Harry Ord

The deficiencies in the Straits Settlements administration have become serious as Singapore has continued to grow, and Singapore's merchant community has begun agitating against British Indian rule.

The British government agrees to establish the Straits Settlements as a separate Crown Colony on April 1, 1867.

This new colony is ruled by a governor under the supervision of the Colonial Office in London.

An executive council and a legislative council assists the governor.

Although members of the councils are not elected, more representatives for the local population will gradually be included over the years.

Sir Harry Ord, whom the second Colonial Office appoints in 1867 as the Governor of the Straits Settlements, is at first given no instructions regarding the Colony's relations with the Malay States.

Ord is unpopular in the Straits Settlements, but is an ambitious and energetic man, who is ready to do what he can to restore order and promote trade in the Peninsula.

Conditions in Malaya at this time are extremely unsettled.

The quarrels of the Malays are intensified by feuds between competing groups of Chinese miners, and the links of the Chinese with the British settlements threaten to involve these too in the trouble.

The economy of Selangor has become important enough to the prosperity of the Straits Settlements that any disturbance in this state will hurt the Straits Settlement itself.

Therefore, the British feel they need to have a say in Selangor politics.

One major disturbance, amounting to a civil war, is the Klang War, which begins in 1867.

Before the sultan had appointed Raja Abdullah bin Raja Jaafar as Klang's administrator, Raja Mahadi's father, Raja Sulaiman, had been Klang's head.

In 1866, Raja Abdullah had leased Klang to two traders from the Straits Settlements; William Henry Macleod Read and Tan Kim Ching.

Among the benefits of being a renter is tax collection.

When the two traders go out to collect tax, Raja Mahadi bin Raja Sulaiman had taken offense.

Given his standing within the Malay communities, he has refused to pay tax to foreigners.

Sultan Muhammad had died in 1857 and had been replaced by Sultan Abdul Samad.

With sympathy from the new royal family of Selangor, Raja Mahadi has begun to challenge Raja Abdullah's authority in Klang.

The royal court considers Raja Abdullah, who is from Riau instead of Selangor, as an outsider.

On Raja Abdullah's side is his son, Raja Ismail.

The Chinese laborers are divided between the two camps.

The British Straits Settlements are becoming increasingly dependent on the economy of Selangor.

Selangor is one of the world's major tin producers throughout the nineteenth (and the twentierh) century.

Since Selangor's security affects tin trade, the British government feels it needs to have a say in Selangor politics.

The British see Tengku Kudin as a ticket to reach out to Selangor's royal court.

Therefore, the Straits Settlements, under the governorship of Ord, implicitly support Tengku Kudin.

There is a power struggle in the Perak royal court after Sultan Ali dies in 1871.

The next in line for the throne is the Raja Muda or crown prince, Raja Abdullah.

Despite this fact, he is not present during the burial of the sultan.

As in the case of Tengku Hussein of Johor, Raja Abdullah is not appointed as the new sultan by the ministers of Perak.

Instead, the second in line, Raja Bendaraha Raja Ismail, becomes the sultan of Perak.

Raja Abdullah is furious and refuses to accept the news without protest.

He seeks and gathers political supports from various channels, including several of Perak's local chiefs and several British personnel with whom he had done business in the past, with the secret societies becoming their proxies in the fight for the throne.

Among these British individuals is British trader Read.

Furthermore, he promises to accept a British advisor if the British recognize him as the legitimate ruler of Perak.

Unfortunately for Raja Abdullah, the Straits Settlements governor at this time is Sir Harry Ord, a friend of Ngah Ibrahim, who has unresolved issues with Raja Abdullah.

With Ord's aid, Ngah Ibrahim sends sepoy troops from India to prevent Raja Abdullah from actively claiming the throne and extending control over the Chinese secret societies.

Tengku Kudin brings in five hundred soldiers from Kedah along with mercenaries and European officers from the Straits Settlements during the course of the the Klang War.

Sultan Abdul Samad also provides the revenues of Kuala Langat to Tengku Kudin to help him fund the handling of the war.

Tengku Kudin in turn engages the help of Pahang in 1872, as well as mercenaries supplied by Sir harry Ord.

This marks the first British involvement in local Malayan politics.

Sir Harry Ord, now perceived as incompetent by the Colonial Office in London, is replaced in 1873 by Sir Andrew Clarke, who is ordered to get a complete picture of what is happening in the Malay states and recommend how to streamline British administration in Malaya.

London is increasingly aware that the Straits Settlements are increasingly dependent on the economy of the Malay states, including Perak.

After Clarke's arrival in Singapore, many British traders, including Read, became close to the governor.

Through Read, Clarke learns of Raja Abdullah's problem and his willingness to accept a British representative in his court if the British assist the once heir-apparent.

Andrew Clarke, Sir Harry Ord's replacement, seizes the opportunity to expand British influence in the Malay states.

First, he calls all Chinese secret societies together and demands a permanent truce.

Later, through the signing of the Pangkor Treaty on January 20, 1874, Clarke acknowledges Raja Abdullah as the legitimate sultan of Perak.

Immediately, J. W. W. Birch is appointed as a British resident in Perak.

The Klang War ends in 1874.

Raja Mahadi steps down and hands power over to Tengku Kudin and Raja Ismail.

Raja Ismail, on the other hand, who is not party to the Pangkor agreement, is forced to abdicate due to intense pressure applied by Clarke.

The royal family, greatly disappointed with the outcome of the war, views Tengku Kudin with suspicion.

Tengku Kudin's army from Pahang makes the situation worse.

After the war, the army refuses to return to Pahang because they want to collect tax as a payment for their service.

While the British, through Governor Clarke, side with Tengku Kudin, the postwar situation weakens Tengku Kudin's power base.

Therefore, Clarke is forced to freeze his plan to reach out to the royal family through Tengku Kudin.