← 1938 1937 1936 1939 in Malaya → 1940 1941 1942
Decades:	1930s 1940s 1950s
See also:	Other events of 1939 History of Malaysia  • Timeline  • Years

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.^[1]
• 15 January – Establishment of Kluang High School.^[2][3]
• Unknown date – SJK(T) Bandar Mentakab was founded.
• Unknown date – The Malayan Dollar was introduced, replacing the Straits Dollar.^[4]
• Unknown date – Construction completed on Istana Bukit Serene, Johor.^[5]

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)^[6]
• 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)

Deaths