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The Englander’s Guide to
Magnificent Malaya
agnificently amazes you with its multiculturalism; Malays, Chinese, Indians and Tribal Communities.
wesome in its sense of diversity, from its nature to its people to the places you can uniquely experience here in Malaysia.
ovely es indeed, mazing the the way every everyone and way the single aspect anyone who reads country’s rich you see, hear, about Malaysia history has touch, taste would want to shaped this and smell come down to magnificent mesmerizes experience it land mass into you with such firsthand! what it is brilliance. today.
nd don’t forget, a trip down to Malaysia is a must, we are sure you would not be able to resist it!
Behold Malaya
From its amazing biodiversity and lush vegetation to its diverse peoples who give Malaya character, Malaya has proved itself a great travel destination that never fails to disappoint many who travel there in search of a peaceful retreat or an adventurous journey. Housing the world’s second tallest twin buildings, the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, in the city’s capital Kuala Lumpur, and the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaya gives one experiences that can never be forgotten with its splendour. Although the British colonized Malaya during the time period of 1785 to 1957, Malaya has managed to retain many of its rich cultures and historical sites without much influence from its Western administrators. This is thanks to the Official British policy that pledged no interference with other’s beliefs. However, Christianity was spread by Western Missionaries who founded English-medium schools as they were allowed to do so. This led to Christianity being one of the significant religions of Malaya today. Like the former example, the British’s existence in Malaya had an effect of shaping Malaya to what it is today. However, there are also aspects that have not been tampered with and are still existent when one explores Malaya today.
Change in Malaya from an Economical Aspect First and foremost, the most obvious change in Malaya as a result of the British rule was the transformation of predominant traditional subsistence farming before the British rule to one that was now dominantly export-oriented. British helped Malaya realise that its possession of geographical features such as plains and deltas, could help result in great yields of agriculture that could go beyond subsistence farming and become an aspect of commercial farming. It made Malaya realise its abundant untapped natural resources that would boost the country’s economy to a large extent.
The transformation, mentioned in the previous paragraph, also led to the change whereby Malaya was now rapidly exposed to the forces of international trade. Previously, before the British rule, the economy was independent and was not affected greatly by external factors. This change meant that Malaya could no longer be self-reliant but depended on international trade to survive. For example, rice, which was previously grown for subsistence or small-scale trade, became a cash crop which was used to gain capital through trade. The capital gained was used to further develop Malaya so it would not lag behind its development which would affect its quality of resources to produce commercial agriculture for trade. This change brought about by the British, helped change modernize Malaya to enhance its production, consumption and distribution of agricultural goods, which was a dominant contributor to its economy.
The Northwestern Peninsula is Malaya’s presumed first evidence of development. This is the land of tin and rubber, and nearer the Thai border, rice. International demand and shockingly high prices for the first two natural resources were behind the peninsula’s rapid growth from the late 19th century till the middle of the 20th century. Perak’s Kinta River Valley was once the tin capital of the world. Some former mining towns remain frozen in time – Papan, Batu Gajah, Pusing. Others have continued to build on their early prosperity, and are thriving – Ipoh, Kuala Kangsar, Taiping.
Due to the British influence of having such administrations, economic development was controlled by the government after the Malaya became independent. For example, in 1970, the New Economic Policy was introduced to encourage a fairer distribution of wealth among the races. An ambitious attempt was also made to switch from its agro-mining foundation, which was established during the British rule, to a mixed economy, of manufactured goods and a heavier industry. The 1970s also witnessed the harvesting of newly-found offshore oil and natural gas reserves in the South China Sea, giving a spectacular boost to the economy. These impressive progressions were brought about by a series of Malaysian Five Year Plans (brought about the government) and credit for the rapid economic progress since 1981 also went to Dr Mahathir Mohamad (the forth prime minister of Malaysia).
Cont inui ty in Ma lay a fr om an Economi cal A spect Many economic elements have been kept since pre-colonial Malaya. First, agriculture is still a predominant area where Malaya’s economic life centered around. Malaya had very few secondary industries; the main economic area was agricultural industries before and after the colonialism. Cameron highlands, the most developed of Malaya’s hill stations which peaks at 2030 metres (6,660 ft) is distinguished by its vast tea plantations. Some worth visting are the Sungai Palas Tea Estate located further north from Brinchang. Also, one must not forget to drop by the newly opened Sungai Palas Tea Café in the Sungai Palas Tea Estate. Although Camerons is part of Pahang, one can reach here via Tapah or Simpung Pulai in Perak. From Tapah to Ipoh, there are regular buses to Tanah Rata, Camerons’ main town, between 8am to 6pm. Left: Map of Cameron Highlands Right: Tea Plantations in Cameron Highlands
Second, Malaya still has international commerce relationships and relies heavily on export. Primary productions were the main produce in the country. When Malaya became independent in the 1957, the economy was almost completely dependent on exports of tin, rubber, palm oil and tea. Today, Malaya is easily the world’s largest producer of palm oil, accounting for about half the world’s output. Its export on tin was 30% of the world’s output. From here, we can conclude that raw material exports continued in Malaya. Perak was once the wealthy tin-mining centre of Malaya. The Kinta Valley remains Perak’s leading district, and its main city, Ipoh, the most prosperous of its settlements. Beginning as a tin field in the 1870s, Ipoh developed into a hub for road, rail and river transportation. Ipoh is one of Malaya’s largest cities with a population of over half a million. On its West side, one can find the Padang (Town Green) in the Old Town, the essence of every part of the country with a colonial past. Ipoh is also famous for its cave temples and limestone hills. Kuala Lumpur had been a mining outpost 150 years ago, and many miners and traders first came upriver to where the Klang and Gombak rivers converge in search of tin. The Gombak estuary was the highest point upstream that the miners could land their supplies for prospecting tin in Ampang. At the centre of Kuala Lumpur, one would be able to find Dataran Merdeka. This parade ground, originally called the ‘Padang’ was renamed to commemorate Malaya’s independence. Today, Dataran Merdeka is an occasional venue for the national day parade.
Top: Dataran Merdeka
Finally, forced labour still exists in Malaya. In the past, the peasants performed labor services either to the local elites or the king himself. Now, the forced labour still exists. Workers are still under the control of agents and employers.
Continuity in Malaya from a Political Aspect In pre-colonial Malaya, the Mandala system of governance was present. Patron-client relationships existed between individuals with authority and wealth and another individual who would benefit from his support or influence. For example, commoners in pre-colonial Malaya would offer their physical labour to the provincial elites or kings in exchange for wealth or protection for themselves. In the Mandala system, the influence of the king would be strongest in the capital and would weaken as one moved away from the capital. This was because the provincial elites would be able to take more control as they are able to take advantage of the fact that the king’s influence was weaker further away from the capital. Therefore, the distribution of political power can be said to be decentralized as the power was shared between the kings and the provincial elites. However, after being colonized, there was a change in the political system of Malaya. A Western system of centralized administration, the bureaucracy, was introduced. This kind of system was introduced as the colonial rulers thought that it was under this kind of system then will the colony be able to control economic developments and achieve effectiveness in terms of administration. Using this system of governance, the distribution of power was even throughout the whole of the country because of the centralized administrative system and overall, it made the whole political system more productive as the colonial powers could ensure that the whole of Malaya worked towards a common goal. With the introduction of the bureaucracy, it meant that there was uniformity throughout the whole of Malaya. For example, in pre-colonial times, farmers whose crops have been ruined could negotiate with the kings regarding taxes but with the bureaucracy, there was no room for negotiation as there were standard procedures regarding tax payment. There was an end to the provincial elites’ autonomy as the centralized organization was able to control the most basic levels of administration in the political scene. In pre-colonial Southeast Asia the basis of powers were religions and ideologies. One example is the Islamic kings. The Sultan’s authority was based on the perception that he was of royal blood and that he had been bestowed with supernatural power and dignity. The posts were inherited. With the establishment of colonial rule, there was a change in the basis of power. It was no longer based on religion or ideology but rather more on the modern system of meritocracy. For example, the bureaucracy would look at one’s technical competence in politics rather than the fact that one was from a royal bloodline when choosing the government.
In Malaya, there was not much continuity as there was much change in the political aspects. Firstly, with the implementation of the bureaucracy in Malaya, the old political structure of the Mandala system was replaced by the new western political structure of the bureaucracy. Therefore, continuity was absent to a large extent in the political aspects of Southeast Asia because of the change of the pre-colonial political system. Kings and provincial elites were replaced by the colonial government. However, patron-client relationships continued on. They were still present in the politics of Malaysia as the two parties had a close relationship during the pre-colonial times and would be likely to carry on because the two parties are dependent on one another and would need each other in order to survive. The commoner would still need the power and influence of the provincial elites and the elites would require the support from the commoners. This will still continue even though there was change in the political structure of Malaya.
Change in Malaya from a Social Aspect Before colonial rule, health problems were very widespread in Malaya. The only medical care they had were traditional remedies. There was a lack of cleansing services and drinkable water. The death rate was very high and the main causes of death were deaths from cholera, beri – beri, jungle fever. For example, out of 87 mining labourers who went from Lukut to Ampang in 1857, only 18 survived at the end of the month.
However, with the birth of colonialism, many modern and westernized treatments were introduced. Medical researches were conducted and more remedies were found. In the 1890s, piped water from reservoirs was available. By 1908, there were 52 hospitals in Malaya. The Town Sanitary Boards was set up to deal with the problems of urban hygiene and health. As such, health problems were on the decline.
Slavery was rampant in pre-colonial Malaya. However, during Colonial rule, Birch, a colonial ruler, did not approve of slave trade. He then abolished slave trade in Malaya and the slaves gained freedom from their masters and their human rights were returned to them.
Continuity in Malaya from a Social Aspect
There was an influx of Chinese and Indian immigrants. Although the various races did not foster close relationships, the Malays (natives), Chinese and Indians lived in harmony. In the multiracial society, the Malays were the main race followed by the Chinese (40%) and the Indian (12%). Even after colonial rule, immigration still took place. There were many secret societies formed by the Chinese immigrants. Although they were not political in nature, they were social and economic in nature. They helped fellow Chinese immigrants to find jobs and act as a pillar of support for those who are lonely and ignorant. However, as the number of secret societies increased, the number of fights between societies increased too. They fought over the ownership of members and rights for mining areas and this continued even after colonial rule. Islam was the official religion before colonial rule. Most of the people subscribed to the Muslim faith. Although the colonial rulers came and spread their religion (Christianity) through missionaries, it did not affect the religion as Islam still remained as the main religion. Islam continued to be the main religion in Malaya.
SO COME ON DOWN, TO
Magnificent Malaya! In conclusion, many changes emerged after the colonialism. In Malaya’s economy, the predominantly traditional subsistence farming transformed into the predominantly exportoriented one. The relatively small and self-sufficient economy was thus changed into a capitalist economy which relied heavily on export. While in politics, the
pre-colonial
Mandala system which relied on the patron-client relations were changed into a western system of centralized administration. In the society, slave trade was abolished and the education system was improved. English education system was introduced in Malaya and the number of secret societies decreased drastically after the colonialism. However, some continuity is still kept in Malaya. Agriculture industry is till the main industry in the country. Malaya also developed its internal trade. But the unfree labour and patron-client relations still exist in the nation. Moreover, for the people who live in some villages, they still live in the houses which were built on stilts wooden or bamboo walls and floors and thatched palm roofs. By coming here, you will see Cobras, crocodiles, lizards, orang-utans, tapirs, tigers, water buffaloes, wild oxen and various butterflies and birds. Different types of tropical fruits, wild orchids and hardwood trees can be seen easily. You can have a good time on the rich, sandy beaches with your families, or go to adventures in the rainforest, mountains and natural caves. Come and visit Mountain of Sabah and Sarawak, the Mulu caves or Rajang River to have an exciting experience!
Magnificent Malaya
agnificently amazes you with its multiculturalism; Malays, Chinese, Indians and Tribal Communities.
wesome in its sense of diversity, from its nature to its people to the places you can uniquely experience here in Malaysia.
ovely es indeed, mazing the the way every everyone and way the single aspect anyone who reads country’s rich you see, hear, about Malaysia history has touch, taste would want to shaped this and smell come down to magnificent mesmerizes experience it land mass into you with such firsthand! what it is brilliance. today.
nd don’t forget, a trip down to Malaysia is a must, we are sure you would not be able to resist it!
Behold Malaya
From its amazing biodiversity and lush vegetation to its diverse peoples who give Malaya character, Malaya has proved itself a great travel destination that never fails to disappoint many who travel there in search of a peaceful retreat or an adventurous journey. Housing the world’s second tallest twin buildings, the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, in the city’s capital Kuala Lumpur, and the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaya gives one experiences that can never be forgotten with its splendour. Although the British colonized Malaya during the time period of 1785 to 1957, Malaya has managed to retain many of its rich cultures and historical sites without much influence from its Western administrators. This is thanks to the Official British policy that pledged no interference with other’s beliefs. However, Christianity was spread by Western Missionaries who founded English-medium schools as they were allowed to do so. This led to Christianity being one of the significant religions of Malaya today. Like the former example, the British’s existence in Malaya had an effect of shaping Malaya to what it is today. However, there are also aspects that have not been tampered with and are still existent when one explores Malaya today.
Change in Malaya from an Economical Aspect First and foremost, the most obvious change in Malaya as a result of the British rule was the transformation of predominant traditional subsistence farming before the British rule to one that was now dominantly export-oriented. British helped Malaya realise that its possession of geographical features such as plains and deltas, could help result in great yields of agriculture that could go beyond subsistence farming and become an aspect of commercial farming. It made Malaya realise its abundant untapped natural resources that would boost the country’s economy to a large extent.
The transformation, mentioned in the previous paragraph, also led to the change whereby Malaya was now rapidly exposed to the forces of international trade. Previously, before the British rule, the economy was independent and was not affected greatly by external factors. This change meant that Malaya could no longer be self-reliant but depended on international trade to survive. For example, rice, which was previously grown for subsistence or small-scale trade, became a cash crop which was used to gain capital through trade. The capital gained was used to further develop Malaya so it would not lag behind its development which would affect its quality of resources to produce commercial agriculture for trade. This change brought about by the British, helped change modernize Malaya to enhance its production, consumption and distribution of agricultural goods, which was a dominant contributor to its economy.
The Northwestern Peninsula is Malaya’s presumed first evidence of development. This is the land of tin and rubber, and nearer the Thai border, rice. International demand and shockingly high prices for the first two natural resources were behind the peninsula’s rapid growth from the late 19th century till the middle of the 20th century. Perak’s Kinta River Valley was once the tin capital of the world. Some former mining towns remain frozen in time – Papan, Batu Gajah, Pusing. Others have continued to build on their early prosperity, and are thriving – Ipoh, Kuala Kangsar, Taiping.
Due to the British influence of having such administrations, economic development was controlled by the government after the Malaya became independent. For example, in 1970, the New Economic Policy was introduced to encourage a fairer distribution of wealth among the races. An ambitious attempt was also made to switch from its agro-mining foundation, which was established during the British rule, to a mixed economy, of manufactured goods and a heavier industry. The 1970s also witnessed the harvesting of newly-found offshore oil and natural gas reserves in the South China Sea, giving a spectacular boost to the economy. These impressive progressions were brought about by a series of Malaysian Five Year Plans (brought about the government) and credit for the rapid economic progress since 1981 also went to Dr Mahathir Mohamad (the forth prime minister of Malaysia).
Cont inui ty in Ma lay a fr om an Economi cal A spect Many economic elements have been kept since pre-colonial Malaya. First, agriculture is still a predominant area where Malaya’s economic life centered around. Malaya had very few secondary industries; the main economic area was agricultural industries before and after the colonialism. Cameron highlands, the most developed of Malaya’s hill stations which peaks at 2030 metres (6,660 ft) is distinguished by its vast tea plantations. Some worth visting are the Sungai Palas Tea Estate located further north from Brinchang. Also, one must not forget to drop by the newly opened Sungai Palas Tea Café in the Sungai Palas Tea Estate. Although Camerons is part of Pahang, one can reach here via Tapah or Simpung Pulai in Perak. From Tapah to Ipoh, there are regular buses to Tanah Rata, Camerons’ main town, between 8am to 6pm. Left: Map of Cameron Highlands Right: Tea Plantations in Cameron Highlands
Second, Malaya still has international commerce relationships and relies heavily on export. Primary productions were the main produce in the country. When Malaya became independent in the 1957, the economy was almost completely dependent on exports of tin, rubber, palm oil and tea. Today, Malaya is easily the world’s largest producer of palm oil, accounting for about half the world’s output. Its export on tin was 30% of the world’s output. From here, we can conclude that raw material exports continued in Malaya. Perak was once the wealthy tin-mining centre of Malaya. The Kinta Valley remains Perak’s leading district, and its main city, Ipoh, the most prosperous of its settlements. Beginning as a tin field in the 1870s, Ipoh developed into a hub for road, rail and river transportation. Ipoh is one of Malaya’s largest cities with a population of over half a million. On its West side, one can find the Padang (Town Green) in the Old Town, the essence of every part of the country with a colonial past. Ipoh is also famous for its cave temples and limestone hills. Kuala Lumpur had been a mining outpost 150 years ago, and many miners and traders first came upriver to where the Klang and Gombak rivers converge in search of tin. The Gombak estuary was the highest point upstream that the miners could land their supplies for prospecting tin in Ampang. At the centre of Kuala Lumpur, one would be able to find Dataran Merdeka. This parade ground, originally called the ‘Padang’ was renamed to commemorate Malaya’s independence. Today, Dataran Merdeka is an occasional venue for the national day parade.
Top: Dataran Merdeka
Finally, forced labour still exists in Malaya. In the past, the peasants performed labor services either to the local elites or the king himself. Now, the forced labour still exists. Workers are still under the control of agents and employers.
Continuity in Malaya from a Political Aspect In pre-colonial Malaya, the Mandala system of governance was present. Patron-client relationships existed between individuals with authority and wealth and another individual who would benefit from his support or influence. For example, commoners in pre-colonial Malaya would offer their physical labour to the provincial elites or kings in exchange for wealth or protection for themselves. In the Mandala system, the influence of the king would be strongest in the capital and would weaken as one moved away from the capital. This was because the provincial elites would be able to take more control as they are able to take advantage of the fact that the king’s influence was weaker further away from the capital. Therefore, the distribution of political power can be said to be decentralized as the power was shared between the kings and the provincial elites. However, after being colonized, there was a change in the political system of Malaya. A Western system of centralized administration, the bureaucracy, was introduced. This kind of system was introduced as the colonial rulers thought that it was under this kind of system then will the colony be able to control economic developments and achieve effectiveness in terms of administration. Using this system of governance, the distribution of power was even throughout the whole of the country because of the centralized administrative system and overall, it made the whole political system more productive as the colonial powers could ensure that the whole of Malaya worked towards a common goal. With the introduction of the bureaucracy, it meant that there was uniformity throughout the whole of Malaya. For example, in pre-colonial times, farmers whose crops have been ruined could negotiate with the kings regarding taxes but with the bureaucracy, there was no room for negotiation as there were standard procedures regarding tax payment. There was an end to the provincial elites’ autonomy as the centralized organization was able to control the most basic levels of administration in the political scene. In pre-colonial Southeast Asia the basis of powers were religions and ideologies. One example is the Islamic kings. The Sultan’s authority was based on the perception that he was of royal blood and that he had been bestowed with supernatural power and dignity. The posts were inherited. With the establishment of colonial rule, there was a change in the basis of power. It was no longer based on religion or ideology but rather more on the modern system of meritocracy. For example, the bureaucracy would look at one’s technical competence in politics rather than the fact that one was from a royal bloodline when choosing the government.
In Malaya, there was not much continuity as there was much change in the political aspects. Firstly, with the implementation of the bureaucracy in Malaya, the old political structure of the Mandala system was replaced by the new western political structure of the bureaucracy. Therefore, continuity was absent to a large extent in the political aspects of Southeast Asia because of the change of the pre-colonial political system. Kings and provincial elites were replaced by the colonial government. However, patron-client relationships continued on. They were still present in the politics of Malaysia as the two parties had a close relationship during the pre-colonial times and would be likely to carry on because the two parties are dependent on one another and would need each other in order to survive. The commoner would still need the power and influence of the provincial elites and the elites would require the support from the commoners. This will still continue even though there was change in the political structure of Malaya.
Change in Malaya from a Social Aspect Before colonial rule, health problems were very widespread in Malaya. The only medical care they had were traditional remedies. There was a lack of cleansing services and drinkable water. The death rate was very high and the main causes of death were deaths from cholera, beri – beri, jungle fever. For example, out of 87 mining labourers who went from Lukut to Ampang in 1857, only 18 survived at the end of the month.
However, with the birth of colonialism, many modern and westernized treatments were introduced. Medical researches were conducted and more remedies were found. In the 1890s, piped water from reservoirs was available. By 1908, there were 52 hospitals in Malaya. The Town Sanitary Boards was set up to deal with the problems of urban hygiene and health. As such, health problems were on the decline.
Slavery was rampant in pre-colonial Malaya. However, during Colonial rule, Birch, a colonial ruler, did not approve of slave trade. He then abolished slave trade in Malaya and the slaves gained freedom from their masters and their human rights were returned to them.
Continuity in Malaya from a Social Aspect
There was an influx of Chinese and Indian immigrants. Although the various races did not foster close relationships, the Malays (natives), Chinese and Indians lived in harmony. In the multiracial society, the Malays were the main race followed by the Chinese (40%) and the Indian (12%). Even after colonial rule, immigration still took place. There were many secret societies formed by the Chinese immigrants. Although they were not political in nature, they were social and economic in nature. They helped fellow Chinese immigrants to find jobs and act as a pillar of support for those who are lonely and ignorant. However, as the number of secret societies increased, the number of fights between societies increased too. They fought over the ownership of members and rights for mining areas and this continued even after colonial rule. Islam was the official religion before colonial rule. Most of the people subscribed to the Muslim faith. Although the colonial rulers came and spread their religion (Christianity) through missionaries, it did not affect the religion as Islam still remained as the main religion. Islam continued to be the main religion in Malaya.
SO COME ON DOWN, TO
Magnificent Malaya! In conclusion, many changes emerged after the colonialism. In Malaya’s economy, the predominantly traditional subsistence farming transformed into the predominantly exportoriented one. The relatively small and self-sufficient economy was thus changed into a capitalist economy which relied heavily on export. While in politics, the
pre-colonial
Mandala system which relied on the patron-client relations were changed into a western system of centralized administration. In the society, slave trade was abolished and the education system was improved. English education system was introduced in Malaya and the number of secret societies decreased drastically after the colonialism. However, some continuity is still kept in Malaya. Agriculture industry is till the main industry in the country. Malaya also developed its internal trade. But the unfree labour and patron-client relations still exist in the nation. Moreover, for the people who live in some villages, they still live in the houses which were built on stilts wooden or bamboo walls and floors and thatched palm roofs. By coming here, you will see Cobras, crocodiles, lizards, orang-utans, tapirs, tigers, water buffaloes, wild oxen and various butterflies and birds. Different types of tropical fruits, wild orchids and hardwood trees can be seen easily. You can have a good time on the rich, sandy beaches with your families, or go to adventures in the rainforest, mountains and natural caves. Come and visit Mountain of Sabah and Sarawak, the Mulu caves or Rajang River to have an exciting experience!
