Unfederated Malay States facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Unfederated Malay States Negeri-Negeri Melayu Tidak Bersekutu (Malay)
1909–1941 1941–1945 (Japanese occupation) 1945–1946
Malaya in 1922:      Unfederated Malay States      Federated Malay States      Straits Settlements
Status	Federal protectorate of the British Empire
Common languages	Malay English
Religion	Sunni Islam
Membership	Johor  Kedah  Kelantan  Perlis  Terengganu
Government	Constitutional monarchy
Monarch
• 1909–1910 (first)	Edward VII
• 1936–1941; 1945–1946 (last)	George VI
Historical era	British Empire
• Anglo-Siamese Treaty	9 July 1909
• Japanese occupation	8 December 1941
• Japanese surrender	2 September 1945
• Malayan Union	1 April 1946
Currency	Straits dollar (1909–1939) Malayan dollar (1939–1941; 1945–1946)
Preceded by Succeeded by Johor Kedah Kelantan Perlis Terengganu Rattanakosin Kingdom Japanese occupation of Malaya Si Rat Malai British Military Administration (Malaya) Malayan Union
Today part of	Malaysia

The Unfederated Malay States were five states in the Malay Peninsula that were protected by the British Empire. This happened during the early 1900s. The states were Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu.

These states were different from the four Federated Malay States (Selangor, Perak, Pahang, and Negeri Sembilan). The Unfederated States did not have shared rules or a single government. Each was its own separate area under British protection.

In 1946, the British changed how they ruled the area. The Unfederated Malay States joined with the Federated Malay States and parts of the Straits Settlements. Together, they formed something new called the Malayan Union.

Later, in 1948, the Malayan Union became the Federation of Malaya. This new federation had eleven states. Nine of these states remained under British protection. The other two, Penang and Malacca, stayed as British colonies. The Federation of Malaya became fully independent from the United Kingdom on August 31, 1957.

How the Unfederated Malay States Were Formed

The state of Johor agreed to a protection treaty with the United Kingdom in 1885. This meant Britain would protect Johor. In 1914, Johor also agreed to have a British "Advisor." This advisor would help guide the state's decisions. However, Johor chose not to join the Federated Malay States, which were formed in 1895.

The other four states became British protectorates because of a special agreement. In 1909, the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 was signed. In this treaty, Siam gave up its rights over Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perlis to the United Kingdom. After this, these states also came under British protection.

During World War II, the Japanese took control of Malaya. With Japan's help, these northern states were temporarily given back to Thai rule. This happened for a short time during the war.

Life Under British Rule

The main British official in these states was called the "Advisor." This person helped guide the local rulers. However, the Unfederated Malay States had more freedom than the Federated Malay States. They could make more of their own decisions.

The main language used for official business in these states was Malay. It was written using the Jawi script, which is an Arabic-based alphabet.

The evolution of Malaysia over time