MALAYSIAN

STUDIES
Project to Analyse the Western
Scholar Books (Thought)
Prepared by:
No

Name

.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Anis Syahirah binti Mohd

Rosdi
Normi Izati binti Mat Nawi
Siti Hawa Nabilah binti Zahari
Siti Nurfatihah binti Mohd
Mohiden

Matrix

Cours

No.

14222

BIS

15666
15571

CE
CE

15573

CE

5.

Nurul Afiqah binti Noorrezhan

15300

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgement
Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2.0: Literature Review

2.1 Ancient Johor and The Founding of Johor

2.2 The Historical Background
2.3 The ruling of Sultan Abu Bakar and Sultan Ibrahim
Chapter 3: Discussion

11

Chapter 4: Conclusion

14

References

15

ME

Acknowledgment
In The Name of Allah, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful, all
Praise to Him for we had successfully completed our Malaysian Studies
project for this semester.
First and foremost, we would like to express our gratitude and
appreciation to all those who gave us the possibility to complete this
project. Special thanks to our subject lecturer and advisor, Mr. Oummar,
whose help, stimulating suggestions and encouragement, helped us and
other our classmates to successfully finish our project on analysis of the
western scholar books (thought). Although this project gave a hard time
for us, with the Mr. Oummar mentoring us, we were able to finish this
project successfully.
And special thanks go to all our classmates, who helped us anytime
we couldnt have done anything without their support. They had helped us
in many aspects especially when we asked some question to them.
Finally, an honourable mention goes to our families and friends for
their understandings and supports on us in completing this project
particularly and our studies in general. Without helps of the particular that
mentioned above, we would face many difficulties while doing this project.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Details of the book #1

Author
Title
Year
Place published
Number of Pages
Name
of

Richard Olaf Winstedt (R.O. Windstedt)

A History of Johore
1932
Malaysia
284
Royal Asiatic Society

Publisher
Background

The

book

provides

the

information

about

the

chronological event that happened during the ancient

Johor until the modern Johor. This is basically a review
of the state in our country, Malaysia, from an
orientalist that used to be a General Advisor of Johor
from 1931 to 1935. It can be describe as the wholly
and packed with information, and also very complete
in term of chronological event that really happened
since the ancient Johor till the ruling of Sultan Ibrahim
in the 19th century. This book also gave a brief
information about the belief, conflict, success, failure,
Books
Significance

rise and fall of Johor.

The book presented overall view of a westerner that
to used to live in Johor and also provided the student

Malaysian

with extra knowledge about the history of one of the

Studies

state in Malaysia with the unique custom, art, culture

and race. This book also gave us the review of how
others see us a Malay long time ago. Based on this
review, the student are able to identify the bad and
the good of our own races in the eyes of other and will
be able to change and adapt ourselves for the
3

betterment.

1.2 Details of the book #2

Author
Title
Year
Place

Nesamalar Nadarajah
Johore and The Origins of British Control 1895-1914
2000
Malaysia

published
Number

of 198

Pages
Name

of Arenabuku Sdn. Bhd.

Publisher
Background

This book basically showed the chronological event of

what happened throughout the year of 1895 to 1914.
The explanation is very quite clear and the detail is
complete, every details was well justified. It is written by
the Malaysian in the 20 century. So, this book is a written

Books

perception of our homeboys for our past.

The book represents the perception from our century,

Significance to means also from our generation. So the book allows us

Malaysian

to compare about what the past writer thought about

Studies

those era and what the current writer thought.

1.3 Details of the book #3

Author
Title

Carl A. Trocki
Prince of Pirates:

Year
Place published
Number of Pages
Name
of

Development of Johor and Singapore 1784-1885.

1979
Singapore
223
NUS Press.

Publisher
Background

This book was written by a foreign about the

The

Temenggongs

and

the

Temenggung and development of Johor and Singapore.

The book combine the economics of Johor and
Singapore in a book because the economic between
these cannot be well separated although both of it was
rule

by

different

system.

This

is

due

to

the

demographic factor, which the location of port for

these state is near to each other and also because
before this, there is only one Temenggung that are
responsible to collect tax from both port in Johor and
Books
Significance

Singapore.
This book provides the foreigner perception on the
to Malaya, from the past. So, it is very important for us to

Malaysian

take as many as possible, the opinion on our past

Studies

history, so we would not make the same mistakes

again.

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Ancient Johor and The Founding of Johor
The Ancient Johore
R.O. Winstedt was a notable historian, based on his book entitled A
History of Johore, he described that Johor as Wurawari comes from Old
Javanese word meaning clear water(Winstedt, R., 1932). The name of
Johor has been related to the word of Ganggayu or GanggaAyu meaning
in old Javanese fresh water. Both Wurawari and Ganggayu have almost
the same meaning. The word of Ganggayu in Javanese on fifteenth century
might probably relate to the word of Wurawari in the tenth century. Hence,
based on the realtion, Heer Rouffaer used its Siamese derivation to
connect it with the word Galoh, the Javanese for a jewel and so the
equivalent of the Arabic word Jauhar. However, Johor also known as the
Lands End or Ujong Tanah, which means an area at the end of the land.
It is believed to be derived from the word of Jauhar (Sejarah Penubuhan
Johor, n.d.).
The Founding of Johor
Affonso dAlbuquerque, the Portuguese Viceroy captured Malacca on
the latter half of August 1511 (Winstedt, R., 1932). Sultan Mahmud, who
was the last heir to the Malacca throne, had escaped to Batu Ampar. After
his son Ahmad had been driven from Pagoh and his fort at Bentayan,
father and son retreated right up the Muar River and at Jempul in the
modern district of Kuala Pilah crossed Penarekan to the Serting River a
tributary of the Pahang. He established what the Sultanate of Johor
became in 1512. According to Winstedt, Sultan Mahmud had a bad temper
6

and a cruel tongue. If the Portugese are right, it was not he but his son
that would not yield to dAlbuquerques demand and invited war.
Afterward, in year of 1521, George dAlbaquerque attempted to take
Bintan but the stakes across the river and the Malay bravery are the two
strong fort.
Winstedt also emphasized about Sultan Mahmud. Portugese as well
as the Annals viewed Sultan Mahmud as a weak and a mean man. The
Annals gives us many vignette of this ruler; as a sick boy tended by his
chief, as a student of Islamic mysticism propounding theological problems
to Pasai, as a wanton youth treading the midnight way hi wives of his
followers, as a repentant murderer living as a recluse and spurring his
horse to avoid onlookers at Tanjung Kling. D Albuquerques commentaries
about this ruler, this king was very vain and very proud, and made a
quarrel with his father for wishing to go to the temple of Meca, for he used
to say Malacca was the right Meca; and being suspicious of his brother,
Sultan Celeimeo (Sulaiman) he murdered him with a creese and in like
manner he murdered seventeen of the principal men, all of them his
relatives, without any cause, and even killed his son and heir, because he
had asked for some money to spend. Ruy dAraujo write to Albuqeurque
in year 1510, that Sultan had handed over all power to Bendahara whose
his uncle and then he stayed whole time at home like a monk.
Next, on 20th July 1599, the war between Acheh and Johor still continued
caused by the murder of Raja Hashim and prevent them to form an
alliance. The formal relation between Johor Sultanate and Dutch East
Indies Company (VOC) was begun. However, in 1601 sixty Johor vessels
lay before Pasai and afraid the Achinese into suspecting an alliance of
Johor and Malacca again. But war with Portugal also continued (Winstedt.
R., 1932). With the assistance of Dutch, Malacca was captured and added to the
Johor kingdom.

In the 18th century, the Bugis of Sulawesi and the Minangkabau of

Sumatra controlled the political powers in the Johor-Riau Empire. However,
in the early 19th century, Malay and Bugis rivalry commanded the scene.
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In 1819, the Johor-Riau Empire was divided up into the mainland Johor,
controlled by the Temenggong, and the Sultanate of Riau-Lingga,
controlled by the Bugis (Wikipedia, n.d.).
2.2 The Historical Background-The Origins of British Control (18191895)
According to Ramanathan, (2000), by the year of 1819, Stamford
Raffles was in search for a suitable port for the British in Malayan waters.
At that time, the mainland state of Johore was still a part of the vast
Kingdom of Johore, Pahang, Riau, Lingga, the Kerimuns, Singapore and the
lesser islands and dependencies. Tengku Abdul Rahman, the younger son
of Sultan Mahmud was given the throne instead of Tengku Husain which is
the eldest son. This situation is contradicted with the Malay custom that
was being practiced during the time. Raffles found that this is the best
chance for him to involve in the unstable condition due to the opposition
from some of the elderly chiefs of Riau regarding the appointment of
Tengku Abdul Rahman as the continuity for the throne. He planned for
several ways to achieve his purposes of acquiring a new port in the
Malayan waters.
Raffles with Farquhar noticed that Kerimun islands are not suitable
for their port, thus they moved tho Singapore which was ruled by
Temenggung Abdul Rahman at that time. However, Temenggung Abdul
Rahman did not have power to permit the establishment of British factory
in Singapore. Sultan Abdul Rahman was under influenced by Dutch and
seeking for his permission was useless since Dutch wanted to keep British
out of his region. Therefore, Raffles planned to use Tengku Husain, make
him as the Sultan of Johore then get Raffles a permit to settle in Singapore.
On 6th February 1819, Tengku Husain was assigned as Raja of Johore with
the name Sultan Husain Muadzam Shah.
In the Malaysian History website, it was mentioned that there was
conflicts in the Riau-Johor kingdom that came in 1812 between BugisMalay when Sultan Mahmud died leaving his two sons. Yamtuan Muda ,
8

leaders of the Bugis faction preferred Raja Abdul Rahman (the younger
son) while for the Malays side, they preferred Raja Hussain (the eldest). As
acknowledged, the Malay custom will assign the eldest to be the heir of
the throne and the person must physically present by the sultans side in
the death time in order to be appointed as the new ruler. During the death
of the sultan, Raja Hussain was away in Pahang and the Bugis find this is a
chance to appoint Raja Abdul Rahman as the heir of the throne.
Furthermore, in 1818, the Dutch signed a traty with Abdul Rahman
recognizing him as sultan in return for the re-establishment of the Dutch
post in Riau.

The British did not respond well to these developments as they

feared it would threaten their trading interests in the East. In particular, Sir
Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant-governor of Sumatra, was convinced of the
need to establish a new base in the region to compete with the Dutch
trading monopoly in the archipelago. Though many in the British East India
Company opposed such an idea, Raffles managed to convince Lord
Hastings of the Company, then Governor General of British India, to side
with him. With the governor generals consent, he and his expedition set
out to search for a new site and arrived in Singapore on 29 January 1819.
He discovered a small Malay settlement at the mouth of the Singapore
River headed by the Temenggung of the Johor sultanate and signed a
treaty which gave the British the right to establish a factory on the land.

In order to consolidate the rights he had acquired, Raffles entered

the succession dispute on the side of the elder prince by recognizing
Hussein as the legitimate successor in Riau-Johor. On 6 February 1819, a
financial settlement was made and a formal treaty signed with the new
sultan. Their agreement stated that the British would acknowledge Tengku
Hussein as the legitimate ruler of Johor (and consequently Singapore);
both he and the Temenggung would receive a yearly stipend from the
9

British. In return, Tengku Hussein would allow Raffles to establish a trading

post in Singapore. However, the sultan was treated merely as a legal
necessity and with the passing of time, faded into the background. A new
European power had now been established in the area.
2. 3 The ruling of Sultan Abu Bakar and Sultan Ibrahim
Sultan Abu Bakar, previously called as Temenggung Abu Bakar was
the son of Temenggung Daeng Ibrahim. He replaced his father in ruling out
some parts of Johor. His father did not use the Sultan as his name in
order to respect Sultan Ali, which is the ruler of the other parts of Johor at
that time. Sultan Ali signed an agreement due to some problem, unable
his kid and heirs to get the Sultan status. After the death of Sultan Ali,
Temenggung Abu Bakar took Sultan Abu Bakar as his new name. Even the
British officer described him as a clever, anxious to fulfil the British wishes
and has the abilities to expand the prosperity of Johor (Winstedt, R., 1932).
In 1868, the Queen of the Great Britain, the Queen Victoria granted him
with

the

title

of

Maharaja

Johor

because

of

his

intellectual,

knowledgeable and smart personalities. During his ruling, Johor achieved

almost a full sovereignty from the British and received a British officer as a
consul but not as an advisor. The British promised him with full protection
of Johor from external threats. The other his famous contribution to Johor is
that he established the new Law of Johor (Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan
Johor).

Besides that, he also played an important role in build schools,

hospitals and roads, ensure the security state of Johor by setting up a

police force and army, continue Kangcu System and hold court, mailing
service, and Public Works Department.
Sultan Abu Bakar became the first Malay ruler that was known
internationally, because of his good connection and relationship with
British. (Trock, 1979). Sultan Abu Bakar that was originally only a
powerless Temenggung became someone with much power. After his
death in 1895, he was replaced by his son Sultan Ibrahim ibni Sultan Abu
Bakar. During this time, the power among the Malay rulers started to fall
apart again as the World War II would erupt at anytime and also due to
10

some complication of financial for the state of Johor. The British urged
Sultan Ibrahim to get a British Advisor to rule out Johor although he had
done so many changes in the constitutional of Johor to prevent the any
intervention on the ruling by the local. Sultan Ibrahim unable to resist and
agree to the urgency and in return, he got a group of army that gave a full
devotion to him, in other words, his own private army. However, he did
contribute something to Johor, which is the built of hospital and
government building. R.O Winstedt wrote that the influence of Sultan
Ibrahim remains for 15 years although the British assigned more and more
British Officer to be in the administration of Johor. At the end of his ruling,
he spent most of his time travelling around the world and the soon after
he got back from Britain, the Malaya started to be sweeping up by the
Japanese army.
As the Japanese army invaded Malaya, the ruling form was
completely different and new after that. With the vulgarity of Japanese to
the Chinese, and the Chinese strike back with Communist Party of Malaya
and they are able to invade Malaya for 13 days. Those 13 days was a
nightmare for Malaya. After British successfully retained Malaya once
again, they started to train the local in administration again as there are
some other colonised country that already gained independence. After 446
years being colonised by foreign country, Malaya finally gained its
independence in 1957.

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3.0 DISCUSSION
3.1 Ancient Johor and The Founding of Johor
Based on the book of A History of Johore written by R. O. Winstedt,
the name of Johor came and derived from many languages such as,
Siamese, Javanese and Arabic. Generally, the word of Johor may come
from the words of Wurawari, Ganggayu, Gangga Ayu, Galoh, Ujung
Tanah and Jauhar. His ideas about the original words of Johor are almost
the same as the local scholars described in their books.
Basically, the history of Johor began when the Vicerory captured Malacca
and forced Sultan Mahmud, the king of Malacca at that time to flee Batu
Ampar and other place as well as Johor. In 1512, he established what the
Sultanate of Johor became. Based on Winstedts writing in his book, Sultan
Mahmud had a bad tempered and cruel tongue. Other than that, he also
described the ruler with many negative views. Perhaps Sultan Mahmud
might has many unmoral behaviour because some Portugese also agreed
with Winstedt and even Annals. Based on the description in his book and
the commentaries from d Albuqueque, Sultan Mahmud had bad attitude
and even he was willing to kill his own brother because of suspiciousness,
his innocent son and heir and his relatives without any cause. These
attitudes should not be followed by us because they are not the teaching
of Islam which a Sultan should possessed.
3.2 The Historical Background-The Origins of British Control (18191895)
From the earlier involvement of British in Johore, we can see that
everything starts when there is internal conflict in the origins itself. The
conflict happened when Tengku Abdul Rahman was appointed as the heir
of the throne instead of Tengku Hussain which is the eldest one. British
who are at that time searching for a new place that suits their needs to
invest found that this is the correct timing for them to interfere in Malay
rivers areas. From the view of westerners, they always critically think how
to find the most strategic place in order to achieve maximum profit as well
12

as expand their business. They will do everything to make their wish

become a reality. The authors perceptions also stated that, when an
internal problem occurs, that is the best way to involve them among the
Malays.
Both of the author stated that Raffles are using Tengku Hussain with
solid reason that he should be the heir of the throne in order for them to
get permission to settle in Malay rivers. This shows that from their opinion,
Malays are easy to be influenced when they are offered with high position
as well as money and property. In such condition, there should not be
interference from outside since the conflict of the throne can be resolve
among the Malays itself.
3.3 The ruling of Sultan Abu Bakar and Sultan Ibrahim
The ruling of these two took place in during the late 18 th century and
the early 19th century. This era is the era which the Malay rulers were able
to sustain their influence in administration compared to the previous era
where the Malay Rulers such as Temenggung have no power at all, even
their right to collect the tax in the port was taken away by British. This era
is relatively very important and gave a big significant on the perception of
the foreign people toward the Malays. On the other hand, the British
cannot

easily

take

over

Johor

from

Sultan

Abu

Bakar

after

the

establishment of the Law of Johor (Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Johor).

This fast action taken by Sultan Abu Bakar should be followed by us, as a
new generation of leader, which is to always prepare ourselves for any
future interruption. We also should plan and prepare a defences system for
our own country according to the latest technology as this era of
technology make it is easier to infiltrate our country.
Other than that, the ability of Sultan Abu Bakar to preserve the
economy of Johor is highly recognise by the British showed us that if we
are able to generate more income to the country, which contribute to a
stable economy. This stable economy will make sure we are not let behind
in the various sector and being able to survive for a long time. Sultan Abu
13

Bakar preserved the Kangcu System which benefited Johor and we should
the same thing with the sectors that gave a lot of benefit for us.
The British successfully regained their power during Sultan Ibrahim
ruling, by one step at a time before the invasion of Japanese army. This
move is because of the urge by the British headquarters in Britain, due to
the World War II that will abrupt at anytime. So the British see that it is
important to regain back your power in ruling and economy to support
their mother country after the war is outbreak. This move actually gave us
some lesson in term of administration, where we should find the
alternatives solution during the hardest time for our country, which will be
occur anytime. However, we should not ignore our key values which is the
humanity as in we should not oppressed other just for our own good.
Other than that, the preservation of power done by Sultan Ibrahim
also should be praised although it is futile at the end after 15 years of
struggling. His action teaches us to try very hard, regardless of other will
think about us. The foreigners might say it was a stubbornness, not to
allow the capable one to rule the country better, but it is all about
sovereignty and to defend what is ours.

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4.0 CONCLUSION
Johor has been described as Wurawari ang Gangayu which means
clear water in Javanese. It also known as Ujing Tanah in Malay which
means an area that located at the end of the land and Jauhar according
to Arabic.
Sultan Mahmud, who is the last heir of Sultanate of Malacca has
become the Sultan of Johor after he was forced to flee Batu Ampar and
other place by Vicerory. Western has described Sultan Mahmud as a bad
tempered guy and he also has a cruel tongue. Sultan Mahmud also had
been described by westerns as an immoral leader.
After Sultan Mahmud had dies, conflict happen regarding who will
replace his seat as Sultan of Johor. This conflict occurs because of
interference of British and Dutch in this case. As the result, on 6 th
.February 1819, Tengku Husain was assigned to become Raja of Johor.
In 1868, Queen of Great Britain has granted Sultan Ibrahim, the
current Sultan of Johor at that time, with the title of Maharaja Johor as he
was a brilliant leader and his contribution in establishment of new Law of
Johor (Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Johor). Sultan Abu Bakar was the
first Malay ruler that was known internationally because of his good
connection and relationship with British. This means that Malay rulers that
has been known by western since 19th century. R.O Winstedt wrote that the

15

influence of Sultan Ibrahim remains for 15 years although the British

assigned more and more British Officer to be in the administration of Johor.

REFERENCE
Buyers, C. (2012, June). Johor, The Bendahara Dynasty. Retrieved from Royal Ark:
http://www.royalark.net/Malaysia/johor.htm
Coope, A. E. (1936). The Kangcu System In Johore. Journal of the Malayan Branch
of the Royal Asiatic Society Vol. 14, No. 3 (126), 247-263.
Nadarajah, N. (2000). Johore and The Origins of British Control 1895-1914.
Malaysia: Arenabuku Sdn. Bhd.
The Johore Sultanate. (2012, August 06). Retrieved from Malaysia Histroy; Bring
truth to Our Past: http://www.malaysiahistory.net/v2/?p=131
Trock, C. A. (1979). Prince of Pirates: The Temenggongs and the Development of
Johor and Singapore 1784-1885. Singapore: NUS Press.
Winstedt, R. O. (1932). A History of Johore. Malaysia: Royal Asiatic Society.

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