Federated Malay States
On 20 January 1874, Sir Andrew
Clarke, governor of the Straits Settlements, concluded with the Sultan of Perak the treaty of Pangkor whereby the
Sultan agreed to "receive and provide a suitable residence for a British
Officer to be called Resident, who shall be accredited to his court, and whose
advice must be asked and acted upon on all questions other than those touching
Malay Religion and Customs". The residency system was extended the same
year to the states of Selangor and Negri Sembilan, and in 1888 to Pahang.
To promote greater administrative efficiency, these four states ( Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang ) were brought together in 1895-1896 to form the Federated Malay States. This structure was highly centralized, real power resting in the hands of the agents of the British Government, at first called the Resident-General, and later the Chief Secretary.
The British established the Federal
Council in 1898 to administer the Federation. It was headed by the High
Commissioner (The Governor of the Straits Settlement), assisted by the
Resident-General, the Sultans, the four state Residents and four nominated
unofficial members. This structure remained until the Japanese invaded Malaya
on 8 December 1941.
POSTAL HISTORY
Provisional Issue
1900
Earliest FMS stamps were 1896 Negeri
Sembilan’s and 1895 Perak’s stamps overprinted with “FEDERATED MALAY STATES”
with a bold line embossed over the state name.
overprinted on Perak stamps
Permanent Issues
1900 ( Wmk.1 )
Later in the year 1900, permanent issue postage stamps were issue, copying the Malay states’ 1895 Indian Elephant, replacing the state name with “Federated Malay States”.
1901 ( Wmk.2 )
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