The Roles and Contributions of the Hadhrami Arabs in Malaya, 1819 – 1969
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THE ROLES AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE HADHRAMI ARABS IN MALAYA, 1819 – 1969 LATIFAH ABDUL LATIFF Malaya of FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA KUALA LUMPUR University 2016 THE ROLES AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE HADHRAMI ARABS IN MALAYA, 1819 – 1969 LATIFAH ABDUL LATIFF THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THEMalaya DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY of FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA KUALA LUMPUR University 2016 ABSTRACT This study examines the significant roles played by the Hadhrami Arabs and their contributions in the aspects of religion, education, publication, economics, politics, and administration of Malaya from 1819 until 1969. This study employs a qualitative research method. Library research is used in collecting data from published and unpublished documents, as well as records from the local archives and abroad, such as The National Archives of London, British Library, London, The National Archives of Singapore, National Library Board, Singapore, The National Archives Malaysia and its branches, The University of Malaya Library, and The National University Malaysia Library. All data are examined and analysed descriptively, analytically, and critically throughout the study. This study explores how the Hadhrami Arabs, a minority group of immigrants from Hadhramaut, Yemen, managed to prosper and Malayahold important positions in the administration, politics, and economy of the Malay states. Furthermore, this research looks into the period of the founding of Singaporeof as a trading post by Stamford Raffles in 1819 whereby he managed to attract Arab traders to trade and to settle in Singapore. Moreover, the year 1969 marked the end of this study when South Yemen became independent with communist regime in power that practised the closed door policy regarding the migration of the Hadhrami Arabs and forbade those in the diaspora from returning home. Apart from their active involvement in the economy, administration, and politics of the Malay states, the Hadhrami Arabs also contributed immensely in the field of religiousUniversity education, whereby several madrasah s or Arab schools were built to cater the needs of Muslim children. Waqf or endowment funds were also established from which income was collected to pay for the maintenance of madrasah, as well as for the teachers’ salary. In addition, they also built mosques and financed orphanages through the waqf fund, as well as donating lands for graveyards. However, the involvement of Hadhrami iii Arabs in the aspects of administration and politics of the Malay states had been looked upon with suspicion by the British. Thus, this study examines how the British responded towards the roles played by the Hadhrami Arabs and their involvement in the administration of religion, madrasah education, publication, politics, administration, and economics in Malaya. It also chronicles the Hadhrami Arab-British relationship in the 19th and the 20th century in Malaya. Apart from that, this study analyses factors that led to the decline of the Hadhrami Arab descents in Malaya after the Second World War, particularly in politics and economy that eventually led to the shrinking of Hadhrami Arabs’ dominance in the economy, as well as the identity crisis faced by the younger generation of the Peranakan Arab. Nevertheless, based on the information gathered, this study could be used to support and to strengthen the theory of the Arab factor in the social, economic, and political development in Malaya,Malaya by highlighting the contributions made by the Hadhrami Arabs; especially the Sayyids in the 19th and the 20th centuries, as they also contributed to the historical developmentof of Malaysia. University iv ABSTRAK Kajian ini meneliti peranan penting yang dimainkan oleh orang Arab Hadhrami dan sumbangan mereka dalam aspek agama, pendidikan, penerbitan, ekonomi, politik dan pentadbiran di Tanah Melayu dari tahun 1819 sehingga 1969. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah penyelidikan kualitatif. Kaedah penyelidikan perpustakaan digunakan untuk mengumpul maklumat daripada dokumen yang diterbitkan dan yang tidak diterbitkan, serta rekod dari koleksi arkib tempatan dan luar negara seperti Arkib Negara London, Perpustakaan British London, Arkib Negara Singapura dan juga Arkib Negara Malaysia serta cawangannya. Kesemua data diteliti dan dianalisa secara deskriptif, analitikal dan kritis sepanjang kajian dijalankan. Kajian ini juga turut menerokai bagaimana orang Arab Hadhrami yang terdiri daripada kumpulan minoriti Arab yang berhijrah dari Hadhramaut, Yemen berjaya dalamMalaya bidang perniagaan, serta memegang jawatan-jawatan penting dalam pentadbiran negeri-negeri Melayu dan politik. Kajian ini bermula dari pengasasan Singapuraof sebagai pusat perdagangan oleh Stamford Raffles pada tahun 1819 di mana beliau berjaya menarik minat para pedagang termasuklah orang Arab Hadhrami untuk berurus niaga dan seterusnya menetap di Singapura. Tahun 1969 merupakan pengakhiran kepada kajian ini apabila Yaman Selatan merdeka dan ditadbir oleh sebuah kerajaan komunis yang mengamalkan dasar tertutup menghalang penghijrahan keluar dan masuk dari Yaman. Selain daripada penglibatan aktif mereka dalam ekonomi, pentadbiran dan politik negeri-negeri UniversityMelayu, orang-orang Arab Hadhrami juga banyak memberi sumbangan dalam bidang pendidikan agama di negara ini. Terdapat dalam kalangan mereka yang prihatin dengan keperluan anak-anak Muslim bagi mendapat pendidikan agama yang lebih baik dengan menubuhkan madrasah atau sekolah Arab. Dana atau badan wakaf ditubuhkan di mana pendapatan yang diperolehi digunakan untuk membayar kos penyelenggaraan madrasah dan membayar gaji guru. Selain itu, mereka juga turut membina masjid dan v menampung kos penyelenggaraannya melalui dana wakaf. Mereka juga turut membiayai rumah-rumah anak yatim serta mewakafkan dan menderma tanah bagi kawasan perkuburan. Namun, penglibatan orang Hadhrami Arab dalam aspek pentadbiran dan politik negeri-negeri Melayu dipandang serong oleh pihak Inggeris. Oleh itu, kajian ini cuba melihat respon British terhadap penglibatan dan peranan yang dimainkan oleh orang Arab Hadhrami dalam pentadbiran agama, pendidikan madrasah, penerbitan, ekonomi, politik dan pentadbiran di Tanah Melayu. Hubungan orang Arab Hadhrami dengan pihak Inggeris juga turut ditonjolkan dalam kajian ini. Selain itu, kajian ini juga cuba menganalisis faktor-faktor penyebab dan juga faktor lain yang turut menyumbang kepada kemerosotan penglibatan orang Arab Hadhrami di Tanah Melayu selepas Perang Dunia Kedua khususnya dalam bidang ekonomi dan politik sehingga membawa kepada kemerosotan penguasaanMalaya orang Arab Hadhrami dalam bidang ekonomi, serta krisis identiti yang melanda generasi muda Peranakan Arab. Walau bagaimanapun, berdasarkan kepadaof maklum at yang dikumpul, hasil kajian ini boleh digunakan untuk menyokong dan mengukuhkan teori faktor Arab dalam pembangunan sosial, ekonomi dan politik di Tanah Melayu, dengan mengetengahkan sumbangan orang Arab Hadhrami; khususnya keturunan Sayyid pada abad ke-19 dan abad ke-20 kerana mereka juga turut menyumbang kepada perkembangan sejarah Malaysia. University vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, many thanks and gratitude goes to Allah SWT for his mercy, I am given this opportunity to pursue PhD. I also would like to thank a number of people for their support and advices during the period of my study. Many thanks go to Prof. Dato' Dr. Mohammad Redzuan Othman, my supervisor for his invaluable assistance and encouragement throughout the study. I also would like to thank lecturers and friends from the University of Malaya for their constructive comments and criticism. My appreciation also goes to Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia (KPM) formerly known as Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia (KPTM) for rendering me scholarship under the SLAB/SLAI scheme to pursue my PhD at the University of Malaya. To my employer, the Islamic Science University of Malaysia (USIM), thank you for giving me this opportunity to further studyMalaya for my career development. I also would like to thank the University of Malaya (UM) for providing me financial assistance under the Student Grants, whicofh help me a lot in my oversea trips to the United Kingdom to collect data from the National Archives and the British Library in London. I am grateful to the library of the University of Malaya (UM), the Library of the National University of Malaysia (UKM), and The National Library of Singapore for providing me with facilities and assistance in collecting materials. My thanks also go to theUniversity National Archive of Malaysia and its branches throughout Malaysia in the Malay Peninsula, the National Archive of London and the National Archive of Singapore for their assistance and facilities provided during my research study. Last but not least, I wish to take this opportunity to thank my mother Fauziyah Binti Saad, for her love and constant du‘a’. To my husband Hir Azli, thank you for your understanding and patience. And also to my lovely daughters Nur Khir Yusra and Nur vii Khir Hannah, thank you for cheering up my gloomy days, who put up with my busy schedule as a student, I owe you two holidays that we missed during the past three years. To my siblings, eight sisters and a brother, thank you for your support. To Haji Md Tahir Yassin and Hajjah Patimah Yaakop, thank you so much for being a supportive and understanding parent in laws. LATIFAH ABDUL LATIFF University of Malaya March 2016 Malaya of University viii TABLE OF