Missionary activities in the colonial world : Malaya case

Abstract

This paper reviews the importance of educational activities by missionary groups in Malaya through out the British rule. The existence of the missionaries is regarded as a supportive system in there-structuring of the colonial socio- cultural system as their existence went beyond these communities’ own principal target which was to convert the indigenous people in to Christianity. Proselytization was not explicitly allowed due to the treaties signed between the Malay sultanates and the British Colonial rulers, Notwitstanding, the very outset of the existence of the different missionary groups and their transmission of the Western religio-cultural values via schooling is pondered due to their cumulative impact on the socio-cultural life of the natives. With reference to this, the phenomenon of colonialism is described as missionization of the natives, not only in the sense of religious terminology, but is also viewed as the‘cultural force’ that led to the socio-cultural changes among these indigineous societies.