ABSTRACT
Perak was the first Malay state to witness the advent of British intervention in the country. The development of agriculture in Perak depended almost entirely on the promotion of capitalist ventures. The Resident-General felt that compared to mining, the policy with regard to agriculture was discriminatory. Frank Swettenham, the Resident-General, in his dispatch to the Secretary of State for the Colonies highlighted the problem of land alienation in the Malay States. The friction between the Resident and the Resident-General was evident in the case of an application made by W. H. Tate for certain land concessions in Perak. The bone of contention between the Resident-General, High Commissioner and Colonial Office was with regard to whether Government officers could hold shares in the Malay States. The conflict between miners and the Commissioner of Lands and Mines was highlighted by the Malay Mail which focused public attention on problems relating to division of power and duties amongst officials in Perak.
