THE RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM

(PERAK )

Masilah Binti Matusin

KEY POINTS IN THIS CHAPTER

1. How the Residential System worked

2. The Residents of Perak

3. The advantages and disadvantages of the Residential System

LESSON OUTLINE• What was the Residential System

• The resident’s position : in theory & in practice

• Problem faced by the Resident

• The role of the Resident

• The Residential System in Perak :

1. J.W.W. Birch

2. J.G. Davidson

3. H. Low

• Compare J.W.W. Birch with H. Low

• Advantages of the Residential System

• Disadvantages of the Residential System

RECAPPED

Policy of NON-INTERVENTION

Policy of INTERVENTION

What was the RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM?

• Resulted from PANGKOR AGREEMENT

• The system of governing with assistance from a Resident

SELANGOR

J.G DAVIDSONPERAK

J.W.W BIRCH

PAHANG

J.P RODGER

NEGRI SEMBILAN

MARTIN LISTER

The Resident advised the sultan on all matters except

those to do with Malay customs or religion

STRUCTURE OF THE RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM

The Residents position

• In Theory

• The Resident was only supposed to advise the sultan on government matters

• In practice

• The Resident GOVERNED in the name of the Sultan

Problems faced by the Resident

• No army or police force to assist them

• Depend on the support and power of the Sultan for their advice to be acted upon

• They had to bring changes but must be beneficial for the locals

• To change BUT had to avoid offending the sultan and not to criticized local custom and practice

The role of RESIDENT1. Sultans should consult Residents on all

matters except those to do with Malay customs or religion

2. Advise on the collection and control of revenue

3. Responsible for setting up systems for more efficient collection of the state’s revenue

1. Encouraging economic growth in the state to create maximum wealth

2. To restore and maintain peace in the state

3. The Residents did not rule the state but only stay in office

The Residential System in PERAK

J.W.W

BIRCH • Perak’s 1st Resident in November 1874

• An efficient & able civil servant (Sri Lanka & Straits Settlement)

1St

J.W.W. BIRCH

He did not speak Malay

He had a very poor opinion of the value of Malay custom and opinions

He was intolerant and arrogant personal manner

ACTIVITY

(Perak)Ask the students to do

1. if there any changes after the introduction of the Residential System

2. Do mind-mapping on the policies implement by JWW Birch

What happened in PERAK ???

BEFORE(THE PANGKOR ENGAGEMENT or RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM)

Sultan ABDULLAH allowed some of the chiefs to collect their own taxes

Agreement by farming out revenue collection to the Chinese citizen of Singapore, TAN KIM CHENG ($15,000 a year collected by the Sultan)

AFTER(THE INTRODUCTION OF THE RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM)

Birch introduced some CHANGES in Perak

Economic Changes• Declared Abdullah’s FARMING OUT OF

REVENUE collection = ILLEGAL

• Perak Chiefs NOT ALLOWED to collect taxes

• Need Birch’s permission to collect revenue

• Introduced new taxes & licence fees

RESULT

•

CHIEFS’ INCOME

• Led to great RESENTMENT (dislike)

Administrative Changes• Announced a new Code of Civil & Criminal

Law

• Penghulu British resident

local chiefs

Sultan

British Judge

RESULT

EFFECTIVE control of the judiciary in

British hands

Social Changes

He put an END to DEBT SLAVERY

RESULT

The Sultan & chiefs felt British SHOULD NOT have any say in the matter because

debt slavery was a MALAY CUSTOM

Changed of GOVERNOR in Perak

SIR ANDREW CLARKE (governor)

SIR WILLIAM JERVOIS (NEW governor)

• Sir Jervois insisted Sultan Abdullah to accept J.W.W. Birch as a QUEEN COMMISSIONER (rule Perak in the name of the Sultan)

• PENSIONS Sultan

Malay Chiefs

(LOSS POWER)

• Sultan Abdullah was FORCED to agree in OCTOBER 1875

GIVEN

The murder of Birch

•Lets watch a video together……

ACTIVITY

Answer the questions prepare by the teacher

What happened???

• Birch was killed on NOVEMBER 1875, as he bathed at PASIR SALAK

• Killed by

MAHARAJALELA

DATO SAGOR

PANDAK INGUT

RESULT1. Jervois launched a series of attacks on Perak

(Penang,Singapore,India & Hong Kong)

2. July 1876 – those involved in the murder were captured & punished severely :

a) Sultan Abdullah, Raja Ismail & other chiefs was deposed & sent into EXILE

b) Maharajalela, Dato Sagor & Pandak Ingut were HANGED

• Raja Yusof became REGENT

SULTAN of PERAK

• William Jervios was REPRIMANDED by the British government (forcing Sultan Abdullah into accepting Birch as a Queen’s Commissioner)

ACTIVITYDo mind-mapping on :

Reasons for Birch’s murders

PART 2

RECAPPED

J.G DAVIDSON• He was a Singapore

lawyer

• He was Resident of Selangor before came to Perak

• He was appointed to replace Birch (1875)

2nd

H.LOW • February 1877- he was appointed

as the new PERAK Resident

• He was 53 year old that time

• 30 years experiences as administrator in South East Asia

• He was fluent in Malay

• He had GREAT respect for Malay customs & traditions

• He was tolerant & understand the Malays

3rd

H.LOW BELIEVES……….

• Develop a trusting & friendly relationship between the Resident & the Malay chiefs

H.LOW made PERAK….

Hostile & bankrupt

Most prosperous

H.LOW’S WORK

POLITICAL

The members were appointed by the sultan after advice from the Resident

Membership included representative from

• Malay• British • Chinese

State Council

ADVISORY

JUDICIAL POWER

EXECUTIVE POWER

• By 1899 – member = 12

BUT The control of revenue in the

hand of RESIDENT

STATE COUNCIL

ECONOMIC

• Resident controlled the revenue

• 1884 – abolished debt slavery

• Laws for regulating land usage & introduced registered land titles

• Improved communication

• Improvement in agriculture

RESULT

Stable PERAK

Attracted investors

BANKRUPTCY

ADMINISTRATION

• Divided Perak into districts controlled by officers

Courts of Justice

European Malay

ACTIVITYAsk students to do mind-mapping on policies implement by H.Low

RECAPPED

ACTIVITYWHY J.W.W. BIRCH FAILEDBUT H.LOW SUCCESSES ?

JWW BIRCH vs H.LOWJ.W.W BIRCH

• Did not speak Malay• Poor opinion of the value of

Malay customs and opinion• Intolerant & sometime

arrogant personal manner

• “it concerns us little what were the old customs of the country…I consider that they are not worthy of any consideration”

H. LOW

• Fluent in Malay• Great respect for Malay

customs & traditions• Tolerant & understanding

approach to the Malays

• Developing a trusting & friendly relationship between the Resident and the Malay chiefs

ACTIVITYWHY J.W.W. BIRCH FAILEDBUT H.LOW SUCCESSES ?

(Pre-activity)

ACTIVITYDo a table of Hugh Low’s achievement as

the British Resident in Perak ?(Pre-activity)

ACTIVITYADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES

(Pre-Activity)

ADVANTAGES :

1. Political stability & enforcement of law and order

2. More effective government

3. Substantial economic growth

4. Greater revenue & higher standard of living

5. Malaya became a more Multi-Cultural society

6. Increase in Malaya’s population

DISADVANTAGES :

1. No uniformity of government

2. Resident become increasingly powerful at the expense of the local sultans and chiefs

3. There were varying amounts of economic growth within the 4 states

Summary

• Resulted from PANGKOR AGREEMENT

• The system of governing with assistance from a Resident

• Perak – J.W.W. BIRCH

• Selangor – J.G. DAVIDSON

• Pahang – J.P. RODGER

• Negri Sembilan – MARTIN LISTER

• The Resident advised the sultan on all matters except those to do with Malay customs or religion

STRUCTURE OF THE RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM

British residents in Perak

Developing a trusting & friendly relationship between the Resident and the Malay chiefs

I resigned

1St

2nd

3rd

it concerns us little what were the old customs of the country…I consider that they are not worthy

of any consideration”

J W W BIRCHHe did not speak Malay

He had a very poor opinion of the value of Malay custom and opinions

He was intolerant and arrogant personal manner

H.LOW• 30 years experiences as administrator in

South East Asia

• He was fluent in Malay

• He had GREAT respect for Malay customs & traditions

• He was tolerant & understand the Malays

Birch introduced some CHANGES in Perak

J W W BIRCH VS H.LOWJ W W BIRCH

• Did not speak Malay• Poor opinion of the value of

Malay customs and opinion• Intolerant & sometime

arrogant personal manner

• “it concerns us little what were the old customs of the country…I consider that they are not worthy of any consideration

H. LOW

• Fluent in Malay

• Great respect for Malay customs & traditions

• Tolerant & understanding approach to the Malays

• Developing a trusting & friendly relationship between the Resident and the Malay chiefs

ADVANTAGES

1. Political stability & enforcement of law and order

2. More effective government

3. Substantial economic growth

4. Greater revenue & higher standard of living

5. Malaya became a more Multi-Cultural society

6. Increase in Malaya’s population

DISADVANTAGES

1. No uniformity of government

2. Resident become increasingly powerful at the expense of the local sultans and chiefs

3. There were varying amounts of economic growth within the 4 states

ACTIVITY ONSUMMARY

Ask the students to do group work on mind-mapping

1. Residential System2. JWW Birch3. H.Low4. Advantages of the Residential System5. Disadvantages of the Residential System

QUESTIONS

Homework

Hope you enjoy the lesson