12 œ theSun | THURSDAY OCTOBER 22 2009

Installation of
INTERVIEWS VIEWS Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan

Rare royal show

THE installation (pertaba-
lan) of Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku
Tuanku Muhriz, who read
law at the University of Wales,
half of the
territory. The
Munawir as the 11th Yang di- brings to his mostly ceremonial Dato Kelana,
Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan role as ruler of Negri Sembilan however, re-
on Monday will give the people vast experience gained as a mained Undang
of the state as well as other professional in the field of fi- throughout.

ILAN
Malaysians a rare opportunity nance and banking. But their
to witness the tableau of royal In a sense, he continues the respective

NEGERI SEMB
traditions and customs of the tradition of the royal house of positions have
state being played out. Negri Sembilan, of working be- become so
The last time Malaysians fore becoming ruler. His uncle, entrenched that
were fortunate enough to Tuanku Jaafar, served for the present state

ISTANA
witness the tradition- several years as ambas- constitution ac-
steeped installation sador in several coun- knowledged them

COURTESY OF
ceremony of the ruler tries before ascending and where it is
of Negri Sembilan – TV the throne. stated that “with-
being what it was The royal house out prejudice to the
then – was in of Negri Sembilan prerogatives, pow-
1967, when – supposed to mean ers and jurisdiction
Tuanku Muhriz’s a confederation of of Dato Kelana as
uncle, Tuanku nine states though Undang there shall
Jaafar Tuanku it is quite unclear be consultation day. But the dominant chiefs of being constantly threatened
Abdul Rahman, what the states between him and Tuanku Munawir continue to decide or confirm by the Dato Shahbandar. In 1874
was installed. are – is patrilineal Dato Shahbandar in (centre) in 1964 who became Yamtuan or Yang Sungai Ujong accepted British
T u a n k u by sentiment but all matters affecting the affairs of with the then di-Pertuan Besar and play a ma- protection. The Dato Shahbandar
Muhriz was, at rules over a mostly the Luak of Sungai Ujong.” Putera Yang jor role in the proclamation and rose in arms against the Dato
18, deemed too matrilineal society The dynasty began when the Empat: (from the installation of the new ruler. Kelana but was easily defeated
young then to divided into several warring clans decided they need left) Tunku Muda But as the major chiefs be- by British forces.
succeed his father clans which had a war-leader to lead them in bat- Serting Tunku came wealthy through tin min- In 1875 the Yamtuan, Tuanku
Tuanku Munawir, immigrated from Su- tle against the marauding Bugis Jaafar, Tunku ing and foreign threat to the state Antah, invaded Sungai Ujong but
who is the son of the matra during the time and the Dutch and to occasion- Besar Seri Menanti receded, the Yamtuan gradually he was defeated and went into
first Yang di-Pertuan of the Malacca sultanate. ally arbitrate among them. Tunku Muhriz, lost his paramountcy. To the ex- exile. He was restored in 1877 but
Agong Tuanku Abdul Rah- The dominant chiefs of the A prince from Minangkabau Tunku Laxamana tent that by the middle of the 19th as overlord of only Sri Menanti,
man (whose portrait appears society are the Undang (or Law- was invited to be Yamtuan or Tunku Nasir, Tunku century – also because of many the state capital, and some small
on all Malaysian bank notes) givers) of the territory of Sungai paramount lord. He and mem- Panglima Besar complications – the clans stopped districts around it. The chiefs no
although he was the heir appar- Ujong, Rembau, Jelebu, Johol bers of his family inter-married Tunku Abdullah. princes of the royal house from longer acknowledged him.
ent. but to this group was later added with the members of the patrilin- marrying their women. But because of the constant
It had happened once before Tunku Besar of Tampin where eal families of certain districts. The Yamtuan was generally quarrels among them, mostly
when Tuanku Antah, the son a branch of the royal house had When he died a new prince ignored by the chiefs and without over tin mining areas, the whole
of Raja Raden, the fourth Yang established itself. from Minangkabau was invited power and money the position state came under British protec-
di-Pertuan Besar, referred to as The Dato Kelana of Sungai over. And later another, Raja could have withered away. But tion around about 1887.
Yamtuan then, was by-passed Ujong, often regarded as the Lenggeng. He was the last for- the British came and saved the British “advisers” adminis-
in favour of his uncle, Tuanku leader of the chiefs, was then eigner to be made Yamtuan. day for the royal household. tered the state and in 1898 the po-
Imam. But when Tuanku Imam challenged by Dato Shahbandar, His son, Raja Raden, became The British first arrived in sition of Yamtuan as paramount
died, Tuanku Antah became and because each could not the fourth Yamtuan in 1824, and Sungai Ujong on the invitation of ruler of the state was again
Yamtuan. oust the other, each ruled over the dynasty continues till this the Dato Kelana who was tired acknowledged by all the chiefs.

The unique matrilineal ‘Adat Perpatih’

by Karen Arukesamy &
Eva Yeong
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
NEGRI SEMBILAN which
literally means “Nine States”,
refers to the historical con-
federation of nine districts,
originally called “nagari” but
now known as “luak”.
It was settled by Minang-
kabau from West Sumatra
when they migrated to the
region in the 15th and 16th
centuries, during the era of
the Malacca sultanate.
The features of Minang-
kabau are still visible today in
traditional architecture and
KAMARIDUAN MOHD NOR/THESUN
the dialect of Malay spoken
by the people in the state.
However, the most impor-
tant aspect of the Minangkabau
assimilation in this country is
the unique matrilineal custom
known as the Adat Perpatih.
The Adat Perpatih of Negri
Sembilan is a cultural and
social system which incorpo-
rates all aspects of community
life from macro matters like
political, economic and social,
to the micro issues like cus-
toms of the ruler’s coronation
or installation ceremony,
property division method and
detailed procedures of mar-
riage.
Although this custom has
evolved as a result of external
cultural values adopted by
the locals in time, the Adat
Perpatih is still relevant today
in the lives of the state’s royal
family.
Unlike the hereditary mon-
archs of the other royal Malay
states in the country, the ruler
of Negri Sembilan or Yang
di-Pertuan Besar is selected
by the ruling chiefs who lead
the four biggest districts of
Sungai Ujong, Jelebu, Johol
and Rembau.
Raja Melewar was the first
Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri
Sembilan appointed in 1773.
Below is a little insight into
the Adat Perpatih in various
aspects of Negri Sembilan
life.
Election Process
The Yang di-Pertuan Besar is
appointed by Undang Yang
Empat, also known as the
Ruling Chiefs.
As stated in the State
Constitution, the Yang di-Per-
tuan Besar has to be a lawful
descendant in the male line of
Yamtuan Raden.
The Negri Sembilan Con-
stitution states that the order
of succession should first be
the sons of the previous ruler,
followed by the grandsons of
the previous ruler, then by the
brothers of the previous ruler,
and only then by the sons of
the brothers of the previous
ruler.
Once appointed, the Yang
di-Pertuan Besar has to be
declared and installed by the
Datuk Klana Petra – the title
given to the chief of Sungai
Ujong district (Undang Luak
Sungai Ujong is divided
into two clans namely, Waris
Di Darat and Waris Di Ayer.
The chieftain, who hails from
Waris Di Darat, is required
to work closely with Datuk
Shahbandar, who hails from
Waris Di Ayer.
The Datuk Shahbandar’s
relationship to the chieftain
is supposed to be “as close
as brothers” and they are re-
quired to consult each other
on all matters regarding the
Perpatih customs.
However, there is only one
chieftain and it is the Datuk
Klana Petra who holds the
post. Meanwhile, the Waris
Di Darat clan is divided into
two sub-clans, Perut Hulu and
Perut Hilir. A representative
from each of the two sub-clans
take turns to be the Datuk
Klana Petra or chieftain of
Sungai Ujong.
The election of the Datuk
Klana Petra, begins with the
anak waris or members of the
clan who would decide on a
suitable candidate.
of the Court (Lembaga Sungai
Ujong) which is headed by the
Datuk Sri Maharaja Di Raja.
In the case that there is a
dispute and members of the
clan cannot agree on a suit-
able candidate, the matter
would be brought up to the
next level (Ibu-ibu soko) to be
decided.
This continues up the hier-
archy ladder until it reaches
the level of the Pillar of the
Court. It will then be up to
the head of the Pillar of the
Court to choose a suitable
candidate.
Members of the sub-clans
are only allowed to elect
representatives of their own
sub-clans and are not allowed
to meddle in the affairs of the
other sub-clans. The same
rule applies to the bigger clans
(Waris Di Darat and Waris
Di Ayer) and the territories
at large (Jelebu, Johol and
Rembau).
Inheritance
The uniqueness of this

Sungai Ujong). Among the
chiefs from the four territories
in the state – Sungai Ujong,
Jelebu, Johol and Rembau
– the Sungai Ujong chief is
the most senior and is also
known as the chieftain.
While the Datuk Klana
Petra does not have the power
to make appointments, but he
The council of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar with some clan members. (From left) Datuk Bentara is the only one with author-
Abd Hamid Bujang, Datuk Maharajalela Mohd Supi, Datuk Dagang Paroi Mohd Zain Harun, newly ity to make declarations and
appointed 11th Sungai Ujong chieftain Mubarak Dohak, council chief Datuk Sri Maharaja DiRaja installation of the Yang di-
Zulkepley Dahalan, Buapak Datuk Johan and Datuk Panglima Dalam Yusmazmi Yusof. Pertuan Besar.
Upon receiving unanimous
support from all members of
the clan, the candidate would
be reviewed by Ibu-ibu soko,
who are the eldest females of
the families in the clan.
Once the eldest females
have unanimously agreed
upon the candidate, the Bua-
paks would also need to give
unanimous support.
The next step in the elec-
tion process would be to get
the endorsement of the Pillar
custom lies in the system of
inheritance which is passed
from generation to generation
through the women. Land is
owned by wives and passed
on to their daughters while the
man of the family deals with
matters of property and land,
strictly as a duty to his wife
and her kin.
Thus, in this system, herit-
age, titles and family names
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