In 1896, the post of High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States was created; the High Commissioner represented the British Government in the Federated Malay States, a federation of four British protected states in Malaya. The High Commissioner's official residence was King's House (now part of a hotel, Carcosa Seri Negara), located inside the Perdana Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the Federated Malay States. King's House served as an important place for royal dignitaries and distinguished guests.
The Governor of the Straits Settlements had always been ex-officio the High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States; the Governor's official residence was in Singapore, the capital of the Straits Settlements, and was known as Government House (now the Istana, official residence of the President of Singapore).
In each of the five protected states of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Trengganu, and Johore (collectively referred to as the Unfederated Malay States), the British government was represented by an Adviser: the Adviser to the Government of Perlis; the Adviser to the Sultan of Kedah; the Adviser to the Government of Kelantan; the Adviser, Trengganu; and the General Adviser to the Government of Johore.
The Straits Settlements was dissolved in 1946. Singapore became a Crown colony in its own right. The rest of the Straits Settlements (i.e. Penang and Malacca) were merged with the Federated Malay States, Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Johore to form the Malayan Union, another Crown colony. The native rulers in the Federated Malay States, Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Trengganu, and Johore ceded their power to the United Kingdom, thus turning these territories into British colonies. The new Crown colony of the Malayan Union was headed by a Governor – the Governor of the Malayan Union.
In 1948, the British government returned power to the native rulers of the former protected states, and the Malayan Union was transformed into the Federation of Malaya – a federation of protected states and Crown colonies (Penang and Malacca had remained Crown colonies throughout the Malayan Union era). The Federation of Malaya was headed by the High Commissioner for Malaya.
When Malaya gained independence from the United Kingdom, the position of the High Commissioner for Malaya as the de facto head of state was replaced by the Paramount Ruler, or the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, of Malaya, appointed by the rulers of the nine Malay states. The title 'High Commissioner' became that of the senior British diplomat in the independent Malaya (and later in Malaysia), as is normal in Commonwealth countries.
List of high commissioners and governors of the United Kingdom for Malaya
Federated Malay States, Malayan Union, Federation of Malaya №PortraitNameTenure From Until High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States (1896–1946) 1Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell 1 January 1896 7 December 18992James Alexander Swettenham8 December 189918 February 19013Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham26 September 190112 October 19034Sir John Anderson15 April 19049 April 19115Sir Arthur Henderson Young 9 September 191124 August 19206Sir Laurence Nunns Guillemard 3 February 19205 May 19277Sir Hugh Charles Clifford3 June 192720 October 19308Sir Cecil Clementi5 February 193016 February 19349Sir Shenton Whitelegge Thomas9 November 193415 August 1945 Japanese occupation of Malaya From 31 January 1942 to 15 August 1945. British Military Administration (15 August 1945 – 30 March 1946) Governor of the Malayan Union (1946–1948) 10Sir Gerard Edward James Gent1 April 194630 January 1948 High Commissioner for Malaya (1948–1957) 11Sir Gerard Edward James Gent1 February 19484 July 194812Sir Henry Lowell Goldsworthy Gurney1 October 19486 October 195113General Sir Gerald Walter Robert Templer15 January 195231 May 195414Sir Donald Charles MacGillivray31 May 195431 August 1957
See also
Federated Malay States Unfederated Malay States Straits Settlements List of high commissioners of the United Kingdom to Malaysia