The Colonialization of the Malayanscape by Aaron

Lim Ee Zhen - 880512015475

Introduction

“Colonialism is a set of interaction between colonized and colonizer in

complex and global relationship based on the imposition of political control of the
powerful nations over other- usually weaker nations.” (Mills 1990).

During the late 18th and the 19th century, the British came to
colonize Malaya as part of their expansion plans to gather valuable
resource for their economy and war efforts, as to compete with the
world powers. In order to colonize Malaya, they held good relations
with the sultan - or at least only in the beginning phase of colonization,
they controlled the administration, built impressive buildings, and
introduced new technologies such as the railways. As a result, the
British not only exploited Malaya’s resources, but also left traces in
terms of politics, architecture, and socio-cultural in the society.
Kuala Lumpur: Divided and Ruled

The map of Kuala Lumpur, the Klang river seperates the British to the west and the

Malay, Chinese and Indian community to the east (Gullick, J.M. 2000)

Before the intervention of the colonials, Kuala Lumpur was

mainly made of the local Malays, which were a community of farmers
planting paddy for rice. On the other hand, the majority of the Chinese
people migrated from China for mining work to gather tin, and even
more came during the mining boom. Only later on, the Indians were
brought in from India by the British to do labor work such as building
railway tracks and to work on plantations. In order to control the local
community, to ensure their exploitation of the mining economy goes
uninterrupted, the British employed a ‘divide and rule’ concept. With
years of colonial experience in India, they applied the same techniques
in Malaya by separating ethnic races from each other, encouraging
racial tension, and by infusing racial hatred against each other, the
British played a pivotal role in maintaining order and thus putting them
in control over the separated races.

With the influx of immigrants towards Kuala Lumpur, the British

took to their advantage by separating settlements according to the
three races, the Chinese, the Malays and the Indians. This is evident
with Petaling Street, also known as China Town, which is
predominantly inhabited by the Chinese. On the northern side of town,
Brickfields also known as Little India, is mostly resided by Indian
communities. As Kuala Lumpur becomes separated into smaller
groups, maintaining power over the locals becomes easier for the
British, as any insurgencies against them would be based on a race
group, which is easier to handle compared to an insurgent caused by a
unified people of Kuala Lumpur.
Colonial Urban Planning

“On 4th January 1881, an overturned oil lamp in an opium den spread quickly
and in no time had engulfed the town. The settlement of about 500 houses was rebuilt
with bricks and tiles instead of timber ply, mud walls and palm thatch roof. The cost of
rebuilding the town was borne by Yap Ah Loy. This may have been the beginning of town
planning in Kuala Lumpur.” (Kuala Lumpur's Colonial Influences, 2001)

The Map of Kuala lumpur, showing the location of the British buildings, Masjid Jamek,
and the timber bridge that connects the west bank the east bank area. (Gullick, J.M.
2000)

The British selected the west bank of the Klang river for their
colonial quarters and residency, since the river provided a natural
barrier between the Malay and the Chinese towns, with the only means
of crossing the river being a wooden bridge. Small width of the timber
bridge would mean that capacity of the people crossing the river at
once would be limited, and therefore the British can easily deal with
any riot threats from the east bank. Also, by separating the Malay and
Chinese communities from the British area on the west, the British
creates an exclusive area for themselves. The Malay and Chinese
communities on the east bank are left to admire their exclusivity and
to marvel at their grand architecture, especially the Sultan Abdul
Samad building facing right into the east bank.

The image of the timber bridge that connects the colonial’s area, to the eastern side
of the Chinese and Indian community. (Gullick, J.M. 2000)
The image of The Carcosa, the residence of Sir Frank Sweettenham, situated on top
of the hill, with scenic view of the Lake Gardens as well of the town of Kuala Lumpur.
(Gullick, J.M. 2000)

Sir Frank Sweettenham, the person in charge of the Kuala

Lumpur administration at that time, had his house, the Carcosa
building built on top of the hill enabling him to have an overview of the
town. With a vantage point upon the hill some safe distance away from
the town center, he was able to command the town across the river.
His position on top of the hill not only gives him an overview of the
town, but also provides himself with a defensive topography.
Surrounded by the scenic Lake Gardens, its shows the British’s
exclusivity amongst the local people that are currently living in
cramped and dirty timber homes or shophouses.

Police headquarters and barracks were built at the foothill of

Bukit Aman and the ‘Padang’ in front was made level for police drill
exercise. This was to create a visual display to the general public of the
British’s authority over Kuala Lumpur. Only later on, when the people
began to accept the colonial’s settlements in Kuala Lumpur was the
field was made into a cricket green. After the public had known of their
power, with the police drill exercises, the cricket green was made to
further impress the locals over their luxurious lifestyle. For years,
cricket matches at the padang became social events for only European
community, up until only recently, the cricket green was made open to
the members of the Royal Selangor Club.

The image of the Jamek mosque built in between the Klang river and Gombak river
(Gullick, J.M. 2000)

Nevertheless, the British were not looking to overpower the

throne of the Sultan, they merely wanted to exploit the tin mines of
Kuala Lumpur with the least amount of hostility from the local Malays.
Therefore in order to appease the Malays, they have built the Masjid
Jamek at the fringe of the river, easily accessible by a ‘sampan’ from
the Malay villages. The large steps shown in the picture above, marks
the entrance of the mosque with grand proportions. Instead of using
the dusty and dirty road to come to the mosque, the Malays were
given the privilege of easily arriving at the mosque with their boats.

Architecture

During the 19th and the 20th century, the British built many buildings in
Malaya, these buildings were of a different architecture style, they built
buildings to adapt with the local climate while incorporating many
European style of architecture, along with Indian-Islamic architecture
into Kuala Lumpur. “In every way, then, this is a true hybrid: An alien building type
rises in Malaya, to house the importers apparatus of a colonial administration” (Abel
1985).
 The image shows the entire length of Sultan Abdul Samad building, as the picture
was taken from the vast open space of the ‘Padang’. (Sultan Abdul Samad 2009)

The Sultan Abdul Samad building is one of the most prolific buildings built by the
British. The architecture of the building is a hybrid of classical style with Islamic-
moorish architecture elements. Its many openings are also an attribute that adapts to the
local climate by maximizing natural ventilation against the humid-hot climate of Kuala
Lumpur. “The building is clearly meant to be seen and admired from the outside,
especially from across that vast open space, which still provides a splendid view of the
entire length of the building as well as three neighboring building of the same group”
(Abel 1985). By responding to the major public space, this building certainly makes a
statement into the landscape of Kuala Lumpur.

On the contrary of administration building, the residents of the

British officers were still remaining using the classical style blending
with the Tudor style. The bungalow like Carcosa, residence of Sir Frank
Swettenham, the British administrator who governed Kuala Lumpur at
that time (Yeang 1992) is dominated with the classical and tutor style
not in Islamic architecture.

The British had a different implementation of architecture between the personal

buildings and the public buildings. The public building such as The General Post Office,
The Sultan Abdul Samad building, the sanitary board building, The High Court building,
the public works department building, and the Kuala Lumpur Railway station were
always a combination between the Classical and Moorish-Islamic architecture. The
personal British building such as Carcosa, The Royal Selangor Club, St. Mary’s Church
and the Victorian institution were designed in Neo-classical blending with the Mock
Tudor architectural style.
 The image of the old General Post Office building, incorporating the same Neo-classical and Moorish
architectural style of the Sultan Abdul Samad building right beside it. (Landow, G. P. 2000)

The image of Kuala Lumpur Railway Station featuring Moorish architecture and Neo-classical architecture.
(Kuala Lumpur Railway Station 2001)
The image of St. Mary’s church featuring Neo-gothic architectural style with a touch of Mock Tudor
architectural style. (Mafia, S. 2008)

The image of the Royal Selangor Club building with Mock Tudor architectural style. (Mafia, S. 2008)
The image of the Carcosa Seri Negara, former residency of Sir Frank Swettenham, featuring Neo-classical
and Mock Tudor architectural style. (Steiner, R. 2006)

As a result of the many British buildings built during the colonial era, even the
rich businessman Loke Chow Kit built his mansion in accordance with the Neo-classical
architectural style. In building his mansion with the European architectural style, it is an
acknowledgement that the colonial architectural style is a style that promotes prestige and
power over the ordinary locals.

The image of the Loke Chow Kit mansion, featuring Neo-classical architectural style. (Kamal, K. S. 2008)
Summary

Ever since the British came into Kuala Lumpur in aide of Tengku
Kudin to maintain order, they have indirectly gained control over the
population thus enabling them to exploit the mining economy of the
town. The British system of colonialism was based on their years of
experience in colonizing India.

In conclusion, the colonial system was to create a sense of

prestige and power to the colonial masters, but at the same time
weakening local population by the separation of race groups. Divide
and rule disrupted the normal social activity amongst the races and
also puts them in a weaker position as smaller groups of races.
Colonial urban planning was made to benefit the British in terms of
defensive positions and to bring a sense of a higher class between the
British and the locals. Apart from that, the British also made sure the
Sultan was pampered in many ways to ensure that their stay at Kuala
Lumpur was welcomed with open arms. In doing so, the Sultan would
slowly lose his dominion over the people, the society would accept the
presence of an alien force to govern over them since their leader
willingly acknowledge their presence. On the other hand, colonial
buildings were made as a symbolic power over the town. Highly
ornamented buildings, with grand proportions showcases a type of
prestige over the normal buildings and it reflects to the colonials that
they are a people to be respected – as so power and control is easily
achieved. Nevertheless, these indirect illusions are part of the
colonialization system that brainwashes the people, making the
exploitation of their resources easily achievable without much or any
hostile resistance.
References

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Konig, A. The town and Country Planning act (1976): Learning From German
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Image Credits

Gullick, J.M. 2000. The 1895 map [Image]. Academe Art & Printing Services Sdn. Bhd.
Selangor.

Gullick, J.M. 2000. The 1895 map [Image]. Academe Art & Printing Services Sdn. Bhd.
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Gullick, J.M. 2000. Timber bridge across the Klang River in 1889 [Image]. Academe
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Gullick, J.M. 2000. Carcosa, completed in 1898. The Official residence of the Resident
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Gullick, J.M. 2000. The river junction (kuala) from which the town takes its name, with
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