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The Economic History of Malaysia: A Bibliographic Essay

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2011

Wong Lin Ken
Wong Lin Ken
Affiliation:
University of Singapore
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Extract

Despite certain common cultural elements, the component states of Malaysia—the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, and Sabah—have each undergone a somewhat different historical evolution. But in the course of the last 180 years, they have evolved more or less a single regional economic system and common constitutional and administrative practices as the result of having shared British rule and influence. For this reason, this essay will confine itself principally to the period of British rule. Concern with an earlier period would mean involvement in the general economic history of the Malay Archipelago.

Type
Articles
Information
The Journal of Economic History , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , June 1965 , pp. 244 - 262
Copyright
Copyright © The Economic History Association 1965

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References

1 Mills, L. A., British Rule in Eastern Asia: A Study of Contemporary Government and Economic Development in British Malaya and Hongkong (London: Oxford University Press, 1942), p. 1Google Scholar; Thompson, Virginia, Labor Problems in Southeast Asia (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1947), p. viiGoogle Scholar.

2 See Mills, L. A., “American Historical Writing on Southeast Asia,” in Hall, D. G. E. (ed.), Historians of Southeast Asia (London: Oxford University Press, 1961)Google Scholar.

3 An unpublished study on the early trade of Penang by Khoo Hock Cheng is “The Trade of Penang, 1786–1833.” This was presented in partial fulfillment of requirements for an Honours Degree in History in the University of Singapore.

Other relevant unpublished academic theses available at the University of Singapore will be cited as footnotes in appropriate sections of this essay, with titles given in quotation marks and followed by the designation (Singapore). These academic exercises are based on documentary evidence available in Malaysia, and vary greatly in merit. As a rule, they should be used with caution, as they represent limited first attempts at historical research.

4 Unpublished studies on piracy: C. Hooi, “Piracy and Its Suppression in Malayan Waters, 1800–1867,” and Koh Keat Seng, “Piracy in the Straits, 1867–1877” (Singapore).

5 Studies on Malaysian trade before the First World War: E. S. Ratnam, “The Trade of Singapore, 1869–1896”; S. Veloo, “The Tanjong Pagar Dock Board, 1905–1913” (Singapore).

6 Henry Chia, “The Island Trade of Singapore, 1946–1955”; E. Wong, “The Singapore Harbour Board, 1913–1941”; Ong Chin Boo, “A Study of the Depression in Malaya, 1929–1934” (Singapore).

7 Abdul Rahman Jalal, “Tin Mining in Selangor, 1874–1895”; Lian Hock Lian, “A Study of Tin in Selangor, 1875–1896”; Jenny Soh, “Tin Mining in Selangor, 1896–1914”; Bachan Singh, “Tin Mining in Perak, 1875–1889”; and Hong Eu Ngoh, “Larut to Kinta Tin Mining in Perak, 1874–1895” (Singapore).

8 Dawn Ngui, “Early Rubber Industry in Selangor, 1895–1910”; P. Navaratnarajah, “The Introduction of Rubber to the State of Negri Sembilan, 1895–1900”; Lim Leong Bee, “The Introduction of Rubber in Perak, 1895–1910”; and V. Kumaraguru, “Rubber in Malaya, 1914–1941” (Singapore).

9 Unpublished studies: Low Siow Chek, “Gambier and Pepper Planting in Singapore, 1819–1860”; Saw Chee Leng, “Spice Cultivation in Early Penang, 1786–1835”; Looi Sik Cheong, “The Sugar Industry in the Straits, 1840–1913”; Wan King Cheong, “Coffee Planting in Selangor, 1880–1900”; and M. Kwee, “The Malayan Pineapple Industry, 1890–1960” (Singapore).

10 Chu Tee Seng, “The Singapore Chinese Protectorate, 1900–1941”; Lim Joo Hock, “Chinese Female Migration into the Straits Settlements, 1860–1900” (Singapore).

11 N. Jagathesan, “Immigration of Indian Labour into Malaya, 1867–1900”; and K. Jegadeva, “Indian Immigration into Malaya, 1910–1941” (Singapore).

12 Khoo Kah Lock, “Social and Economic Conditions of Immigrant Agricultural Labour” (Singapore), provides a historical survey of laborers in the agricultural sector of the economy.

13 Aminuddin Bahi, “Debt Slavery in Perak, 1877–1889” (Singapore).

14 Loh Wen Fong, “Singapore Agency Houses, 1819–1900”; Vilasini Menon, “Singapore Houses of Agency, 1900–1940”; and V. Selvaratnam, “A History of Western Enterprise in Selangor, 1874–1895” (Singapore).

15 Purcell, Victor, The Chinese in Malaya (London: Oxford University Press, 1948), p. viiGoogle Scholar.

16 Kee Yah Sin, “The Japanese in Malaya before 1942” (Singapore), gives a brief sketch of Japanese enterprise in Malaya.

17 Ahmad bin Saadi, “Development of Malaya's Rice Industry, 1896–1921” treats the subject before 1921; C. Pinto, “The Development of an Agricultural Policy in the FMS, 1874–1914,” deals with the evolution of British policy (both Singapore).

18 Lee Chye Hooi, “The Penang Land Problem, 1786–1841,” and K. T. Joseph, “Malacca Land Laws, 1825–1886” (Singapore). I am at present studying British land policy in Malaya and its consequences in the period before World War I.

19 In the London School of Economics, a postgraduate student, Margaret J. Lim, is studying the control of the opium trade in Malaya, 1900–12, for a Master of Science (Economics).