Portal:Malaysia/Featured article

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The Federated Malay States (FMS) was a federation of four states on the Malay Peninsula - Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang - established by the British government in 1895, and lasted until 1946, when they together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay States formed the Malayan Union. Two years later, the Union became the Federation of Malaya and finally Malaysia in 1963 with the inclusion of Sabah (then North Borneo), Sarawak and Singapore.

The United Kingdom was responsible for foreign affairs and defence, whilst the states continued to be responsible for their domestic policies. Even so, the British Resident General would give advice on domestic issues, and the states were bound by treaty to follow that advice. The federation had Kuala Lumpur, which was then part of Selangor as its capital. The first FMS Resident General was Sir Frank Swettenham.

The federation along with the other Malay states of the peninsular and British possessions was overrun and occupied by the Japanese. After the liberation of Malaya due to the Japanese surrender, the federation was not restored. However, the federal form of government was retain as the principal model in consolidating the separate States for a Malayan independence and later evolution into Malaysia.