ABSTRACT
The Colonial Office policy on investment in the Malay States changed periodically. From 1800–1867, the Colonial Office did not have a clear investment policy, which was left to the discretion of the man on the spot. Moreover, Allen notes that the matters of the Malay States were considered trivial and there was no proof that matters arising in the Malay States were looked upon seriously by the Colonial Office before 1874. Between 1896 and 1909, there were standardization and uniformity in matters relating to land laws and various aspects of administration in the Federated Malay States (FMS) to cater to the tremendous growth of the mining and agricultural sectors. With respect to Colonial Office policies pertaining to investment in the Malay States, Joseph Chamberlain, the Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1896 clearly stated that the policy of the Colonial Office was to encourage more commercial enterprise in the Malay States.
