What is Wrong with the Historiography on Colonialism in Malaya? Penang at the Periphery

Abstract

That which is missing in the historiography on colonialism in Malaya deserves to be addressed. This article attempts to supplement current writing – including critical perspectives – in one area: it challenges the accepted view on the Straits port of Penang, 1786–1946. It is acknowledged that the British Empire included a diversity and variety of colonial experiences across geographical areas and peoples, meaning that a multitude of narratives is expected. Different areas within a colony-cum-nation-state can also testify to quite divergent experiences. A case study on a specific site in modern Malaysia may serve to facilitate a reconsideration of a conventional view of a marginal, subsidiary, or even subordinate colonial location when compared with rival centres considered more important by colonial authorities. The port of Singapore has been seen by many as the most prominent commercial hub in the eastern section of insular Southeast Asia in the 19th century. Penang is considered peripheral to Singapore. This article offers a reinterpretation of this perspective.

Key Words:

• Colonialism
• British Empire
• Straits Settlements
• Penang
• maritime trade
• port cities

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 For more details on the range and variety of territories under British rule, see Darwin’s (2009, 8) examination of non-Western areas that make up the British World-System as well as his mapping of “the chronic disagreements over how the British system should work.”

2 It should be noted that these sources are not complete, with the Blue Books missing in the libraries in the location of writing, exacerbated by travel restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

3 Trapaud (1788) provides the earliest published account of the newly acquired British territory. Chief Engineer to the Madras Government, Trapaud had accompanied Light to Penang in 1786.

4 Roads were transport arteries, produced by convict labour. McNair and Bayliss (1899, 19) observed: “the convicts were employed almost exclusively on extramural works [outside the jail], such as opening up roads on Penang Hill and throughout the island, and in Province Wellesley; also in brick-making, felling timber, burning lime, and reclaiming mangrove swamps. The ground on which some portion of the present town is built was filled up by convict labour.” Newbold (1839, 8) clarified that “Pinang, Malacca and Singapore are penal colonies to continental India; the number accordingly of convicts is very considerable.”

5 Turnbull (2009, 41), on the four non-officials in the Legislative Council, states that “in principle at least one non-official was to come from each settlement. In practice it was difficult to find a Penang representative who was willing to spare the time, and no suitable person was available from Melaka, so that three of the four non-officials appointed in 1867 came from Singapore.”

6 By “other places” McLarty (1893, 55) refers not only to Singapore but also to “Penang, Province Wellesley and the Dindings [incorporating Pangkor, Lumut, Bruas] are shewn to have been officially recognised by the Secretary of State as distinct Settlements with separate interests.”

7 Secession was taken up in later years (1949–1951, 1953–1957) when there were new concerns in line with the post-war circumstances. Among the grievances were policies imposed on Penang in 1946 which included export duties on copra, coconut oil, and palm oil but not levied on Singapore. In addition, Singapore was allowed to export certain quantities of coconut oil to the Netherlands East Indies and allowed to re-export textiles, denied to Penang (Sopiee 1973, 54–55).

8 At the time it was noted that such donations led to reduced expenditure by the Penang Government: “The subscriptions, especially from the Chinese portion of the community who most avail themselves of the institution, was considerably augmented … It will be observable therefore, that education was less fostered by Government in Penang than in either of the other Settlements” (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, November 7, 1900, 3).