CO882-10 — Page 515

51135/20

MALAY STATES.

488

No. 1.

MR. (now SIR) W. G. MAXWELL to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 18th October, 1920.)

Notes on a Policy in Respect of the Unfederated Malay States.

1. When, in July, 1895, the four States of Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang, entered into & Treaty of Federation, they were the only Malay States under British protection. The British Treaty with Johore was one of alliance and friendship, and the States of Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Trengganu were under Siamese suzerainty. The position has now changed, for by a Treaty dated May, 1914, Johore has accepted a British official as "General Adviser," and has promised to follow his advice; and by the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 the suzerainty of Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Trengganu has been transferred from Siam to Great Britain.

All the Malay States in the Malay Peninsula, south of the Anglo-Siamese frontier, are now under British protection. The compact block of the "Federated Malay States" occupies the central position: Johore is at the extreme south of the peninsula, and the other four States lie to the north, Kedah and Perlis being on the western, and Kelantan and Trengganu on the eastern coast.

2. Before we can consider the problem of the four federated and the five unfederated States, it is necessary to know something of why and how the four States formed themselves into a federation. In the early "nineties" the four protected States of Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang were showing rapid develop- ment. In each State the British Resident, though nominally only an adviser to his Sultan, was really the sole Administrator. He was subject to the instructions of the Governor of the Straits Settlements, and applied to him for directions in matters of importance. In certain matters, such as land alienation, for instance, general instructions were laid down. But, inevitably, each Resident worked on his own lines. Apart from that, each State had not only its separate

"Civil Service"

proper, but also its separate Professional Services (e.g., Medical, Survey, Public Works, Railways, Police, Posts and Telegraphs, &c., &c.). Promotion from one Service to the other was rare. In Pahang and Negri Sembilan, the entire European staff of officials was very small, and a Department might only have one or two Europeans in it. Each State kept aloof from its neighbours. Transport between Singapore and the Malay States was slow and difficult, and not only did the Governor find it almost impossible to make the tours of inspection that were desirable, but even found his official correspondence with the four Residents took much time in going and coming.

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3. The suggestion that the four States should be federated was made in 1893 by the Marquess of Ripon, then Secretary of State for the Colonies. It was welcomed by the Governor (Sir Cecil C. Smith) on the grounds that it would lighten the work of the Governor, and that the admin'stration of the States required co-ordination. It is noteworthy that there was no consideration of the question whether the Sultans or the people of the four States would desire to federate. In 1895, Sir C. Mitchell sent a further despatch to the Secretary of State, putting forward the arguments in favour of federation. He also forwarded for approval the draft of a Treaty to be signed by the various Rulers, and an outline of a scheme for the general adminis- tration of the federation.

4. The Secretary of State (Mr. J. Chamberlain) approved generally of the scheme of federation, and desired that:-

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no pains should be spared to safeguard the position and dignity of the Native Rulers, to invite them to co-operate as fully as heretofore with their British Advisers in promoting the advancement of their respective terri- "tories and subjects, and to give them the assurance that such changes as "shall be made are solely intended to promote strength by combination,

uniformity of policy and harmony of purpose.”

- 24000

AS

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

CO. 882/10

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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