British Malaya - Decentralisation (1920s)

Decentralisation (1920s)

The First World War did not affect Malaya directly, aside from a naval skirmish between the renegade German cruiser SMS Emden and the Russian cruiser Zhemchug off the coast of George Town, in what became known as the Battle of Penang.

After World War I the British adopted a decentralisation policy in Malaya. This was done to entice the Unfederated Malay States to join the Federated Malay States.