Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements
Encyclopedia
The Legislative Council
of the Straits Settlements
was a legislature
formed on April 1, 1867, when the Straits Settlements was made a crown colony
. This allowed laws to be made swiftly and efficiently, as it was directly responsible to the Secretary of State for the Colonies
in London
, instead of being placed under a legislative hierarchy and answering to the Calcutta government based in India
. Letters patent
granted a colonial constitution
on February 4, which allocated much power to the Governor. He was assisted by an Executive Council and Legislative Council, the latter of which was entrusted with lawmaking in the colony, although the governor had a casting vote and the power of assent
and veto
on all legislation.
, and non-official members nominated by the Governor. These nominated members were intended to better represent the local people, including in its ranks Asia
n members. Consisting mostly of wealthy Asian business and professional leaders, they did not necessarily represent the collective will of the people, however. Beginning with just four members, it grew over the years, with Singaporean
members increasingly dominating the council to the displeasure of politicians from Malacca
and Penang
.
Despite obvious control by British subjects of European
descent, there was little opposition towards the system from the local Asian population, mainly attributed to apathy
. There were a few exceptions. Tan Cheng Lock
, a member of the Executive Council who had previously opposed several decisions made by the Legislative Council (such as the Aliens Ordinance of 1933 which restricted immigration) as anti-Chinese, called for popular representation through direct election
, and for the number of non-official members to be increased to a majority of the Legislative Council. Initiatives like these were unsuccessful, however, as there was little support from a society widely apathetic to local politics, with the Chinese population paying more attention towards growing their commercial and professional interests and in events which were occurring in China
, fuelled largely by the rise in Chinese nationalist
sentiments.
, the Repeal Act of 1946 dissolved the Straits Settlements, with Singapore becoming a crown colony in its own right, while Penang and Malacca became part of the Malayan Union
. With Singapore left on its own, the council became the legislature of its colonial government and was renamed the Legislative Council of Singapore
.
Legislative Council
A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
of the Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
was a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
formed on April 1, 1867, when the Straits Settlements was made a crown colony
Crown colony
A Crown colony, also known in the 17th century as royal colony, was a type of colonial administration of the English and later British Empire....
. This allowed laws to be made swiftly and efficiently, as it was directly responsible to the Secretary of State for the Colonies
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, instead of being placed under a legislative hierarchy and answering to the Calcutta government based in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
granted a colonial constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
on February 4, which allocated much power to the Governor. He was assisted by an Executive Council and Legislative Council, the latter of which was entrusted with lawmaking in the colony, although the governor had a casting vote and the power of assent
Assent
Assent can refer to:* A Belgian village between Bekkevoort and Diest.* Offer and acceptance* Royal Assent...
and veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
on all legislation.
Organisation
The Legislative Council was made of members in the Executive Council, the Chief JusticeChief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
, and non-official members nominated by the Governor. These nominated members were intended to better represent the local people, including in its ranks Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n members. Consisting mostly of wealthy Asian business and professional leaders, they did not necessarily represent the collective will of the people, however. Beginning with just four members, it grew over the years, with Singaporean
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
members increasingly dominating the council to the displeasure of politicians from Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
and Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
.
Despite obvious control by British subjects of European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
descent, there was little opposition towards the system from the local Asian population, mainly attributed to apathy
Apathy
Apathy is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical or physical life.They may lack a sense of purpose or meaning in...
. There were a few exceptions. Tan Cheng Lock
Tan Cheng Lock
Tun Dato Sri Sir Cheng-lock Tan, DPMJ, KBE was a Malaysian Chinese businessman and a key public figure who devoted his life to fighting for the rights and the social welfare of the Chinese community in Malaya...
, a member of the Executive Council who had previously opposed several decisions made by the Legislative Council (such as the Aliens Ordinance of 1933 which restricted immigration) as anti-Chinese, called for popular representation through direct election
Direct election
Direct election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person, persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are chosen depends upon the...
, and for the number of non-official members to be increased to a majority of the Legislative Council. Initiatives like these were unsuccessful, however, as there was little support from a society widely apathetic to local politics, with the Chinese population paying more attention towards growing their commercial and professional interests and in events which were occurring in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, fuelled largely by the rise in Chinese nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
sentiments.
Dissolution
After the World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Repeal Act of 1946 dissolved the Straits Settlements, with Singapore becoming a crown colony in its own right, while Penang and Malacca became part of the Malayan Union
Malayan Union
The Malayan Union was a federation of the Malay states and the Straits Settlements of Penang and Malacca. It was the successor to British Malaya and was conceived to unify the Malay Peninsula under a single government so as to simplify administration. The Malayan Union later became the independent...
. With Singapore left on its own, the council became the legislature of its colonial government and was renamed the Legislative Council of Singapore
Legislative Council of Singapore
The Legislative Council of Singapore was a Legislative Council in Singapore that assisted the Governor in making laws in Singapore. It officially came into existence in 1946, when the Repeal Act abolished the Straits Settlements, and Singapore became a Crown Colony on its own that would need its...
.