1948 in Malaya

Central level

• Governor of Malaya :
  • Edward Gent – (until 4 July)
  • Henry Gurney – (from 1 October)
• Chief Minister Federation of Malaya :
  • Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj (from 1 February)

State level

• Perlis :
  • Raja of Perlis : Syed Harun Putra Jamalullail
  • Menteri Besar of Perlis : Raja Ahmad Raja Endut (from 1 February)
• Johore :
  • Sultan of Johor : Sultan Ibrahim Al-Masyhur
  • Menteri Besar of Johore : Onn Jaafar
• Kedah :
  • Sultan of Kedah : Sultan Badlishah
  • Menteri Besar of Kedah : Mohamad Sheriff Osman (from 1 February)
• Kelantan :
  • Sultan of Kelantan : Sultan Ibrahim
  • Menteri Besar of Kelantan : Nik Ahmad Kamil Nik Mahmud
• Terengganu :
  • Sultan of Terengganu : Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah
  • Menteri Besar of Trengganu : Tengku Mohamad Sultan Ahmad
• Selangor :
  • Sultan of Selangor : Sultan Sir Hishamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj
  • Menteri Besar of Selangor : Hamzah Abdullah
• Penang :
  • Monarchs : King George VI
  • Residents-Commissioner :
    • Sydney Noel King (until unknown date)
    • Arthur Vincent Aston (from unknown date)
• Malacca :
  • Monarchs : King George VI
  • Residents-Commissioner : John Falconer
• Negri Sembilan :
  • Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan : Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad
  • Menteri Besar Negri Sembilan : Abdul Malek Yusuf (from 1 February)
• Pahang :
  • Sultan of Pahang : Sultan Abu Bakar
  • Menteri Besar of Pahang : Mahmud Mat (from 1 February)
• Perak :
  • British Adviser of Perak :
    • Arthur Vincent Aston (until unknown date)
    • James Innes Miller (from unknown date)
  • Sultan of Perak :
    • Sultan Abdul Aziz Al-Mutasim Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Raja Muda Musa I (until 27 March)
    • Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah (from 27 March)
  • Menteri Besar of Perak : Abdul Wahab Toh Muda Abdul Aziz (from 1 February)

• Early 1948 – The British government banned Angkatan Wanita Sedar (AWAS),^[1] together with several other political parties like PKMM and Hisbul Muslimin, accusing them of having connections to the Malayan Communist Party.
• 1 February – The Federation of Malaya was established, replacing the Malayan Union.
• 18 February – Keeper of the Rulers' Seal was established.
• 16 June – Three European estate managers were murdered at Sg. Siput, Perak, which led to the events on 19 June.
• 19 June – A state of emergency was declared in Malaya following Communist rebellions.
• 16 July – Leading Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) member Lau Yew was killed.
• 1 August – General Operations Force was founded as Jungle Squad.
• 6 October – Sir Henry Gurney was appointed High Commissioner of Malaya.
• 12 December – 25 civilians were killed by British soldiers at Batang Kali, Selangor.
• December – Kachau Village in Selangor was torched by the British to smoke out Communist guerillas.
• Unknown date – The Federal Legislative Council (Malaya) was established as the legislative body of the Federation of Malaya (predecessor of the Malaysian Parliament).
• Unknown date – The Malayan National Liberation Army was founded (dissolved in 1989).
• Unknown date – The Malaysian Red Crescent was founded as branches of the British Red Cross Society.
• Unknown date – The Melaka Warrior Monument was completed and unveiled.
• Unknown date – The Sedition Act 1948 was enacted.
• Unknown date – The Interpretation Acts 1948 was enacted.
• Unknown date – Federated Malay States Railways (FMSR) was dissolved and replaced by Malayan Railways.
• Unknown date – All-Malaya Council of Joint Action (AMCJA) was dissolved.

• 14 January – Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir – 11th Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan
• 17 January – Tajuddin Abdul Rahman – Politician
• 1 February – Mohd Effendi Norwawi – Politician
• 29 February – Khalid Salleh – Actor (died 2018)
• 23 June – Zakri Abdul Hamid – Scientist and academician
• 25 July – Rafeah Buang – Singer (died 2002)
• 28 August – Shaharuddin Abdullah – Footballer
• 19 December – Norlia Ghani – Actress

• 12 June – Sybil Kathigasu – Malayan Eurasian nurse who supported Anti-Japanese Resistance (born 1899)
• 4 July – Edward Gent – British High Commissioner for Malaya (1946-1948) (born 1895)
• 16 July – Lau Yew – Commander-in-chief of the Malayan People's Anti Japanese Army and prominent member of the Malayan Communist Party (born 1915)

• 1948
• 1947 in Malaya | 1949 in Malaya
• History of Malaysia