Important Dates [1] [9] [11] [13]

Date Events

2000 B.C. Maritime trade links are established between India and Southeast Asia. Hindu influences begin to spread throughout kingdom.

A.D. 1–99 Kingdom of Funan is established in the lower Mekong Delta.

150 European knowledge of the Malay Peninsula is confirmed in Ptolemy’s book Geographia. It is likely that Romans visited the region during trading expeditions to India and China.

200 Langasuka, one of the first Hindu-Malay kingdoms, is established around the area known as Kedah. It lasts in one form or another until the 15th century.

600 From southern Sumatra, most likely around Palembang, the Buddhist Srivijaya Empire dominates Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Borneo for six centuries.

1000 With the arrival of Arab merchants, Islam spreads through the region.

1303 The Terengganu Stone records the establishment of Islamic law.

1402 Parameswara establishes the kingdom of Melaka.

1409 Parameswara marries an Islamic princess and adopts the Persian title Iskandar Shah.

1442–45 The Melaka ruler adopts Islam and takes title of Sultan.

1450 The Melaka tin coin, the earliest known indigenous coin of the Malay states, is minted.

1511 Portuguese Admiral Alfonso d’Albuquerque seizes Melaka.

1641 Dutch capture Melaka from Portugal.

1786 Sir Francis Light acquires Penang for the British East India Company.

1826 Having swapped Bencoolen on Sumatra for the Dutch-controlled Melaka, the British East India Company combines this with Penang and Singapore to create the Straits Settlement.

1841 James Brooke becomes the first White Rajah.

1847 Brooke puts down Chinese rebellion.

1868 Death of James Brooke. Charles Brooke become 2nd White Rajah. puts down Chinese rebellion.

1874 Treaty of Pangkor signed. Sir James Birch is installed as Perak’s first British Resident.

1877 Rubber tree is introduced to Malaysia via Brazil, Kew Gardens, and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

1888 Sarawak and Sabah become British protectorates.

1896 Creation of Federated Malay States.

1909 Unfederated Malay States formed.

1917 Charles Vyner Brooke become the 3rd and last White Rajah.

1926 Singapore/Malay Union formed.

1930s Chinese begin to join the Malay Communist Party.

1941 Japanese invade Malaysia and Singapore.

1945 Japanese surrender. British reoccupy Borneo, Malaya, and Singapore.

1948 Federation of Malaya replaces the Malayan Union.

1957 Malaya gains independence. Tunku Abdul Rahman becomes the first prime minister.

1959 Singapore is granted internal self-government.

1963 Malaysia established. Brunei opts out.

1965 Singapore leaves the federation and becomes an independent state.

1967 Malaysia and Singapore establish the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

1981 Mahathir bin Mohamed becomes prime minister and remains in office for 22 years.

1997 Malaysia’s economy is hit in the Asian Economic Crisis.

2001 Malaysia’s worst ethnic clashes in decades occur between Malays and ethnic Indians.

2004 Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi wins landslide general election victory.

2005 Smoke from forest fires on the island of Sumatra engulfs central areas and prompts a state of emergency.

2009 Badawi steps down as prime minister and is replaced by Najib Abdul Razak.

2010 Malaysia Court allows non-Muslims to use the word “Allah” to refer to God. Religious tensions increase following this decision.

2013 Appeal court rules non-Muslims cannot use the word “Allah” to refer to God, even in their own faith’s practice, overturning 2010 ruling.