1939 in Malaya
# 1939 in Malaya

This article lists important figures and events in the public affairs of British Malaya during the year 1939, together with births and deaths of prominent Malayans.

## Incumbent political figures

### Central level

* Monarch : King George VI
* Governor of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner to the Malay States:
   * Shenton Whitelegge Thomas
* Secretary of the Federated of Malay States :
   * Christopher Dominic Ahearne (until unknown date)
   * Hugh Fraser (until unknown date)

### State level

**Straits Settlements**

* Penang :
   * Residents-Councillors : Arthur Mitchell Goodman
* Malacca :
   * Residents-Councillors :

**Federated Malay States**

* Selangor :
   * British Resident of Selangor :
      * Stanley Wilson Jones (until unknown date)
      * G. M. Kidd (from unknown date)
   * Sultan of Selangor : Sultan Sir Hishamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj
* Negri Sembilan :
   * British Resident of Negri Sembilan :
      * Gordon Lupton Ham (until unknown date)
      * John Vincent Cowgill (from unknown date)
   * Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan : Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad
* Pahang :
   * British Resident of Pahang : C. C. Brown
   * Sultan of Pahang : Sultan Abu Bakar
* Perak :
   * British Resident of Perak :
      * G. E. Cater (until unknown date)
      * Marcus Rex (from unknown date)
   * Sultan of Perak : Sultan Abdul Aziz Al-Mutasim Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Raja Muda Musa I

**Other states**

* Perlis :
   * Raja of Perlis : Syed Alwi Syed Saffi Jamalullail
* Johore :
   * Sultan of Johor : Sultan Ibrahim Al-Masyhur
* Kedah :
   * Sultan of Kedah : Abdul Hamid Halim Shah
* Kelantan :
   * Sultan of Kelantan : Sultan Ismail Sultan Muhammad IV
* Trengganu :
   * Sultan of Trengganu : Sulaiman Badrul Alam Shah

## Events

* 13 January – Chung Cheng High School was founded.
* 15 January – Establishment of Kluang High School.
* Unknown date – SJK(T) Bandar Mentakab was founded.
* Unknown date – The Malayan Dollar was introduced, replacing the Straits Dollar.
* Unknown date – Construction completed on Istana Bukit Serene, Johor.

## Births

* 16 January – Mohammed Hanif Omar – 4th Inspector-General of Police (1974-1994)
* 26 March – Latifah Omar – actress (died 2013)
* 8 April – Lim Keng Yaik - Politician (died 2012)
* 14 April – Razali Ismail – Diplomat
* 3 June – Lee Shin Cheng, Malaysian business magnate, investor and philanthropist (died 2019)
* 4 June – Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir – Politician
* 26 June – Zainuddin Maidin, Malaysian politician (died 2018)
* July – Azman Hashim – Chairman of Arab-Malaysian Bank (AmBank)
* 3 July – Rahim Razali – actor, director, producer, and sports commentator
* 21 July – Abdul Hamid Othman – Politician (died 2011)
* 23 August – Rejabhad – Cartoonist
* 10 October – Zainal Abidin Ahmad - Politician (died 2010)
* 5 November – Ismail bin Abbas – Novelist
* 13 November – S. Othman Kelantan – National Laureate (died 2008)
* 26 November – Abdullah Ahmad Badawi – Politician and former 6th Prime Minister of Malaysia
* 17 December – Nik Safiah Karim – Lecturer and grammarian
* Unknown date – Othman Hafsham – Film director
* Unknown date – Redza Piyadasa – actor, art critic and art historian (died 2007)
