SEJARAH: Journal of the Department of History

INSTITUSI BENDAHARA DI PERAK (1528 – PASCAMERDEKA)

Megat Iskandar Megat Zaharuddin — 2025-12-30

Abstrak

Artikel ini meneroka evolusi sejarah institusi bendahara di Perak sejak penubuhannya pada tahun 1528 sehingga kini. Perak adalah salah sebuah negeri di Malaysia yang masih mengekalkan institusi bendahara dengan peranan dan fungsinya diperuntukkan secara jelas di dalam Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Perak. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menyelusuri sejarah institusi bendahara merentasi zaman dengan meneliti evolusi peranan dan keupayaannya untuk terus kekal relevan melalui arus pemodenan. Dengan Kesultanan Melayu Melaka sebagai rujukan utama, artikel ini juga bertujuan membincangkan cabaran dan adaptasi jawatan bendahara merentasi zaman, termasuk tempoh ketidakstabilan politik, pertikaian pewarisan takhta dan menghadapi pengaruh kuasa penjajah. Kajian ini penting dalam memahami peranan institusi bendahara dalam usaha mengekalkan kestabilan politik serta peranannya sebagai raja pemerintah interim apabila berlakunya kemangkatan Sultan atau takhta yang dikosongkan. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah kualitatif dari disiplin sejarah. Kajian kepustakaan dimanfaatkan bagi menganalisis sumber-sumber primer dan sekunder yang relevan dengan kajian. Tempoh kajian bermula sejak institusi kesultanan Perak diasaskan iaitu tahun 1528 sehinggalah kini. Hasil kajian mendapati, peranan dan tanggungjawab bendahara di Perak telah melalui perubahan dari segi kedudukan kuasa politik, kepimpinan dalam ketenteraa, kesan campur tangan penjajah termasuk kuasa asing sehingga evolusi peranannya pada hari ini sebagai ahli kanan Dewan Negara. Hakikatnya, artikel ini memartabatkan fungsi bendahara Perak yang terbukti mempunyai ketahanan dan keupayaan mengadaptasi arus pemodenan dan kekal sebagai simbol warisan sejarah yang unik bagi negeri Perak.

Kata kunci: Perak, bendahara, Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Perak, Dewan Negara

ABSTRACT

This article explores the historical evolution of the institution of bendahara in Perak since its establishment in 1528 to the present day. As a continuity from the Melakan Sultanate’s legacy, Perak is one of the few Malaysian states that has maintained the bendahara institution with its existence and functions explicitly outlined in the Perak State Constitution. This study traces the history of the bendahara – examining its role and ability to remain relevant in the face of modernisation. Using the Melakan Sultanate as the primary reference, this article analyses the bendahara’s functions and significance through its evolution throughout the years. It also addresses the challenges and adaptations of the bendaharaship over time including periods of political instability, succession disputes and the influence of colonial powers. This study is important in understanding the role of the Bendahara institution in maintaining political stability as well as its role as an interim ruler when the Sultan dies or the throne is vacated. This study uses qualitative methods from the discipline of history. Library research is utilized to analyze primary and secondary sources relevant to the study. The study period begins since the Perak sultanate was founded in 1528 until now. Through an analysis of the institution’s evolution, the article sheds light on the bendahara’s changing roles and responsibilities – from a position of significant political and military power, through impacts of colonial and foreign interventions, and to its modern-day function as a leading member of the Dewan Negara. Ultimately, this article demonstrates the resilience and adaptability of the bendaharaship as a symbol of Perak’s rich historical and cultural heritage.

Keywords: Perak, bendahara, Perak State Constitution , Dewan Negara

GERAKAN NASIONALISME MASYARAKAT BAJAU ERA PENJAJAHAN DI BORNEO UTARA, 1881-1945

Md Saffie Bin Abdul Rahim — 2025-12-30

Pada tahun 1881 Borneo Utara mula dijajah oleh pihak British melalui British North Borneo Chartered Company (BNBCC). Penjajahan ini telah mencetuskan semangat nasionalisme sehingga berlakunya penentangan terbuka dalam kalangan masyarakat Bajau di Borneo Utara. Penentangan masyarakat Bajau terhadap penjajah juga berlaku semasa era penjajahan Jepun pada tahun 1942. Artikel ini membincangkan gerakan nasionalisme masyarakat Bajau semasa era penjajahan di Borneo Utara dari tahun 1881 hingga 1945. Walaupun sejarah nasionalisme di Sabah sering kali dikaitkan dengan tokoh-tokoh seperti Mat Salleh dan Sarif Usman, peranan masyarakat Bajau sebagai pelopor semangat penentangan terhadap kuasa kolonial masih kurang diangkat dalam kajian sejarah arus perdana. Penulisan ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis peranan dan sumbangan masyarakat Bajau dalam menentang penjajahan British melalui pentadbiran British North Borneo Charterd Company (BNBCC) serta pendudukan Jepun. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif melalui analisis dokumen-dokumen sejarah, laporan kolonial, serta sumber lisan daripada komuniti tempatan. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa masyarakat Bajau di kawasan Teluk Darvel dan pulau-pulau sekitarnya telah menzahirkan semangat nasionalisme lebih awal berbanding kebangkitan Mat Salleh pada tahun 1890-an. Penentangan yang dipimpin oleh tokoh-tokoh seperti Maharajjah Lambi, Panglima Uddang, dan Panglima Abdullah mencerminkan keupayaan masyarakat Bajau dalam mempertahankan wilayah mereka daripada pencerobohan pihak kolonial. Selain itu, penentangan masyarakat Bajau terhadap pendudukan Jepun pada tahun 1942 juga membuktikan keteguhan semangat patriotisme dalam mempertahankan tanah air daripada kuasa asing. Signifikan kajian ini menekankan bahawa perjuangan masyarakat Bajau perlu diiktiraf sebagai sebahagian penting dalam sejarah nasionalisme di Sabah. Kajian ini mencadangkan agar lebih banyak kajian terperinci dan dokumentasi sejarah lisan dilakukan bagi menyingkap naratif yang tersembunyi mengenai gerakan nasionalisme masyarakat Bajau. Usaha ini penting bagi memperkukuh naratif sejarah tempatan dan menghargai sumbangan masyarakat Bajau dalam membentuk identiti dan kedaulatan Sabah.

AL-TARIKH SALASILAH NEGERI KEDAH: PERTIMBANGAN HISTORIOGRAFI TERHADAP FAKTA DAN PERISTIWA TERPILIH DALAM SEJARAH KEDAH

A Rahman Tang Abdullah — 2025-12-30

Makalah ini bertujuan membentangkan hasil dapatan yang diperoleh daripada analisis terhadap fakta-fakta dan peristiwa terpilih Sejarah melalui penggunaan Al-Tarikh Salasilah Negeri Kedah yang mewakili karya sastera Melayu tradisional sebagai sumber pensejarahan Negeri Kedah pada zaman pra-penjajahan. Pada dasarnya, Al-Tarikh Salasilah Negeri Kedah merupakan karya yang penting kerana ia boleh digunakan sebagai sumber prima dan sekunder dalam penulisan sejarah. Ini kerana karya ini merupakan sumber pensejarahan Melayu yang mengandungi fakta peristiwa sezaman yang paling popular dalam Sejarah Kedah sebelum abad ke-20. Kepentingan kajian ini terletak kepada persoalan sejauh manakah karya ini sebagai hasil penulisan yang dapat memenuhi ciri-cirinya sebagai sumber sejarah dalam pensejarahan Melayu khususnya bagi Negeri Kedah. Walau bagaimanapun, karya ini masih tertakluk kepada proses verifikasi atau proses menguji kesahihan fakta-fakta terpilih sebagaimana yang diguna pakai dalam penulisan sejarah konvensional. Oleh yang demikian, kaedah yang digunakan dalam penulisan ini akan berasaskan kepada analisis isi kandungan melalui proses verifikasi terhadap Al-Tarikh Salasilah Negeri Kedah sebagai sumber sejarah dengan rujukan kepada fakta-fakta dan peristiwa- peristiwa sejarah yang terpilih. Penulisan ini mengutarakan hujah bahawa kesahihan Al-Tarikh Salasilah Negeri Kedah sebagai sumber sejarah sangat bergantung kepada proses verifikasi yang dilakukan terhadapnya dalam penulisan sejarah pra-penjajahan Kedah. Ini membawa kepada kesimpulan bahawa kesahihan fakta-fakta peristiwa dalam Al-Tarikh Salasilah Negeri Kedah yang sebenarnya boleh menimbulkan persoalan kesahihanya setelah dijalankan proses verifikasi ke atasnya.

PROTO-RIPARIAN GOVERNANCE AND WATER SOVEREIGNTY IN THE AL- TARIKH SALASILAH NEGERI KEDAH

Mohd Firdaus Abdullah — 2025-12-30

This article reinterprets Al-Tarikh Salasilah Negeri Kedah as an early record of proto-riparian

governance in the Malay world. Moving beyond palace-centred readings that treat the text as a

mere genealogy of kingship, the study situates it within the broader history of environmental

law and political sovereignty in Southeast Asia. It argues that the Al-Tarikh Salasilah Negeri

Kedah preserves traces of indigenous water governance in the form of customary norms

regulating access, maintenance, and territorial demarcation. Episodes of river excavation, the

drawing of boundaries, and the collective management of waterways are interpreted as

expressions of early juridical consciousness embedded within the political imagination of the

Kedah court. The article identifies three foundational dimensions of this proto-riparian system.

First, water functioned as a legal commons that defined social obligation and responsibility

within the community. Second, rivers and canals operated as instruments of territorialisation

through which rulers inscribed authority upon the landscape. Third, collective labour in water

projects served as a mechanism of governance linking royal command with communal

stewardship. These dimensions reveal a coherent framework of customary water law that

predates colonial codifications and challenges the assumption that the regulation of water in

Malaysia began under British administration. By positioning the Al-Tarikh Salasilah Negeri

Kedah as an indigenous archive of environmental jurisprudence, the article reframes Malay

historiography beyond ritual symbolism towards the study of legal and ecological institutions.

It argues that water management in early Kedah embodied both sovereignty and moral

responsibility, creating a local moral economy of flow that continues to resonate within debates

on resource rights, federal–state relations, and environmental justice in contemporary

Malaysia.

Ancient Traditions, Modern Insights: Dr. Wu Lien-Teh’s Influence on Chinese Medicine

Qiuyang Su — 2025-12-30

The debate between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine has persisted for over a century and continues today, particularly in regions outside China. Dr. Wu Lien-Teh, a distinguished Malayan physician and highly trained Western doctor, challenged conventional paradigms from a global perspective, rejecting the notion that medical practices should be judged solely by their geographical origins. In his seminal work, The History of Chinese Medicine, along with his biography, numerous speeches, and articles, Dr. Wu articulated a progressive vision for Chinese medicine that addressed both Chinese and Western medical communities. This paper examines Dr. Wu's perspective on Chinese medicine as one that transcends the traditional East-West dichotomy. By adopting a historical approach to analyse Wu’s interpretations of medical concepts within the socio-cultural context of the first half of the twentieth century, it explores Wu’s medical insights and their enduring impact in China and globally, highlighting their continued relevance and influence in modern medical practice.

THE SEJARAH SHAHNON AHMAD: PEMIKIRAN KESUSASTERAAN ISLAM DALAM AGAMA DAN DAKWAH

Mohd Ammyrul Ashraf bin Sairan — 2025-12-30

Kajian ini bertujuan meneliti pemikiran Shahnon Ahmad, seorang tokoh sasterawan Melayu
yang terkenal dengan karyanya yang penuh falsafah terutama dalam konteks agama dan
dakwah sastera. Beliau sering dikaitkan dengan kontroversi menerusi karya-karyanya yang
mencabar norma-norma tradisional, namun di sebalik kontroversi tersebut, terdapat elemen
keagamaan dan mesej dakwah yang cuba disampaikan oleh beliau dalam karyanya. Kajian ini
menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan menganalisis teks-teks karya Shahnon Ahmad,
termasuk novel dan cerpennya yang berunsurkan keagamaan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan
bahawa Shahnon Ahmad mengangkat isu-isu keagamaan dalam keadilan sosial,
kemanusiaan, dan peranan individu dalam masyarakat melalui pendekatan sastera yang kritis.
Walaupun pendekatannya sering dianggap kontroversial, Shahnon Ahmad berjaya
mengintegrasikan elemen-elemen dakwah dengan menyampaikan mesej moral dan spiritual
secara halus dan tersirat. Kajian ini juga bagi meneliti gagasan pemikiran reformis beliau
yang turut dipengaruhi oleh latar belakang sosio-budaya serta dinamika politik semasa, yang
memberikan dimensi yang lebih mendalam kepada tafsiran dakwah dalam karyanya. Dengan
menganalisis karya beliau, kajian ini bakal menyumbang kepada pemahaman yang lebih
holistik terhadap hubungan antara seni, agama, dan masyarakat. Pemikiran sastera Islam
Shahnon yang mencerminkan medium dakwah yang fleksibel dan adaptif, sekaligus
menekankan pentingnya sensitiviti budaya dan keagamaan dalam penyampaian mesej Islam.
Kajian ini diharapkan dapat membuka ruang perbincangan yang lebih luas tentang peranan
sastera dalam dakwah, khususnya dalam konteks gagasa pemikiran Melayu-Islam moden.

DIALEKTIKA SEJARAH MARXISME DAN MAZHAB ISLAM: TINJAUAN ALI SHARIATI

Ahmad Nabil Amir — 2025-12-30

Makalah ini bertujuan membincangkan falsafah pemikiran Ali Shariati dan pengalaman empirikal serta latar belakang intelektualnya sebagai aktivis dan katalis kepada kebangkitan dan kesedaran revolusioner masyarakat Iran yang telah menggerakkan revolusi Islam dan perubahan sosio-politiknya pada 1979. Fokus kajian tertumpu pada karya dan penulisannya tentang faham Marxisme dan. penolakannya yang tuntas terhadap aliran falsafahnya berasaskan ideologi dan landas spiritual Islam. Metode yang digunakan dalam kajian ini berbentuk tinjauan literatur berasaskan pendekatan konsepsual dan historis dalam mencerakin dan menginterpretasi data. Temuan kajian menunjukkan kekuatan dialektika yang dirumuskan Shariati dalam mengungkapkan faham humanisme dan mistisisme Islam dan pandangan metafiziknya yang menolak pandangan ateisme, komunisme, materialisme dan Marxisme dan kecenderungan kapitalismenya yang korup dan sesat. Ia menjelaskan idealisme politiknya yang mengesankan yang menekankan kekuatan moral dan sosio-religius Islam dalam menegakkan nilai persamaan dan prinsip kemanusiaan yang universal dan semangat pembebasannya berbanding kebobrokan dan kelemahan teori Marxis yang dangkal dan tanpa nilai dan anti-agama serta ketempangan dasarnya dalam tatanan moral dan praktis

THE LEGACIES OF APARTHEID: NATIONALISM, RACISM, AND XENOPHOBIA IN SOUTH AFRICA

Chigozie Felicity Obasi — 2025-12-30

This study aims to investigate the historical and political roots of xenophobia in post-
apartheid South Africa, arguing that it is not an isolated phenomenon but a "Legacies" of
apartheid's systemic racism and an incomplete democratization process. Since 1994, South
Africa has experienced persistent and violent xenophobia, predominantly targeting Black
African migrants. A central paradox is the racial selectivity of this hostility, which largely
spares White and non-African foreigners. This raises a critical question: is this xenophobia a
new crisis of governance and economics, or a continuation of apartheid's institutionalised
exclusion? The research challenges ahistorical explanations of xenophobia that focus solely
on contemporary economic pressures. By tracing its continuities with apartheid, the study
provides a deeper structural and cultural analysis, with significant implications for policy,
transitional justice, and South Africa's role in pan-African solidarity. A qualitative, multi-
method approach is employed, integrating: a historical analysis of apartheid-era laws and
nationalism; critical discourse analysis of media and state rhetoric; and semi-structured
interviews with 15 participants, including migrants from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and
Nigeria, and South African activists and political actors. The analysis reveals that xenophobia
is deeply rooted in apartheid's racial hierarchies and exclusionary logics, which have been
repackaged in the democratic era. Key findings include the persistent racial selectivity of
attacks (Afrophobia), the scapegoating of migrants for the failures of full democratisation, and
the use of xenophobia as a political tool by populist movements. The article concludes that
xenophobia is a structural legacy of apartheid, sustained by unresolved historical trauma and
economic inequality. Effective responses must therefore go beyond law enforcement to
include substantive socioeconomic redress, civic education against xenophobia, strengthened
regional cooperation, and a renewed transitional justice process that addresses economic
reparations.

THE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF MALAYA (CPM) IN THAILAND: THE CASE STUDY OF TAI ROM YEN POLICY

Thippaporn Inkum — 2025-12-30

During the Cold War era, the communist insurgency was viewed as a critical threat to national security for the Royal Thai Government, especially the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT). Nevertheless, throughout the period of Communist insurgency in Thailand (1965-1983), the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) also emerged as a Communist movement that challenged the Thai State in the southern region. This article aims to understand the policy and implementation strategy of Thai government to deal with the CPM even was a significantly reduced danger in relation to the Communist uprising in Thailand. The Study found that the “Tai Rom Yen” (Tranquil south) Policy was the first steps in the political offensive against the communist movement in the south and also a clear demonstration of the implementation of the Order of the Office of the Prime Minister No. 66/2523 (Order No. 66/2523). This policy represented a significant effort to address the violent circumstances in the south, and the Thai government considered that popular support must be central to its anti-communist strategies. As a result, the execution of the policy resulted in garnering public favour, which was crucial for securing the ultimate triumph over the communists and their eventual disbandment.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BRITISH ATTEMPT TO EXPLORE THE WEST AFRICAN INTERIOR, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE BENUE RIVER REGION, NIGERIA

Abubakar Alkali Fari — 2025-12-30

ABSTRACT

The British made several attempts to explore the West African interior between 1788-1841. These explorations were driven by their desire to expand their colonial power and acquire new resources. One of the most notable and unsuccessful attempts was led by renowned explorer Mungo Park in (1795). He embarked on a journey along the Gambia River and reached the River Niger, but unfortunately died during the trip. Another attempt was made by Hugh Clapperton in 1825, who explored the Sokoto Caliphate and reached the coast of Lake Chad. However, he was also met with several challenges and had to turn back. In 1830, Richard Lander was able to successfully navigate the entire length of the River Niger, providing valuable insights into the region's geography and potential for trade. Despite facing numerous obstacles, these British explorers played a significant role in expanding knowledge and influence in the West African interior. The paper draws on a variety of content analysis of documents which are narrative in nature and obtained substantially from secondary sources. primary and secondary sources, including official reports, travel accounts, and historical documents. The study concludes with a critical evaluation of the impact of British exploration on the West African Interior and its lasting effects on the region. Overall, this work contributes to new knowledge and a better understanding of the British presence in West Africa, particularly the Benue River of the Nigerian region, during the late 18th and early part of the 19th centuries.

GENDER AND ECONOMIC AUTONOMY: REVISITING THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY OF THE MUSLIM ARMY WIVES IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

Justus Adim. Nzemeka — 2025-12-30

Abstract:

This article examines the domestic economy of Muslim army wives in colonial and post-colonial Lagos. It is an important aspect of women’s history that has not yet been dissected or documented in scholarly production. The oversight is due to military bureaucracy and restrictions, religion and sex stereotypes. This paper argues that Muslim army wives have been active in the barracks economy and national development. They also played a significant role in the home and women-centred projects in the barracks. Unarguably, the manifesto of the United Nations Decade for Women (1975-1985) and the Better Life for Rural Women (1987-1993) opened new opportunities for women’s economic participation, self-reliance, and space. Consequently, Muslim army wives navigated the cultural norms, the trappings of religion, and domesticity for skill acquisition and small-scale industries in the barracks. They reconfigured their status from “dependants” to “interdependence.” Using primary and secondary sources, oral sources, internet materials, government publications, military literature, and the theories of culture and gender roles to substantiate its claim, this paper reveals that women can transform their status through government empowerment and loans, women-centred entrepreneurship, and a social investment programme. It concludes that religious and cultural barriers cannot impede women’s economic development and self-reliance.

Keywords: Culture, Domestic Economy, Economic Autonomy, Muslim Army Wives, Lagos.

IN CHERISHED MEMORY OF PROFESSOR DR. K.S. NATHAN, 1946 -2025

Danny Wong Tze Ken — 2025-12-30

IN CHERISHED MEMORY OF PROFESSOR DR. K.S. NATHAN, 1946 -2025

IN HONOURED MEMORY OF A DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY, PROFESSOR DR. ANTHONY REID, 1939-2025

Lee Kam Hing — 2025-12-30

IN HONOURED MEMORY OF A DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY, PROFESSOR DR. ANTHONY REID, 1939-2025

IN LOVING MEMORY OF TAN SRI DATO’ DR. M. THAMBIRAJAH, THE ACADEMIC, INSPIRER AND REFORMER, 1942 -2025

Sivachandralingam Sundara Raja — 2025-12-30

IN LOVING MEMORY OF TAN SRI DATO’ DR. M. THAMBIRAJAH, THE ACADEMIC, INSPIRER AND REFORMER, 1942 -2025

IN LOVING MEMORY OF A GIFTED HISTORIAN, PROF. EMERITUS DATUK DR. AHMAT ADAM, 1941-2025

Sivachandralingam Sundara Raja — 2025-12-30

IN LOVING MEMORY OF A GIFTED HISTORIAN, PROF. EMERITUS DATUK DR. AHMAT ADAM, 1941-2025

IN FOND MEMORY OF PROFESSOR DR. SHAKILA YACOB, SCHOLAR, MENTOR, AND BUILDER OF MINDS, 1962-2025

Aszlan Bin Selamat — 2025-12-30

IN FOND MEMORY OF PROFESSOR DR. SHAKILA YACOB, SCHOLAR, MENTOR, AND BUILDER OF MINDS, 1962-2025