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126-620: During the early twentieth century, the Straits Settlements became a centre for political activists and refugees as a result of the struggles between the revolutionary and reformist movements in China. Both movements espoused their causes through their own newspapers, in order to solicit political and financial support from the overseas Chinese in the region. In Penang , to rival the reformist newspaper Penang Sin Poe , which often denounced

252-552: A Crown colony in 1867. In 1946, following the end of World War II and the Japanese occupation , the colony was dissolved as part of Britain's reorganisation of its Southeast Asian dependencies in the area. The Straits Settlements originally consisted of the four individual settlements of Penang , Singapore , Malacca , and Dinding . Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands were added in 1886. The island of Labuan , off

378-530: A legislative council , composed partly of official and partly of nominated members, of which the former had a narrow permanent majority. The work of administration, both in the colony and in the Federated Malay States , was carried on by means of a civil service whose members were recruited by competitive examination held annually in London. Penang and Malacca were administered, directly under

504-625: A market-driven economy and maintaining law and order while combatting the slavery widely practised across Perak at the time. The three-year Japanese occupation in World War II halted further progress. After the war, Perak became part of the temporary Malayan Union , before being absorbed into the Federation of Malaya . It gained full independence through the Federation, which subsequently became Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Perak

630-593: A state of emergency on 18 June 1948 marked the start of the Malayan Emergency . Perak and Johor became the main strongholds of the communist movement, the former through native-born figureheads like Abdullah CD and Rashid Maidin . In the early stages their actions were not co-ordinated, and the security forces were able to counter them. Earlier in 1947, the head of the Perak's Criminal Investigation Department , H. J. Barnard, negotiated an arrangement with

756-604: A "policy of confrontation " against the new state. This prompted the British, and their allies Australia and New Zealand , to deploy armed forces, although no skirmishes arising from the Indonesian attacks occurred around Perak. A second communist insurgency began in the Malay Peninsula in 1968. This affected Perak mainly through attacks from Hulu Perak by the communist insurgents who had previously retreated to

882-721: A Eurasian nurse and member of the Perak resistance, was tortured after the Japanese Kempeitai military police discovered a clandestine shortwave radio set in her home. John Davis, an officer of the British commando Force 136 , part of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), trained local guerrillas prior to the Japanese invasion at the 101 Special Training School in Singapore, where he sought Chinese recruits for their commando teams. Under

1008-405: A Temusai child named Nakhoda Kassim. Before her death, she called on the ancestors of Sang Sapurba to take her place, to prevent the royal lineage from disappearing from the Malay Peninsula. Tun Saban and Nakhoda Kassim then travelled to Kampar, where Mahmud Shah agreed to their request and named his son the first Sultan of Perak. Perak's administration became more organised after the sultanate

1134-634: A further 80–100 miles (130–160 km) to the Perak River (Sungai Perak), damaging the route behind them to slow the Japanese advance. With the approval of Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival , the British mounted a defensive stand near the river mouth and in Kampar , leaving the towns of Ipoh, Kuala Kangsar and Taiping unguarded. Most civil administrations were closed down, since the European administrators and civilians evacuated south. By mid-December,

1260-481: A generous approach that avoided confrontation with local leaders. As a result, he was able to secure the co-operation of many rajas and village penghulu with his policy rather than resorting to force, despite giving transport infrastructure little attention during his term. In 1882, Frank Swettenham succeeded Low for a second term as the Resident of Perak. During his mandate, Perak's rail and road infrastructure

1386-412: A monthly allowance from the state treasury in compensation. British intervention marked the beginning of Perak's transition from a primarily Malay society to a multi-ethnic one. The new style of government worked to promote a market-driven economy , maintain law and order, and combat slavery , seen by the British as an obstacle to economic development and incompatible with a capitalist economy . Under

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1512-538: A period in Siak on the island of Sumatra . He became sultan through the efforts of Tun Saban, a local leader and trader between Perak and Klang. There had been no sultan in Perak when Tun Saban first arrived in the area from Kampar in Sumatra. Most of the area's residents were traders from Malacca and Selangor , and from Siak, Kampar, and Jambi in Sumatra. Among them was an old woman, Tok Masuka from Daik , who raised

1638-416: A plan for reform. Under its terms, Johor , Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah-Penang, and Perlis would be restored and federated. Johor would control Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan , and Malacca. An 800-square-mile (2,100 km ) area in southern Johor would be incorporated into Singapore for defence purposes. In the context of the military alliance between Japan and Thailand and their joint participation in

1764-817: A quiet life in the Seychellois community, and had communications access to Government House . After many years, the Sultan was pardoned following petitioning by the Seychellois and correspondence between W. H. Hawley of Government House, Mauritius, and Secretary of State for the Colonies Henry Holland . He was allowed to return to the Malay Peninsula, and spent most of his later life in Singapore and Penang before returning to Kuala Kangsar in Perak in 1922. British Resident in Perak Hugh Low proved an effective administrator, preferring to adopt

1890-582: A reluctance to submit to Siamese authority. One example of this resistance was the Sultanate of Pattani under Sultan Muhammad, who refused to aid Siam during the Siamese war of liberation. This led Rama I's younger brother, Prince Surasi , to attack Pattani in 1786. Many Malays were killed, and survivors were taken to the Siamese stronghold in Bangkok as slaves . Siam's subjugation of Pattani served as

2016-665: A result of the close relationship created by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance . Early in July 1941, a Ceylonese Malay policeman serving under the British administration in Perak raised an alert after a Japanese business owner living in the same building told him that Japanese troops were on their way, approaching not around Singapore from the sea, as expected by the British, but from Kota Bharu in Kelantan, with bicycle infantry and rubber boats . The policeman informed

2142-519: A state of uncertainty prevailed in Perak. This was exacerbated by a deadly cholera epidemic that swept through the state, killing many royal family members. Perak chieftains were left with no alternative but to turn to Aceh's Sultan Iskandar Thani , who sent his relative, Raja Sulong, to become the new Sultan of Perak as Muzaffar Shah II . Aceh's influence on Perak began to wane when the Dutch East India Company (VOC) arrived, in

2268-521: A tenth of the whole area was covered by low hills with thick jungle. Large quantities of rice were grown by the Malay inhabitants, and between October and February, there was snipe-shooting in the paddy fields. A railway from Butterworth, opposite Penang, runs into Perak, and then via Selangor and Negri Sembilan to Malacca, with an extension via Muar under the rule of the Sultan of Johor, and through Johor to Johor Bahru , opposite Singapore. Singapore became

2394-468: A treaty with Siam and in 1874 with the Treaty of Pangkor . It was administered by a district officer, with some assistants, answering to the resident councillor of Penang. Province Wellesley consisted, for the most part, of a fertile plain, thickly populated by Malays, and occupied in some parts by sugar-planters and others engaged in similar agricultural industries and employing Chinese and Tamil labour. About

2520-428: A typically hot, humid and wet equatorial climate , and experiences significant rainfall throughout the year. The temperature remains fairly constant, between 21 and 27 °C (70 and 81 °F). Humidity is often above 80%. Annual rainfall is about 3,000 millimetres (120 in), the central area of the state receiving an average of 5,000 mm (200 in) of rain. The state experiences two monsoon seasons:

2646-748: A warning to the other Malay tributary states, particularly Kedah, they too having been forced to provide thousands of men, and food supplies, throughout the Siamese resistance campaign against the Burmese. In 1795, the Dutch temporarily withdrew from Malacca for the duration of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. Malacca's authority was transferred to the British Resident . When war ended, the Dutch returned to administer Malacca in 1818. In 1818,

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2772-523: Is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula . Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand 's Yala and Narathiwat provinces both lie to the northeast. Perak's capital city, Ipoh , was known historically for its tin -mining activities until

2898-673: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia . Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company , the Straits Settlements came under control of the British Raj in 1858 and then under direct British control as

3024-438: Is believed to have culminated in the semi-legendary Gangga Negara kingdom. The Malay Annals mention that Gangga Negara at one time fell under Siamese rule, before Raja Suran of Thailand sailed further south down the Malay Peninsula. By the 15th century, a kingdom named Beruas had come into existence. Inscriptions found on early tombstones of the period show clear Islamic influence, believed to have originated from

3150-630: Is ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse. The state is known for several traditional dances: bubu , dabus , and labu sayong , the latter name also referring to Perak's unique traditional pottery . The head of state is the Sultan of Perak , and the head of government is the Menteri Besar . Government is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system , with the state administration divided into administrative districts. Islam

3276-606: Is situated in the west of the Malay Peninsula on the coast of the Strait of Malacca . Its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extends into the Strait. It is the second largest Malaysian state on the Malay Peninsula, and the fourth largest in Malaysia. The state has 230 kilometres (140 mi) of coastline, of which 140.2 kilometres (87.1 mi) are affected by coastal erosion . Mangrove forests grow along most of Perak's coast, with

3402-455: Is the state religion , and other religions may be practised freely. Malay and English are recognised as the official languages of Perak. The economy is mainly based on services and manufacturing . There are many theories about the origin of the name Perak. Although not used until after 1529, the most popular etymology is " silver " (in Malay : perak ); associated with tin mining from

3528-595: Is the longest river in the state, at some 400 km (250 miles), and is the Malay Peninsula's second longest after the Pahang River . It originates in the mountains of the Perak-Kelantan- Yala border, snaking down to the Strait of Malacca. Other major rivers include the Beruas, Jarum Mas, Kurau, Larut, Manjung, Sangga Besar, Temerloh, and Tiram Rivers. Perak is located in a tropical region with

3654-686: The Anglo-Siamese Treaty , signed in Bangkok in 1909, Siam ceded its northern Malay tributary states of Kedah, Kelantan , Perlis, and Terengganu and nearby islands to Great Britain . Exceptions were the Patani region, which remained under Siamese rule, and Perak, which regained the previously lost inland territory that became the Hulu Perak District . The treaty terms stipulated that the British, through their government of

3780-710: The Australian Indian Ocean Territories . The Dindings — named after the Dinding River in present-day Manjung District — which comprised Pangkor Island and the town of Lumut on the mainland , were ceded by Perak to the British government under the Pangkor Treaty of 1874 . It was hoped that its excellent natural harbour would prove to be valuable. This did not come to be with the territory being sparsely inhabited and altogether politically and financially unimportant. It

3906-631: The Burma campaign against the Allied forces, in 1943 the Empire of Japan gave Thailand its former Malay tributary states of Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu, which had been ceded to the British under the 1909 treaty. These territories were then administered as Thailand's Four Malay States ( Thai : สี่รัฐมาลัย ), with Japanese troops maintaining a presence. Perak suffered under harsh military control, restricted movement, and tight surveillance throughout

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4032-717: The Kempeitai in June 1944. On 16 December 1944, a second intelligence network, comprising five Malay SOE agents and two British liaison officers, Major Peter G. Dobree and Captain Clifford, was parachuted into Padang Cermin, near Temenggor Lake Dam in Hulu Perak under the codename Operation Hebrides. Its main objective was to set up wireless communications between Malaya and Force 136 headquarters in Kandy , British Ceylon , after

4158-649: The Kingdom of Reman , then illegally operated tin mines in Klian Intan, angering the Sultan of Perak and provoking a dispute that escalated into civil war. Reman, aided by Siam, succeeded in controlling several inland districts. In 1821, Siam invaded and conquered the Sultanate of Kedah, angered by a breach of trust. The exiled Sultan of Kedah turned to the British to help him regain his throne, despite Britain's policy of non-engagement in expensive minor wars in

4284-542: The Mesolithic Hoabinhian era. In 1959, a British artillery officer stationed at an inland army base during the Malayan Emergency discovered the Tambun rock art , identified by archaeologists as the largest rock art site in the Malay Peninsula. Most of the paintings are located high above the cave floor, at an elevation of 6–10 metres (20–33 ft). Seashells and coral fragments scattered along

4410-575: The Penang dollar . In 1837, the Indian rupee was made the sole official currency in the Straits Settlements, as it was administered as part of India . However, Spanish dollars continued to circulate and 1845 saw the introduction of coinage for the Straits Settlements using a system of 100 cents = 1 Straits dollar , with the dollar equal to the Spanish dollar or Mexican peso . In 1867, the administration of

4536-556: The Rattanakosin Kingdom ( Chakri dynasty ) led by Rama I , as the successor of the Thonburi Kingdom, turned its attention to its insubordinate southern Malay subjects, fearing renewed attacks from Burma along the western seaboard of the Malay Peninsula. Attention to the south was also needed because of disunity and rivalries among the various southern tributary sultanates, stemming from personal conflicts and

4662-579: The Sultanate of Malacca , the east coast of the Malay Peninsula, and the rural areas of the Perak River . The first organised local government systems to emerge in Perak were the Manjung government and several other governments in Central and Hulu Perak (Upper Perak) under Raja Roman and Tun Saban. With the spread of Islam, a sultanate subsequently emerged in Perak; the second oldest Muslim kingdom in

4788-785: The United Malays National Organisation 's local mobilization in the same decade. In 1961, the Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman , sought to unite Malaya with the British colonies of North Borneo , Sarawak , and Singapore . The Federation of Malaysia came into being on 16 September 1963, despite growing opposition from the governments of Indonesia and the Philippines , and from communist sympathisers and nationalists in Borneo. The Indonesian government later initiated

4914-600: The arrival of Islam . By 1528, a Muslim sultanate began to emerge in Perak, out of the remnants of the Malaccan Sultanate . Although able to resist Siamese occupation for more than two hundred years, the sultanate was partly controlled by the Sumatra -based Aceh Sultanate . This was particularly the case after the Aceh lineage took over the royal succession. With the arrival of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), and

5040-767: The destruction and defeat of the Siamese Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1767 by the Burmese Konbaung dynasty , neighbouring Malay tributary states began to assert their independence from Siam. To further develop Perak's tin mines, the Dutch administration suggested that its 17th sultan, Alauddin Mansur Shah Iskandar Muda, should allow Chinese miners into Perak. The sultan himself encouraged the scheme in 1776, requesting that additional Chinese workers be sent from Dutch Malacca . The Fourth Anglo-Dutch War in 1780 adversely affected

5166-513: The plain-pouched hornbill . Mammal species include the Seladang , Asian elephant , and Malayan tiger . The area is also notable for harbouring high concentrations of at least three Rafflesia species. The Pulau Sembilan (Nine Islands) State Park in western Perak covers an area of 214,800 hectares (530,782 acres). Its coral reefs are home to coral reef fish species. In addition, 173 freshwater fish species have been identified as native to

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5292-561: The 2,183-metre (7,162 ft) Mount Korbu , is located in the district of Kinta near the border with the state of Kelantan. Other mountain ranges in Perak are the Bintang Mountains and the Keledang Range . Alluvium covers much of the plains, with detached masses of sedimentary rock appearing at rare intervals. An extensive network of rivers originates from the inland mountain ranges and hills. Perak's borders with

5418-417: The British Chief Police Officer in Ipoh, but his claim was laughed off. By 26 December 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) had arrived in Ipoh, the capital, moving southwards from Thailand. The following day they went on to Taiping , leaving destruction and heavy casualties in their wake. The British forces, retreating from the north of the Malay Peninsula under Lieutenant-General Lewis Heath , had moved

5544-444: The British and the Dutch. It enabled the British to expand their control in the Malay Peninsula without interference from other foreign powers. The 1874 Pangkor Treaty provided for direct British intervention, with Perak appointing a British Resident . Following Perak's subsequent absorption into the Federated Malay States (FMS), the British reformed administration of the sultanate through a new style of government, actively promoting

5670-478: The British could suppress pirate activity along the Perak coast where it became part of the Straits Settlements . The same year, the British and Siam concluded the Burney Treaty , signed by British Captain Henry Burney and the Siamese government, the British agreed not to intercede in the affairs of Kedah despite their friendly relations with Kedah's ruler, and the Siamese agreed not to attack Perak or Selangor. The discovery of tin in Larut and rapid growth of

5796-419: The Dutch base in Batavia . This warehouse was also destroyed in further attacks in 1690, but was repaired when the Dutch returned with reinforcements. In 1699, when the regional dominant Sultanate of Johor lost its last Malaccan dynasty sultan, Sultan Mahmud Shah II , Perak now had the sole claim of being the final heir of the Sultanate of Malacca. However, Perak could not match the prestige and power of either

5922-466: The Dutch monopoly over the tin trade in Perak was renewed, with the signing of a new recognition treaty. The same year, when Perak refused to send a bunga mas tribute to the Siamese court, Rama II of Siam had Kedah attack Perak. The Sultanate of Kedah knew the intention behind the order was to weaken ties between fellow Malay states, but complied, unable to resist Siam's further territorial expansion into inland Hulu Perak. Siam's tributary Malay state,

6048-492: The FMS, would assume responsibility for all debts owed to Siam by the four ceded Malay states, and relinquish British extraterritorial rights in Siam. There had been a Japanese community in Perak since 1893, managing the bus service between the town of Ipoh and Batu Gajah , and running brothels in Kinta . There were a number of other Japanese-run businesses in Ipoh, including dentists , photo studios , laundries , tailors , barbers , and hotels. Activity increased as

6174-404: The Japanese at the Battle of Kampar and at the mouth of the Perak River, the Japanese advance along the trunk road, followed up with bombing and water-borne incursions, forced the British to retreat further south. The Japanese occupied all of Malaya and Singapore. Tokugawa Yoshichika, of the Tokugawa clan whose ancestors were Shoguns who ruled Japan from the 16th to 19th centuries, proposed

6300-403: The Japanese had reached Kroh in the interior of Perak, moving in from Kota Bharu in Kelantan. The Japanese arrived both from the east and by boat along the western coast. Within 16 days of their first landings, they had captured the entire northern part of the Malay Peninsula. The British were left trying to blockade the main road heading south from Ipoh. While the defending troops briefly slowed

6426-400: The Japanese occupation and until 1945. The press in occupied Malaya, including the English-language occupation-era newspaper The Perak Times , was entirely under the control of the Dōmei News Agency ( Dōmei Tsushin ), publishing Japanese-related war propaganda . The Dōmei News Agency also printed newspapers in Malay, Tamil , Chinese , and Japanese. The indigenous Orang Asli stayed in

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6552-402: The Kinta Valley Home Guard (KVHG) to protect it from the communists. Often described as a private Chinese Army, most of the KVHG's Chinese members had links to the Kuomintang. Many of the Kuomintang guerrillas were absorbed from the Lenggong area, where there were also members of Chinese secret societies whose main purpose was to defend Chinese private property against the communists. Throughout

6678-444: The Kuomintang-influenced OCAJA leader Leong Yew Koh . This resulted in most OCAJA members being absorbed into the national Special Constabulary, and fighting against the MPAJA's successor, the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA). The Kinta Valley , one of the richest tin mining areas in Malaya, accounted for most of the country's tin exports to the United States. On 1 May 1952, the Perak Chinese Tin Mining Association established

6804-446: The MPAJA's failure to do so. The Malay states became unstable following Japan's surrender to the Allies in 1945. This was exacerbated by the emergence of nationalism and a popular demand for independence as the British Military Administration took over from 1945 to 1946 to maintain peace and order, before the British began introducing new administrative systems under the Malayan Union . The four Malay states held by Thailand during

6930-399: The Malacca or Johor Sultanates. The early 18th century started with 40 years of civil war where rival princes were bolstered by local chiefs, the Bugis and Minang, fighting for a share of the tin revenue. The Bugis and several Perak chiefs were successful in ousting the Perak ruler, Sultan Muzaffar Riayat Shah III in 1743. In 1747, Sultan Muzaffar Riayat Shah III, now only holding power in

7056-442: The Malay Peninsula after the neighbouring Kedah Sultanate . Based on Salasilah Raja-Raja Perak (Perak Royal Genealogy), the Perak Sultanate was formed in the early 16th century on the banks of the Perak River by the eldest son of Mahmud Shah , the 8th Sultan of Malacca . He ascended to the throne as Muzaffar Shah I, first Sultan of Perak, after surviving the capture of Malacca by the Portuguese in 1511 and living quietly for

7182-508: The Malay Peninsula at the time, which the EIC upheld through the Governor-General of India . Siam's subsequent plan to extend its conquests to the southern territory of Perak failed after Perak defeated the Siamese forces with the aid of mixed Bugis and Malay reinforcements from the Sultanate of Selangor . As an expression of gratitude to Selangor for assisting it to defeat Siam, Perak authorised Raja Hasan of Selangor to collect taxes and revenue in its territory. This power, however,

7308-579: The Straits Settlements was separated from India and the dollar was made the standard currency. The revenue of the colony in 1868 amounted to $ 1,301,843. In 1906 revenue was $ 9,512,132, exclusive of $ 106,180 received for land sales. Of this sum, $ 6,650,558 was derived from import duties on opium , wines, and spirits, and licences to deal in these articles, $ 377,972 from land revenue, $ 592,962 from postal and telegraphic revenue, and $ 276,019 from port and harbour dues. Expenditures, which in 1868 amounted to $ 1,197,177, rose in 1906 to $ 8,747,819. The total cost of

7434-421: The Sultan of Kedah to regain his throne. Throughout 1824, Siam aimed to expand its control towards Perak and Selangor. The dispute between the British and Dutch formally ceased when Dutch Malacca in the Malay Peninsula was exchanged with British Bencoolen in Sumatra, both parties agreeing to limit their sphere of influence through the signing of the 1824 Anglo-Dutch Treaty . In July 1825, an initial negotiation

7560-403: The Sultan of Kedah to the throne. The mission failed. In 1823, the Sultanates of Perak and Selangor signed a joint agreement to block the Dutch tin monopoly in their territories. EIC policy shifted with the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1824 with Siam becoming an important ally. Through its governor, Robert Fullerton , Penang tried to convince the main EIC authority in India to continue helping

7686-406: The Thai border. The Perak State Information Office launched two types of psychological warfare to counter the increasing communist propaganda disseminated from the insurgents' hide-out. The campaign against the second insurgency was carried out as two separate efforts, because communist activities in Perak were split into two factions. One faction involved infiltrators from across the Thai border;

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7812-495: The VOC had secured a monopoly over the tin trade, setting up a store in Perak. Following long competition between Aceh and the VOC over Perak's tin trade, on 15 December 1653, the two parties jointly signed a treaty with Perak granting the Dutch exclusive rights to tin extracted from mines located in the state. A fort was built on Pangkor Island in 1670 as a warehouse to store tin ore mined in Perak even though Perak nobles had destroyed an earlier store structure, on orders from

7938-413: The VOC's increasing conflicts with Aceh, Perak began to distance itself from Acehnese control. The presence of the English East India Company (EIC) in the nearby Straits Settlements of Penang provided additional protection for the state, with further Siamese attempts to conquer Perak thwarted by British expeditionary forces. The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 was signed to prevent further conflict between

8064-695: The administrative establishments amounted to $ 4,450,791, of which $ 2,586,195 were personal emoluments and $ 1,864,596 other charges. The military expenditure (the colony paid on this account 20 per cent of its gross revenue to the British government by way of military contribution) amounted in 1906 to $ 1,762,438; $ 578,025 was expended on upkeep and maintenance of existing public works, and $ 1,209,291 on new roads, streets, bridges, and buildings. 1°22′N 103°48′E  /  1.367°N 103.800°E  / 1.367; 103.800 Perak#Sultanate of Perak Perak ( Malay pronunciation: [peraʔ] ; Perak Malay : Peghok ; Jawi : ڤيراق ‎)

8190-472: The appointment of a Resident who would advise the sultan on all matters except religion and customs, and oversee revenue collection and general administration, including maintenance of peace and order. The treaty marked the introduction of a British residential system , with Perak going on to become part of the Federated Malay States (FMS) in 1895. It was also a shift from the previous British policy of non-intervention in Perak's affairs. James W. W. Birch

8316-504: The area of Upper Perak, signed a treaty with Dutch Commissioner Ary Verbrugge under which Perak's ruler recognised the Dutch monopoly over the tin trade, agreed to sell all tin ore to Dutch traders, and allowed the Dutch to build a new warehouse fort on the Perak River estuary. With construction of the new warehouse near the Perak River (also known as Sungai Perak), the old warehouse was abandoned permanently and left in ruins. The mid-18th century saw Sultan Muzaffar ruling inland Perak while

8442-513: The authority of Perak-born Chin Peng , who took over the CPM administration after former leader Lai Teck disappeared with party funds. Under Chin's authority, the MPAJA killed those they considered to have been Japanese collaborators during the war, who were mainly Malays. This sparked racial conflict and Malay retaliation. Death squads were also dispatched by the CPM to murder European plantation owners in Perak, and Kuomintang leaders in Johor . The Malayan government's subsequent declaration of

8568-414: The cave floor are evidence that the area was once underwater. The significant numbers of statues of Hindu deities and of the Buddha found in Bidor , Kuala Selensing, Jalong, and Pengkalan Pegoh indicate that, before the arrival of Islam , the inhabitants of Perak were mainly Hindu or Buddhist . The influence of Indian culture and beliefs on society and values in the Malay Peninsula from early times

8694-426: The coast of Borneo , was also incorporated into the colony with effect from 1 January 1907, becoming a separate settlement within it in 1912. Most of the territories now form part of Malaysia , from which Singapore separated in 1965. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island were transferred from Singapore to Australian control in 1955 and 1958 respectively. Their administrations were combined in 1996 to form

8820-493: The coastal region was ruled by Raja Iskandar, animosity grew between the two as Raja Iskandar was unable to reach the tin-bearing highlands while the sultan had restricted access to the strait. Reconciliation occurred later with Iskandar's marriage to the sultan's daughter. His accession in 1752 saw unprecedented peace in Perak, especially due to an alliance (which lasted until 1795) with the Dutch to protect Perak against external attacks. When repeated Burmese invasions resulted in

8946-519: The codename Operation Gustavus, Davis and five Chinese agents landed on the Perak coast north of Pangkor Island on 24 May 1943. They established a base camp in the Segari Hills, from which they moved to the plains to set up an intelligence network in the state. In September 1943, they met and agreed to co-operate with the MPAJA, which then provided Force 136 with support and manpower. This first intelligence network collapsed, when many of its leaders, including Lim Bo Seng , were caught, tortured and killed by

9072-510: The differences between Selangor and Ligor. A month later, in August 1825, Sultan of Selangor Ibrahim Shah signed a friendship and peace treaty with the EIC, represented by John Anderson, ending the long feud between the governments of Selangor and Perak. Under the treaty, Selangor gave assurances to the British that it would not interfere in the affairs of Perak; the border between Perak and Selangor

9198-615: The exception of Pangkor Island, with its rich flora and fauna , where several of the country's forest reserves are located. There is extensive swampland along the coastal alluvial zones of the west coast between central Perak and southern Selangor . Perak has an overall total forest cover of 1,027,404.31 hectares (2,538,771 acres), including 939,403.01 hectares (2,321,315 acres) of forest lands , 41,616.75 hectares (102,837 acres) of mangroves, and another 2,116.55 hectares (5,230 acres) of forest plantations. A total of 995,284.96 hectares (2,459,403 acres) of forest has been gazetted by

9324-491: The first emergency the British authorities and their Malayan collaborators fought against the communists. This continued even after the proclamation of the independence of the Federation of Malaya , on 31 August 1957. As a result, most of the communist guerrillas were successfully pushed across the northern border into Thailand. Other radical left nationalist movements started in Perak like those under Ahmad Boestamam and Burhanuddin al-Helmy ; but were eventually overwhelmed by

9450-581: The governor, by resident councillors . In 1886, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (which were settled and once owned by the Scottish Clunies-Ross family ) and Christmas Island , formerly attached to Ceylon , were transferred to the care of the government of the Straits Settlements in Singapore. In 1907, the former Crown Colony of Labuan , in Borneo, which for a period was vested in the British North Borneo Company ,

9576-613: The idea and started Yan Kon Kwang Hwa Pao or Burma Chinese Times . After a short run, the Rangoon paper was banned by the British Burma government due to its radical stance. After Yan Kon Kwang Hwa Pao was closed down, the Rangoon Tongmenghui leader Zhuang Yin'an came to Penang along with his machinery to aid Sun's cause and revive his paper. With Sun Yat-sen's help, a new daily newspaper, Kwong Wah Yit Poh ,

9702-497: The interest of both Malay royalty and commoners. Good relations with the country's rulers resulted in Islamic scholars being appointed as palace officers and dignitaries, teachers, and religious judges, contributing to the further spread of Islam. Islam is now seen as a major factor that shaped current attitudes towards standing up for Malay rights. Perak has a total land area of 20,976 square kilometres (8,099 sq mi), and

9828-566: The interior during the occupation. Much of their community was befriended by Malayan Communist Party guerrillas , who protected them from outsiders in return for information on the Japanese and their food supplies. Strong resistance came mainly from the ethnic Chinese community, whilst some Malays collaborated with the Japanese through the Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM) movement for Malayan independence. But Malay support waned with increasingly harsh Japanese treatment of civilians during

9954-502: The larger Tenasserim Hills system that connects Myanmar , Thailand and Malaysia. The discovery of an ancient skeleton in Perak revealed missing information on the migration of Homo sapiens from mainland Asia through Southeast Asia to the Australian continent. Known as Perak Man, the skeleton is dated at around 10,000 years old. An early Hindu or Buddhist kingdom, followed by several other minor kingdoms, existed before

10080-620: The late sultan's widow and his 16 children were taken as captives to Sumatra. Sultan Mansur Shah I's eldest son, Raja Alauddin Mansur Syah , married an Acehnese princess and subsequently became the Sultan of Aceh. The Sultanate of Perak was left without a ruling monarch, and Perak nobles went to Aceh in the same year to ask the new Sultan Alauddin for a successor. The ruler sent his younger brother to become Perak's third monarch. Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Shah ruled Perak for seven years, maintaining

10206-573: The link between the Straits Settlements on the Malay coast and the British authority in India was broken, with separate administration and the transfer of the respective territories to the Colonial Office . The Anglo-Dutch Treaties of 1870–1871 enabled the Dutch to consolidate control over Aceh in Sumatra. This later escalated into the Aceh War . Internal conflicts ensued in Perak. In 1873,

10332-464: The mid-17th century. When Perak refused to enter into a contract with the VOC as its northern neighbours had done, a blockade of the Perak River halted the tin trade, causing suffering among Aceh's merchants. In 1650, Aceh's Sultana Taj ul-Alam ordered Perak to sign an agreement with the VOC, on the condition that the tin trade would be conducted exclusively with Aceh's merchants. By the following year,

10458-541: The name Perak derives from the Malay phrase " kilatan ikan dalam air" (the glimmer of fish in water), which looks like silver. Perak has been translated into Arabic as دار الرضوان ‎ ( Dār al-Riḍwān ), "abode of grace". [REDACTED] Sultanate of Perak 1528–1895 [REDACTED] Federated Malay States 1895–1942 [REDACTED] Empire of Japan 1942–1945 [REDACTED] Malayan Union 1946–1948 [REDACTED] Federation of Malaya 1948–1963 [REDACTED]   Malaysia 1963–present Among

10584-423: The new Malayan Union (a predecessor of modern-day Malaysia ). Labuan was briefly annexed to Singapore, before being attached to the new colony of North Borneo (and ultimately detacheded to become a Federal Territory ). The following are the area and population, with details of race distribution, of the colony of the Straits Settlements, the figures being those of the census of 1901: The population, which

10710-552: The northeast and southwest seasons. The northeast season occurs from November to March, the southwest from May to September, and the transitional months for the monsoon seasons are April and June. The northeast monsoon brings heavy rains, especially in the upper areas of Hulu Perak, causing floods. Little effect of the southwest monsoon is felt in the Kinta Valley, although coastal areas of southern Perak occasionally experience thunderstorms , heavy rain and strong, gusting winds in

10836-696: The occupation. Two Chinese guerrilla organisations operated within Perak in northern Malaya. One, the Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Army (OCAJA), was aligned with the Kuomintang . The other, the Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA), was closely associated with the Chinese Communist Party . Although both opposed the Japanese, there were clashes between the two groups. Sybil Kathigasu ,

10962-481: The other was a communist group living among local inhabitants. With the end of British rule in Malaya and the subsequent formation of the Federation of Malaysia, new factories were built and many new suburbs developed in Perak. But there was also rising radicalism among local Malay Muslims, with increasing Islamisation initiated by several religious organisations, and by Islamic preachers and intellectuals who caught

11088-656: The plot, were banished to the British Seychelles in the Indian Ocean in 1876. During his exile, the sultan had use of a government-owned residence at Union Vale in Victoria , Mahé . The other exiled chiefs were given allowances, but remained under strict surveillance. The sultan and his chiefs were temporarily relocated to Félicité Island for five years, before being allowed to return to Victoria in 1882 when turmoil in Perak had subsided. The sultan led

11214-711: The population reached 1,370,300. In the early nineteenth century, the most common currency used in the East Indies was the Spanish dollar , including issues both from Spain and from the New World Spanish colonies, most significantly Mexico, due to market circulation from the Spanish East Indies ( Spanish Philippines ). Locally issued coinages included the Kelantan and Trengganu keping , and

11340-413: The predawn and early morning. The jungles of Perak are highly biodiverse . The state's main natural park, Royal Belum State Park , covers an area of 117,500 hectares (290,349 acres) in northern Perak. It contains 18 species of frog and toad , 67 species of snake , more than 132 species of beetle , 28 species of cicada , 97 species of moth , and 41 species of dragonfly and damselfly . The park

11466-588: The prehistoric sites in Malaysia where artefacts from the Middle Palaeolithic era have been found are Bukit Bunuh , Bukit Gua Harimau, Bukit Jawa, Bukit Kepala Gajah, and Kota Tampan in the Lenggong Archaeological Heritage Valley . Of these, Bukit Bunuh and Kota Tampan are ancient lakeside sites, the geology of Bukit Bunuh showing evidence of meteoric impact . The 10,000-year-old skeleton known as Perak Man

11592-480: The price of the metal dropped, severely affecting the state's economy. The royal capital remains Kuala Kangsar , where the palace of the Sultan of Perak is located. As of 2018, the state's population was 2,500,000. Perak has diverse tropical rainforests and an equatorial climate . The state's main mountain ranges are composed of the Titiwangsa , Bintang and Keledang Ranges , where all of them are part of

11718-520: The revolutionary movement, the Penang branch of Tongmenghui felt necessary to establish its own newspaper. In 1907, the visitation of revolutionary activists Sun Yat-sen, Hu Hanmin , Huang Xing and Wang Jingwei to Penang had conceived a plan for a publication called Kwang Hwa Pao or 'Glorious Chinese Newspaper'. Ultimately, the plan was aborted when financial backing wavered due to the collapse of tin prices. The Yangon branch of Tongmenghui took up

11844-480: The ruler of one of Perak's two local Malay factions, Raja Abdullah Muhammad Shah II , wrote to the Governor of the Straits Settlements, Andrew Clarke , requesting British assistance. This resulted in the Treaty of Pangkor , signed on Pangkor Island on 20 January 1874, under which the British recognised Abdullah as the legitimate Sultan of Perak. In return, the treaty provided for direct British intervention through

11970-610: The settlements answerable directly to the Colonial Office in London instead of the Government of India in Calcutta. Earlier, on 4 February 1867, letters patent had granted the settlements a colonial constitution. This allocated much power to the settlements' governor , who administered the colony of the Straits Settlements with the aid of an Executive Council , composed wholly of official (i.e., ex-officio) members, and

12096-546: The settlements were largely Chinese, with a tiny but important European minority. Their capital was moved from George Town , the capital of Penang , to Singapore in 1832. Their scattered nature proved to be difficult and, after the company lost its monopoly in the china trade in 1833, expensive to administer. During their control by the East India Company , the settlements were used as penal settlements for Indian civilian and military prisoners, earning them

12222-489: The settlements' press reacted with anger, classing it as something that subverted "every principle of liberty and free discussion". As there was little or no vernacular press in the settlements, such an act seemed irrelevant: it was rarely enforced and ended in less than a year. On 1 April 1867, the Straits Settlements were transferred to the British Colonial Office and became a Crown colony , making

12348-561: The site of a British trading post in 1819 after its founder, Stamford Raffles , successfully involved the East India Company in a dynastic struggle for the throne of Johor . Thereafter the British came to control the entire island of Singapore, which was developed into a thriving colony and port. In 1824, the Dutch conceded any rights they had to the island in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 , and from 1832, Singapore

12474-409: The state government as forest reserve, scattered across 68 areas throughout the state. Perak's geology is characterised by eruptive masses, which form its hills and mountain ranges . The state is divided by three mountain chains into the three plains of Kinta, Larut and Perak, running parallel to the coast. The Titiwangsa Range passes along the eastern borders of Perak, with its highest point,

12600-405: The state's large mineral deposits, reflecting Perak's position as one of the world's largest sources of tin. The first Islamic kingdom established in the state was of the lineage of the Sultanate of Malacca . Some local historians have suggested that Perak was named after Malacca's bendahara , Tun Perak . In maps prior to 1561, the area is marked as Perat . Other historians believe that

12726-547: The states of Kedah, Penang and Selangor are marked by rivers, including the Bernam and Kerian Rivers . Perak has 11 major river basins of more than 80 km (50 miles). Of these, the Perak River basin is the largest, with an area of 14,908 km (5,756 sq mi), about 70% of the total area of the state. It is the second largest river basin on the Malay Peninsula, after the Pahang River basin. The Perak River

12852-498: The tin ore trade in the 19th century saw an increasing influx of Chinese labour. Later, rivalry developed between two Chinese secret societies . This, coupled with internal political strife between two faction of Perak's local Malay rulers, escalated into the Larut Wars in 1841. After 21 years wars, neighbouring Kedah freed itself from full Siamese rule in 1843, although it remained a Siamese tributary state until 1909. By 1867,

12978-545: The tin trade in Perak, and many Chinese miners left. In a move which angered the Siamese court, neighbouring Kedah's Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah then entered into an agreement with the British East India Company (EIC), ceding Penang Island to the British in 1786 in exchange for protection. Siam regained strength under the Thonburi Kingdom , led by Taksin , after freeing itself from Burmese occupation. After repelling another large-scale Burmese invasion ,

13104-553: The title "Botany Bays of India". There were minor uprisings by convicts in Singapore and Penang in 1852 and 1853. Upset with East India Company rule, in 1857 the European population of the settlements sent a petition to the British Parliament asking for direct rule; but the idea was overtaken by the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . When a "Gagging Act" was imposed to prevent the uprising in India from spreading,

13230-751: The unbroken lineage of the Malacca dynasty. Although Perak did fall under the authority of the Acehnese Sultanate, it remained entirely independent of Siamese control for over two hundred years from 1612, in contrast with its neighbour, Kedah, and many of the Malay sultanates in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula, which became tributary states of Siam. In 1620, the Acehnese sultanate invaded Perak and captured its sultan. When Sultan Sallehuddin Riayat Shah died without an heir in 1635,

13356-469: The various settlements during 1906 was: Singapore 176,587 Chinese; Penang 56,333 Chinese and 52,041 natives of India; and Malacca 598 Chinese. The total number of immigrants for 1906 was therefore 285,560, against 39,136 emigrants, mostly Chinese returning to China. In 1867, the date of the transfer of the colony from the East India Company to the Crown, the total population was estimated at 283,384. In 1939,

13482-638: The war were returned to the British. This was done under a proposal by the United States , offering Thailand admission to the United Nations (UN) and a substantial American aid package to support its economy after the war. The MPAJA, under the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), had fought alongside the British against the Japanese, and most of its members received awards at the end of the war. However, party policy become radicalised under

13608-461: The whole, was composed of 261,412 males and only 77,671 females, and a comparatively small number of the latter were married women and mothers of families. Male Europeans also outnumbered females by about two to one. Among the Malays and Eurasians, who alone had a fair proportion of both sexes, infant mortality was excessive due to early marriages and other causes. The number of immigrants landing in

13734-454: Was 22–18, 20–82 and 21–57; while the number of registered deaths for 1896–1900 gave a ratio per 1000 of 42–21, 36–90, 30–43, 31–66 and 36-25 respectively, the number of deaths registered during 1900 being 23,385. The cause to which the excess of deaths over births is to be attributed is to be found in the fact that the Chinese and Indian population, which numbered 339,083, or over 59 per cent of

13860-424: Was 306,775 in 1871 and 423,384 in 1881, had in 1901 reached a total of 572,249. As in former years, the increase was solely due to immigration, especially of Chinese, though a considerable number of Tamils and other natives of India settled in the Straits Settlements. The total number of births registered in the colony in 1900 was 14,814, and the ratio per 1,000 of the population during 1896, 1897, and 1898 respectively

13986-427: Was appointed as Perak's first British Resident . His inability to understand and communicate well with the locals, ignorance of Malay customs, and disparagement of the efforts of the sultan and his dignitaries to implement British tax control and collection systems caused resentment. Local nationalist Maharaja Lela and the new monarch, Sultan Abdullah Muhammad Shah II, opposed him, and the following year, in 1875, Birch

14112-402: Was assassinated through a conspiracy of local Malay dignitaries Seputum, Pandak Indut, Che Gondah, and Ngah Ahmad. The assassination angered the British authority, and following anti-British uprisings in several areas, a major military campaign was fought by the British in Perak in 1875-76. The perpetrators were arrested and executed and the sultan and his chiefs, also suspected of involvement in

14238-509: Was effected, a resident-general , responsible to the high commissioner, was placed in charge of all the British protectorates in the peninsula. During World War II (specifically the Pacific War ), the Japanese invaded Malaya and the Straits Settlements by landing on Kelantan on 8 December 1941. On 16 December, Penang became the first Straits Settlement to fall into Japanese hands, followed by Malacca on 15 January 1942. Singapore

14364-550: Was established and adopted Malacca's form of elective monarchy. With the opening up of Perak in the 16th century, the state became a source of tin ore. It appears that anyone was free to trade in the commodity, although the tin trade did not attract significant attention until the 1610s. Throughout the 1570s, the Sultanate of Aceh subjected most parts of the Malay Peninsula to continual harassment. The sudden disappearance of Perak's Sultan Mansur Shah I in 1577 gave rise to rumours of abduction by Acehnese forces. Soon afterwards,

14490-588: Was finalised; and Raja Hasan of Selangor was to be immediately exiled from Perak, paving the way for peace between the two Malay states and the resolution of the power struggle between the British and Siam. In 1826, the Kingdom of Ligor broke its promise and attempted to conquer Perak. A small British expeditionary force thwarted the attack. The Sultan of Perak then ceded to the British Dindings and Pangkor (the two now constitute Manjung District ) so that

14616-476: Was found inside the Bukit Gunung Runtuh cave at Bukit Kepala Gajah. Ancient tools discovered in the area of Kota Tampan, including anvils , cores , debitage , and hammerstones , provide information on the migrations of Homo sapiens . Other important Neolithic sites in the country include Bukit Gua Harimau, Gua Badak, Gua Pondok, and Padang Rengas , containing evidence of human presence in

14742-493: Was further gazetted as National Heritage Site by the federal government in 2012, and was inscribed on the World Heritage Site tentative list of UNESCO in 2017. Royal Belum State Park also hosts an estimated 304 bird species, including migratory species, in addition to birds endemic to the three forest reserve areas of Pangkor Island. Ten hornbill species are found within the area, including large flocks of

14868-412: Was held between Siam, represented by their tributary state the Kingdom of Ligor , and the EIC. The King of Ligor promised that Siam would not send its armada to Perak and Selangor, resolving the issue of its attacks. The British renounced any aspiration of conquering Perak or interfering in its administration, promising to prevent Raja Hasan of Selangor from making trouble in Perak, and to try to reconcile

14994-603: Was launched in Penang. The first issue was published in 2 December 1910, from the headquarters of Tongmenghui's Penang branch at 120 Armenian Street. The building has now been preserved as Sun Yat-sen Museum Penang . In 1936, Kwong Wah Yit Poh acquired Penang Sin Poe (established 1895), Penang's first Chinese newspaper. Despite the change in ownership, Penang Sin Poe continued to be published until 30 September 1941. The newspaper had ceased publication in 1941 due to World War II , and its publication did not resume until 1946. This article related to newspapers in Malaysia

15120-401: Was put in place. Increasing numbers of labourers were brought from India, primarily to work as railway and municipal coolies . The British introduced several changes to the local political structure, exerting influence on the appointment of the sultan and restricting the power of his chiefs to Malay local matters. The sultan and his chiefs were no longer entitled to collect taxes, but received

15246-504: Was resumed by the British government and was vested in the governor of the Straits Settlements. The governor was also High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States on the peninsula, for British North Borneo , the sultanate of Brunei and Sarawak in Borneo. British residents controlled the native states of Perak, Selangor , Negri Sembilan , and Pahang , but on 1 July 1896, when the federation of these states

15372-470: Was returned to Perak in February 1935. The Dutch colony of Malacca was ceded to the British in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 in exchange for the British possession of Bencoolen and for British rights in Sumatra . Malacca's importance was in establishing an exclusive British zone of influence in the region, and was overshadowed as a trading post by Penang, and later, Singapore. The first settlement

15498-519: Was soon misused, causing conflict between the two sultanates. When the EIC established a British presence in Penang, the British already had a trading post in Singapore , avoiding involvement in the affairs of the nearby Malay sultanates. In 1822, the British authority in India sent British diplomat John Crawfurd to Siam to negotiate trade concessions and gather information with a view to restoring

15624-405: Was the Penang territory, in 1786. This originally comprised Penang Island , then known as the ' Prince of Wales Island ' . This was later extended to encompass an area of the mainland, which became known as Province Wellesley (now Seberang Perai ). The first grant was in 1800, followed by another in 1831. Further adjustments to Province Wellesley's border were made in 1859, in 1867 with

15750-484: Was the last settlement to fall on 15 February, following the Battle of Singapore . The Straits Settlements, along with the rest of the Malay Peninsula , remained under Japanese occupation until the end of the war in August 1945. After the war, the colony was dissolved with effect from 1 April 1946, with Singapore becoming a separate Crown colony (and ultimately an independent republic ), while Penang and Malacca joined

15876-538: Was the seat of government of the Straits Settlements for 114 years until its dissolution in 1946. The establishment of the Straits Settlements followed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 , by which the Malay Archipelago was divided into a British zone in the north and a Dutch zone in the south. This resulted in the exchange of the British settlement of Bencoolen (on Sumatra) for the Dutch colony of Malacca and undisputed control of Singapore. The population of

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