The Federated Malay States (FMS, , Jawi: ) was a federation of four integrated protectorates in the Malay Peninsula comprising Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang. It was established in 1895 by the British government and lasted until 1946. In that year, these states joined with two of the former Straits Settlements (Malacca and Penang, excluding Singapore) and the Unfederated Malay States to form the Malayan Union. The union was short-lived and in 1948 was replaced by the Federation of Malaya, which gained independence in 1957. This federation later became Malaysia in 1963 following the inclusion of North Borneo (now Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore. Singapore was eventually separated from Malaysia and became a sovereign state on 9 August 1965.
Unlike the Unfederated Malay States, which retained greater internal autonomy, the real authority in the FMS resided with the four British Residents and the Resident-General. The powers of the local rulers were significantly restricted and were largely confined to matters "touching Malay religion and customs". The administration of the FMS represented a more centralised and interventionist colonial governance model in contrast to the comparatively decentralised arrangements in the Unfederated States. Nevertheless, the FMS remained nominally more autonomous than the Straits Settlements, which were directly governed by Britain through its Governor.
During World War II, the federation, along with the Unfederated Malay States and the Straits Settlements, was invaded and occupied by Japanese forces which culminated in the Fall of Singapore. After the Japanese surrender and the liberation of Malaya, the original federation was not reinstated and was replaced by the short-lived Malayan Union. Nevertheless, the federal model it had introduced remained influential and provided the administrative framework for the Federation of Malaya formed in 1948 and for the eventual creation of Malaysia in 1963.
Formation and power structure On 20 January 1874, Sir Andrew Clarke, governor of the Straits Settlements, concluded with the Sultan of Perak the treaty of Pangkor whereby the Sultan agreed to "receive and provide a suitable residence for a British Officer to be called Resident, who shall be accredited to his court, and whose advice must be asked and acted upon on all questions other than those touching Malay Religion and Customs". The residency system was extended the same year to Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, and in 1888 to Pahang.Simon C. Smith, "Rulers and Residents: British Relations with the Aden Protectorate, 1937–59", Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 31, No. 3 (Jul., 1995), p. 511.
To promote greater administrative efficiency, these four states were brought together under the Treaty of Federation 1895 to form the Federated Malay States (initially named Protected Malay States). The treaty formally went into effect on 1 July 1896. This new federation's structure was highly centralized, with real power resting in the hands of the agents of the British Government, at first called the resident-general, and later the chief secretary. Under the treaty, the four states were required to assist each other in terms of manpower and money, essentially lumping their revenue system together. In case of war, the states were also obligated to supply Indian troops to assist the British.
In 1909, a further agreement between the British and Malay rulers was signed to establish the Federal Council, which would act as the federal legislative body. Modelled after the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements, it was headed by the high commissioner (the Governor of the Straits Settlement), assisted by the resident-general, the four rulers, the four state residents and four nominated unofficial members. The heads of the various public departments could also be nominated to council by the High Commissioner. Additionally, the legal advisor of the government could attend the council's proceedings and advise on legal matters, but was not entitled to vote.
The Federal Council was responsible to pass law that apply to multiple states or the whole federation, and to consider the budgets and finances of each state and the federation. Laws passed by the State Councils may not be in conflict with federal law, except in matters of Islamic religion, political pensions, royal prerogatives, native chiefs and penghulus, where the State Councils retained exclusive jurisdiction over them.
This structure remained until the Japanese invaded Malaya on 8 December 1941.
The sultans and first durbar
Although the Resident-General was the real administrator of the federation, each of the four constituent states of the federation retained their respective hereditary rulers. At the formation of the Federated Malay States, the reigning rulers were:
Sultan Alaiddin Sulaiman Shah of Selangor Sultan Idris Murshidul ‘Adzam Shah I of Perak Yamtuan Tuanku Muhammad Shah of Negeri Sembilan Sultan Ahmad Mu’adzam Shah of Pahang
In 1897 the first durbar was convened in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar, Perak as the platform for discussions for the four rulers. This formed the basis for the Conference of Rulers that was created later on under Article 38 of the Malaysian Constitution on 27 August 1957.
Flag and emblem of the Federation
Flag
The flag of the Federated Malay States consisted of four different-coloured stripes, from top to bottom: white, red, yellow and black. Different combinations of these colours represent the four states that formed the FMS — red, black and yellow are for Negeri Sembilan; black and white for Pahang; black, white and yellow for Perak; and red and yellow for Selangor. The same design concept is used in Malaysia's national emblem. In the middle is an oblong circle with a Malayan tiger in it.
The National History Museum located near the Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has a replica of the federation's flag.
Coat of arms The coat of arms of the Federated Malay States featured a shield guarded by two tigers. On the top of the shield is the crown (known as Eastern Crown in English heraldry), symbolising the federation of monarchies under the protection of the United Kingdom. A banner with the phrase "Dipelihara Allah" (Under God's Protection) written in Jawi is located underneath the shield.
The combinations of the four colours of the shield represents the colours of the flags of the states of the FMS in the same way the stripes of the FMS flag do.
Red and yellow for Selangor Black, white and yellow for Perak Red, black and yellow for Negeri Sembilan Black and white for Pahang
This design forms the basis of the Federation of Malaya's national coat of arms along with the guardian tigers and a quartered shield of the same, symbolic four colours mentioned above.
The phrase "Dipelihara Allah" was also adopted as the current state motto for Selangor.
Naval Ensign
In addition to a state flag, the Federated Malay States also had a naval jack or ensign for use on government ships. The ensign, with the four colours of the FMS, was flown by HMS Malaya, commanded by Captain Boyle under the 5th Battle Squadron of the British Grand Fleet) during the Battle of Jutland in the North Sea. This was the only full-scale clash of battleships during World War I.
Government
Resident-General From 1896 to 1936, real power lay in the hands of the Resident-General, later known as Chief Secretary of the Federation.
+ Residents-General of the FMS (1896–1911) Order Residents-Generals From Until Notes 1Frank Athelstane Swettenham 1 January 1896 12 December 1901William Hood Treacher 5 October 1897 16 April 1898Acting 29 April 1900 12 December 1901Acting 2 13 December 1901 31 December 1904 William Thomas Taylor 13 September 1904 31 December 1904Acting 3 1 January 1905 30 September 1910Edward Lewis Brockman 11 May 1907 13 February 1908ActingHenry Conway Belfield 4 May 1908 27 July 1908ActingReginald George Watson 26 February 1910 29 September 1910Acting 4 30 September 1910 31 January 1911
Chief Secretary to the Government
+ Order Chief Secretaries From UntilNotes 1Arthur Young 1 February 1911 1 September 1911 2Edward Lewis Brockman 2 September 1911 12 September 1920 Reginald George Watson 3 April 1914 8 February 1915 Acting Edward George Broadrick 21 January 1918 5 February 1918 ActingReginald George Watson 7 April 1918 25 August 1918 Acting Frederick Seton James 13 June 1920 3 October 1920 Acting 3George Maxwell 13 September 1920 6 May 1926 Arthur Blennerhassett Voules 14 October 1920 4 March 1921 Acting Oswald Francis Gerard Stonor 21 December 1921 9 January 1922 Acting Edward Shaw Hose 11 May 1923 24 October 1923 Acting 4William Peel 9 May 1926 9 April 1930 Henry Wagstaffe Thomson 6 May 1927 5 June 1927 Acting 10 September 1927 31 March 1928 ActingCharles Walter Hamilton Cochrane 30 November 1929 8 April 1930 Acting 5 9 April 1930 24 March 1932 Andrew Caldecott 25 July 1931 23 March 1932 Acting 6 24 March 1932 3 February 1933 7Malcolm Bond Shelley 4 February 1933 4 April 1935 8Marcus Rex 4 April 1935 24 February 1936
Federal Secretaries After 1936 the Federal Secretaries were no more than co-ordinating officers, under the authority of the High Commissioners, which are always the Governors of the Straits Settlements
+ Order Federal Secretaries From Until 1Christopher Dominic Ahearne 24 February 1936 6 May 1939 2Hugh Fraser 6 May 1939 15 February 1942
State Council In the Federated Malay States, the individual state were still ruled by rulers (a yamtuan in Negeri Sembilan and sultans elsewhere) but was now advised by the State Council for the purpose of administrating the state. The State Council was made up of the Resident (or in certain cases by the Secretary to the Resident), native chiefs, and representative(s) of the Chinese community nominated by the Sultan. The council discussed matters of interest for each respective state such as legislative and administrative issues as well as revision of all sentence of capital punishment. The Resident and his staff (mostly consist of European and Malay) carried on with the administrative work.
Residents Selangor 1875–1876 James Guthrie Davidson (1837–1891) 1876–1882 William Bloomfield Douglas (1822–1906) 1882–1884 Frank Athelstane Swettenham (1850–1946) 1884–1888 John Pickersgill Rodger (1st time, acting, 1851–1910) 1889–1892 William Edward Maxwell (1846–1897) 1892–1896 William Hood Treacher (1849–1919) 1896–1902 John Pickersgill Rodger (2nd time, 1851–1910) 1902–1910 Henry Conway Belfield (1855–1923) 1910–1913 Reginald George Watson (1862–1926) 1913–1919 Edward George Broadrick (1864–1929) 1919–1921 Arthur Henry Lemon (1864–1933) 1921–1926 Oswald Francis Gerard Stonor (1872–1940) 1926–1927 Henry Wagstaffe Thomson (1874–1941) 1927–1930 James Lornie (1876–1959) 1930–1933 G. E. Cater (1884–1973) 1933–1935 George Ernest London (1889– 1957) 1935–1937 Theodore Samuel Adams (1885–1961) 1937–1939 Stanley Wilson Jones (1888–1962) 1939–1941 George Montgomery Kidd 1941 Norman Rowlstone Jarrett (acting, 1889–1982)
Perak
1874–1875 James Wheeler Woodford Birch (1826–1875) 1876–1877 James Guthrie Davidson 1877–1889 Hugh Low (Sir Hugh Low from 1883, 1824–1905) 1889–1896 Frank Athelstane Swettenham (1850–1946) 1896–1902 William Hood Treacher (1849–1919) 1902–1903 John Pickersgill Rodger (1851–1910) 1905–1910 Ernest Woodford Birch (1857–1929) 1910–1912 Henry Conway Belfield (1855–1923) 1912–1913 William James Parke Hume (1st time, acting, 1866–1952) 1913–1919 Reginald George Watson (1862–1926) 1919–1920 George Maxwell (1871–1959) 1920–1921 William James Parke Hume (2nd time, 1866–1952) 1921–1926 Cecil William Chase Parr (1871–1943) 1926–1927 Oswald Francis Gerard Stonor (1872–1940) 1927–1929 Henry Wagstaffe Thomson (1874–1941) 1929–1930 Charles Walter Hamilton Cochrane (1876–1932) 1931–1932 Bertram Walter Elles (1877–1963) 1932–1939 G. E. Cater (1884–1973)