Malayan Union

Malayan Union British colony ↓1946 – 1948 →

Flag Coat of arms

Capital Kuala Lumpur Language(s) Malay, English Political structure Colony King George VI Governor Edward Gent Historical era Decolonization - Established April 1, 1946 - Disestablished January 31, 1948 Area - 1948 132,364 km² (51,106 sq mi) Currency Malayan dollar 1 - FMS consisted of Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang
2 - Singapore taken out of the Straits Settlements and made a Crown Colony of its own This article is part of
the History of Malaysiaseries
Prehistory(60,000–2,000 BCE)
Early kingdoms Gangga Negara(2nd–11th century CE)
Langkasuka(2nd–14th century)
Pan Pan(3rd–5th century)
Srivijaya(3rd–14th century)
The rise of Muslim states Kedah Sultanate(1136–present)
Malacca Sultanate(1402–1511)
Sulu Sultanate(1450–1899)
Johor Sultanate(1528–current) Jementah Civil War(1879) European colonialism Portuguese Malacca(1511 - 1641)
Dutch Malacca(1641 - 1824)
Kingdom of Sarawak(1841–1946)
British Malaya(1874–1946)
Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 Burney Treaty(1826) Straits Settlements(1826–1946) Larut War(1861–1874) Klang War(1867–1874) Pangkor Treaty of 1874 Federated Malay States(1895–1946)
Unfederated Malay States(1800s–1946)
Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909
Battle of Penang(1914)
North Borneo(1882–1963)
Mat Salleh Rebellion(1896–1900)
World War II Japanese occupation(1941–1945)
Battle of Malaya(1941–42)
Parit Sulong Massacre(1942)
Battle of Muar(1942)
Battle of Singapore(1942)
Syburi(1942–1945)
Battle of North Borneo(1945)
Sandakan Death Marches(1945)
Malaysia in transition Malayan Union (1946–1948)
Federation of Malaya(1948–1963)
Malayan Emergency(1948–1960)
Bukit Kepong Incident(1950)
Independence Day(1957)
Federation of Malaysia(1963–present)
Operation Coldstore(1963) Indonesia confrontation(1962–1966) Brunei Revolt(1962–1966) Singapore in Malaysia(1963–1965) 1964 Race Riots(1964) Communist Insurgency War(1967-1989)
Contemporary Malaysia Malaysia today
May 13 Incident(1969)
New Economic Policy(1971–1990)
Operation Lalang(1987)
1988 constitutional crisis(1987–88)
Asian financial crisis(1997–98)

The Malayan Union was a confederation of the Malay states and the Straits Settlements excluding Singapore, which was placed as a crown colony under direct British rule. It was the successor to British Malaya and was conceived to simplify the administration of British colonies in the Malay Peninsula. It was formed on April 1, 1946 by the British.

Malayan citizenship gave equal rights to citizens regardless of race. Citizenship was based on the jus soli principle. The head of state changed from the "Sultan" to the "President".

The Sultans, the traditional rulers of the Malay states, conceded all their powers to the British Crown except in the matters of culture and religion. The Union would be ultimately placed under the rule of a British Governor.

The idea of the Union was first expressed by the British on October 1945 in the aftermath of the Second World War by the British Military Administration. Sir Harold MacMichael was assigned the task of gathering the Malay state rulers' approval for the Malayan Union in the same month. In a short period of time, he managed to obtain all the Rulers’ signatures through intimidation.

On April 1, 1946 the Malayan Union officially came into existence with Sir Edward Gent as its first governor. The capital of the Union was Kuala Lumpur.

1 Dissolution and Malayan Federation
2 Flag
3 Member states
4 Gallery
5 See also
6 References

Dissolution and Malayan Federation

The Malays generally opposed the creation of the Union. The opposition was due mainly to the methods Sir Harold MacMichael used to acquire the Sultans’ signatures, the reduction of the Sultans’ powers, and the granting of citizenship to non-Malay immigrants and their descendants-- especially the ethnic Chinese, not only because of their racial and religious difference but also because their economic dominance was seen as a threat to the Malays. The United Malays National Organization, or UMNO, a Malay political association formed by Dato’ Onn Jaafar on March 1, 1946, led the opposition against the Malayan Union.

Due to protest inside the Malayan Union, the British finally conceded to local opposition. The Malayan Union ceased to exist on July, 1946. It was replaced by the Federation of Malaya (Persekutuan Tanah Melayu in Malay) which recognised the position of the Malays as the definitive people of Malaya as well as outlining stricter conditions on the granting of citizenship.

The Federation of Malaya would later become part of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.

Flag

During the duration of the Union, the flag of the Federated Malay States were used as the de facto national flag. The flag however was not used as the official flag of the Union.

Member states

Eleven states made up the Union. The states were:

Perlis (Unfederated Malay States; UMS)
Kedah (UMS)
Penang (Straits Settlements)
Perak (Federated Malay States; FMS)
Selangor (FMS)
Negeri Sembilan (FMS)
Malacca (Straits Settlements)
Johor (UMS)
Pahang (FMS)
Terengganu (UMS)
Kelantan (UMS)

Gallery

Protest against the Malayan Union

References

Zakaria Haji Ahmad. Government and Politics (1940-2006). p.p 30-21. ISBN 981-3018-55-0.

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1 In 1931, Canada and other British dominions obtained self-government through the Statute of Westminster. 'Dominion' remains Canada's legal title; see Canada's name.
2 Remained a de jure dominion until 1949 (when it became a Canadian province); from 1934 to 1949, Newfoundland was governed by the Commission of Government.

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3 Now the San Andrés y Providencia Department of Colombia.

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4 League of Nations mandate.

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19th century
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1841-1997 Hong Kong
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1882-1963 British North Borneo (Malaysia)
1885-1946 Unfederated Malay States
1891-1971 Muscat and Oman protectorate
1892-1971 Trucial States protectorate
1895-1946 Federated Malay States
1898-1930 Weihai Garrison

20th century
1918-1961 Kuwait protectorate
1920-1932 Iraq4
1921-1946 Transjordan4
1923-1948 Palestine4
1946-1948 Malayan Union
1946-1963 Sarawak (Malaysia)
1948-1957 Federation of Malaya (Malaysia) since 1965 British Indian Ocean Territory

4 League of Nations mandate.

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since 1838 Pitcairn Islands
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20th century
1900-1970 Tonga (protected state)
1900-1974 Niue6
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5 Suspended member.
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9 Now *Papua New Guinea.

Antarctica and South Atlantic

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20th century
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9 Dependencies of St. Helena since 1922 (Ascension Island) and 1938 (Tristan da Cunha).
10 Both claimed in 1908; territories formed in 1962 (British Antarctic Territory) and 1985 (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands).
11 Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April-June 1982.