RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM - PERAK

2nd Resident of Perak - J.G. Davidson

Replaced by - 3rd Resident of Perak - Hugh Low ( 1877 – 1889 )

Hugh Low made the Residential System in Perak a success

HUGH LOW – right man for the job !!!!
WHY ???
1. Experience as an administrator & diplomat in SEA ( worked in
Sarawak under the White Rajah Brooke )
2. Familiar with Malay customs & traditions
3. Could speak Malay language – communicate directly with the Malay
Chiefs & establish rapport
4. Understanding , tolerant & patient - with Malay Chiefs
5. Positive attitude Won the support & respect of the
Malay Chiefs

PROBLEMS IN PERAK

1. Great Disorder 2. No Proper govt.

3. State in debt
- Malays angry with British - Sultan Yusof unpopular -
Malay Chiefs
- Unfriendly & suspicious - not accepted by his people
continued to collect

revenue

- no money in State

Treasury

Hugh Low’s Job : Solve the Problems of Perak

HOW?????? - Introducing REFORMS

link problems of Perak REFORMS introduced

COMPARE HUGH LOW’S PERSONALITY with J.W.W BIRCH !


PERAK STATE
COUNCIL
 Sultan – President of Council
7 members +Chinese reps +
British reps + Resident
 Resident prepared agenda for
Sultan
 Resident introduced
resolutions & advised Sultan
to accept laws
 Advisory body – became
sole legislative body
 Became the State govt
 Discussed State Revenue ,
expenses , appointments,
salaries & pensions of
officials
 Discussed & passed all laws
of the state
 Became the Final Court of
Appeal
EFFECTS
REFORMS OF
HUGH LOW
COLLECTION OF ESTB LAW &
REVENUE ORDER
 Established a State Treasury  Estb Courts of Justice
 Control & Collection of  Courts presided by European
revenue regulated by magistrates
Resident  Perak */* into districts
 Collection done by govt  Each District had 1 European
officials magistrate & several Malay
 Abolished the right of the magistrates
Malay Chiefs to collect  Each district */* into villages
revenue  Village headmen had police
 Malay Chiefs liked Hugh duties
Low & cooperated  Must keep peace , settle
 Malay Chiefs compensated minor problems , report
for loss of revenue collection accidents
 Malay Chiefs got a pension
or a job with fixed salary
END DEBT
SLAVERY
• Believed in going slow when
dealing with Malay custom &
tradition
• Felt debt slavery was cruel
• Abolished it slowly
• Introduced law – slowly
controlled & checked debt
slavery
• Jan 1884 – abolished debt
slavery
• Sultans & Malay Chiefs –
biggest owners of slaves
compensated
ECONOMIC
DEVLP OF
PERAK
 Encouraged investors to
invest in Perak
 State revenue was used to
improve communications &
infrastructure
 Built roads & railways
 1st railway / Taiping & Port
Weld – 1885
 Built up public health care ,
drainage , water supply &
street lighting
 Encouraged agriculture
 Experimented with the
plating of tea , coffee &
cinchona
 Responsible for introduction
of rubber in Malaya
 1st rubber seeds planted at
his Residency in Kuala
Kangsar
EFFECTS