BRITISH MALAYSIA.

Due to the Indian influence from around 200BC Malacca grew during the 15th century to be the capital of trade. The Portuguese captured it in 1511 and it became the major trading outpost of Asia. The Dutch acquired Malacca from 1641. During the 18th century the Dutch turned their attention to more profitable trade in Java and the Spice Islands. Dutch influence was weakened by the arrival of the British, who acquired Penang Island in 1786, Malacca in 1795 and Singapore 1824. In 1826 the British combined the territories of Singapore, Penang and Malacca and called them the Straits Settlements. The colony was administered by the East India Company until 1853 until it was abolished. The colony became a part of British India 1858—1867 at which time it became a crown colony. Singapore became a separate crown colony in 1946 when the Straits Settlements was dissolved.

British Borneo consists of two territories Sarawak and Sabah. Sarawak was a British colony governed by Rajah’s from 1841 –1946. the Japanese occupation during WWII so devastated the economy that Rajah Charles Vyrne Brooke ceded it to Great Britain in 1946. Sabah a former British protectorate and Crown Colony became an independent settlement of the Straits Colony in 1912 and incorporated with British North Borneo in 1946. The island of Labuam, 6 miles off the coast of Brunei was attached to the Singapore Settlement in 1907. Brunei remained an independent entity, while still using the currency.

Malaya consists of 11 States

• The un-federated Malay states of Johore, Kelantan, Kedah, Perlis and Trengganu

• The federated Malay states of Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak and Selangor

• Former members of the Straits Settlements Penang and Malacca

Malaya & British Borneo, a currency commission named The board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya & British North Borneo was initiated 1 Jan 1952 for the purpose of providing a common currency for use in the Malay states and Northern Borneo and Brunei.

Malaysia came into being 16 Sept 1963 as a federation of Malaya. Singapore joined into the federation in 1963 but following two serious racial riots it withdrew from the federation of Malaysia in 1965 and became an independent republic.

By AM