Perak

Perak is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is the second largest state in Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor southward and to the west by the Strait of Malacca.

Perak means silver in Malay. The name comes most probably from the silvery colour of tin. In the 1890s, Perak, with the richest alluvial deposits of tin in the world was one of the jewels in the crown of the British Empire. However, some say the name comes from the "glimmer of fish in the water" that sparkled like silver. The Arab honorific of the State is Darul Ridzuan, the Land of Grace.

Ipoh, the state capital of Perak, is known historically for its tin-mining activities until the drop of tin price, which has severely affected the state economy. The royal capital, however, is set in Kuala Kangsar, where the palace of the Sultan of Perak is located.

Map of Perak

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Early History

Legends tell of a Hindu-Malay kingdom called Gangga Negara in the northwest of Perak. Archaeological discoveries indicate that Perak has been inhabited since prehistoric times.

Perak Sultanate(1528-now)

1528 Negeri Perak Darur Ridzwan established.
1816 - 20 Jan 1874 Under Thai sovereignty.
20 Jan 1874 British protectorate
1 Jul 1896 Part of Federated Malay States.
Feb 1935 Dindings dependency of Penang merged into Perak.
26 Dec 1941 - 12 Sep 1945 Occupied by Japan (Malay Federation).
1 Apr 1946 Joins Malay Union (from 16 Sep 1963, Malaysia).


The modern history of Perak began with the fall of the Malacca Sultanate. The eldest son of the last Sultan of Melaka (Sultan Mahmud Shah), Raja Muzaffar Shah, fleeing the Portuguese conquest of 1511, established his own dynasty on the banks of the Sungai Perak (Perak River) in 1528. As the Perak area was extremely rich in tin, it was under almost continuous threat from outsiders.

Historically Perak's history actually began with the installation of Sultan Muzaffar Shah 1, who was a descendent of Sultan Mahmud Shah of Malacca, in the year 1528. Although the Perak Sultanate had formed the territorial powers were still in effect. The administrative method was an extension of the democratic feudal system of Malacca.

Perak became more prominent with the discovery of tin in Larut, Taiping in 1848 by Long Jaafar. With this discovery, Perak's economy boomed and more mining areas were brought into existence. In addition to tin ore, natural rubber also played an important role and is still being planted after the reign of 33 or 34 consecutive Sultans.

Dutch Colonization
The Dutch unsuccessfully attempted to monopolize the tin trade in the 17th century, and built forts at the mouth of the Perak River and on Pulau Pangkor.

Early history of the Dutch arrival in Perak began in 1641, when they captured the Straits of Malacca by taking control of tin-ore and spice trading. The Dutch attempted to monopolise the tin-ore tradings in Perak by influencing Sultan Muzaffar Syah, the Sultak, but did not succeed. They then turned to Sultanah Tajul Alam Safiatuddin, the Sultan of Aceh, to seek permission to trade in Perak. The event compelled the Sultan of Perak to sign the treaty, allowing the Dutch to build their plant in Kuala Perak on August 15, 1650, which caused dissatisfaction among the aristocracy of Perak.

In 1651, Temenggung and the people of Perak attacked and destroyed the Dutch plant. The Dutch were forced to leave their base in Perak.

In 1655, the Dutch sent a representative to Perak to renew the agreement made earlier and to seek compensation for the loss of their plant. Perak however did not honour the treaty and was thus surrounded by the Dutch. In retaliation, the people of Perak with Aceh, Ujung Salang, launched a surprise attack on the Dutch.

In 1670, the Dutch returned to Perak to build Kota Kayu, now known as Kota Belanda ("Dutch Fortress"), on Pangkor Island.

Perak agreed to the construction because of news that the Kingdom of Siam would be attacking the state. Nevertheless, in 1685, once again Perak attacked the Dutch on Pangkor Island and forced them to retreat and shut down their headquarters. The Dutch attempted to negotiate for a new treaty but failed.

British Colonization

In the 19th century, the Bugis, Acehnese, and the Thai all attempted to invade Perak. Only British intervention in 1820 prevented Siam from annexing Perak. Although the British were initially reluctant to establish a colonial presence in Malaya, increasing investment in the tin mines brought a great influx of Chinese immigrants, who formed rival clan groups allied with Malay chiefs and local gangsters, all of whom battled to control the mines. The Perak sultanate, involved in a protracted succession struggle, was unable to maintain order.

In her book The Golden Chersonese and The Way Thither (published 1892 G.P. Putnam's Sons) Victorian traveller and adventuress Isabella Lucy Bird (1831-1904) describes how Raja Muda Abdullah (as he then was) turned to his friend in Singapore, Tan Kim Ching. Tan, together with an English merchant in Singapore drafted a letter to Governor Sir Andrew Clarke which Abdullah signed. The letter expressed Abdullah's desire to place Perak under British protection, and "to have a man of sufficient abilities to show (him) a good system of government." In 1874, the Straits Settlements governor Sir Andrew Clarke convened a meeting on Pulau Pangkor, at which Sultan Abdullah was installed on the throne of Perak in preference to his rival, Sultan Ismail. This Pangkor Treaty also required that the sultan accept a British Resident, who would control all administrative issues other than those pertaining to religion or Malay custom. In 1875, various Perak chiefs assassinated the British Resident James W.W. Birch, resulting in the short-lived Perak War of 1876. Sultan Abdullah was exiled to the Seychelles, and the British installed a new ruler. The new resident, Sir Hugh Low, was well versed in the Malay language and customs, and proved to be a more capable administrator. He also introduced the first rubber trees to Malaya.

In 1896, Perak joined Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang to form the Federated Malay States. However, the British Resident system lasted until Perak became part of the Federation of Malaya in 1948.

Perak gained independence from the British on August 31, 1957 along with 10 other states in the Federation of Malaya. The federation was enlarged to form Malaysia on September 16, 1963 following the admission of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore. Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965.


Sultans¹

Perak is the only state in Malaysia that the prince (son) will not automatically be installed as the successor upon the demise of the Sultan (father). Currently, there are six people who possess the right to be the next Sultan - the Raja Muda, the Raja DiHilir, the Raja Kechil Besar, The Raja Kechil Sulung, the Raja Kechil Tengah and the Raja Kechil Bongsu. Although it is not predetermined, the Raja Muda is usually made the new Sultan by the Dewan Negara Perak, which comprises dignitaries of the State.

How did this happen? Well, historically the Perak Sultans after 1786 were the descendants of Sultan Ahmaddin Shah (18th Perak Sultan) when his three sons decided amongst themselves (diplomatically) for their respective progeny to take turns becoming the Sultan. We now have a unique system of ascendancy that involves three royal families.

Who select the state ruler? Dewan Negara Perak, which is made up of the Four State Chiefs, the Eight State Chiefs, the Sixteen State Chiefs, the deputies of the Eight State Chiefs and the Thirty Two State Chiefs. This comes to a total of 68 people within the Dewan Negara Perak.


1654 - 1720 Mahmud I Iskandar Shah Auliaullah (b. 1654 - d. 1720)
ibni al-Marhum Maulana Paduka
Sri Sultan Muzaffar
1654 - 9 Oct 1675 Sultana Ratu Taj ul-Alam -Regent
1720 - 1728 Aladdin Mughayat Riayat Shah ibni (d. 1728)
al-Marhum Raja Mansur
1728 - 1742 Muzaffar Shah III Jalalullah ibni (d. 1754)
al-Marhum Raja Mansur (1st time)
1742 - 1750 Muhammad Shah Aminullah ibni (d. 1750)
al-Marhum Raja Mansur
1750 - 30 Aug 1754 Muzaffar Shah III Jalalullah ibni (s.a.)
al-Marhum Raja Mansur (2ns time)
30 Aug 1754 - 14 Jul 1765 Iskandar Zukarnain Shah Kaharullah (d. 1765)
Khalifat ur-Rahman Johan Berdaulat
Zillullahi fil-Alam ibni al-Marhum
Sultan Muhammad Shah Amanullah
14 Jul 1765 - 17 Jun 1773 Mahmud II Shah ibni al-Marhum (d. 1773)
Sultan Muhammad Shah Amanullah
17 Jun 1773 - Sep 1792 Aladdin Mansur Iskandar Muda Shah (d. 1792)
Khalifat ur-Rahman Sulong ibni
al-Marhum Sultan Muhammad Shah
Amanullah
1786 - Sep 1792 Ahmadin Shah ibni al-Marhum
Sultan Muhammad Shah -Regent (d. 1806)
Sep 1792 - 1806 Ahmadin Shah ibni al-Marhum
Sultan Muhammad Shah (s.a.)
1806 - 18 Nov 1818 Abdul Malik Mansur Shah ibni
al-Marhum Sultan Ahmadin Shah (d. 1825)
18 Nov 1818 - 18 Aug 1825 Raja Tajuddin ibni Sultan Abdul
Malik Mansur Shah -Regent
18 Aug 1825 - 20 Dec 1830 Abdullah Muadzam Shah ibni
al-Marhum Sultan Abdul Malik (d. 1830)
Mansur Shah
20 Dec 1830 - 1851 Shahabuddin Riayat Shah ibni (d. 1851)
al-Marhum Raja Inu
1851 - 1857 Abdullah Muhammad Shah I
ibni al-Marhum Raja Inu (d. 1857)
1857 - 20 Mar 1865 Jaafar Safiuddin Muadzam Shah
ibni al-Marhum Raja Ahmad (d. 1865)
20 Mar 1865-25/26 May 1871 Ali al-Mukammal Inayat Shah ibni
al-Marhum Sultan Shahabuddin
Riayat Shah (d. 1871)
26 May 1871 - 20 Jan 1874 Ismail Muabidin Riayat Shah ibni
al-Marhum Syed Shaikh al-Khairat (d. 1889)
20 Jan 1874 - 30 Mar 1877 Abdullah Muhammad Shah II
ibni al-Marhum Sultan Jaafar
Safiuddin Muadzam Shah (b. 1842 - d. 1922)
30 Mar 1877 - 26 Jul 1887 Tuanku Yusuf Sharifuddin Mufdzal
Shah ibni al-Marhum Sultan (d. 1887)
Abdullah Muhammad Shah
(regent to 11 May 1887)
26 Jul 1887 - 14 Jan 1916 Tuanku Idris Murshidul Aadzam Shah
ibni al-Marhum Raja Bendahara
Alang Iskandar (b. 1849 - d. 1916)
14 Jan 1916 - 26 Oct 1918 Tuanku Abdul Jalil Nasruddin
Muhtaram Shah ibni al-Marhum
Sultan Idris Murshidul Aadzam (b. 18.. - d. 1918)
Shah
26 Oct 1918 - 14 Oct 1938 Tuanku Iskandar Shah ibni
al-Marhum Sultan Idris Murshidul
Aadzam Shah (b. 1881 - d. 1938)
14 Oct 1938 - 29 Mar 1948 Tuanku Abdul Aziz al-Mutasim
Billah Shah ibni al-Marhum Raja
Muda Musa (b. 1887 - d. 1948)
31 Mar 1948 - 4 Jan 1963 Tuanku Yusuf Izzuddin Shah ibni
al-Marhum Sultan Abdul Jalil
Nasruddin Muhtaram Shah (b. 1890 - d. 1963)
4 Jan 1963 - 31 Jan 1984 Tuanku Idris al-Mutawakkil Alallah
Shah ibni al-Marhum Sultan
Iskandar Shah Kadasaullah (b. 1924 - d. 1984)
3 Feb 1984 - Tuanku Azlan Muhibuddin Shah ibni
al-Marhum Sultan Yusuf Izzuddin
Shah Ghafarullahu-Lah (b. 1928)
26 Apr 1989 - 25 Apr 1994 Raja Nazrin -Regent (1st time) (b. 1956)
28 Jan 2008 - Raja Nazrin -Regent (2nd time) (s.a.)

¹Full style of the ruler: Duli Yang Maha Mulia Maulana Paduka Sri Sultan dan Yang di-Pertuan Negara Perak Darur Ridzwan ("Sultan and Head of the State of Perak").


British Residents
4 Oct 1874 - 2 Nov 1875 James Wheeler Woodford Birch (b. 1826 - d. 1875)
Nov 1875 - Mar 1876 Frank Athelstane Swettenham (b. 1850 - d. 1946)
(1st time)(acting)
11 Apr 1876 - 31 Mar 1877 James Guthrie Davidson
1 Apr 1877 - 31 May 1889 Hugh Low (from 1883, Sir Hugh Low) (b. 1824 - d. 1905)
1 Jun 1889 - 30 Jun 1896 Frank Athelstane Swettenham (s.a.)
(2nd time)
1 Jul 1896 - 12 Dec 1901 Sir William Hood Treacher (b. 1849 - d. 1919)
13 Dec 1901 - 9 Feb 1904 John Pickersgill Rodger (b. 1851 - d. 1910)
4 Nov 1903 - 7 Nov 1904 Henry Conway Belfield (b. 1855 - d. 1923)
(acting for Rodger)
10 Feb 1904 - 5 Mar 1911 Ernest Woodford Birch (b. 1857 - d. 1929)
15 Apr 1908 - 10 Dec 1908 Edward Lewis Brockman (b. 1865 - d. 1943)
(acting for Birch)
6 Jul 1910 - 30 Aug 1910 Oliver Marks (acting for Birch)
6 Dec 1910 - 31 Jan 1911 Edward Lewis Brockman (s.a.)
(acting for Birch)
6 Mar 1911 - 15 Dec 1911 Henry Conway Belfield (s.a.)
15 Dec 1911 - 9 Aug 1912 Oliver Marks (acting)
9 Aug 1912 - 12 Aug 1912 William James Parke Hume (b. 1866 - d. 1952)
(1st time)(acting)
12 Aug 1912 - 17 Sep 1919 Reginald George Watson (b. 1862 - d. 1926)
3 Apr 1914 - 8 Feb 1915 Oliver Marks (acting for Watson)
11 Nov 1916 - 23 Dec 1916 Oliver Marks (acting for Watson)
17 Sep 1919 - 12 Sep 1920 W. George Maxwell (b. 1871 - d. 1959)
(acting to 19 Dec 1919)
29 Jun 1920 - 13 Jul 1921 William James Parke Hume (s.a.)
(acting for Maxwell to 12 Sep 1921)
(2nd time)
14 Jul 1921 - 1925 Cecil William Chase Parr (b. 1871 - d. 1943)
20 Apr 1923 - 6 Sep 1923 F.A.S. McClelland (acting for Parr)
20 Dec 1925 - 1927 Oswald Francis Gerard Stonor (b. 1872 - d. 1940)
6 Jun 1927 - 1929 Henry Wagstaffe Thomson (b. 1874 - d. 1941)
1929 - 1930 Charles Walter Hamilton Cochrane (b. 1876 - d. 1932)
1931 - 1932 Bertram Walter Elles (b. 1877 - d. 1963)
1933 - 1939 Geoffrey Edmund Cator (b. 1884 - d. 1973)
1939 - 1941 Marcus Rex (b. 1886 - d. 1971)
Japanese Governors
1942 - 1943 Kubata Shun
194. - 1945 Takajiro
1945 Nomura
1945 Oda
British Resident Commissioners
1945 - 1946 ....
1946 - Dec 1947 Adolphe Charles Jomaron (b. 1893 - d. 1963)
1 Apr 1946 - 1946 V. Champion de Crespigny (d. 1952)
(acting for Jomaron)
8 Jul 1946 - Sep 1947 Arthur Vincent Aston (b. 1896 - d. 1981)
(acting for Jomaron)
Dec 1947 - Oct 1948 James Innes Miller (b. 1892 - d. 19..)
Nov 1948 - 1951 John Graham Black (b. 1896 - d. 19..)
1951 - 1955 I.W. Blelloch (b. 1901)
Mar 1953 - Dec? 1953 Edwin Cyril Geddes Barrett (b. 1909)
(acting for Blelloch)
Apr 1955 - Aug 1955 J.K. Creer (acting for Blelloch)
British Advisers
1955 - 1956 I.W. Blelloch (s.a.)
(from 1955, Sir I.W. Blelloch)
1956 - 1957 ....


Chief ministers (title Menteri Besar)

1 Feb 1948 - 1 Aug 1957 Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul (b. 1905 - d. 1959) BN
Aziz
1 Aug 1957 - 16 Apr 1960 Mohamed Ghazali bin Jawi (b. 1924) BN
(1st time)
16 Apr 1960 - 7 May 1964 Shaari bin Shafie (b. 1912) BN
7 May 1964 - 18 Mar 1970 Ahmad bin Said (b. 1919) BN
18 Mar 1970 - 4 Sep 1974 Kamaruddin bin Mohd Isa (b. 1930) BN
4 Sep 1974 - 1 Oct 1977 Mohamed Ghazali bin Jawi (s.a.)
(2nd time)
1 Oct 1977 - 1 Mar 1983 Wan Mohamed bin Wan Teh (b. 1929) BN
1 Mar 1983 - 3 Dec 1999 Ramli Ngah Talib (from May 1984,
Dato' Seri Ramli Ngah Talib; from
7 Jun 1989, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah
Talib) (b. 1941) UMNO/BN
3 Dec 1999 - 17 Mar 2008 Dato' Seri (from 11 Oct 2003,
Datuk Seri) Mohd Tajol Rosli
Ghazali (b. 1944) UMNO/BN
17 Mar 2008 - 6 Feb 2009 Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (from
19 Apr 2008, Datuk Seri Mohammad
Nizar Jamaluddin)(1st time) (b. 1957) PAS
6 Feb 2009 - 11 May 2009 Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir (1st time)(b. 1962) BN
11 May 2009 - 12 May 2009 Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar (s.a.) PAS
Jamaluddin (2nd time)
12 May 2009 - Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir (2nd time)(s.a.) BN



Related articles:
1. A brief history of Perak, www.angelfire.com/sc/SCOUTPERAK/history.html -