Linhan joined the Malayan civil service as a cadet in 1916 and served in various posts including District Officer,
Pekan (1925); acting British Adviser,
Kelantan (1931–1933); Assistant Adviser,
Johore (1934); and Secretary to the British Resident,
Perak (1937). After being interned in Singapore as a
POW (1942–1945), he returned to office in 1945 as Director of Education of the Malay States. In 1946, he was appointed constitutional adviser to the government and played a considerable part as a member of the working committee which drafted the Federation of Malaya agreement which established the Federation of Malaya in 1948. In 1948, he retired from the Malayan civil service and became Director of Museums of the Federation of Malaya (1949–1951). == Writer ==