The Anglo-Dutch Treaty 1824: Was the Partitioning of the Malay Archipelago Valid?

Abstract

The Anglo-Dutch Treaty 1824 was concluded between the British and the Dutch colonial powers without consideration of its effect on the sociopolitical situation of the Malay World (Nusantara). The Anglo-Dutch Treaty 1824 alienated Malay territories according to the desires of the colonial powers. This article discusses whether the British and the Dutch were in the position to divide the Malay World without the consent of the local sovereign rulers. The Anglo-Dutch Treaty 1824 merely defined the sphere of influence, not sovereignty/ownership of the Dutch and the British in the region. This article concludes by emphasising the enormous sociopolitical effects of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty 1824 to Nusantara in relation to the maritime boundary delimitations between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.