Sir Harold Alfred MacMichael (15 October 1882 – 19 September 1969) was a British colonial administrator who served as High Commissioner for Palestine. Early life and career Educated at Bedford School, MacMichael graduated with a first from Magdalene College, Cambridge. After passing his civil service exam, he entered the Sudan Political Service in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. He then served in the Blue Nile Province until 1915, when he became a senior inspector of Khartoum Province. He rose to the position of civil secretary in 1926. In 1933, he became governor of Tanganyika until 1937. High Commissioner of Palestine The next year, he became High Commissioner of the British Mandate of Palestine and was blamed for sending at least 768 Jewish refugees aboard MV Struma to their deaths. During his tenure, MacMichael was the target of seven unsuccessful assassination attempts, mainly by the Lehi Group (the Stern Gang). In the last, both he and his wife narrowly escaped death in an ambush that the Stern Gang had mounted on 8 August 1944, on the eve of his replacement as High Commissioner. MacMichael also served a stint as High Commissioner of Malta. Malayan Union The British Military Administration had set to task of reviving pre-war plans for centralised control over the Malay states within days after British Allied forces landed in Singapore on 5 September 1945. MacMichael, who had completed his stint as High Commissioner of the British Mandate of Palestine, was empowered to sign official treaties with the Malay rulers over the Malayan Union proposal scheme. MacMichael made several visits to the Malay rulers, beginning with Sultan Ibrahim of Johor in October 1945. The Sultan quickly consented to MacMichael's proposal scheme, which was motivated by his strong desire to visit England at the end of the year. MacMichael paid further visits to other Malay rulers over the proposal and sought their consent over the proposal scheme. Many Malay rulers expressed strong reluctance in signing the treaties with MacMichael, partly because they feared the loss of their royal status and the prospect of their states falling into Thai political influence. It has to be mentioned that the Sultans signed under duress. The British were intent on securing their agreement and were willing to depose of any disagreeing Sultan if necessary. That all of the Malay Sultans signed with so little resistance can be attributed to a rather simple ploy by the British. They