese surrender 12th September 1945 in Singapore, unconditionally. 

During the period of time between the fall and retaking of Malaya and Singapore many Allied Forces taken prisoner of war died. Some from wounds received, many from diseases like beri-beri, malaria, diptheria, dysentry and cholera. Many were shipped north to Thailand to work on construction of the Burma Railroad. Under-nourished and maltreated they were perished. Some were sent to Japan and of these many perished when the freighters they were being transported on were sunk by American submarines. There are many memorials throughout Malaysia and Singapore to the men who died.

See more:

 Japanese Surrender Document