Jajahan
With Jajahan a political and administrative concept is called, which the Sultans of Brunei anwandten from the 17th century in those territories that are not bordered directly to Brunei, but were part of their sphere of influence. As a result, the dependent areas along the rivers themselves were referred to as Jajahan or Sungei ( mal. For river). The Jajahan system existed until the beginning of the 20th century.
history
The Jajahan system was introduced by Sultan Hassan in the early 17th century. In the 1870s and 80s, the areas dependent on Brunei were - Tempasuk, Tuaran , Menggatal , Mengkabong, Inanam , Api-Api, Putatan , Kawang , Panglat, Papar , Benoni, Kimanis , Bongawan, Membakut , Padas Klias and Padas So - on the west coast of what is now the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak . Each Jajahan consisted in the core of the respective river including the associated valley or delta and was precisely delimited geographically. After these areas were sold or ceded to the North Borneo Chartered Company , the Jajahan system ceased to exist in the early 20th century.
Political background
Under the Sultan as sovereign of the Sultanate of Brunei, a multilevel power hierarchy opened up, headed by the four ministers of the state. These ministers held the title of wazir and came from the royal family or the nobility:
- Pengiran Pendahara (Supreme Minister)
- Pengiran Temenggung (Justice and Defense)
- Pengiran di-Gadong (Finance)
- Pengiran Pemanca (Diplomatic Affairs)
The second level of power was the cetera . The tallest among them was the Pengiran Syahbandar, an administrator in charge of trade.
The third level of the hierarchy was the Menteri . They were subordinate to a higher administrative officer or a minister and either held a post in the administration of the capital or were appointed as overseers of the royal appanages .
The lowest level was occupied by the village elders ( ketua kampong ), who, in contrast to all other officials, were not appointed from the top, but were recruited from the ranks of the villagers and only confirmed by the government.
Jajahan categories
The Jajahan can be divided into two basic categories: official appanages and personally granted, inheritable areas.
Apanages
The apanages were again divided into two types, the sungai kerajaan were appanages of the sultan who was currently ruling, while the sungai kuripan were the appanages of the four highest ministers, the wazirs. The income from the appanages was accordingly due to the sultan or the respective wazir. Apanages could neither be inherited nor sold.
Tulin
The personally bestowed, inheritable areas were called sungai tulin or pesaka . They belonged to the private property of the sultan, a wazir or a nobleman ( pengiran ). Although the sultan still had sovereign rights over the tulin , they were ruled by the respective owner, who was also entitled to the income from the territories. The only duties to the sultan were to implement the central laws and ordinances of the sultanate and to pay a general tax to the royal family. In contrast to the Apanages, the sungai tulin could be inherited and sold. The sale to foreign companies also required the approval of the Sultan.
literature
- DS Ranjit Singh: The Making of Sabah 1865-1941 - The Dynamics of Indigenous Society , 3rd edition (2011), ed. from the Prime Minister's Office, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah