Perlis
Perlis, (
Jawi:بيرلس) in full
Perlis Indera Kayangan, is the smallest state in
Malaysia. It lies at the northern part of the west coast of
Peninsular Malaysia and has
Thailand on its northern border.
The population was estimated as 198,335 in the year 2000. The ethnic breakdown was Malay (166,200 or 78%), Chinese (24,000, or 17%), Indian (3,700), Other (5,400), Other
bumiputra (600).
The capital of Perlis is
Kangar and the royal capital is
Arau. Another important town is
Padang Besar, at the Malaysian-Thai border. The main port is the small village of
Kuala Perlis. Perlis has a snake farm and Gua Kelam as tourist attractions, as well as the small yet beautiful
Perlis State Park .
Perlis was originally part of
Kedah, although it occasionally came under rule by
Siam or
Aceh. After the Siamese conquered Kedah in
1821, the British felt their interests in
Perak to be treatened. This resulted in the
1826 Burney and Low Treaties formalising relations between the two Malay states and Siam, their nominal overlord. In the
Burney Treaty, the exiled Kedah sultan Ahmad Tajuddin was not restored to his throne. Sultan Ahmad and his armed supporters then fought unsuccessfully for his restoration over twelve years (
1830-
1842).
In
1842, the Sultan finally agreed to accept Siamese terms, and was restored to his throne of Kedah. However, Siam separated Perlis into a separate principality directly vassal to
Bangkok. Syed Hussain Jamalulail, of
Arab descent and grandson of the Sultan of Kedah, became the first
Raja of Perlis. His descendants still rule Perlis, but as rajas, instead of as sultans.
As with Kedah, the
Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 forced Siam to relinquish its southern Malay vassal states to
Great Britain. The British installed a
Resident in the Perlis royal capital of Arau. Perlis was returned to Siam by the Japanese in
World War II as a reward for Siam's alliance with
Japan, but this brief annexation ended with the Japanese surrender. After World War II, Perlis returned to British rule until it became part of the
Malayan Union, and the
Federation of Malaysia in
1957.
Since
2000, the
Raja or hereditary monarch has been
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, who is concurrently the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong of
Malaysia. The Regent of Perlis, since December
2001, has been Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra. The Chief Executive or
Menteri Besar is Dato' Seri Shahidan Kassim of
Barisan Nasional, a former civil servant.
In recent years, the state government's conservative
Islamic policies on numerous social issues have created controversy.
The state economy is dominated by agriculture, with
rice,
sugar and fruits predominating. Forestry and fishery is also important, and the state is making efforts to attract small and medium scale manufacturing.
*
Official Perlis State Government web site*
Web site of His Majesty, the Raja of Perlis*
Articles on Perlis*
Perlis caves and tin mines*
Virtual Perlis Web information 
