A Biographical Sketch of Malaya's Colonial ‘Amateur’ Historians

Abstract

In comprehending nineteenth-century British imperial activity in the Malay states, economic reasoning, especially capitalist expansion, is conventional. This essay argues, in general, that imperialism was also an intellectual effort. During the colonial period, colonialists produced (in)valuable historical accounts, books, and travelogues, providing insight into Malaya’s native inhabitants and history, despite being amateurs. Historical events are vividly pictured, as are colonisers' perceptions of the region, its inhabitants, and its history. Considering these were very subjective and personalised, this article offers a background check on the colonial authors, who were travellers and administrator-scholars, as a prelude to analysing their work.