Book: Sikh Pioneers of Perlis, Malaysia 1906-1957: A Community History
Author: D.S. Ranjit Singh Darar
Introduction
Perlis is the smallest and northernmost state of the Federation of Malaysia which comprises of 13 states. From the remote past to 1839, Perlis was a jajahan (province/dependency) of the Malay kingdom of Kedah and from 1839 to 1843, a direct principality of Siam. Perlis was created as a sovereign kingdom by Siam in 1843 when it elevated the Governor of the principality, Syed Hussein Jamalullail to the position of a sovereign ruler. The circumstances that led to the transformation of Perlis from a jajahan of Kedah to that of a sovereign kingdom in its own right in 1843 are embedded in the developments that took place in Kedah from 1821 to 1842.
Kedah is probably the most ancient kingdom in Malaysia. It experienced a marked process of Indianization and was a great center of civilization from the first to the thirteenth centuries. After this period, its power began to wane and it was obliged to acknowledge Siam’s overlordship till 1909, Siam’s control over Kedah during this long period was, however not continuous as it was punctuated by the oscillations of Siamese power itself and the periodic attempts by Kedah to chart an independent course for itself.
The Beginnings of Modern Government in Perlis, 1905
The throne of Perlis passed on to Raja Syed Alwi in 1905. Perlis, like Kedah, was also facing serious financial problems. In 1905, the revenues of the state were too meagre to pay for the upkeep of the administration. As such, Raja Syed Alwi decided to ask for a loan from Siam. On 4 October 1905, a Loan Agreement was signed between the two parties whereby Siam agreed to provide a loan of $260,000 to Perlis at six percent interest per annum. One condition accompanying the Loan Agreement was that the state of Perlis had to accept a Financial Adviser of British nationality appointed by Siam. The Financial Adviser was to oversee the administration of the state, especially in matters relating to finance. Another condition imposed by Siam on Perlis (and Kedah) was that it was required to established a State Council where the British Financial Adviser appointed by Siam would act as the Secretary to the said body.
Administrative Changes Instituted by A.H. Duke, 1906
In 1906, A.H. Duke [appointed Financial Adviser by Siam in December 1905, under who’s supervision, from 1905 to 1909, the administration of Perlis underwent further changes] took measures to reorganise and upgrade the administrative system in Perlis. His immediate focus was to overhaul the revenue system of the state. An important reform he instituted was the abolition of the revenue farms, with the exception of the opium farm. This measure was undertaken to enable the government to collect its own customs duties.
Another matter that Duke had to deal with immediately was the high rate of crime in the state, mainly associated with cattle theft. A major export of Perlis at that time was cattle which was brought across from Singora, Siam, and shipped to Penang. However, due to the undefined border between Perlis and Setul, especially the long jungle frontier with Singora, cattle theft was rampant’. Duke, therefore, saw the urgent need to establish a well organised and well manned prison depdttment.
Another great need was a hospital or a dispensary to provide medical services to the general public, the civil servants, and the prisoners. At the same time, the state had to establish a police force to maintain law and order, Measures to fulfil these needs were commenced by Duke in 1906 and it resulted in the creation of a Prison Department and a State Dispensary.
The Arrival of The First Sikh in Perlis, 1906
It was in this setting in 1906 when Perlis, still under Siamese suzerainty, was in the process of setting up a modern administration under the direction of Duke, that the state began to look for suitable personnel to fill some of the posts that were created.
It was in this context that the earliest Sikh arrived in Kangar and made his entry into the Perlis Civil Service in 1906 as a hospital dresser in the State Dispensary that was newly set up. (There was as yet no hospital in Perlis). He was a young man of 25 years, named Jagat Singh. He had been brought from Punjab, India by a well-known family in Penang in 1906 and made his way to Perlis where he was put in charge of the State Dispensary’”. In 1909, he was also appointed as head of the Prison Department which had employed 27 Sikh jail warders by then.
(Extracted with permission from Sikh Pioneers of Perlis, Malaysia 1906-1957: A Community History)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Emeritus Professor Dr D.S. Ranjit Singh Darar is currently affiliated to the College of Law, Government and International Studies, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah. From 1973 to 2004, Ranjit served with the Department of History, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, University of Malaya in various positions, including as Tutor (1973–79), Lecturer (1979–90), Associate Professor (1991–97) and Professor (1998–2004). Since 2006, Ranjit has been attached to the School of International Studies (SoIS), Universiti Utara Malaysia. His areas of specialization include Malaysian History (Sabah and Sarawak); Political History of Southeast Asia, especially Brunei; International Relations; and Strategic Studies. Among his major publications are: Brunei 1838–1983: The Problems of Political Survival (Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1984; reprinted, 1991) and The Making of Sabah 1865–1941: The Dynamics of Indigenous Society (Kuala Lumpur: University of Malaya Press, 2000, 3rd ed., 2011, Government of Sabah).
To purchase the book, click here.
RELATED STORY:
New Book: Sikh Pioneers of Perlis (Asia Samachar, 26 Sept 2023)
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
