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From prehistoric times, geography has played a key role in Malaysian history. Geography ditected the first wave of humans out of Africa following the coast of southern Asia down the Malay Peninsula. These were same people that migrated on to New Guinea and Australia and are the ancestors of modern Australian aboriginees. Traves of these original people were subsequently wiped out by a larger wave out of Africa which moved into the Middle East and Central Asia before populating China and Southeast Asia. The country's recorded history begins with tomb stones found in Bujang Valley and Merbok Valley in the state of Kedah (1st century BC). Geography has fashioned Malaysia as a maritime crossroad between East and West introducing cultural and religious ideas. Hindu influences reached Malaysia from India and Buddhist influences from China. Islamic inqfluence reached Malaysia during the Melaka Sultanate spread by traders from both the Middle East and India (15th century). The Sultan of Melaka adopted Islam and played an important role in spreading the religion. The Sultanate also helped expand trade ties with China. The Portuguese also guide by geography were the first Europeans to reach Malaysia. Seeking to dominate the spice trade, the Portuguese attacked the Sultanate (1511). The Portuguese introduced Catholic Christianity. to the locals. The Dutch seized Melaka (1641). The British who through the Industrial Revolution emerged as the dominant world naval power. They began to play an important role (late-18th century). The British founded crown colony states which became known as the Straits Settlements. They also interbened in the affairs of the small independent states bon the Peninsula. The British also competed with the Dutch on East Malaysia (Borneo). Sabah was made a British protectorate under the Chartered Company, British North Borneo. The Brooke family came to rule Sarawak as the so-called White Rajah for 100 years. The Japanese after Pearl Harbor landed on the Malay Peninnsula (December 1941). They shocked the world by rapidly moving south against inefectual British resistance and ultimstel seized Singapore which had been considered invulnerable (February 1942). This was important because most of world' rubber supply came from Malaya and rubber was a critical material. Malaya and Singapore remained in Japanese hands until the Japanese surrender to the Americans (August 1945). The British recoccupied Malaya (September 1945), but their colonial role was weakened by the War which gave rise to a nationalist movement. The British defeated a Communist insuregency (1948). The British granted independence to the Malay States of Malaya (1957). Tunku Abdul Rahman became the country's first Prime Minister. Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak joined to form Malaysia (1963). Largely Chinese Singapore seceded and decided to go its own separate and ultimately highly successful way (1965). Independence Malaysia has had five Prime Ministers namely, Tunku Abdul Rahman (known as Father of Independence), Tun Razak (Father of Development), Tun Hussein Onn (Father of Unity), Tun Dr Mahathir (1981- ) has been the the longest serving primeminister. The current primemminister is Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
From prehistoric times, geography has played a key role in Malaysian history. Geography ditected the first wave of humans out of Africa following the coast of southern Asia down the Malay Peninsula. These were same people that migrated on to New Guinea and Australia and are the ancestors of modern Australian aboriginees. The trail of these original people were subsequently wiped out by a larger wave out of Africa which moved into the Middle East and Central Asia before populating China and Southeast Asia. The Malay Peninsula became inhabited by aboriginal people.
Geography has fashioned Malaysia as a maritime crossroad between East and West. Merchants introduced cultural and religious ideas. People from southern China began settling on the Pininsula (2nd century BC). Tomb stones found in Bujang Valley and Merbok Valley in the state of Kedah are the first important archaeological finds (1st century BC). Indian traders began settling in Kedah and along the west coast of the peninsula (1st century AD) This meant both the introduction of Hinduism and Buddhism. The Indian kingdom of Kunan was the first state of any imortance (1st century AD). Smaller Buddhist states appeared in the east.
Arab traders brought Islam to the region. Javanese established control of the Peninsula (about 1330–50). The port of Malacca/Melaka was founded (15th century). The rulers converted to Islam and established an important sultanate. Islam gradually replaced Buddhism on the Peninsula.They traded with Muslim merchants that at the time dominated trade from India east to what is now Indonesia. The Sultan played an important role in spreading the religion. The Sultanate also helped expand trade ties with China.
The Portuguese also guided by geography were the first Europeans to reach the Malay Peninsula. Seeking to dominate the spice trade, the Portuguese attacked the powerful Sultanate of Malacca (1511). The Portuguese introduced Catholic Christianity to the locals. The Dutch who allied themselves Sultan of Johor seized Malacca from the Portuguese (1641). The Malay Peninsula became a Malay kingdom cetered in Johor. The British who through the Industrial Revolution emerged as the dominant world naval power. They began to play an important role (late-18th century). This began after the British defeated the French ad established thenselves as the major power in India. The first British intrusion in Malaya was the British East India Company purching the island of Penang from the sultan of Kedah (1786). The British then seized Malacca from the Dutch as war began with Revolutionary France. The British then acquired Singapore which at the time was an unimprtant fishing village (1819). These possesions (Penang, Malacca, and Singapore) became the Straits Settlements--a crown colony ruled directly by the British. Britain extended in control over the Peninsula by negotiating what were essetially protectorates with ruling Muslim sultanates. This was achieved by a series of treaties (1873-1930). This allowed the British to intervene in the affairs of the nine Malay sultanates on the Peninsula. The British colonial administrators thus took control of the foreign affairs of the sultanates. The Federated Malay States (Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak and Pahang) wasorganized (1896). Kuala Lumpur became the capital. The British also competed with the Dutch on East Malaysia (Borneo). Sabah was made a British protectorate under the Chartered Company, British North Borneo. The Brooke family came to rule Sarawak as the so-called White Rajah for 100 years. Brunei also became a British protectorate. The British began developing Malay resources. Tin mines were developed and workers from southern China and southern India were brought in to work in the mines and on plantations. Planters had limited suucess until rubber was introduced (late-19th century). Thus Malaya began to make a transition from a trading outpost to a commodity producer. Malaya became the dominant producer of rubber.
Britain in the late 19th and early 20th century established contol over Malaya through a variety of treaties. Agricultural input was of minor importance in the 19th century. Planters experimented with different crops. Then in the early 20th century rubber cultivation began to take off. Along with rubber plants, the British brought Indian workers to man the new plantations. This occurred just as the development of the automobile created a vast demand for rubber. Malay which had been an economic backwater rapidly became one of the most valuable British colonies. One part of the Japanese offensive following Pearl Harbor was the invasion of Malaya. The Japanese 25th army commanded by Lieutenant-General Tomoyuki Yamashita launched the invasion of Malaya (December 8, 1941). Yamashita's 25th Army was smaller than the defending British force. Yamashita commanded only 30,000 men, but he had a well thoughout campaign, an adequate air cover, and naval support. Yamashita landed a small force in the nort. English commander General Arthur Percival when of the landings was advised to set up a defensive line and famously is sad to have worried about the effect on morale. A staff office is said to have replied, "It would be bad for morale when the Japanese start running all over the island." Yamahita moved down the Peninsula in a stunning 8-week campaign. Sinapore had substantial defenses. There were 15-inch gun implacements and a 88,000 man garrison. It was called the "Gibraltar of the East". The garrison, however, was undersupplied. The shore guns had anti-ship ammunition and could not be turned back on jungle roads that the Japanese were using to approach from the land. The RAF had 158 aircraft, but many were obsolete types, including biplanes and the retreating units could not hold major airfields Yamashita after taking most of the Malay Peninsula commenced the assault on Singapore (February 2). Lieutenant General Arthur Percival surrendered Singapore (February 15). This was the greatest defeat ever suffered by the British Army. Percival surrendered 130,000 Allied troops. Churchill was staggered. The Japanese held Singapore and Malaya for the duration of the War. Conquest of Malaya not only gave the Japanese tin mines, but the great bulk of the world's rubber resource. Tin was important, but the Allies had altermative resources. There was no real alternative to Malaya as a source of natural rubber. The Allied could not have fought World War II unlss a new source of rubber was found.
The British recoccupied Malaya (September 1945), but their colonial role was weakened by the War which gave rise to a nationalist movement. The British defeated a Communist insuregency (1948).
The British granted independence to the Malay States of Malaya (1957). Tunku Abdul Rahman became the country's first Prime Minister. Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak joined to form Malaysia (1963). Largely Chinese Singapore seceded and decided to go its own separate and ultimately highly successful way (1965). Independence Malaysia has had five Prime Ministers namely, Tunku Abdul Rahman (known as Father of Independence), Tun Razak (Father of Development), Tun Hussein Onn (Father of Unity), Tun Dr Mahathir (1981- ) has been the the longest serving primeminister. The current primemminister is Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
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