Directory_and_Chronicle_1941 — Page 1266

C172

UNFEDERATED MALAY STATES- JOHORE

The Sultan of Trengganu, later, expressed a desire that his State should be administrated upon an improved basis, and, by a Treaty with His Majesty's Govern- ment dated the 24th May, 1919, agreed to receive a British Adviser (in place of the British Agent provided for by an earlier Treaty of the 22nd April, 1910) and to ask and follow his advice upon all matters affecting the general administration of the country and all questions other than those touching the Mohammedan religion.

The Treaty of 1909 also provided for the loan of £4,000,000 by the F.M.S. Govern- ment to Siam for the purpose of building a railway southward from Bangkok to connect up with the F.M.S. Railways system via Kelantan. This sum was subsequently increased to £4,750,000, in consequence of a decision to connect up also via Kedah. The railway via Kedah was opened to traffic on the 1st July, 1918. A fast weekly passenger service between Bangkok and Penang was inaugurated on 2nd January, 1922. The International Express leaves Bangkok every Wednesday and Saturday at midday and arrives at Prai (the mainland station for Penang) on Thursday and Sunday evenings. It leaves Prai every Monday and Friday morning and arrives in Bangkok on Tuesday and Saturday mornings.

In general terms, it may be said that the development of the Unfederated Malay States in the last decade has been even more remarkable than that of the Federated Malay States. Their revenue, for instance, in 10 years has more than quadrupled.

Although each of the five Unfederated Malay States preserves its individuality with the greatest solicitude, there is the friendliest feeling, not only amongst them, but also between them and the Federated Malay States and the Colony of the Straits Settlements; and in any matter which tends to their commnon advantage, yet does not affect their individuality, there is ready co-operation. The States differ from one another in many respects, both great and small. As examples of the difference in the smaller matters, it may be mentioned that Kedali, Perlis and Trengganu adhere to the Mohammedan calendar, whereas Johore and Kelantan have adopted the Christian calendar. The system of internal administration differs very greatly; on broad lines, however, the resemblance between the States is strong. They are all Mohammedan countries, and are governed by a Ruler who is advised by a State Council. (Johore has separate Legislative and Executive Councils; in the other States the Councils are both Legislative and Executive). They use the coinage and the currency notes of the Straits Settlements. Their European officials are British officers, almost all of whom are lent, on deputation, to them by the Governments of the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States. Johore, Kedah, Kelantan and Trengganu have their separate issues of stamps. The small State of Perlis (which in earlier days was a part of Kedah) still uses the Kedah stamps.

•

JOHORE

This State occupies the southern portion of the Malay Peninsula and has an area of about 7,500 square miles. The State is ruled by a Sultan, who is juristically independent, but politically under the protection of the British Government. The present Sultan, Ibrahim, was born in 1873, and succeeded his father, the late Sultan Abubakar, in 1895, being crowned on the 2nd of November of that year. On the 1st January, 1916, the dignity of an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George was conferred on His Highness the Sultan by His Majesty the King, and the investiture took place at Johore Bahru on May 11th, 1916. His Highness has been decorated with the Order of the British Empire in further recognition of his services during the Great War and more recently with Grand cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Since 1910, the Sultan has had the services of an officer of the Malayan Civil Service as General Adviser, and other members of that service are seconded to control various departments, with the result that the government is now on a sound footing and financially one of the wealthier of the Malay States with large savings to meet the present fall in revenue. The country has made great pro- gress in material prosperity and has attracted a good deal of European capital, invested in planting enterprises.