The decentralization policy
The decentralization policy of the colonial government sought to overcome the rulers' discontent with administrative centralization and general Malay neglect. It also aimed to loosen the hold of the Federated Malay States (FMS) administration in Perak, Pahang Selangor and Negeri Sembilan sufficiently to enable the British to persuade the Unfederated Malay States (UMS) of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor to join the FMS in a Malayan federation. During the 1920s, the British vision of this federation excluded the Straits Settlements, though they were included in later plans.
- Information in the full article includes
- The Maxwell initiative
- The Guillemard scheme
- The Clementi scheme
- Thomas and decentralization
- The impact of decentralization
