Project

1. Infrastructure a. The British colonialism in the country led to the development of railways and trains, roads and vehicles. The British built extensive railways over the country, first beginning with the NNS, followed by the NNMB and finally stretched them all over the Malay peninsula. In the NNS, they built the railways so that goods could easily reach the docks. In NNMB, they built them also to allow for the transport of goods since they were highly important during the Industrial Revolution. Finally, the railways were built in the Malay peninsula to allow the British to attain better control of Malaya then. Roads were also built but they were mainly meant for the Europeans of those time who could afford cars. In retrospect, despite the British having built these infrastructure only to serve their own purposes, it successfully pushed Malaysia into the position for rapid development later under Tun Abdul Razak. It can also be said that due to the British influence in Malaysia, Malaysia could enjoy a rapid development after its independence, especially if its development was contrasted with countries not in the British Commonwealth. b. The British also developed telegraph and telephone lines as well as supplied electricity to homes in Malaysia. Despite them not being widespread and generally limited to the elite class in Malaya that time, however, it helped to introduce technology unknown in Malaya that time and pushed Malayas development forward by a few years, which, if had not been done, would have caused difficulties for the administrators then. c. The Port Klang, or formerly known as Port Swettenham, Port of Penang and Port Dickson, were built by the British and were highly essential in helping Malaysia survive and grow especially when its natural resources were running low. This also most probably propelled Malaysia to be a trading country in the 1980s and maybe helped relieve the glory of the Malaccan Empire that time. 2. Education a. The British introduced English education at that time, which were normally reserved for the elite class. However, they were highly instrumental in producing Malayas liberators at that time. Most of Malaysias early leaders, including those who fought for the rights of their own communities, were English educated as English was considered the lingua franca and unifying language of Malaya that time. Thus, it can also be said the English education helped in unifying the leaders in Malaya in negotiating for a peaceful bloodless independence for Malaysia then.