Treaty of Pangkor

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Raja Abdullah

The Treaty of Pangkor ( English Pangkor Treaty ) was a treaty between the British government and the Raja of Perak . The treaty signed by Sir Andrew Clarke and Raja Abdullah on the island of Pangkor off Perak on January 20, 1874 , had an enormous impact on the history of present-day Malaysia . It officially signaled the beginning of British interference in the politics of the Malay states.

history

At that time, the region was the world's largest supplier of tin and extremely important for the British, who had bases in Penang , Malacca and Singapore on the Malay Peninsula . Power struggles between local princes and regular bloody incidents over the two Chinese secret organizations Ghee Hin and Hai San , who were fighting for control of the tin mines , interrupted the mining of the metal .

The old ruler of Perak Sultan Ali died in 1871 and after the complicated succession due to the throne , Raja Abdullah was to become the next sultan . Instead, Raja Ismail was elected after some problems. Raja Abdullah later asked the British for help in solving the two problems. The British saw the great opportunity to expand their influence in Southeast Asia and strengthen the tin monopoly .

Thus came Raja Abdullah's takeover and the Treaty of Pangkor in 1874. The agreement stated:

  • Raja Abdullah is legitimately recognized as Sultan of Perak, replacing Sultan Ismail, who receives a title and some kind of monthly financial compensation of 1,000 Mexican pesos.
  • The Sultan is assigned a British resident whose advice should be sought on all matters except matters of religion or culture .
  • The control and collection of taxes and the administration of the state are carried out under the name of the Sultan, but arranged according to the advice of the resident.
  • The Minister of Larut will remain in office, but will no longer be recognized as a free leader. A British officer is appointed in his place with extensive administrative rights.
  • Not the British government, but the Sultan will pay the resident's wages .

Raja Ismal was unaware of the meeting between Sir Andrew Clare and Raja Abdullah. Obviously he had not recognized the agreement, but could do nothing against the alliance between Raja Abdullah and the British. Sir JWW Birch was appointed first UK representative after the treaty entered into force.

In the following years the colonial influence increased and the three Malay states Negeri Sembilan , Selangor and Pahang became British protectorates . From 1896 these states formed the Federated Malay States .