Timeline of Malaysian history

This is a timeline of Malaysian history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Malaysia and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Malaysia.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Evolution of Malaysia in the 19th to 21st centuries

2nd century

Year	Event
200	Gangga Negara was founded by a son of Merong Mahawangsa. Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa (Jawi: حكاية مروڠ مهاوڠسا ) or The Kedah Annals is an ancient work of Malay literature which chronicles the bloodline of Merong Mahawangsa and the foundation of the Kedah, a state in Malaysia.
	The reign of the ancient Hindu Malay kingdom of Langkasuka began.

The first research into the Beruas kingdom was conducted by Colonel James Low in 1849, and a century later by H.G. Quaritch Wales. According to the Museum and Antiquities Department, both researchers agreed that the Gangga Negara kingdom existed between 100 and 1000 CE,[1] but could not ascertain the exact site. For years, villagers had unearthed artefacts believed to be from the ancient kingdoms, most of which are at present displayed at the Beruas Museum, including a 128-kilogram (282 lb) cannon, swords, kris, coins, tin ingots, pottery from the Ming Dynasty and various eras, and large jars. They can be dated back to the 5th and 6th century.[2] Through these artefacts, it has been postulated that Pengkalan (Ipoh), Kinta Valley, Tanjung Rambutan, Bidor and Sungai Siput were part of the kingdom. Artefacts also suggest that the kingdom's centre might have shifted several times. Gangga Negara was renamed to Beruas after the establishment of Islam there.

3rd century

Year	Event
300	The reign of the small Hindu kingdom of Pan Pan began.

4th century

5th century

6th century

7th century

Year	Event
630	The Kedah Kingdom was founded by Maharaja Derbar Raja of Bandar Abbas.
700	The ancient kingdom of Srivijaya began to influence Maritime Southeast Asia. Between the 7th and the 13th century, much of the Malay peninsula was under the Buddhist Srivijaya empire. The site of Srivijaya's centre is thought be at a river delta in eastern Sumatra, based near what is now Palembang. For over six centuries the Maharajahs of Srivijaya ruled a maritime empire that became the main power in the archipelago. The empire was based around trade, with local kings (dhatus or community leaders) swearing allegiance to the central lord for mutual profit.[3]
	The reign of Pan Pan ended.

8th century

9th century

11th century

Year	Event
1100	The reign of Gangga Negara ended.

12th century

Year	Event
1136	Phra Ong Mahawangsa converted to Islam and founded the Kedah Sultanate, so ending the practice of Hinduism in the dynasty.

13th century

Year	Event

14th century

Year	Event
1400	The reign of Langkasuka end

15th century

Year	Event
1402	The Malacca Kingdom was founded by Parameswara.
1405	Chinese admiral Zheng He reached Malacca, establishing and strengthening diplomatic ties between Ming China and Malacca Sultanate.
1445	Tun Perak led the Malaccan army to victory by defeating Siamese invaders. As a result, he was made bendahara in 1456.
1450	The Sulu Sultanate reached its peak by extending its rule to the eastern part of North Borneo.

16th century

Year	Date	Event
1511	15 August	The city of Malacca comes under Portuguese rule after falling to an army led by Alfonso de Albuquerque. Sultan Mahmud Shah of Malacca made several attempts to retake the capital. He rallied support from his ally the Sultanate of Demak in Java, that in 1511 agreed to send naval forces to assist the effort to retake Malacca. Led by Pati Unus, the Sultan of Demak, the combined Malay–Javan efforts failed and were fruitless. The Portuguese retaliated and forced the sultan to flee to Pahang. Later, the sultan sailed to Bintan Island and established a new capital there. With a base established, the sultan rallied the disarrayed Malay forces and organised several attacks and blockades against the Portuguese's position. Frequent raids on Malacca caused the Portuguese severe hardship. In 1521 the second Demak campaign to assist the Malay Sultan to retake Malacca was launched, however once again failed with the cost of the Demak Sultan's life. He was later remembered as Pangeran Sabrang Lor or the Prince who crossed (the Java Sea) to North (Malay Peninsula). The raids helped convince the Portuguese that the exiled sultan's forces must be silenced. A number of attempts were made to suppress the Malay forces, but it wasn't until 1526 that the Portuguese finally razed Bintan to the ground. The sultan then retreated to Kampar in Riau, Sumatra where he died two years later. He left two sons named Muzaffar Shah and Alauddin Riayat Shah.
1528		The Johor Sultanate was founded by Alauddin Riayat Shah, son of Sultan Mahmud Shah of Malacca, and crowned Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II. The Perak Sultanate was founded by Sultan Muzaffar Shah, son of Sultan Mahmud Shah of Malacca.

17th century

Year	Date	Event
1613		Triangular war: War between Portuguese in Malacca, Aceh Sultanate and Johor Empire.
1641		The Sejarah Melayu composed by Tun Sri Lanang
1641		The Dutch and their local allies conquered Malacca from the Portuguese.
1660		Kedah was undered Thai sovereignty.
1666		Johor-Jambi War: War broke out between Johor and Jambi.

18th century

Year	Date	Event
1704		Sultan cedes the lands East of Marudu Bay to the Sultan of Sulu.
1723		State of Pasir Besar renamed Luak Johol.
1725		Paduka Sri Sultan Zainal-Abidin I, younger son of Tun Habib 'Abdu'l-Majid bin Mat Ali invested as Sultan by his nephew, Sultan Sulaiman Badr ul-'Alam Shah of Johor
1750		Luak Sungai Ujong founded. Luak Gunung Pasir founded, under the suzerainty of Rembau. Luak Ulu Muar founded, under the suzerainty of Johol. Luak Jempol founded, under suzerainty of Jelebu. Luak Inas (also called Jelai) founded.
1773		Negeri Sembilan (a confederation of nine states) established.
1775		Luak Teraci founded, under the suzerainty of Sungai Ujong.
1775		Paduka Sri Sultan Long Yunus expelled Long Muhammad and became Raja of Kelantan installed by his father-in-law Sultan Mansur Shah I of Trengganu.

19th century

Year	Date	Event
1819		Thomas Stamford Raffles arrived and signed a treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor, on behalf of the British East India Company, to develop the southern part of Singapore as a British trading post.
1820		Ghee Hin Kongsi and Hai San Secret Society, 2 secret societies in Singapore and Malaya was established.
1824	March	The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 was signed by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands to address issues regarding trade rights in the Spice Islands.
1826		The Burney Treaty was signed between Thailand and the United Kingdom, partitioning the northern Malay states between the two countries.
		The Straits Settlements were established as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company.
1831	August	Naning War: The opposition of Dol Said to British taxation policy in Naning led to the Naning War. Dol Said's force defeated 150 British soldiers led by Captain Wyllie.
1834	February	Naning War: Dol Said surrenders to British forces in return for an official pardon, effectively ending the Naning War.
1841	18 August	The Kingdom of Sarawak was established by Sir James Brooke after a grant of independence from the Sultanate of Brunei.
1843	4 June	A war expedition established by Sir James Brooke to attack the Rentap and the Dayak Iban tribe at Saribas begins.
1853		Alan Lee, officer in charge of another fort at Nanga Lingga, Sri Aman was defeated and killed by Rentap forces.
1857		1857 Chinese Uprising: Liu Shan Bang, leader of the gold miners in Pangkalan Tebang started a rebellion against the White Rajahs in Bau, Sarawak.
1861	July	First Larut War: arguments over control of watercourse to mines escalated and led members of the Hai San Society to drive the members of the Ghee Hin society out of Kamunting.[4][5][6][7]
1865		Second Larut War: started by a gambling quarrel in June of that year between members of Ghee Hin Kongsi and Hai San Secret Society.
1867		Klang War: Raja Mahadi challenged Raja Abdullah for authority over Klang.
	1 April	The Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony.
1863		Rentap's fortress at Nanga Skrang was successfully infiltrated by the attacking party of Tuan Muda Charles Brooke and Rentap ultimately retired from the war.
1871		Third Larut War: began by an affair between Ghee Hin and Hai San and conflict between the succession for the next Sultan of Perak between Raja Abdullah and Raja Ismail.
		Tristram Speedy sailed to the Straits Settlements in Malaya and became superintendent of police on the island of Penang.
1873		Tristram Speedy commanded a body of Indian troops to restore order in Larut, a Malayan mining district, for the Menteri (Chief Minister) Ngah Ibrahim.
		Civil war break out in Seremban between the forces of Dato' Kelana and Dato' Shahbandar due to dissatisfaction about their rights to collect taxes and ownership and control of the mines. British sided with Dato' Kelana defeated its opposition and Sungai Ujong successfully felt to the hand of British forces.
1874	20 January	The Pangkor Treaty of 1874 signalled official British involvement in the policies of the Malays, and the establishment of British Malaya.
1875	2 November	James W. W. Birch, the first Resident of Perak was assassinated by local Malay chief, Dato Maharajalela and his follower, Seputum in Pasir Salak.
	7 November	Perak War: The sultan of Upper Perak and other local chiefs attempted to end foreign influence in the region and remove the British administrator James W.W. Birch.
1876	21 July	Following the trial held in 1875 between 14 and 22 December in Matang, Perak, Abdullah Muhammad Shah II of Perak and Ngah Ibrahim were exiled to the Seychelles.
1877	20 January	Lela Pandak Lam was executed by hanging in Taiping.
1879	25 October	Jementah Civil War: Tengku Alam Shah refused to place Muar under the temporary administration of Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor.
1882		North Borneo became a British protectorate under the sovereign North Borneo Chartered Company.
1887		Terengganu Inscription Stone was discovered by villagers at a steep sloping riverbank of Tersat river, Kampung Buluh, Kuala Berang, Hulu Terengganu.
1895		Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang joined to become the Federated Malay States, a federation of British protectorates.
1896		Mat Salleh Rebellion: Disputes between locals and the British North Borneo Company led to rebellion.
1900	September	Chinese leader, Wong Nai Siong and his party started recruiting villagers from Fujian to immigrate to Sibu, Sarawak.

20th century

Year	Date	Event
1909	10 March	The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 was signed by the United Kingdom and Thailand, effectively dissecting the northern Malay states.
1914	28 October	Battle of Penang: The German cruiser SMS Emden sank two Allied warships in the Strait of Malacca.
1915		William Kellie Smith, a Scottish planter started the construction project of Kellie's Castle in Batu Gajah, Perak.
1922		Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong represented one of the 43 farmers being put to trial in a court for doing farming without permission.
1928		Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong assembled about 1,000 people in Kampung Buluh, to launch their resistance to get the British out of their state. Several police stations were attacked were made in Kuala Berang.
1941	7 December	Attack on Pearl Harbor: Japan opened hostilities with the Allies and their colonies.
	8 December	Japanese occupation of Malaya: Japanese forces invaded and began the occupation of British Malaya.
	16 December	Japanese occupation of British Borneo: Japanese forces invaded and began the occupation of British Borneo.
	10 December	The British battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser HMS Repulse were sunk by Japanese bombers.
1942	14 January	Battle of Muar: The last major battle of the Malayan campaign was fought.
	23 January	Parit Sulong Massacre: Allied soldiers were massacred by Japanese forces.
	9 February	Battle of Singapore: The Japanese crossed the Strait of Johor in inflatable boats and landed in Singapore.
	13 February	Battle of Pasir Panjang: A Malay regiment led by Lieutenant Adnan bin Saidi fought bravely against the Japanese at Pasir Panjang Ridge.
	18 October	Kedah became the Thai possession of Syburi.
1945	January	Sandakan Death Marches: Cruel marches began which were forced by Japan.
	June	Sandakan Death Marches: The death marches came to an end.
	27 June	Battle of North Borneo: A battle was fought between the Australians and Japanese.
	14 August	Japan surrendered, leaving a power vacuum.
	5 September	The British returned and established a military administration in the Straits Settlements.
	23 September	Kedah and the three other states were returned to the British.
1946	1 April	The Straits Settlements were dissolved and replaced by the Malayan Union, conceived to unify the Malay Peninsula under a single government.
	8 February	Charles Vyner Brooke declared that the Sarawak Supreme Council agreed on the cession of Sarawak to British.
	1 July	British officially declared Sarawak as Crown Colony of Sarawak
1948	31 January	Opposition from Malay nationalists forced the Malayan Union to disband in favour of the Federation of Malaya, which restored the symbolic positions of the rulers of the Malay states.
	18 June	Sungai Siput Incident: Rubber plantations and tin mines in Malaya were destroyed by Communists, leading the British to declare a state of emergency.
	16 July	Death of Lau Yew: British security forces clashed with those of the Malayan Communist Party resulting in the death of one of their key leaders, Lau Yew.[8]
1949	8 October	The University of Malaya was established following the merger of Raffles College and King Edward Medical College.
	3 December	Rosli Dhobi and several members from Rukun 13 orchestrated the assassination of the Governor of Sarawak, Sir Duncan Stewart in Sibu.
1950	23 February	Bukit Kepong Incident: An armed encounter took place between Communists and the police.
1951	6 October	Assassination of Sir Henry Gurney: British High Commissioner Sir Henry Gurney was killed by members of the Malayan Communist Party in Fraser's Hill.
1956	18 January	A constitutional conference proposed the appointment of the Reid Commission to devise a constitution for a fully self-governing and independent Federation of Malaya.
	8 February	Baling Talks: An talk between representative of the government of Malaya and Malayan Communist Party to resolve the Malayan Emergency situation. Tan Cheng Lock, David Marshall and Tunku Abdul Rahman represented the government whereas Chin Peng, Rashid Maidin and Chen Tien represented the communists. However, the talks were unsuccessful because the surrender terms were not acceptable to the Malayan Communist Party.
1957	21 February	The Reid Commission submitted its working draft to a Working Committee.
	31 July	Independence of the Federation of Malaya
	15 August	The new Federal Constitution was passed by the Federal Legislative Council.
	31 August	Formal independence of the Federation of Malaya was achieved.
1961	27 May	Malayan Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman proposed a merger between Singapore, Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak.
1962	17 January	Cobbold Commission: The Cobbold Commission, was a Commission of Enquiry set up to determine whether the people of North Borneo (now Sabah) and Sarawak supported the proposal to create the Federation of Malaysia consisting of Malaya, Brunei, Singapore, North Borneo, and Sarawak.
1962	8 December	Brunei Revolt: A revolt led by Yassin Affandi began coordinated attacks on oil installations, police stations and government facilities around the protectorate.
1963	20 January	Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation: Indonesian Foreign Minister Subandrio announced that Indonesia would pursue a policy of konfrontasi with the Federation of Malaysia, North Borneo and Sarawak.
	9 July	The Malaysia Agreement was signed by the governments of the United Kingdom, Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak.
	31 July	Manila Accord was signed by the governments of Malaya (now Malaysia), Indonesia and, Philippines.
	16 September	Malaysia established. Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya merged to form Malaysia.
1965	May	Lee Kuan Yew began campaigning for a Malaysian Malaysia.
	7 August	Singapore and Malaysia signed a separation agreement.
	9 August	The Malaysian Parliament voted to expel Singapore from the Federation.
1966	7 February	Exchange of notes by the government of Malaysia (formerly Malaya) and Philippines constituting an agreement relating to the implementation of the Manila Accord of 31 July 1963.
1967	February	Communist insurgency in Malaysia (1968–89): A renewed insurgency was conducted by the Malayan Communist Party against Malaysian federal security forces.
1969	10 May	1969 Malaysian general election: The third general election since independence was held in West Malaysia.
	13 May	13 May Incident: Ethnic riots between Malays and Chinese took place in Kuala Lumpur.
	14 May	A state of emergency and accompanying curfew were declared throughout the country.
	16 May	The state of emergency and curfew were lifted.
1970		Rukun Negara, the national philosophy was instituted by royal proclamation on Merdeka Day, after the May 13 Incident in 1969.
1971		An affirmative action program known as the Malaysian New Economic Policy was launched by the Malaysian government.
1974	1 February	Designation of first Federal Territory.
1975	5 August	1975 AIA building hostage crisis: Japanese Red Army took more than 50 hostages at the AIA building, which housed several embassies.
1977	8 November	1977 Kelantan Emergency: The state of emergency was declared by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) on 8 November 1977 upon the request of the federal government following a political impasse and street violence in Kelantan.[9]
1979	21 December	Pedra Branca dispute: Singapore lodged a formal protest with Malaysia in response to a map published by Malaysia in 1979 claiming Pedra Branca.
1982	1 January	The time zone in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore changed to UTC+08:00 and has not changed since.
	1 May	The time zone in East Malaysia changed to UTC+08:00 and has not changed since.
1984	16 April	Labuan became a Federal Territory of Malaysia.
1985	19 November	Memali Incident: A team of 200 policemen under orders from the Acting Prime Minister and Home Minister Musa Hitam laid siege to kampung (village) houses in Memali, near Baling in Kedah.
1987	27 October	Operation Lalang: An operation was carried out by the Malaysian police to crack down on opposition leaders and social activists.
1988		1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis: A series of events began which would lead to the eventual removal of the Lord President of the Federal Court.
1991	4 October	The Kuala Lumpur Tower official ground-breaking.
	1 November	The Kuala Lumpur International Airport official ground-breaking.
1993		The Parliament passed amendments to the Constitution with the aim of stripping the royalty of legal immunity.
	1 February	Kuala Lumpur International Airport construction began.
1994	1 January	Petronas Towers construction commenced.
1996	1 January	Petronas Twin Towers completed.
		Kuala Lumpur International Airport opened to public service.
	1 May	The Kuala Lumpur Tower completed.
	1 June	Astro was launched as Malaysia's first subscription-based satellite television station
1997	1 January	Asian financial crisis: Malaysia slipped into recession.
1998	1 January	Petronas Towers opened to public service of Aquaria KLCC, Suria KLCC and Petronas Philharmonic Hall.
	11 September	Opening ceremony of the 16th Commonwealth Games held in Kuala Lumpur
		The Kuala Lumpur National Stadium officially opened by Prime Minister Tun Doctor Mahathir Bin Mohamad.
1999	29 January	Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim replaced by Abdullah Badawi as Deputy Prime Minister.

21st century

Year	Date	Event
2000	December	Gunung Mulu National Park and Kinabalu Park became UNESCO World Heritage Sites of nature.
2001	1 January	The Kuala Lumpur Central Station officially opened.
	1 February	Putrajaya was declared as a Federal Territory Putrajaya was handed over from the Selangor state authorities.
	4 March	Breakout of racial riot between Malay and Indian in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
	8 September	Opening ceremony of the 21st Southeast Asian Games held in Kuala Lumpur
2003	31 October	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became the new Prime Minister of Malaysia.
	23 May	Pedra Branca dispute resolved. Singapore gained sovereignty over Pedra Branca; Malaysia gained sovereignty over Middle Rocks.
	26 August	2008 Permatang Pauh by-election: Marked the significant return of Anwar Ibrahim to politics after his incasceration of 10 years. Anwar won the election and was sworn into Parliament on 28 August 2008, vowing to topple the government with the help of defectors from Barisan Nasional.
	12 December	Penang and Malacca City became a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site, citing as the Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca.
2009	3 February	2009 Perak constitutional crisis: Began when three Pakatan Rakyat state legislators defected, causing a collapse of the state government.
2012	6 July	Lenggong became a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2013	11 February	2013 Lahad Datu standoff: Sulu Militants' attempt to siege Lahad Datu District from Sabah, Malaysia.
2014	27 January	Kajang Move: The attempted replacement of Khalid Ibrahim as Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Selangor with Anwar Ibrahim starts a political crisis.
	8 March	Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared.
	17 July	Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 people aboard.
	23 September	Kajang Move: The crisis concludes with the appointment of Parti KeADILan Rakyat Deputy President, Azmin Ali, as Menteri Besar.
2015	5 June	18 people were killed in the Sabah earthquake
2017	13 February	Kim Jong-nam assassinated at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.[10]
2018	9 May	Barisan Nasional defeated by Pakatan Harapan, first change of governing coalition since independence.
2020	4 February	First Malaysian infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)[11]
	24 February	Mahathir Mohamad resigns as the seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia.[12]

References

1. Research on the Early Malay Doctors 1900–1957 Malaya and Singapore, By Faridah Abdul Rashid
2. John Penrose Barton; Commission of the European Communities (1987). Neutron radiography: proceedings of the second world conference, Paris, France, June 16–20, 1986. D. Reidel. ISBN 978-90-277-2495-3.
3. Andaya, Barbara Watson; Andaya, Leonard Y. (1982). A History of Malaysia. London: MacMillan Press Ltd. pp. 26–28, 61, 151–152, 242–243, 254–256, 274. ISBN 0-333-27672-8.
4. Notes on the Larut Disturbances by Khoo Kay Kim, A history of Perak, Sir Richard Olof Winstedt, Richard James Wilkinson, Sir William Edward Maxwell, republished by Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1974, PPiv&v
5. History of Malaya, 1400–1959, Joginder Singh Jessy, Jointly published by the United Publishers and Peninsular Publications, 1963, P151
6. A portrait of Malaysia and Singapore, Soo Hai Ding Eing Tan, Oxford University Press, 1978, ISBN 0195807227, ISBN 9780195807226, PP78&123
7. The Malayan tin industry to 1914: with special reference to the states of Perak, Selangor, Negri, Sembilan, and Pahang by Lin Ken Wong, Published for the Association for Asian Studies by the University of Arizona Press, 1965, P27
8. "Malayan Emergency", Britain's Small Wars accessed 17 November 2013
9. Cheah, Boon Kheng. Malaysia: The Making of a Nation. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 179. ISBN 978-981-230-175-8.
10. "Kim Jong-nam killed by VX nerve agent". theguardian. 24 February 2017.
11. "First Malaysian tests positive for Wuhan coronavirus | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
12. "Dr Mahathir resigns". New Straits Times. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.