151-521: The term " British Malaya " ( / m ə ˈ l eɪ ə / ; Malay : Tanah Melayu British ) loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British hegemony or control between the late 18th and the mid-20th century. Unlike the term " British India ", which excludes the Indian princely states , British Malaya is often used to refer to
302-494: A "poor cousin" to George Town , Seberang Perai has undergone significant transformation in the decades following Malaya's independence. The Penang state government has been actively promoting a policy of balanced development between the two cities, and Seberang Perai has been positioned as the "future of Penang". In 2021, 'Penang Bay', an initiative aimed at promoting sustainable development, urban regeneration and creative economy between downtown George Town and Butterworth ,
453-579: A British representative) the island of Penang in return for military assistance for Kedah. Light informed the EIC of the Sultan's offer. The EIC, however, ordered Light to take over Penang and gave him no guarantee of the military aid that the Sultan had asked for. Light later took over Penang and assured the Sultan of military assistance, despite the EIC's position. Soon the EIC told Light that they would not give any military aid to Kedah. In June 1789, Light informed
604-399: A centralised government and compromise – the sultans retain their reign but not rule in their states – would have a great impact on the later road to nationhood. It effectively marked the transition of the idea of Malay states from a collection of separate lands governed by their own different feudal rulers, towards a federation with Westminster -style constitutional monarchy . This became
755-514: A common sight during the annual festivities. The Minor Basilica of St. Anne at Bukit Mertajam plays host to the annual Novena feast , which draws thousands of pilgrims from abroad. The 'Street of Harmony' at Seberang Jaya has nine places of worship, each representing a different faith, and is a tribute to religious diversity within the township. As part of urban renewal efforts, several locations at Butterworth have been adorned with street art . Additionally, container art pieces showcasing
906-475: A growing services sector concentrated around retail and tourism. In 2020, Seberang Perai's GDP was worth RM45.149 billion (US$ 10.836 billion), accounting for about 46.5% of Penang's total GDP. The economy of Seberang Perai is primarily driven by the services and manufacturing sectors, which together contributed nearly 93% of the city's GDP that year. The first industrial estates in Penang were established in
1057-623: A huge demand for tin. The British as well as the Dutch were active in the states, each seeking to monopolise production of tin and other commodities. However, the political atmosphere in Perak was sufficiently volatile to raise the cost of tin mining operations. For instance, in 1818 Siam ordered Kedah to attack Perak. The lack of security in Perak forced the British to protect Perak in 1826. As Perak continued to increase its mining operations, it suffered
1208-555: A mid vowel [e, o] . Orthographic note : both /e/ and /ə/ are written with ⟨e⟩ . Orthographic /e, o/ are relatively rare, so the letter ⟨e⟩ usually represents /ə/ . There are some homographs; for example, perang is used for both /pəraŋ/ "war" and /peraŋ ~ piraŋ/ "blond". (In Indonesia, "blond" may be written perang or pirang .) Some analyses regard /ai, au, oi/ as diphthongs. However, [ai] and [au] can only occur in open syllables, such as cukai ("tax") and pulau ("island"). Words with
1359-485: A permanent truce. Later, through the signing of the Pangkor Treaty on 20 January 1874, Clarke acknowledged Raja Abdullah as the legitimate sultan of Perak. It resulted in the appointment of J. W. W. Birch as a British resident in Perak later that year. Raja Ismail, on the other hand, while not party to the agreement, was forced to abdicate due to intense external pressure applied by Clarke. Selangor , just to
1510-691: A persistent issue for decades, with the Juru, Jawi and Perai rivers classified as having average water quality (Class III) by Malaysia's Department of Environment since 2016. Throughout the 19th century, Province Wellesley was administered from George Town without any local governance structure in place. This changed in 1913 when the Municipal Ordinance came into effect, mandating the establishment of local governments in Province Wellesley. Three local governments were created, namely
1661-530: A person must be by the side of the dying sultan to be considered as a new ruler. Tengku Abdul Rahman was present when the old sultan died. Tengku Hussein was not happy with the development, while the temenggung who was in charge of Singapore preferred Tengku Hussein to the younger brother. The British had first acknowledged Tengku Abdul Rahman at the time of their first presence in Malacca. The situation however had changed. In 1818, Farquhar visited Tengku Hussein in
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#17327660776051812-434: A phonetic diphthong in a closed syllable, such as baik ("good") and laut ("sea"), are actually two syllables. An alternative analysis therefore treats the phonetic diphthongs [ai] , [au] and [oi] as a sequence of a monophthong plus an approximant: /aj/ , /aw/ and /oj/ respectively. There is a rule of vowel harmony : the non-open vowels /i, e, u, o/ in bisyllabic words must agree in height, so hidung ("nose")
1963-411: A preemptive assault on Perai . The Kedahan forces were routed and the Sultan was forced to sue for peace . In 1800, the EIC annexed a strip of the mainland from Kedah for a sum of 4,000 Spanish dollars . This acquisition, negotiated by George Caunter on behalf of Lieutenant-Governor George Leith , gave the EIC permanent sovereignty over both Penang Island and the newly acquired territory, which
2114-431: A root word ( affixation ), formation of a compound word (composition), or repetition of words or portions of words ( reduplication ). Nouns and verbs may be basic roots, but frequently they are derived from other words by means of prefixes , suffixes and circumfixes . Malay does not make use of grammatical gender , and there are only a few words that use natural gender; the same word is used for 'he' and 'she' which
2265-537: A shortage of labour. Looking to solve the problem, Malay administrator Long Jaafar invited the Chinese in Penang to work in Perak, particularly at Larut . By the 1840s, Perak's Chinese population had exploded. The new immigrants more often than not were members of Chinese secret societies. Two of the largest were Ghee Hin and Hai San . These two groups regularly tried to increase their influence in Perak resulting in frequent skirmishes. These skirmishes got out of hand to
2416-468: A total of 20 police stations throughout the city as of 2022 . According to the 2020 Malaysian census, Seberang Perai had a population of 946,092 within its jurisdiction of 748 km (289 sq mi), giving it a population density of 1,264.8/km (3,276/sq mi). This also makes Seberang Perai the third largest city by population in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur and Kajang . Seberang Perai
2567-489: A treaty which required Dato' Kelana to rule Sungai Ujong justly, protect traders, and prevent any anti-British action there. Dato' Bandar was not invited to sign the agreement and hence asserted that he was not bound by the agreement. Moreover, Dato' Bandar and the locals disapproved of the British presence in Sungai Ujong. This furthered Dato' Kelana's unpopularity there. Soon, a company led by William A. Pickering , of
2718-454: Is dia or for 'his' and 'her' which is dia punya . There is no grammatical plural in Malay either; thus orang may mean either 'person' or 'people'. Verbs are not inflected for person or number, and they are not marked for tense; tense is instead denoted by time adverbs (such as 'yesterday') or by other tense indicators, such as sudah 'already' and belum 'not yet'. On the other hand, there
2869-456: Is a complex system of verb affixes to render nuances of meaning and to denote voice or intentional and accidental moods . Malay does not have a grammatical subject in the sense that English does. In intransitive clauses, the noun comes before the verb. When there is both an agent and an object , these are separated by the verb (OVA or AVO), with the difference encoded in the voice of the verb. OVA, commonly but inaccurately called "passive",
3020-430: Is allowed but * hedung is not. Pronunciation Pronunciation Pronunciation Study by Uri Tadmor which was published in 2003 shows that mutation of ⟨a⟩ in final open syllable is an areal feature. Specifically, it is an areal feature of Western Austronesia. Uri Tadmor classify those types into four groups as below. Malay is an agglutinative language , and new words are formed by three methods: attaching affixes onto
3171-544: Is also the most populous settlement within the George Town Conurbation , containing over 54.3% of Penang's population. The city centre of Butterworth recorded a population of 80,378, or approximately 8.5% of the total population of Seberang Perai. In the decades following Malaya's independence, Seberang Perai's population grew rapidly due to the spillover of development from George Town . Between 1975 and 1990, suburban sprawl became more pronounced within
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#17327660776053322-533: Is believed to have emerged from a local expression used to refer to the northern banks of the Perai River . After the acquisition of Province Wellesley, the river became the boundary between British-held territory to the south and Kedah to the north. Seberang means "the other side" in Malay . The Thai word plāi ( Thai : ปลาย ), meaning "the end", referred to the southern limits of Kedah, which were formed by
3473-536: Is designated as either Bahasa Malaysia (" Malaysian ") or also Bahasa Melayu ("Malay language"); in Singapore and Brunei, it is called Bahasa Melayu ("Malay language"); in Indonesia, an autonomous normative variety called Bahasa Indonesia (" Indonesian language ") is designated the bahasa persatuan/pemersatu ("unifying language" or lingua franca ) whereas the term "Malay" ( bahasa Melayu )
3624-482: Is divided into Bornean and Sumatran Malay; some of the most widely spoken Sumatran Malay dialects are Riau Malay , Langkat , Palembang Malay and Jambi Malay . Minangkabau , Kerinci and Bengkulu are believed to be Sumatran Malay descendants. Meanwhile, the Jakarta dialect (known as Betawi ) also belongs to the western Malay group. The eastern varieties, classified either as dialects or creoles , are spoken in
3775-477: Is domestically restricted to vernacular varieties of Malay indigenous to areas of Central to Southern Sumatra and West Kalimantan . Classical Malay , also called Court Malay, was the literary standard of the pre-colonial Malacca and Johor Sultanates and so the language is sometimes called Malacca, Johor or Riau Malay (or various combinations of those names) to distinguish it from the various other Malayic languages . According to Ethnologue 16, several of
3926-623: Is not a tonal language . The consonants of Malaysian and also Indonesian are shown below. Non-native consonants that only occur in borrowed words, principally from Arabic, Dutch and English, are shown in brackets. Orthographic note : The sounds are represented orthographically by their symbols as above, except: Loans from Arabic : Malay originally had four vowels, but in many dialects today, including Standard Malay, it has six, with /i/ split into /i, e/ and /u/ split into /u, o/ . Many words are commonly pronounced variably, with either [i, u] or [e, o] , and relatively few words require
4077-569: Is not readily intelligible with the standard language , and the same is true with some lects on the Malay Peninsula such as Kedah Malay . However, both Brunei and Kedah are quite close. Malay is now written using the Latin script , known as Rumi in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore or Latin in Indonesia, although an Arabic script called Arab Melayu or Jawi also exists. Latin script
4228-595: Is official in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Malay uses Hindu-Arabic numerals . Rumi (Latin) and Jawi are co-official in Brunei only. Names of institutions and organisations have to use Jawi and Rumi (Latin) scripts. Jawi is used fully in schools, especially the religious school, sekolah agama , which is compulsory during the afternoon for Muslim students aged from around 6–7 up to 12–14. Efforts are currently being undertaken to preserve Jawi in Malaysia, and students taking Malay language examinations in Malaysia have
4379-486: Is represented by seven Members of Parliament and 21 state constituencies . Prior to 2023, state elections had been conducted simultaneously with nationwide general elections every five years. As of 2023 , ethnic Malays formed the majority in 11 of the 21 state constituencies, especially in the city's north . On the other hand, non-Malays were largely clustered in urban constituencies such as at Butterworth , Perai , Bukit Mertajam and Batu Kawan , as well as many of
4530-521: Is similar to Kelantanese Malay, but the language has no official status or recognition. Owing to earlier contact with the Philippines , Malay words—such as dalam hati (sympathy), luwalhati (glory), tengah hari (midday), sedap (delicious)—have evolved and been integrated into Tagalog and other Philippine languages . By contrast, Indonesian has successfully become the lingua franca for its disparate islands and ethnic groups, in part because
4681-404: Is spoken by 290 million people (around 260 million in Indonesia alone in its own literary standard named " Indonesian ") across Maritime Southeast Asia . The language is pluricentric and a macrolanguage , i.e., several varieties of it are standardized as the national language ( bahasa kebangsaan or bahasa nasional ) of several nation states with various official names: in Malaysia, it
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4832-682: Is the basic and most common word order. The Malay language has many words borrowed from Arabic (in particular religious terms), Sanskrit , Tamil , certain Sinitic languages , Persian (due to historical status of Malay Archipelago as a trading hub), and more recently, Portuguese , Dutch and English (in particular many scientific and technological terms). There is a group of closely related languages spoken by Malays and related peoples across Brunei , Indonesia , Malaysia , Singapore , Southern Thailand , Kampung Alor in East Timor , and
4983-525: Is the lack of possessive pronouns (and suffixes) in eastern dialects. Manado uses the verb pe and Ambon pu (from Malay punya 'to have') to mark possession. So 'my name' and 'our house" are translated in western Malay as namaku and rumah kita but kita pe nama and torang pe rumah in Manado and beta pu nama , katong pu rumah in Ambon dialect. The pronunciation may vary in western dialects, especially
5134-564: Is the tallest point within Seberang Perai. The city's coast is divided into a northern sandy shoreline and a muddy, mangrove-covered southern coastline. The southern coast is geographically sheltered by Penang Island , while the northern shoreline is more exposed to the Malacca Strait . Seberang Perai's jurisdiction also includes two offshore islets – Aman and Gedung islands. These islets feature mudflats that connect with
5285-566: The lingua franca of the region during the Malacca Sultanate era (1402–1511). It was the period the Malay language developed rapidly under the influence of Islamic literature. The development changed the nature of the language with massive infusion of Arabic , Sanskrit , and Tamil vocabularies, called Classical Malay . Under the Sultanate of Malacca the language evolved into a form recognisable to speakers of modern Malay. When
5436-624: The Cham alphabet are used by the Chams of Vietnam and Cambodia . Old Malay was written using Pallava and Kawi script, as evident from several inscription stones in the Malay region. Starting from the era of kingdom of Pasai and throughout the golden age of the Malacca Sultanate, Jawi gradually replaced these scripts as the most commonly used script in the Malay region. Starting from the 17th century, under Dutch and British influence, Jawi
5587-503: The Cherok Tok Kun megalith , found at Bukit Mertajam , both indicate significant Hindu influence at the area between the 5th and 6th centuries. In 1786, Francis Light acquired Penang Island from Kedah in exchange for British military protection. However, when Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah of Kedah attempted to retake the island by force in response to the EIC's reneging on military protection, British forces launched
5738-591: The Chinese Protectorate from the Straits Settlements, was sent to Sungai Ujong to assess the situation. He recognised the predicament Dato' Kelana was in and reported back to the Straits Settlements. This prompted the British to send 160 soldiers to Sungai Ujong to help Pickering defeat Dato' Bandar. At the end of 1874, Dato' Bandar fled to Kepayang. Despite this defeat, the British paid him a pension and granted him asylum in Singapore. As
5889-804: The Federated and the Unfederated Malay States , which were British protectorates with their own local rulers, as well as the Straits Settlements , which were under the sovereignty and direct rule of the British Crown , after a period of control by the East India Company . Before the formation of the Malayan Union in 1946, the territories were not placed under a single unified administration, with
6040-482: The Indians at almost 10%. During the British colonial era, agriculture promoted significant immigration from China and India, resulting in sizable non-Malay populations within the central and southern districts of the city. In particular, Chinese comprised the majority at areas such as Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam and Nibong Tebal . Economic sectors in Seberang Perai by GDP share (2020) Formerly regarded as
6191-848: The Kelantan rebellion . British policy in the late 19th and the early 20th century had been the centralisation of the Federated Malay States (FMS), which was headed by the High Commissioner , who was also the governor of the Straits Settlements . All four British Residents, who acted as a British representative in the FMS were answerable to a Resident General in Kuala Lumpur, who in turn reported back to High Commissioner. Crucial state government departments had to report to their federal headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. Meanwhile,
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6342-580: The Malay Peninsula and separated from Penang Island by the Penang Strait , it shares borders with Kedah to the north and east and Perak to the south. The city spans an area of 748 km (289 sq mi) and had a population of 946,092 as of 2020 , making it the third largest city in Malaysia . Originally a part of Kedah , the territory containing the city was ceded to the British East India Company in 1800. It
6493-472: The Malay Peninsula was Ralph Fitch who arrived in the 16th century. However, the British only became formally involved in Malay politics in 1771, when Great Britain tried to set up trading posts in Penang , formerly a part of Kedah . The British established a trading post in Singapore in 1819 and gained complete control of the island in 1824. In the mid-18th century, British firms could be found trading in
6644-733: The Malay Peninsula . In April 1771, Jourdain, Sulivan and de Souza, a British firm based in Madras , India , sent Francis Light to meet the Sultan of Kedah , Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin II , to open up the Kedah's market for trading. Light was also a captain in the service of the East India Company (EIC). The Sultan faced external threats during this period. Siam , which was at war with Burma and which saw Kedah as its vassal state, frequently demanded that Kedah send reinforcements. Kedah, in many cases,
6795-720: The Middle East , as well as Malay refugees from Kedah fleeing the Siamese conquest of their homeland . In 1831, the EIC expanded Province Wellesley northwards, moving the international border between British and Siamese territories from the Perai River to the Muda River . The territory's boundaries were further extended in 1868 and in the Pangkor Treaty of 1874 , effectively enlarging the British-held territory from
6946-534: The Neolithic era. The site of Guar Kepah, located on the southern banks of the Muda River , is home to human remains found in shell middens that indicate the settlement of the area in that period. Guar Kepah remains the only known example of coastal adaptation among Neolithic humans in Malaysia. Seberang Perai was once a part of the Bujang Valley civilisation. The Mahanavika Buddhagupta plaque and
7097-502: The Sukma Games held that year , the multi-purpose stadium has a FIFA -certified football field, and also hosts motorsports events and concerts. In addition to the stadium, newer sports facilities have been planned in areas like Nibong Tebal and Seberang Jaya . In the late 19th century, Islamic education, taught in huts called pondoks in Malay , was common in the rural areas of Province Wellesley. These pondoks served as
7248-423: The north . Despite limited land availability, Penang has consistently recorded the highest average rice yield in Malaysia since 2018, with a total yield of RM190.8 million in 2022. Seberang Perai's ethnic diversity has given rise to a variety of cultural celebrations throughout the year. Chinese New Year is celebrated at Chinese-majority areas such as Butterworth , where public events and decorated streets are
7399-420: The northern and central districts of the city. By 1991, Seberang Perai's population outstripped that of Penang Island for the first time in the state's history. As of 2020 , Malays accounted for 49% of Seberang Perai's population and were the majority ethnic group in the northern part of the city . Ethnic Chinese constituted a significant proportion of the city's population at nearly 33%, followed by
7550-433: The "rice bowl" of Penang, Seberang Perai has a long history of agriculture. During British rule, spice, sugar and rubber were some of the major crops in the territory. Post-independence, the focus has shifted to rice, palm oil and coconut cultivation. As of 2017 , agriculture made up nearly 44% of Seberang Perai's land use. The city had approximately 12,472 acres (5,047 ha) of paddy fields as of 2008 , mainly located in
7701-527: The 1850s the area emerged as one of the most modern settlements on the Malay Peninsula apart from the Straits Settlements. At one point, there were over 20,000 labourers, most of them ethnic Chinese imported from China. Raja Jumaat died in 1864 and his death created a leadership vacuum and Lukut gradually declined. Meanwhile, Hulu Klang enjoyed unprecedented growth due to tin mining. Between 1849 and 1850, Raja Abdullah bin Raja Jaafar , Raja Jumaat's cousin,
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#17327660776057852-572: The 1960s at Mak Mandin and Perai during the tenure of the state's first Chief Minister Wong Pow Nee . However, these early efforts at industrialisation were limited to import substitution . After the revocation of George Town's free port status and the fall of the Alliance -led state government in 1969 , newly elected Chief Minister Lim Chong Eu sought to restructure Penang's economy. The Nathan Report of 1970, produced by Robert R. Nathan Associates , proposed an export-led growth strategy and
8003-404: The British could strengthen his position in Sungai Ujong. Dato' Kelana contacted the British in Malacca and began and lobbying them to support him. In April 1874, Sir Andrew Clarke used Dato' Kelana's request as a means to build British presence in Sungai Ujong and Negeri Sembilan in general. Clarke acknowledged Dato' Kelana as the legitimate chief of Sungai Ujong. The British and Dato' Kelana signed
8154-558: The British felt they needed to have a say in Selangorean politics. One major disturbance, amounting to a civil war, was the Klang War which lasted from 1867 to 1874. In November 1873, a ship from Penang was attacked by pirates near Kuala Langat , Selangor. A court was assembled near Jugra and suspected pirates were sentenced to death. The Sultan expressed concern and requested assistance from Sir Andrew Clarke . Frank Swettenham
8305-717: The British from further political meddling in the Unfederated Malay States. Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu were surrendered by Siam after the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 . Independent Johor, meanwhile, had to surrender Singapore to the British earlier on. Despite the Sultan's political effort, he was forced to accept an advisor in 1914, becoming the last Malay state to lose its sovereignty (although British involvement in Johor began as early as 1885). This period of slow consolidation of power into
8456-420: The British in Kedah as the sultan's advisor. The British effectively took over economic planning and execution. A rail line was built to connect Kedah with Siam in 1912 while land reform was introduced in 1914. The ruler of Kedah, Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim , accept a British advisor in 1923. Perlis had a similar experience. The ruler did not recognise the 1909 treaty but the British were de facto administrators of
8607-585: The British would leave Siam alone if he acceded to their demands. Earlier in 1893, Siam had lost the Shan region of north-eastern Burma to the British. This demarcation as stated in the agreement remains today the Malaysia–Thailand border . The Malay rulers did not acknowledge the agreement, but were too weak to resist British influence. In Kedah after the Bangkok Treaty, George Maxwell was posted by
8758-537: The British. The treaty was ratified on 6 February 1819. With the Temenggung's help, Hussein left Penyengat, pretending that he was 'going fishing', and reached Singapore, where he was installed as Sultan. The Dutch were displeased with the action of Raffles. However, with the signing of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, Dutch opposition to the British presence in Singapore receded. The treaty also divided
8909-533: The EIC to trade in Terengganu and Kelantan unimpeded. 83 years later, a new treaty now known as the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 or the Bangkok Treaty of 1909 was signed between the two powers. In the new agreement, Siam agreed to give up its claim over Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Terengganu and Perlis , while Patani remained Siamese territory. Perlis was previously part of Kedah but during the Siamese reign it
9060-555: The Japanese four days later. During the Japanese occupation , Province Wellesley, like George Town , underwent significant social upheaval. Civilians suffered harsh treatment from the Japanese, who attempted to enforce order, while living conditions worsened along with the economic situation. Rice farmers in Province Wellesley were encouraged to increase their yields, but the rice supply deficit proved too great to overcome. Despite
9211-1112: The Malayic languages spoken by the Orang Asli ( Proto-Malay ) in Malaya . They are Jakun , Orang Kanaq , Orang Seletar , and Temuan . The other Malayic languages, included in neither of these groups, are associated with the expansion of the Malays across the archipelago. They include Riau-Johor Malay ( Malaysian and Indonesian ), Kedah Malay , Kedayan/Brunei Malay , Berau Malay , Bangka Malay , Jambi Malay , Kutai Malay , Natuna Malay, Riau Malay , Loncong , Pattani Malay , and Banjarese . Menterap may belong here. There are also several Malay-based creole languages , such as Betawi , Cocos Malay , Makassar Malay , Ambonese Malay , Dili Malay , Kupang Malay , Manado Malay , Papuan Malay , Pattani Malay , Satun Malay , Songkhla Malay , Bangkok Malay , and Sabah Malay , which may be more or less distinct from standard (Malaccan) Malay. Due to
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#17327660776059362-504: The Malayic varieties they currently list as separate languages, including the Orang Asli varieties of Peninsular Malay , are so closely related to standard Malay that they may prove to be dialects. There are also several Malay trade and creole languages (e.g. Ambonese Malay ) based on a lingua franca derived from Classical Malay as well as Makassar Malay , which appears to be a mixed language . Malay historical linguists agree on
9513-571: The Muda River in the north to the Kerian River in the south. The development of roads and railways in the early 20th century promoted the growth of Province Wellesley's rubber industry. Malaya 's new rail lines, which ran from the Siamese border to the north to Singapore to the south, cut through Province Wellesley, allowing the Port of Penang to become a major tin exporter. This led to
9664-555: The North and Central Seberang Perai rural district councils, respectively. The three remaining local governments were subsequently merged into a single municipality in 1974. Two years later, Seberang Perai was conferred municipal status and the local government was renamed the Seberang Perai Municipal Council. In the early 1960s, the Penang state government began industrialising Seberang Perai through
9815-947: The Old Malay language was found in Sumatra , Indonesia, written in the Pallava variety of the Grantha alphabet and is dated 1 May 683. Known as the Kedukan Bukit inscription , it was discovered by the Dutchman M. Batenburg on 29 November 1920 at Kedukan Bukit, South Sumatra , on the banks of the Tatang, a tributary of the Musi River . It is a small stone of 45 by 80 centimetres (18 by 31 in). For centuries, Srivijaya , through its expansion, economic power and military prowess,
9966-424: The Second World War, Japan ruled a part of Malaya as a single unit from Singapore . The Malayan Union was unpopular and in 1948 was dissolved and replaced by the Federation of Malaya , which became fully independent on 31 August 1957. On 16 September 1963, the federation, along with North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak , and Singapore , formed the larger federation of Malaysia . The first English trader to visit
10117-485: The Straits Settlements were increasingly dependent on the economy of the Malay states, including Perak. After Clarke's arrival in Singapore, many British traders including Read became close to the governor. Through Read, Clarke learned of Raja Abdullah's problem and willingness to accept a British representative in his court if the British assisted him. Clarke seized the opportunity to expand British influence. First, he called all Chinese secret societies together and demanded
10268-399: The Sultan of the EIC's decision. Feeling cheated, the Sultan ordered Light to leave Penang, but Light refused. Light's refusal caused the Sultan to strengthen Kedah's military forces and to fortify Prai , a stretch of beach opposite Penang. Recognising this threat, the British moved in and razed the fort in Prai. The British thereby forced the Sultan to sign an agreement that gave the British
10419-406: The Sultanate of Johor into modern Johor and the new Sultanate of Riau . After the British secured Malacca from the Dutch through the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 , they aimed to centralise the administration of Penang, Malacca, and Singapore. To this end, in 1826 a framework known as the Straits Settlements was established, with Penang as its capital. The capital was moved in 1832 to Singapore. While
10570-428: The Unfederated Malay States began to receive British advisers but they remained more independent than the FMS. Malay language Malay ( / m ə ˈ l eɪ / mə- LAY ; Malay: Bahasa Melayu , Jawi : بهاس ملايو ) is an Austronesian language that is an official language of Brunei , Indonesia , Malaysia , and Singapore . It is also spoken in East Timor and parts of Thailand . Altogether, it
10721-411: The accepted model for the future Federation of Malaya and ultimately Malaysia . By 1910 the British had established seven polities on the Malay Peninsula – the Straits Settlements , the Federated Malay States and the standalone protectorates of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor. The First World War had a limited impact on Malaya, with notable events including the Battle of Penang and
10872-585: The administrators of the settlements, in 1867 they were declared a Crown colony and placed directly under the control of the Colonial Office in London. However, the declaration gave the colony a considerable degree of self-governance within the British Empire . In 1946, after World War II , the colony was dissolved. Malacca and Penang were absorbed into the new Malayan Union , while Singapore
11023-615: The capital of Alor Star , and occupied the state until 1842. Before the late 19th century, the British largely practised a non-interventionist policy. Several factors such as the fluctuating supply of raw materials, and security, convinced the British to play a more active role in the Malay states. From the 17th to the early 19th century, Malacca was a Dutch possession. During the Napoleonic Wars , between 1811 and 1815, Malacca, like other Dutch holdings in Southeast Asia,
11174-576: The city, the other being a Universiti Teknologi MARA campus at Permatang Pauh . Several private institutions have also been established throughout the city, including at Batu Kawan , where local colleges have formed partnerships with foreign universities such as University of Wollongong and University of Plymouth . Following the success of the Penang Digital Library in George Town , the Penang state government has initiated
11325-485: The city. In recent years, private hospitals such as Bagan Specialist Centre, Sunway Medical Centre and KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital have contributed significantly in making Penang the top destination for medical tourism in Malaysia. The Seberang Perai City Council has also installed three automated external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout the city as of 2023 as part of a state-wide initiative to enhance survival rates of cardiac arrest cases. Seberang Perai
11476-476: The coastal areas in the south . In the 2023 state election , the Pakatan Harapan - Barisan Nasional alliance retained 12 of Seberang Perai's constituencies, whereas the far-right Perikatan Nasional opposition bloc won nine Malay-majority seats across swathes of the north and southeast. Parliamentary constituencies State constituencies Seberang Perai has a judicial system that consists of
11627-555: The colonial language, Dutch, is no longer commonly spoken. (In East Timor , which was governed as a province of Indonesia from 1976 to 1999, Indonesian is widely spoken and recognized under its Constitution as a 'working language'.) Besides Indonesian , which developed from the Riau Malay dialect, there are many Malay varieties spoken in Indonesia; they are divided into western and eastern groups. Western Malay dialects are predominantly spoken in Sumatra and Borneo , which itself
11778-437: The confederation – tried to wrest Sungai Linggi from Sungai Ujong's control. Negeri Sembilan at that time was connected to Malacca via Sungai Linggi, and a high volume of trade passed through Sungai Linggi daily. Whoever controlled Sungai Linggi would gain wealth simply through taxes. Dato' Kelana Sendeng died in 1873. In early 1873, Sayid Abdul Rahman took his place, becoming the new Dato' Kelana. The death however did not repair
11929-747: The constitution as one of two working languages (the other being English ), alongside the official languages of Tetum and Portuguese . The extent to which Malay is used in these countries varies depending on historical and cultural circumstances. Malay is the national language in Malaysia by Article 152 of the Constitution of Malaysia , and became the sole official language in Peninsular Malaysia in 1968 and in East Malaysia gradually from 1974. English continues, however, to be widely used in professional and commercial fields and in
12080-417: The construction of similar digital libraries at Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam . Healthcare in Penang is provided by a two-tier system consisting of public and private hospitals. The Malaysian Ministry of Health administers four public hospitals in Seberang Perai – namely at Kepala Batas , Seberang Jaya , Bukit Mertajam and Sungai Bakap. In addition, six private hospitals are scattered throughout
12231-516: The court moved to establish the Johor Sultanate, it continued using the classical language; it has become so associated with Dutch Riau and British Johor that it is often assumed that the Malay of Riau is close to the classical language. However, there is no closer connection between Malaccan Malay as used on Riau and the Riau vernacular. Among the oldest surviving letters written in Malay are
12382-420: The earliest evidence of Jawi writing in the Malay world of Southeast Asia, and was one of the oldest testimonies to the advent of Islam as a state religion in the region. It contains the proclamation issued by a ruler of Terengganu known as Seri Paduka Tuan, urging his subjects to extend and uphold Islam and providing 10 basic Sharia laws for their guidance. The classical Malay language came into widespread use as
12533-486: The early settlement of a Cape Malay community in Cape Town , who are now known as Coloureds , numerous Classical Malay words were brought into Afrikaans . The extent to which Malay and related Malayan languages are used in the countries where it is spoken varies depending on historical and cultural circumstances. Malay is the national language in Malaysia by Article 152 of the Constitution of Malaysia , and became
12684-474: The eastern part of the Malay or Nusantara archipelago and include Makassar Malay , Manado Malay , Ambonese Malay , North Moluccan Malay , Kupang Malay , Dili Malay , and Papuan Malay . The differences among both groups are quite observable. For example, the word kita means 'we, us' in western, but means 'I, me' in Manado, whereas 'we, us" in Manado is torang and Ambon katong (originally abbreviated from Malay kita orang 'we people'). Another difference
12835-562: The emergence of new towns, such as Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam , as logistics hubs. The Municipal Ordinance of 1913 resulted in the creation of three local governments within Province Wellesley – the Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam town boards, and the Province Wellesley Rural Board. The creation of local governments further accelerated infrastructural developments within the territory. RAF Butterworth
12986-591: The end of Srivijayan rule in Sumatra . The laws were for the Minangkabau people , who today still live in the highlands of Sumatra , Indonesia . Terengganu Inscription Stone (Malay: Batu Bersurat Terengganu ; Jawi: باتو برسورت ترڠݢانو) is a granite stele carrying inscription in Jawi script that was found in Terengganu, Malaysia is the earliest evidence of classical Malay inscription. The inscription, dated possibly to 702 AH (corresponds to 1303 CE), constituted
13137-471: The establishment of "pioneer farms" in the territory by Japanese administrators in 1944, food shortages persisted until the end of the war when British forces liberated Penang . Following the war's end, British authorities swiftly undertook action to restore order in Province Wellesley, which was plagued by elements of the Chinese underworld and communist infiltrations. In 1953, the British reorganised
13288-460: The establishment of the first industrial estates at Mak Mandin and Perai . In 1974, the Port of Penang was relocated from George Town to the municipality, and in 1980, the adjacent Perai Free Industrial Zone was created to take advantage of the available maritime and rail infrastructure. These were accompanied by a significant increase in the municipality's population, which was largely due to
13439-407: The exception of the immediate post-war period when a British military officer became the temporary administrator of Malaya. Instead, British Malaya comprised the Straits Settlements, the Federated Malay States, and the Unfederated Malay States. Under British hegemony, Malaya was one of the most profitable territories of the empire , being the world's largest producer of tin and later rubber . During
13590-590: The far southern parts of the Philippines . They have traditionally been classified as Malay, Para-Malay, and Aboriginal Malay, but this reflects geography and ethnicity rather than a proper linguistic classification. The Malayic languages are mutually intelligible to varying extents, though the distinction between language and dialect is unclear in many cases. Para-Malay includes the Malayic languages of Sumatra . They are: Minangkabau , Central Malay (Bengkulu), Pekal , Talang Mamak , Musi (Palembang), Negeri Sembilan (Malaysia), and Duano’ . Aboriginal Malay are
13741-469: The fight for the throne. Among those British individuals was British trader W. H. M. Read. Furthermore, he promised to accept a British advisor if the British recognised him as the legitimate ruler of Perak. The Governor of the Straits Settlements at that time was Sir Harry Ord who was a friend of Ngah Ibrahim, who had unresolved issues with Raja Abdullah. With Ord's aid, Ngah Ibrahim sent sepoy troops from India to prevent Raja Abdullah from actively claiming
13892-619: The identities of Penang's local communities have also been installed at Butterworth and Batu Kawan . In recent years, Seberang Perai has emerged as a venue for newly introduced events that celebrate the city's culture and nascent arts scene, such as the Butterworth Fringe Festival and the Penang International Paddy Festival. The 40,000-seater Penang State Stadium at Batu Kawan is the main stadium of Penang. Constructed in 2000 for
14043-487: The island of Penyengat , off the coast of Bintan , the capital of the Riau Archipelago. There, new plans were drawn up, and in 1819 Raffles made a deal with Tengku Hussein. The agreement stated that the British would acknowledge Tengku Hussein as the legitimate ruler of Singapore if he allowed them to establish a trading post there. Furthermore, Tengku Hussein and the temenggung would receive a yearly stipend from
14194-565: The island of Taiwan . The history of the Malay language can be divided into five periods: Old Malay, the Transitional Period, the Classical Malay, Late Modern Malay and Modern Malay. Old Malay is believed to be the actual ancestor of Classical Malay. Old Malay was influenced by Sanskrit, the classical language of India . Sanskrit loan words can be found in Old Malay vocabulary. The earliest known stone inscription in
14345-763: The languages' words for kinship, health, body parts and common animals. Numbers, especially, show remarkable similarities. Within Austronesian, Malay is part of a cluster of numerous closely related forms of speech known as the Malayic languages , which were spread across Malaya and the Indonesian archipelago by Malay traders from Sumatra. There is disagreement as to which varieties of speech popularly called "Malay" should be considered dialects of this language, and which should be classified as distinct Malay languages. The vernacular of Brunei— Brunei Malay —for example,
14496-413: The late 1860s. Two of them were Kuala Lumpur and Klang . A Chinese kapitan named Yap Ah Loy was instrumental in developing Kuala Lumpur. As in Perak, this rapid development attracted interest from the British in the Straits Settlements. The economy of Selangor became important enough to the prosperity of the Straits Settlements that any disturbance there would harm the Straits Settlements. Therefore,
14647-460: The letters from Sultan Abu Hayat of Ternate , Maluku Islands in present-day Indonesia , dated around 1521–1522. The text is addressed to the king of Portugal , following contact with Portuguese explorer Francisco Serrão . The letters show sign of non-native usage; the Ternateans used (and still use) the unrelated Ternate language , a West Papuan language , as their first language . Malay
14798-589: The likelihood of the Malayic homeland being in western Borneo . A form known as Proto-Malayic was spoken in Borneo at least by 1000 BCE, it has been argued to be the ancestral language of all subsequent Malayic languages . Its ancestor, Proto-Malayo-Polynesian , a descendant of the Proto-Austronesian language , began to break up by at least 2000 BCE, possibly as a result of the southward expansion of Austronesian peoples into Maritime Southeast Asia from
14949-467: The local governments were gradually amalgamated by the then Alliance -controlled state government . The Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam municipal governments were merged with the North and Central Seberang Perai rural district councils, respectively, in 1961. The three remaining district councils were consolidated into a single municipality in 1974. As a municipality, Seberang Perai was conferred municipal status in 1976 and city status in 2019. One of
15100-417: The local governments within the territory. Five local governments – one each for the municipalities of Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam, and three rural district councils – were instituted. After Malaya gained independence in 1957, the ruling Alliance coalition moved to amalgamate the local governments within Seberang Perai. In 1961, the Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam municipalities were consolidated with
15251-515: The locals and even from the Chinese immigrants who worked at the mines of Sungai Ujong. Dato' Kelana's limited popularity made him dependent on another chieftain – Sayid Abdul Rahman – who was the confederation's laksamana raja laut (roughly royal sea admiral). The strained relationship between Dato' Bandar and Dato' Kelana caused frequent disturbances in Sungai Ujong. The years before 1873 were relatively calm as Dato' Kelana had to give extra attention to Sungai Linggi as Rembau – another state within
15402-450: The logistical hub of Penang, serving as a termini for rail and ferry services. The relocation of the Port of Penang to the city in 1974 facilitated the development of new container services. In 2022, the seaport handled close to 1.32 million TEUs of cargo, the third highest in Malaysia. The logistical role of Seberang Perai is further complemented by Penang Sentral , a transit-oriented development (TOD) at Butterworth . Known as
15553-471: The logistics hub of northwestern Malaysia. Following decades of rapid urbanisation and infrastructural developments, Seberang Perai was conferred city status in 2019. Seberang Perai was originally named Province Wellesley after Richard Wellesley , who was the Governor-General of India when the territory was acquired by the British East India Company (EIC) in 1800. The term "Seberang Perai"
15704-405: The lucrative trade in tin and rubber , Britain sought to consolidate and centralise control by federating Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang into the Federated Malay States (FMS), with Kuala Lumpur as its capital. The Residents-General administered the federation but compromised by allowing the sultans to retain limited powers as the authority on Islam and Malay customs. Modern legislation
15855-699: The magistrate and sessions courts. Each of the city's three districts is served by these courts. The north district cases are under the jurisdiction of the Butterworth Magistrates Court, while the central district cases are presided over by the Bukit Mertajam Magistrates Court. The south district cases are handled by the Jawi Magistrates Court. The Royal Malaysia Police is responsible for law enforcement within Seberang Perai, maintaining
16006-535: The mainland due to sedimentation that occurred during the construction of the Penang Bridge . The city is demarcated by the Muda River to the north, which serves as the border between Seberang Perai and Kedah . To the south, the tripoint between Seberang Perai, Kedah and Perak lies within the Kerian River . Several riverine systems flow through the city, including Perai , Juru, Jejawi and Tengah rivers. River pollution caused by industrial waste has been
16157-621: The mayor of Seberang Perai is Hj Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid. The City Tower , located at Bukit Tengah , serves as the city council's headquarters. MBSP's current urban planning strategy is outlined in the Seberang Perai Local Plan 2030 , first published in 2021. In 2025, MBSP projected its estimated revenue at RM367.3 million and an estimated expenditure of RM416.1 million, which included allocations for environment, public safety and infrastructure. Seberang Perai
16308-542: The next ruler of Negeri Sembilan, the Yamtuan Besar . This conflict between the two princes divided the confederation and threatened the reliability of tin supply from Negeri Sembilan. Sungei Ujong , a state within the confederation in particular was the site of many locally important mines. It was ruled by Dato' Kelana Sendeng. However, another local chieftain named Dato' Bandar Kulop Tunggal had more influence than Dato' Kelana. Dato' Bandar received great support from
16459-609: The northern Malay states , especially Kedah , Terengganu, Kelantan and Patani , prevented the EIC from trading in peace. Therefore, in 1826, the British, through the EIC, signed a secret treaty known today as the Burney Treaty with the King of Siam. The four Malay states were not present during the signing of the agreement. In that treaty, British acknowledged Siamese sovereignty the four states. In return, Siam accepted British ownership of Penang and Province Wellesley and allowed
16610-431: The option of answering questions using Jawi. The Latin script, however, is the most commonly used in Brunei and Malaysia, both for official and informal purposes. Historically, Malay has been written using various scripts. Before the introduction of Arabic script in the Malay region, Malay was written using the Pallava , Kawi and Rencong scripts; these scripts are no longer frequently used, but similar scripts such as
16761-545: The point that not even Ngah Ibrahim , the Menteri Besar (chief minister), was unable to enforce the rule of law. Meanwhile, there was a power struggle in the Perak royal court. Sultan Ali died in 1871 and the next in line for the throne was the Raja Muda Raja Abdullah . Despite that fact, he was not present during the burial of the sultan. As in the case of Tengku Hussein of Johor, Raja Abdullah
16912-424: The precursors to the madrasa system and modern religious schools that are still prevalent across the city. As of 2022 , Seberang Perai is home to a total of 159 primary schools and 79 secondary schools, in addition to one international school located in the city's south . In 2001, Universiti Sains Malaysia relocated its engineering campus to Nibong Tebal , and it is now one of the two public universities in
17063-654: The pronunciation of words ending in the vowel 'a'. For example, in some parts of Malaysia and in Singapore, kita (inclusive 'we, us, our') is pronounced as /kitə/ , in Kelantan and Southern Thailand as /kitɔ/ , in Riau as /kita/ , in Palembang as /kito/ , in Betawi and Perak as /kitɛ/ and in Kedah and Perlis as /kitɑ/. Seberang Prai Seberang Perai is a city in the Malaysian state of Penang . Located on
17214-483: The relationship between Dato' Kelana and Dato' Bandar. On the contrary, it deteriorated. The new Dato' Kelana was deeply concerned with Dato' Bandar's unchecked influence, and sought ways to counter his adversary's power. When the British changed their non-interventionist policy in 1873 by replacing Sir Harry Ord with Sir Andrew Clarke as the Governor of the Straits Settlements, Dato' Kelana immediately realised that
17365-493: The revenue of Selangor and Perak. The Unfederated Malay States, on the other hand, maintained their quasi-independence, had more autonomy, and instead of having a Resident they were required only to accept a British Advisor, though in reality they were still bound by treaty to accept the advice. The British undertook far less economic exploitation in the Unfederated Malay States as they primarily desired to simply keep them in line; limited economic potential in these states deterred
17516-491: The right to occupy Penang; in return, the Sultan would receive an annual rent of 6,000 Spanish pesos. On 1 May 1786, the Union Flag was officially raised in Penang for the first time. In 1800, Kedah ceded Prai to the British and the Sultan received an increase of 4,000 pesos in his annual rent. Penang was later named Prince of Wales Island, while Perai was renamed Province Wellesley . In 1821, Siam invaded Kedah , sacked
17667-755: The river. The Hokkiens referred to the northern banks of the river as koay kang , which means "across the river". At the time, passengers from George Town would land at Perai and cross the river to get to Butterworth and the hinterland beyond. The term koay kang coincides with the Malay name Seberang Perai. [REDACTED] British East India Company 1800–1858 [REDACTED] British Raj 1858–1867 [REDACTED] Straits Settlements 1826–1941; 1945–1946 [REDACTED] Empire of Japan 1941–1945 [REDACTED] Malayan Union 1946–1948 [REDACTED] Federation of Malaya 1948–1963 [REDACTED] Malaysia 1963–present Seberang Perai bears evidence of human habitation during
17818-423: The same year, RM65.7 billion worth of exports passed through the Port of Penang, making Seberang Perai the seventh largest exporter among Malaysian cities . The development of newer townships, namely Seberang Jaya and Batu Kawan , has given rise to a thriving retail sector, attracting major players such as Sunway Group and IKEA , respectively. In 2016, Design Village , Penang's first premium outlet mall ,
17969-590: The sole official language in West Malaysia in 1968, and in East Malaysia gradually from 1974. English continues, however, to be widely used in professional and commercial fields and in the superior courts. Other minority languages are also commonly used by the country's large ethnic minorities. The situation in Brunei is similar to that of Malaysia. In Singapore, Malay was historically the lingua franca among people of different nationalities. Although this has largely given way to English, Malay still retains
18120-401: The south of Perak also had considerable deposits of tin around Hulu Selangor in the north, Hulu Klang in the central area and Lukut near Negeri Sembilan to the south. Around 1840, under the leadership of Raja Jumaat from Riau, tin mining became a huge enterprise. His efforts soon were rewarded by Sultan Muhammad Shah of Selangor ; Raja Jumaat was appointed as Lukut's administrator in 1846. By
18271-531: The spillover of development from George Town. Decades of economic growth and the availability of industrial land have led to substantial investments in infrastructure, including the completions of the Penang Bridge and the Second Penang Bridge that connect the municipality with George Town. The industrial sector has also spurred the development of newer townships within the municipality, such as Seberang Jaya and Batu Kawan . Seberang Perai
18422-492: The state. It was only in 1930 that the ruler Raja Syed Alwi recognised the British presence in Perlis by admitting Meadows Frost as the first British advisor in Perlis. Perak is a state on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was discovered to be rich in tin , with the richest alluvial deposits of tin in the world. Europe at the same time was undergoing an industrial revolution and this created
18573-435: The status of national language and the national anthem , Majulah Singapura , is entirely in Malay. In addition, parade commands in the military, police and civil defence are given only in Malay. Most residents of the five southernmost provinces of Thailand —a region that, for the most part, used to be part of an ancient Malay kingdom called Pattani —speak a dialect of Malay called Yawi (not to be confused with Jawi), which
18724-933: The strengthening of linkages with the global economy. In 1980, the Perai Free Industrial Zone was created with the aim of becoming a significant manufacturing hub for bulk items, taking advantage of its proximity to the Port of Penang and the railway line that connects it to the rest of western Peninsular Malaysia . Seberang Perai is now home to nine of Penang's industrial clusters – namely at Mak Mandin, Perai, Seberang Jaya , Bukit Tengah , Bukit Minyak , Simpang Ampat and Batu Kawan . The availability of industrial land has attracted several local and multinational companies (MNCs), such as Mattel , Flex , Sanmina , JinkoSolar , Honeywell and Lam Research . In 2022, Seberang Perai received investments worth nearly RM10.9 billion, which accounted for 79% of Penang's total inbound investments that year. Within
18875-608: The superior courts. Other minority languages are also commonly used by the country's large ethnic minorities. The situation in Brunei is similar to that in Malaysia. In the Philippines , Indonesian is spoken by the overseas Indonesian community concentrated in Davao City . Functional phrases are taught to members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as well as local students. Malay, like most Austronesian languages,
19026-436: The third busiest seaport in the country, was relocated to the municipality in 1974, bolstering its industrial-based economy that has attracted numerous multinational companies . Two road bridges were constructed to physically connect Seberang Perai with George Town, complementing an existing ferry service between the two cities. Penang Sentral , a new transit-oriented development , has strengthened Seberang Perai's role as
19177-574: The three holdings formed the backbone of the settlements, Christmas Island , the Cocos Islands , Labuan , and Dindings (in Perak ) were also placed under the authority of the Straits Settlements. Until 1867, the Straits Settlements were answerable to the British administrator of the East India Company (EIC) in Calcutta . The settlements' administrators were dissatisfied with the way Calcutta
19328-518: The throne and extending control over the Chinese secret societies. By 1873 the Colonial Office in London came to perceive Ord as incompetent. He was soon replaced by Sir Andrew Clarke and Clarke was ordered to get a complete picture of what was happening in the Malay states and recommend how to streamline British administration in Malaya. The reason was that London was increasingly aware that
19479-833: The tip of the Malay Peninsula. The island was ruled by a temenggung . Singapore was then under the control of Tengku Abdul Rahman , the Sultan of the Johore-Riau-Lingga Sultanate (otherwise known as the Johor Sultanate ), in turn under the influence of the Dutch and the Bugis . The Sultan would never agree to a British base in Singapore. However, Tengku Abdul Rahman had become sultan only because his older brother, Tengku Hussein or Tengku Long, had been away getting married in Pahang when their father – Sultan Mahmud Shah III – died in 1812. In Malay tradition,
19630-490: The town boards for Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam , and the Province Wellesley Rural Board, which administered the rest of the territory. The Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) was formed following several reorganisations throughout the 20th century. In 1953, the Province Wellesley Rural Board was split into three rural district councils for the Northern , Central and Southern districts. After Malaya's independence,
19781-532: The two city governments in Penang, MBSP is led by a mayor, assisted by a secretary and 24 councillors who perform oversight responsibilities over 18 departments. The Penang state government appoints the mayor and councillors, with the councillors serving under an extendable one-year term. Local government elections were put in place in 1961, but were suspended due to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and have not been reinstated since. As of June 2024 ,
19932-428: The year progressed, British influence increased to the point that an assistant resident was placed there to advise and assist Dato' Kelana with the governance of Sungai Ujong. The British became involved in the administration of Pahang after a civil war between two candidates to the kingdom's throne between 1858 and 1863. To streamline the administration of the Malay states, and especially to protect and further develop
20083-537: Was a reluctant ally to Siam. After negotiations with Light, the Sultan agreed to allow Jourdain, Sulivan, and de Souza to build and operate a trading post and in Kedah, if the British agreed to protect Kedah from external threats. Light conveyed this message to his superiors in India. The EIC, however, did not agree with the proposal. Two years later, Sultan Muhammad Jiwa died and was succeeded by Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah . The new Sultan offered Light (who later became
20234-620: Was appointed by the sultan as Klang's administrator. As Lukut's economic importance was slowly declining, that of Hulu Klang was rising. This attracted many labourers to relocate there, especially Chinese immigrants who had worked in Lukut. One person responsible for persuading the Chinese to move from Lukut to Hulu Klang was Sutan Puasa from Ampang . He supplied the mining colonies in Hulu Klang with goods ranging from rice to opium . As Hulu Klang prospered, several settlements started to rise up by
20385-527: Was appointed to serve as the Sultan's advisor. Around a year later, a lawyer from Singapore named J. G. Davidson was appointed as British Resident in Selangor. Frank Swettenham was nominated for the Resident post but he was deemed too young. Negeri Sembilan was another major producer of tin in Malaya. In 1869 a power struggle arose between Tengku Antah and Tengku Ahmad Tunggal, as both aspired to become
20536-604: Was founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles , with a great deal of help from Major William Farquhar . Before establishing Singapore, Raffles was the Lieutenant Governor of Java from 1811 to 1815. In 1818 he was appointed to Bencoolen . Realising how the Dutch were monopolising trade in the Malay Archipelago , he was convinced that the British needed a new trading colony to counter Dutch trading power. Months of research brought him to Singapore, an island at
20687-456: Was gradually replaced by the Rumi script. Malay is spoken in Brunei , Indonesia , Malaysia , East Timor , Singapore and southern Thailand . Indonesia regulates its own normative variety of Malay, while Malaysia and Singapore use a common standard. Brunei, in addition to Standard Malay, uses a distinct vernacular dialect called Brunei Malay . In East Timor , Indonesian is recognised by
20838-412: Was granted city status in 2019. Seberang Perai spans the entire mainland portion of Penang. With a total land mass of 747.8 km (288.7 sq mi), Seberang Perai is slightly larger than Singapore . The terrain of the city is mostly flat and alluvial , except for the hilly region that lays along its eastern border with Kedah. Standing at a height of 1,787 ft (545 m), Mertajam Hill
20989-701: Was handling their affairs and they complained to London. In 1856 the EIC tried to annul Singapore's free port status. In 1858, following the Indian Mutiny , the East India Company was dissolved and British India came under the direct rule of the Crown , which was exercised by the Secretary of State for India and the Viceroy of India . With Calcutta's waning power, and after intense lobbying by
21140-495: Was introduced with the creation of the Federal Council. Although the sultans had less power than their counterparts in the Unfederated Malay States, the FMS enjoyed a much higher degree of modernisation . Federalisation also brought benefit through cooperative economic development , as evident in the earlier period, when Pahang was developed through fiscal federalism , using fiscal equalisation payment funds derived from
21291-429: Was launched, further enhancing Batu Kawan as a retail destination. The Penang state government has undertaken initiatives to promote agritourism and ecotourism in Seberang Perai. The Penang Tourism Master Plan, formulated in 2021, identified the city's agricultural sector, as well as natural features like mangroves, mudflats and waterways, as having untapped tourism potential. Seberang Perai has historically been
21442-443: Was named Province Wellesley and has been administered as part of Penang ever since. The territory became a centre for cash crop agriculture , while the development of new towns such as Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam followed with the advent of roads and railways towards the end of the 19th century. After Malaya's independence, Seberang Perai benefitted from the development spillover from George Town . The Port of Penang ,
21593-479: Was named Province Wellesley after Governor-General of India Richard Wellesley . The Perai River became the international border between British and Kedah territories. The EIC had sought to turn the island into an agricultural outpost. The annexation of Province Wellesley allowed for the expansion of the cash crop industry from the island to the mainland. This led to the harvesting of spices and sugar, which attracted migrants from China , India , Myanmar and
21744-435: Was not appointed as the new sultan by the ministers of Perak. Instead the second in line, Raja Ismail, became the sultan of Perak. Raja Abdullah was furious and refused to accept the news kindly. He then sought and gathered political support from various channels, including several of Perak's local chiefs and several British personnel with whom he had done business in the past, with the secret societies becoming their proxies in
21895-445: Was officially announced. With significant industrialisation since the 1970s, the city has been designated a "growth centre" within the George Town Conurbation . Nine of Penang's industrial clusters are located in the city, which has emerged as a significant recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) and the seventh largest exporter in Malaysia . The development of newer townships has also driven economic diversification , with
22046-544: Was opened just a few months prior to the outbreak of hostilities between Britain and Japan in December 1941. As Japanese troops landed in Kota Bharu and Songkhla , Allied squadrons defending northern Malaya were decimated and had to retreat to RAF Butterworth by 8 December. The air base was subsequently attacked by Japanese bombers the following day. The Royal Air Force abandoned it on 15 December, and Penang fell to
22197-540: Was responsible for the widespread of Old Malay throughout the Malay Archipelago . It was the working language of traders and it was used in various ports, and marketplaces in the region. Other evidence is the Tanjung Tanah Law in post-Pallava letters. This 14th-century pre-Islamic legal text was produced in the Adityawarman era (1345–1377) of Dharmasraya , a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom that arose after
22348-406: Was separated from Kedah. Kedah's district of Satun however was annexed by Siam in the same agreement. Patani was split into Pattani , Yala and Narathiwat provinces after the signing of the treaty. Though the Siamese king Chulalongkorn was reluctant to sign the treaty, increasing French pressure on the Siamese eastern border forced Siam to co-operate with the British. Chulalongkorn hoped that
22499-584: Was separated from the rest of the former colony and made into a separate Crown colony . The Malayan Union was later replaced with the Federation of Malaya in 1948, and in 1963, together with North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore, formed an enlarged federation called Malaysia. Prior to the late 19th century, the British East India Company (EIC) was interested only in trading, and tried to avoid Malay politics. However, Siam's influence in
22650-565: Was under British occupation to prevent the French from claiming them. When the war ended in 1815, Malacca was returned to the Dutch. In 1824 the British and the Dutch signed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 . The treaty, among other things, legally transferred Malacca to British administration and officially divided the Malay world into two separate entities, laying the basis for the current Indonesian-Malaysian boundary. Modern Singapore
22801-928: Was used solely as a lingua franca for inter-ethnic communications. Malay is a member of the Austronesian family of languages, which includes languages from Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean , with a smaller number in continental Asia . Malagasy , a geographic outlier spoken in Madagascar in the Indian Ocean , is also a member of this language family. Although these languages are not necessarily mutually intelligible to any extent, their similarities are often quite apparent. In more conservative languages like Malay, many roots have come with relatively little change from their common ancestor, Proto-Austronesian language . There are many cognates found in
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