KyotoKyotoUniversity University
Se#theast Ast'an Studiles, Vol. 26, No. 2, September 1988
Some Observations on Adat and Adat Leadership in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan
NoRHALIM Hj. IBRAHIM*
surnmarized. To some, the system is on
its way out due to material advancement Introduction and its influence, which has penetrated the
The Malays of Negeri Sembilan are char- practi$ing society at alI levels since colonial
acterized by a matrilineal custom and descent times and continues to do so under the
group erganization which they refer to as New Economic Policy of Malaysia today.
the Adat Perpatih. The adat is fbund To others, due to its unique internal char-
almost exclusively in Negeri Sembilan.i' acteristics, the system is being modified in
The of Negeri Sembilan clairn that people its practical aspects but philosophically re- the Adat Perpatih originated in West Su- mains intact. Analysis in depth shows that matra and was subsequently to brought to some extent both views are correct. Negeri Sembilan by Minangkabau immi- "nine The name Negeri Sembilan means grants. states." It refers to the faet that, prior to to unique seciopolitical organiza- Due its European contact, Negeri Sembilan was a tien, Negeri Sembilan has, since the earlier confederacy of minor states (luak) with in- part of the nineteenth century, been the dependent chiefs (pe,qsehules or esnddng).
focus of numerous studies both by foreign What the nine states were is still open to
and local scholars (for example Abd. discussion. Scholars on Negeri Sembilan
Rahrnan Haji Mohamad [1964], de Josselin disagree as to which luak made up the de Jong [1951], de Maubray [1931], Hooker confederacy. However, all of them agree [1969] and Nordin Selat [1976]). These that Rembau was one of them. studies deal with almost every aspect of Rembau, in fact, was generally accounted
the system. From the vast amount of by the Portuguese and Dutch governments materials two general conclusions can be at Melaka as the principle of the nine
states * [Newbold1836. (repr.1968): 61]. Jabatan Sains Kemasyarakatan, Fakulti Pen- According to Winstedt 1934: 57], the nine gajian Pendidikan, Universiti Pertanian [
Malaysla, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia states were first mentioned in the agreement 1) ln some parts of Negeri Sembilan, espeeiany of 11 November 1759 between Dayid Bulen, in the district of Port Dickson, the Adat Melaka, and Raja Daing Perpatih is not practised. However, there Governor of Muda are groups of people eutside Negeri Sembilan, Kemboja of Linggi, Raja Tua of Kelang such as in Naning, Melaka and in enclaves and Datuk of Rembau, who represented in Lukut in Kota Tinggi, Johore, practising
the adat. Rernbau and itsnine states. A briefintro-
15e
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NoRHALIM Hj. IBRAHrM:Some Observations on Adot and Adat Leadership
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Fig. 1Map of Rembau District
ductory survey of the complex socio-political modern Negeri Sembilan. It is bounded
structure ef Rembau district is in order. in the north and northeast by the district
of Kuala Pilah, in the east by the district
of Tampin, in the northwest by the district Rembau District of Seremban, in the west by the district of
Rembau is one of the sevendistricts of Port Dickson and in the south by the state
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MM7ti7-N 26ts2e
Table 1 Population of Rembau District by Mukim, 1970--80
%Change Annual Mukim in Growth Rate No.1970t % Ne.19802 % PopulationAverage (%)
-O. -o. Batu Hampar 1, 8591, 4. 67 1, 8431, 5. 07 86m29. oo-3.
BongekChembong 4975,0561, 3. 7612. 0585, 2. 9113. 33 41-O.
71 0341, 85 -O. 61 06
Chengkau 8315,1731, 4. oo12. 9774, 5. 4412. 7. 97-10. O. 07-L
GedongKundorLegong 98 6491,4721,363 79 13-12. 06-1.
6901,618 4, 24 4. 05 90-15. 37-1.70-1.82-5.
Hilir 4. 06 3. 75 76-
Legong Ulu 821 2, 06 683 1. 88 16. 81-45.03-25. MikuNerasauPedasPilinSelemakSemerbok 1711, O. 43 941, O. 26 81-2.
9e45,0921,2823,170 4. 7812. 4185, 3. 90 53 ee
78 4311, 4. 94 6. 66 O. 65-O.
3. 22 1892, 3. 27 -7. 25.12. 75-1.
7. 96 774 7. 63 49-13. 33-L46-4.
8041,4922, 2. 02 694 1. 91 68-35.66-12.09
SpriTaajong 3. 74 9601, 2. 60 31-1.28-1.
Kling OIO4, 5.0510. 7673, 4,8610. -9. Titian Bintangor 362 95 944 85 58 00 -O.91 Total 39, 841100. 00 36,3501oo. OO -8. 76
Sources: 1. Community Groups, 1970 Population and Housing Census of Malaysia, Department of Statistics, Malaysia 2. Population Report for Mukims, 1980 by Department of Statistics, Malaysia
of Melaka (Fig. 1). Its maximum length is Rembau and the district of Kuala Pilah. about 30.58km and its width･ about 20.92km. This range constitutes the southern part of Rembau covers a total area of 41,721 hec- the Iate Jurassic-early Cretaceous Main tares (254 square kilometers). Of this, range of Peninsular Malaysia. Itisheavily 73.6 percent is under agriculture, while wooded and accounts for much of the 24 18.4 percent is forest reserve, O.2 percent percent of Rembau district still fbrested. is industrial areas and 7.8 percent is gov- The hills in the district are low and the ernment land. highest mountain is Gunung Rembau (892 The district essentially has an equatorial meters above sea-level). The soils of the
climate with no distinctly marked seasons. district are mestly alluvial.
The daily temperature is in the range of There are altogether 17 mukim (sub- 78"-89eF, and relative humidity is around districts) in Rembau (Table 1). Each mukim
96 percent. The annual average rainfall is is further sub-divided into kamPu7ag` (vil-
below 2, OOO mm. lages). There are 177 kampung in the
Rembau has a fairly gentle topography, district. Between kampung there are no
except for a range of mountains which clear social or geographical boundaries. Nl
serves as a natural boundary between mukirn and kampung in Rembau are con-
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NORHALIM Hj. iBRAHIM: Some Observations on Adat and Adat Leadership
nected with Rembau town and other small therah (District Council). To assist him,
towns by tarred or red earth roads. Small there are four assistant district odicers who
towns play an important part in the lives are responsible for different units or divi-･
of Rembau people. It is there that they sions: development, land, land revenue, sell their products and buy consumer goods and general administration and district
including rice. council.
As in other parts of Malaysia, the popu- As mentioned earlier, the district is divided Iation of Rembau is multiracial, comprising into seventeen sub-districts 8. 76 percent compared with the total popu- ever, there are only five penghulu mukim lation of 1970 (39,841). The district's pop- in Rembau and one penghulu has to ad- ulation density is high, 88.429 persons minister three or four mukim, depending per square kilometer. According to the on their size. 1980 census, its population distribution by The penghulu administer the mukim sex was 16,918 male and 19,432 female. under their jurisdiction with the help ef CQmpared with the other districts of Negeri ldwalankuasa lremay'uan don Keselamalan Rembau Sembilan, has a very small pro- Kampzang (JKKK-Village Committees for portion of males in the population, Le., Develepment and Security), of which there 87.1!100 females, which also shows a decline are altogether thirty-six in the district. One since 1970 census <90.41100 females). of the penghulu's tasks is to keep the Most of the people of Rembau are Malays. district oracer in touch with mukim affairs. They live mainly in rural areas and are At the kampung level, the head is known mostly farmers, rubber tappers, casual la- as detua kampu?4g" (kampung headman). bourers, school teachers and government The ketua kampung provides the link be- servants. The number ef Malavs " resident tween the penghulu and the villagers. Be- in towns, except Rembau town, is small sides being the head of the kampung he is compared with the Chinese. also the chairperson of the JKKK. As There are two types of administration in chairperson it is one of his main respon- Rembau, the legal-bureaucratic system and sibilities to see that the mechanism of the the adot system, which run parallel to one JKKK runs actively and smoothly, besides anether. Today, to some extent, in some planning and determining the types of socio-political aspects they are interrelated. development projects that are needed in The head of the legal-bureaucratic ad- the kampung. It is also his responsibility ministration of Rembau district is the dis- to see that ongoing projects are running on trict eMcer. He is also the collector of schedule and to encourage the kampung land revenue and the head of the Mafa-s folk to participate in developing the 153 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University Mts7ti7Mza 26g2g kampung through coeperative projects. Ideally the socio-political structure of As a whole, kampung are administered Rembau was embodied and summarized in by the JKKK. This cemmittee acts as an the fo11owing maxim: agent implementing development projects ' passed down from above. Its members Alam beray'a, (ten of them) are elected by the villagers, Luak beriienghulza, while the chairperson and secretary are Slacku berlembaga, norninated by the state government. The Anak buak berbuapak, other othcials of the committee are the 0ratqg semende bertempat semende. treasurer, and the heads of the religious (The universe (or state] has a ruler, affairs, women's affairs, health, education The district has a territorial chieg ' ･ and welfare sections. The clan has a clan-chieg The committee sits rnonthly to discuss The sub-clan has a leader, matters pertaining to the running of devel- The arnne has aihnal relatives.) opment projects in the kampung and to examine the economic activities and requests The adat concept of seciety was then of made by the villagers. The penghulu at- a state compesed of segmentary lineages of tends all these meetings, and sometimes varying depths, each with its ewn territory the district officer is also present. The and with a hierarchy of descent group results of the meetings are reported by the leaders. The descent groups in descending penghulu to the district othger. Thus, order of size and level were; sesku (clan; lit:stomach), the JKKK is the liaison body between lit: quarter), perut (sub-clan; and gevernment administrators and the peeple. ruairg (lineage; lit: room or space), The people of Rembau, as mentioned rumprzn (sub-]ineage; lit: cluster). Before under adminis- earlier, practice the rnatrilineal system, Adat coming British Perpatih. The adat was traditionally total tration, Rembau was under the control of in its application, for besides covering the the Penghulu Luak er Undang Luak.2' areas of life that fa11 under criminal and The undang in those days wielded supreme civil law in western society, it provided authority over the luak, as indicated by rules of etiquette and normative codes. the adat saying: Traditionaliy it was backed by a range of fbrrnal sanctions such as exile, physical Boleh menghdram don memutihkan, Bbleh memanjangt dun memendekhan, punishrnent, and fines, as well as such informal sanctions as gossip and avoidance. Bbleh me7agresah dun membatathan. The adat and its sanctions were spelt out (With authority to pronounce black and in a series of maxims familiar to everyone, 2) The administration of Rembau was surren- of which some derive from the homeland, dered to the British by the Agreement of 17 September 1887, in return for one-third of the Minangkabau, and others are Iater, incor- '[Maxwell total yearly revenue of the Luak porating local and Islamic rules. and Gibson 1924: 51--52]. 154 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University NoRHALrM Hj. IBRAmM: Some Observations on Adat and Adat Leadership Leverof Descent Level of Authority Luak of Rembau Undang State t Suku Lembaga t Perut Buapak t Vi]lage ]eve] Ruang Besar t Rumpun Kadim t Luak of Rembau People State Fig.2 The Para digmatic Structure of the Traditional Rembau Pelitical Hierarchy white, Regnwai Pbudu Undengt (Othcials of the With authority to lengthen and shorten, Undang) or Tbng,eat Soko,rgt thtla Lenzbaga With authority to confirm and annul.) (Supports of the Lembaga);S' and the Likewise; 3) There were ttir'of'Ihem: Datuk Raja Diraja from Suku Biduanda Jakun, whe assumed the duties of secretary .SZxth batal pade Undeng, to the undang and was in charge of the religious affairs; ]elrn's Peayalangr Pade Unde,zs'i Datuk Menteri Lela Perkasa, also from Suku (Confirrnation and annulment are with the Biduanda Jakun, who was responsible for all jud icial cases of the state; Undang, Datuk Shahbandar from Suku Biduanda The execution kris is with the Undang.) and Suku Biduanda by ro- Jakun - Jawa tataen whe was responsible ' for collecting lmpert duties; and In ruling the day-to-day affairs of the luak, Datuk Mangkub umi frem Suku Biduanda the undang had a council of advisers, that Jawa whose responsibilities were collecting Iand revenues and keeping account of the is, the Orang Besar Undong (Ministers to total state revenue besides looking after the the Undang), who were also called as treasury. 155 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University MMrcr7Mza 26g2e Table 2 Lembaga of Rembau and the Suku under TheirAuthority Lembaga Suku 1. DatukDatukDatukPerbaSri Biduanda Jakun and Biduanda Jawa 2. Maharaja Paya Kumbuh Darat 3. Bangsa Balang a) Tiga Nenek b) Tiga Batu Baruh 4. Datuk Andika a) Batu Belang b) Tiga Batu Baruh c) Paya Kumbuh 5. DatukDatukMendelika Semelenggang Empat lbu 6. Sinda Maharaja a) Selemak b) Tiga Batu Darat 7. DatukDatukNgiangMerbangsa Mungkal Darat 8. a) Paya Kumbuh Baruh b) Semelenggang c) Agam 9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.DatukDatukDatukDatukDatukDatukDatukDatukDatukDatukSenaraMaharaja Tanah Datar Baruh Inda Tanah Datar Darat Samsura Pahlawan Mungkal Baruh PutehLela Batu Hampar Petani Wangsa Anak Acheh Gempa Maharaja Batu Hampar Minangkabau Setia Maharaja Biduanda Setia Maharaja Sutan Bendahara Batu Hampar Darat Ganti Maharaja Anak Melaka Mengkuta a) Semelenggang Kendung b) Tiga Batu Kendung c) Tanah Datar Kendung 19. Datuk Dagang a) Semelenggang Miku b) Tiga Batu Miku 20.Datuk Panglima Dagang Semelenggang Minangkabau Lembage Delapan (the Eight Lembaga), Bkelai (lit: Pillars of the Hall of Audience) who were also known as Lembagzx Tiaiagrt or Tulang Utexx Undang (lit: Bones and Sinew of the Undang).`' 4) They were: A suku or clan was the largest descent Datuk Gempa Maharaja of Suku Batu Hampar Baruh; grouping (Fig. 2). It consisted of a body Datuk Merbangsa of Paya Kumbuh Baruh; of people whose claims to membership was Datuk Samsura Pahlawan of Mungkal Baruh; Datuk Bangsa Balang of Tiga Nenek Baruh; They adyised the undang on all internal and Datuk Sri Maharaja of Paya Kumbuh Darat; external affairs. They had to reach unanimous Datuk Sinda Maharaja of Selemak (Sri agreement before the undang could take any Lemak) Darat; and action, and no treaty between Rembau and Datuk Mendelika of Semelenggang 156 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University NORHALIM Hj. IBRAHIM: Some Observatlons on Adat and Adat Leadership either birth through their mothers or by with twenty lembaga.8) adoption through the process known as The lembaga was responsible for the hadim. Members of a suku could not administration of his suku, both socially necessarily trace their cennection to each and legally. Once elected, he would remain other, though they all believed that they in ovace for life er until he was deposed had a common ancestress. Ideally there by his anak buah (clan members) and/or were twelve suku in the adat system;5' but the undang if he went against or broke for Rembau the number was twenty-four any of the stated rules of etiquette. since each suku was div{ded into two.6) The suku was sub-divided into several Each suku, theoretically, should have its perut. The head ofa perut is called buapak own head or lembagn. However, in Rembau or bopak in the local dialect. However, in today, due to new immigrants, there are some suku, such as Semelenggang,Mungkal, twenty-seven suku. Tiga Nenek and Selemak, there was only The head of a suku, the lembaga, also ene buapak for all the perut in the suku. bore a specific tit]e. Although there are The number of buapak, too, varied over twenty-seven suku in Rembau, there are time: in 1910 there were only 64 buapak only twenty lembaga (Table 2). Both figures [loc. cdr.], by 1943 the number had increased fluctuated over time: for example, in 1910 to 102,9' and by 1963 it had dropped to there were twenty-fbur suku with twenty-one 73.io) lembaga [Parr and Mackray 1910: 56]; The buapak's responsibilities, power and in 1943, twenty-eight suku with twenty-one authority were limited to his perut only. lembaga;" and in 1963, twenty-seven suku Since a buapak was elected by unanimous vete, the members of the could depose 5) The twelve suku were: Biduanda, Batu perut Hampar, Paya Kumbuh, Mungkal, Tiga him. Otherwise, he would remain in ocace Nenek, Semelenggang, Selemak, Batu Belang, for life. The buapak was elected in rotation Tanah Datar, Anak Aceh, Anak Melaka and Tiga Batu, from several ruang within the perut. 6) The existence of two suku of the same name The head of a ruang, the sub-division of was a reflection of the fact that Minangkabau migrationoccurredinwavesintoReinbau. The a perut, was called besar (lit: big) or tua first major wave settled in the seuthern part rzaang (elder of the ruang). The number and the second in the nerthern part of Rembau. In early times there was no specific boundary of besar was also inconsistent, for in 1910 between the two. This came into being due there were only 20 cit.], by 1943 the to a civil war in the later part of the sixteenth [lbc. century, which resulted in Rembau being number had risen to 327,ii' and by 1963 it divided into two political divisions: Rermbaza Dat:at 157 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University fiwt7Y7-ve 26g2e had dropped to 219.i2' The post of besar undang has very little to do with the ma- was usually, but not necessarily, held by chinery of government, except that the ex- "ruler" the eldest male in the group, and he was pression in the constitution indicates elected to the post also by rotation among the Yang Dipertuan Besar and the four the rumpun and voted unanimously by undang. The dualism appears in rnatters members of his ruang. He had Iimited of adat land, where the presence and the authority and could only settle petty quarrels opinions of adat chiefs, especially the buapak among ruang members. Serious disputes and lernbaga, are always sought by the had to be passed en to the buapak or the district eracer and assistant district ofTicers. lembaga, depending on their severity ac- Cases which they can not settle have to be cording to the adat rules. The besar also brought to the undang fbr arbitration. acted as intermediary between members of Although the undang and his adat chiefs the ruang and the buapak and as an oficer are not powerful in a political sense, their of the lembaga's cottrt. positiens are still desirable in the public The smallest descent-based group was eye. Thus there often arise conflicts in the the rumpun, which was headed by a hadim succession of adat positions. I want to or tua rumpun, the eldest male in the describe one such case in a village in family. It was his duty to lead and or- Rembau. Before going into it, let me first ganize any ceremonies in the group, act as introduce the village in question, that is, arbiter in conflicts among family members, Kampung Selemak. and see that members of the rumpun lived harmoniously, besides representing the Kampung Selemak rumpun in any outside activities including voting for a new besar, Kampung Selemak is about 97km south British When the came, the undang and of Kuala Lumpur and about 6 km south of his adat chiefs lost their administrative Rembau town. It lies about 1.5km east remained was undang's power. Allthat the of Kampung Batu town, along a country authority adat and religious affairs. in How- road connecting Rembau with Kuala Pilah according Negeri ever, to the Sembilan district. It is one of the eight kampung of Constitution, the undang is a permanent Mukim Selemak and in the traditional po- member of the Ceuncil of the Yang litical division, it is situated in up-country ' Dipertuan Besar and the Ruling Chiefs.i3} Rembau. - Under this constitution, the undang also Topegraphically, this kampung can be has certain privileges and in some aspects divided into three areas, that is, a hilly area, his power is equal to that of the Yang a settlement area, and paddy fields or former Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan. The paddy fields (Fig.3). The hilly area is situated in the north-eastern part of the 12) Fail No. B.U.R･ 40!63. See footnote 8). kampung, with highest Bukit 13) See [Untlang-andang' Tabuh ?rerofaan 2V:egeri peak, Sembilbn 1959: Art. Bintungan, reaching 842 meters above sea- yt(16), p.8] 158 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University NoRHALIM Hj, IBRAHIM:Some Observations on Adat and Adat Leadership -:::t::1--:::t-:::-::.1 ':'=t --:-::i- - . N"aS to Kg･' it-- ,･.,r.i,i:'i･Zl'l'11':･l':rl,i!il/,71'iii'f.';'i-llil::" --- " ' ------" ----:-- :---r::--:''11Eil"11･//Lll,"ll･illii,,ii,/l/1/il'ii'li"lii '/i･:.i･8iiS'] --:..--t- t---ny " {--t-t--}--- :i---t--";: - -- --l -..1-.." -- :----tt --"C:Fi"'e's'ard -- - ". -- I.,,.li.･'{Ii'i" ::------t-.----- ll l- "- iil".I'l:.e.i.ij ･;;.,.f::,- " ii:･:i{','tifi.:l:i-',t;･ ,::::;･1.･g: ---･--i - - .'. n-.- t .9' 'Y;r.-: .t:'::Gr.ave)rarcl 'e T..l.-. ..k---- .::::t':.:;::;',:' ------.':･::t'-'--- e:. "'-':"f -- -li ", '":i- 'ift!t:::i:' ･. -t - :., .s :i･:-:;+j:::--t- o - - -- :------,:. : ,:...... ,,?h`i',"L'li.g.,,,,･':･S.2'l]:"t... .l.;dti .:`"..: :-".:- 4 --"-Il,.I,)f .":･I:Ll',',.' -i . t:-"Gravg"yardi" -d "-- :3･'P'bl'a'u""' ' '.Graveyarcl.v.`-"'r.' Pti.ts.p.n"g..:･,::;;::,:::t.i･･-･-"･' - :% Kg. seig'i',"i'r.pa,. ---l--T--- ' ' ':'s: ･.::i･:.:7 --'t;--:--::::::--:::::-}-l-4--1---t" v--"::1.:sl`:i::; - ::G ::: -- ',"'-:i,r;.".:::f::):: - -t ------tl::'i : ::.:': . -- -- -l it------t:".--l------. :'I!l' --t s------s-- -"t"' "l..""l 'i-:'t::"t:""-""".--t-t-t---1------l ,tt--- e"-- - tl----l;;:;-t------･f.:,ii,i,t,,,l-E･g`i.i.,L.r.,/1･Y･.iil`i ------dl 9 Kg. Batu t- -ti----L;-eQ- rg.:: '. -d-e- ..Kg.S..ayang;'-:--e PaddY -t;--lt--ti-- .. .. ".. t- .;-"`"r..t Menunggol-･t･･t･･A- -'"'s.･1..;."i:::.-"-s....:::::::" -v::.:.:.:".. ':':r:.:'tf.:'.1-,::!,::i::;:::':':':-. .< " e tt Rubber -L t e ::t::F.::C .-t-:"- Road ':,:':i.-:.:" Mosque, Surau -----,----.. .i . ..l..rr': el '.' ------...tlt ;'.'.U Grai'e}'ard "SCALE -::;,･::･:-::ilil,:':'.:SEiltl':j･l::1:･･:･{/;: House$ ""･` ---t . "" "'.=..lr:"v':. 1,25,OOO . Fig.3 Map of Kampung Selemak ' level. Along the hill-slopes there are rubber 3 sundry shops, one mosque, one surau, plantations and fruit orchards mostly owned one balai ra),a (community centre) and one by the villagers. The most common fruit midwife's clinic. Of the 122 houses, only trees are durian (Decrio xzbathinus), laqgrsat 101 are occupied. The owners of the vacant (avariety of Lansium dbinesticum), cemPe- heuses had migrated to other parts of the dok (Arteca?)ouspelypkema) and ma,ae/ge's country, especially Kuala Lumpur. ma7agrostana). These trees (Carcinia bear Two or three decades ago, about 50 per- fruit annually and provide one of the vil- eent of the people in this kampung were lagers' main sources of income. paddy farrners. However, the paddy fields The settlement area lies not more than had dried up due to lack of water supply, 15 meters above sea-Ievel. It is here that and today most of them are idle. A few the peop]e built their houses, close to each families tried to replace paddy with tobacco, other. The structures and plans of their but this also was abandoned due to factors houses do not conform to a pretotype but such as lack of technical know-how and are according to the taste and means of marketing. The main occupation left today the owner. Some of them stili have the is tapping rubber. Since the majority of Minangkabau style, although medified the people here are pensieners, their inceme greatly in line with the rnodern residential derives from monthly pensions and remit- style. Settlement in this kampung is nu- 14T)'' AMiuilding that is not a mosque of general cleated around the mosque and the suraza.i`' assembly but is otherwise devoted to religious In total, buildings number about 122 houses, or quasi-religious purposes. 159 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University MM7ti7Mve 26ts2e Table 3 Population of Karnpung Selemak with the figure for early 1970, that is, 620 by Age and Sex persons [Abu Hassan 1971: 25], the pop- (December 1987) ulation has decreased by 13.05 percent. Age Male Female Total The figures indicate that 42.1 percent of O- 5 333138236646617108l41883de404235513920142012131915657371805811191326203722213333148 the kampung population are thirty-one years 6-1011-1516-2021-2526-3031-3536-4041-4546-5051r5556-6061-6566-7071-7575 old and above, and this was the largest age group. This was not true in 1970, when this age group constituted 31 percent of the pepulation. The majority (54.8 percent) were then in the age group below fifteen years, which in the present census accounts fbr only 41.6 pereent of the total population. In a seventeen-year period, therefore, the population of this kampung in the age group below fifteen years has decreased by 15.8 percent and that in the age group above thirty-one years has grown by 15.4 above percent. Tetal 231308539 The decline in the age group below fifteen tances from sons and daughters working in years has oceured mostly because young ' urban areas. couples now seldorn send their children to This kampung is not iso1ated frem ele- their parents to be looked after, prefering ments of change in the urban areas. Car- to keep their children with them. Fer the riers of change, especially community mem- increase in the older age group, several bers who travel between the kampung and reasons can be advanced. The main cause urban centres, introduce new elements of seems to be the nation's eeonomic recession. material and non-material traits into both The economic cut-back in both government life. People here also keep the community and, especially, private sectors has rnade in eonstant touch with government offcers blue-collar workers redundant and left them whe hold othce outside the kampung, either no alternative but to go back to their in Rernbau town er Seremban, or even in respective kampung for survival. In addition Tampin town. nobody in this kampung was selected to According to a census taken in December join any of the schemes under the govern- 1987, there were 539 persons in the kampungi ment's Federal Land Development Authority Malay 3).'5' Compared al1 of them (Table (FELDA). Thus in this age group there has been little out-migration but increased 15) The census was taken in the months of in-migration. October to December 1987, during which time, On the other hand, eut-migration in the the figures may have changed due to hori- and thirty zontal mobility between kampung and town. age group between sixteen years 160 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University NoRHAuM Hj. rBRAHIM: Some Observations on Adet and Adat Leadership is still high. In absolute numbers this age Minangkabau settlers in Upper Rembau. group is unchanged compared with seven- It was opened by Datuk Kepala Puteh, teen years ago, although proportionately it who alse founded the neighbouring Kam- has grown to 16.3 percent of the total pung Sungai Layang in the early six- population from 14.2 percent in 1970. As teenth century. It was in these kampung in 1970, most of this group, after sitting that he started his suku, Suku Selemak the SZ?VZ 1?ken`iah f'lekeia,ran (SRP; Lower (also called Suku Seri Lemak), and was Certificate of Education) or their .Sleip7 elected by his fbllowers as their chieg with Relojaran Malaptsia (SPM; Malaysian Cer- the title of Datuk Sinda Maharaja, a title tificate of Education) examination, migrated which stil1 exists. to urban areas in search ofjob opportunities Due to population movement and devel- and/or to further their studies, depending opment, the people of this kampung are on their qualifications and interests. This no longer confined to one suku but beleng process of urban migratien has greatly efl to four different suku: Selemak, Batu fected the strength of the kampung popu- Hampar, Semelenggang, and Tanah lation. This was true even in 1970 [thidL: Datar.i6) In the karnpung, rnarriages be- 25-26]. tween members of diflbrent suku occurred, Of the 101 household heads in Kampung but never between members of the same Selemak, 75 are ma]es and 26 are females. suku, this being forbidden and having tra- Most of the female household heads are ditionally been sanctioned by exile. wage-earners supporting themselves and their families. In some cases they are Leadership in Suku Selemak divorcees, in other$ their husbands are away, mostly working in urban and industrial Although the people of this kampung areas. IEthese household heads are engaged come from four suku, the majority are frorn in various types of employment. However, Suku Selemak, which is sub-divided into the largest group, about 42 percent, are four perut: Perut Masiid, Perut Tengah I, rubber tappers. The rest are either pen- Perut Tengah ll and Perut Hujung Taaj ung. sioners, in government service, or doing The lernbaga for this suku is Datuk Sinda odd jobs. Maharaja. Below him there is one buapak, Landownership among these household Datuk Juan, and eight besar. These eight heads is small. Of the 101 household besar do not represent equally the fbur heads, about 55 percent own less than one perut: Perut Maejid has four besar, Datuk hectare. Only two heads, or 1,9 percent, Samang Menteri, Datuk Laksamana, Datuk own between 5 to 15 hectares. The lands 16) It should be mentioned that although are either rubber homesteads, plantatiens, Kampung Selemak is situated in Upper paddy fields or orchards. Rembau according to the traditional political divisions, the people of Suku Batu Hampar, Historically, Kampung Selemak was one Semelenggang and Tanah Datar are members of the first to be opened by the early of the Lower Rembau suku of the same names. 161 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University ptM7ti7Mza 26ts2e Menteri Penghulu and Datuk Nara Kaya; and if he rejected all, then the kerapatan Perut Haj'ung Taajung has two, Datuk process began again and a new list had to Maharaja and Datuk Panglima Sutan; and be -sul)mitted. Perut Tengah I and Perut Tengah ll have The power of confirming buapak and one besar each, Datuk Panglima Besar and besar rested with the Iembaga. This was Datuk Paduka Menteri, respectively. done at the kerapatan witnessed by the Theoretically, al1 elections of a new adat Tali Pusaka, after whic'h the lembaga would chief involved rotation of candidacy among inform the undang. the rumpun and ruang and required perut, All new heads had to go through the the unanimous vote of suku members. In menszxdep or meayalaeqgt (audience) cere- electing a lembaga, the perut in line first mony, held between certain speeific times. had to be identified, then the ruang, then If one failed to do se, he and his suku, the rumpun. This was also the case in the perut, ruang or rumpun, whichever it might election of buapak and besar, except that be, could be considered as having a cacat fewer descent groups had te be considered. (defect, shortcomingl. He had to pay a Identifi¢ ation of the perut was made through fine as imposed by the adat rule or be kerapttian adat (adat public meeting). If dismissed from othce. the position in question was that oflembaga, Suecession Conflict in Kampung then the kerapatan wels initiated and chaired Selemak by the buapak or by the most senior buapak if there was more one than buapak in the In early January 1958, Datuk Juan Duman suku. If the position was that of buapak, bin Kesuh, the buapak of Suku Selernak, the meeting was conducted by the lembaga. died. He was from Perut Tengah I. these types of meeting, the In al1 Lembaga On 5 July 1958, Datuk Sinda Maharaja 7}ili Pasaha (Ceunci1 of Lembaga, repre- Mohd Amin bin Said, the then lembaga 'the senting the undang in the election of a new of Suku Selemak, called a meeting at adat head) had to be present. They acted Masjid Selemak to identify which perut as advisers and it was their responsibility was in line for the vacant buapak post. te report the proceedings of the meeting to After deliberation, it was unanimously the undang. agreed that it was Perut Masiid. In the election of a new lembaga, the Perut Maejid consisted ef three Ruang: meeting could only nominate a candidate Ruang Maajid, Ruang Padang Balai and or, as usuaily happened, a number of can- Ruang Bongek. According to the rule of didates. The name or names would then rotattion, the post should have gone te Ruang be submitted to the undang by the Tali Bongek, because both of the fbrmer ruang Pusaka for confirmation of the nominee or had already held the othce. These two selection, usually through an interview, from opposed the idea, hewever, claiming that among the nominees. The undang had Ruang Bongek did not exist according te the power to accept or reject any candidate, the suku's history and constitution'and 162 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University NORHALIM Hj, IBRAHIM: Some Observations on -4dat and A dat Leadership thus had no right to the post. Accordingly, lembaga's candidate and had the blessing the two ruang elected Othman bin Lanjung of the Lembaga Tali Pusaka, even though of Ruang Maajid as the new datuk. How- he was supported by only one ruang, er a eber, the lembaga, who recognized the ex- third of the perut members. Beside the istence of Ruang Bongek, opposed the elec- lembaga's consent, he also had the blessing tion. of the undang, who had ratified the existence Ruang Bongek was not satisfied with of his ruang. the outcome of the kerapatan. They had The prDblem became more complicated a meeting of their own, conducted by the when the undang accepted both men when lembaga and attended by the Lembaga Tali they sought audience with him. To accept Pusaka, who were also in favour of Ruang the mengadap ceremony conducted by both Bongek. The meeting unanirnously decided (at different times) meant that the undang that their case should be brought before acknowledged and accepted both candidates the undang. The undang, a week after the oficially. During the mengadap each was audience, declared that Ruang Bongek was accompanied by his own fo11owers, and a ruang in Perut Maejid. Using the undang's Haji Zakaria also had the presence of the decree as support, the Datuk Lembaga and lembaga. Thus in 1958 there were two the anak buah of Ruang Bongek elected Datuk Juan in Suku Selemak Darat of Haji Zakaria bin Hassan as the new Datuk Rembau. Juan. In December 1962, Datuk Lela Maharaja of Rembau, The two other ruang, that is, the majority Haji Ipap, the Undang passed of the perut members, were against the away. On 19 January 1963, Datuk Adnan second election. To them, the latter Datuk bin Maah was chosen from among ninety new undang, with the Juan was not elected in the spirit of the aspirants to be the adat rule. A datuk could only be elevated title of Datuk Sedia Raja. New efforts to power after being unanimously elected were made by members of Perut Tengah by perut members; but in their case, they I, Perut Tengah U and Perut HLijung did not recognize the latter ruang, and their Taajung, Ruang Masjid and Ruang Padang own candidate had already been legally Balai to have the new undang dismiss Datuk elected. Juan Haji Zakaria. Petitions were sent to On the other hand, to be oihcially elected the undang at times until 1965 but the as a buapak the sanetien of the suku's undang declined to take action.i7' lembaga was needed. This was due to the Then, on 1 April 1968, Haji Mahmud fact that the Iembaga and the buapak had bin Hussin, a sixty-fivevearold kadim from to work closely together in the affairs of Perut Hajung Taniung with the title of the suku, especially if the suku had only 17) Balai Undang Rembau (BUR) (The Office of the Undang of Rembau). Fail No･ B.U.R. one buapak representing al1 its perut, as 12164. Rayuan Waris Suku Selemak, Kg. was the case in Suku Selemak. This was Masjid Selemak, atas Pusaka Buapak bergelar true in Haji Zakaria's case. He was the Juan･ Letters 1-4. 163 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University stM7V7-sc 26g2e Pawang Khatib, was chosen as new lernbaga group's status in adat society. from among six aspirants following the In the process ef identifying the right death of his predecessor Datuk Sinda Ma- greup and the right individual, corruption haraja Mohd, Arnin bin Said, on 1 June is rife. Gifts, usually in fbrm of cash, flow 1967. Haji Mahmud was one of the regular from the individual te the lembaga and petitioners for dismissa1 of Datuk Juan the Lembaga Tali Pusaka. Beside the Haji Zakaria in 1964-65. Even in orace, lembaga, the anak buah also have to be however, he could not take any action to ben' makan (lit: fed; given money) for change the situation. But in adat-related their support during the kerapatan. matters, he treated Othman bin Lanjung Giving meney (memberv' makan) to the as buapak rather than Haji Zakaria. Iembaga is normal and no shame attaches This dual leadership at perut level per- to the individual. Rather, it is a cause fbr sisted until December 1972, when Haji pride, since this act indicates the wealth Zakaria died. On 1 January 1973, during and strength of the giver. The money a kerapatan to choose a new Datuk Juan, rnight not corne personally from the indi- the Datuk Lembaga secured the blessing vidual but, as in the case mentioned, be of the other besar of the suku and oMcially collected from or given voluntarily by mem- nominated and confirmed the other buapak, bers of the descent group. Othman bin Lanjung, as the Datuk Juan. From the above event it is evident that In this kerapatan the rotatien of othce was the society of Rembau lacked an under- set aside and for two successions, the post standing of the working system of adat. was held by Perut Masjid. Under the This wasdue to the absence of documentary rotation system, the post should have gone evidence of which group and who was in to Perut Tengah U. However,thekerapatzn line for the succession of adat positions. agreed that, for the sake of the suku's The understanding of the adat was through solidarity and felevant rnatters, and with oral tradition, passed from one generation the agreement of mernbers of Perut Tengah to the next Thus, in time of need, each rr, the rotation system was set aside until descent group had its own version denying the incumbent Datuk Juan died or relin- other group's rights. quished the post. The only source of reference on the adat From the above narrative it can be seen system in Rembau is the work of Abas that an adat oM ¢ e, even if it is a non- Haji Ali [1953], which is a translation of salaried post, is always a centre of conflict. Parr and Mackray's work [1910]. It was To hold an adat office is an honeur and published in 1953 and no reprint or ]ater awe-inspiring to the individual and his de- edition has been issued. This is the only scent gtoup. Moreover, ifadescent group book dealing with the history of the Luak is passed over, the irnplicatien is that its and the Luak's constitution, and today it members are menempangr (outsiders). This is out of circulation. Even iftoday's younger is memalakan (humiliating) and lowers the generation can get hold ef it, most will not 164 NII-Electronic Library Service KyotoKyotoUniversity University NoRHALIM Hj. IBRAHIM: Some Obseryations on Adat and Adet Leadership be able to use it because very few ef them and ?VlegriSembtlan: Secia-Poldrical LS:frzacture in lndanest"a. Leiden: Eduard Ijdo, N.V. can read the Jawi script in which it is de Maubray, G.A. de C. 1931. thtriarcdy in wrltten. the Mblay Pleninsular and iVletigvEbouring In my opinion, this book will not be of Ceuntrks. London: George Routledge and Sons. much help in solving an adat crisis today, Hooker, M.B. 1969. The Relationship between because the original was in 1910 published the Adat and the State Constitution of Negeri with the purpose of giving colonial oMcers Sembilan. IMBR4S42(2): 155-172. IbrahimbinAbdullah. 1978. SistemSukuAdat in Rembau some understanding of the adat Perpatih di Rembau. B.A. thesis, Universiti In the translation version, few new facts, Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. mostly updating historical event$, were Izham bin Abdul Aziz. 1974. Rernbau Sejarah Perkembangan Sistem Politiknya. B,A. thesis, added. Thus the Malay version is also of Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. little help in solving conflict which needs Khazimah bt Takiman. 1974. Sistem Kekerabatan di Luak Rembau minute detail of events. In addition only Negeri Sembilan. BLA. thesis, Universitas Negeri Padjadjaran, Bandung. 20 pereent of the present adat chiefs of Maxwell, W.G.; and Gibson, W. S., eds. 1924. Rembau possess this book. Treaties and Ensagements Al/fleating the Mbtay SVates and Borneo. Suffolk Lane, AII these and other factors, such as the E.C.: Jas Truscett and Son Ltd. influence of modern the political parties, Newbold,T.J. 1836. AcceuntofRumbowe,One personality of the individuals involved, and of the States in the Interior of Malacca. -lournal Asiatic Society Betrgul their connections with leaders of both the of of (Febru- ary); repr. in J. H･ Moor, ?Vbtices of the lndian traditional and modern bureaucratic systems, ArThipeZtrgo, Singapore, 1937; repr. Frank Cass tend to play a role in inducing and pro- & Co. Ltd,, 1968. NordinSelat. 1976. SistemSesialAdatPet:Patih longing the crises such as the one described Kuala Lumpur: Utusan Melayu Press. here. Norhalim Hj. Ibrahim･ 1971. Kekeluargaan dan Ekonomi dalam MasyarakEt Melayu Desa di Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. B.A. thesis, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Blbliography - . 1976. Secial Change and Continuity Abberviations: in the Matrilineal Seciety of Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. M.A･ thesis, JMBRAS: -lburnal of the Rayal Ast'atic Society, Universityof Hull, ?LlaZaysian Branch Hull. -----. 1977. Social Change in Rembau, JSBRAS: leurnal of the Rop-al Asiatic Society, 136-149. LStrrades Branch IMBRAS50(2): Othman bin Mohd･ Said. 1968. Penyesuaian Abas Haji Ali, 1953. Rembau: .Slijarah, Hukum Adat dengan Hukum Syarak Perlembcrgaan, Adat dan ktiadataya. Rembau: Kawasan Mukim Selemak, Rembau. B.A. Undang dan Perlernbagaan Adat Jabatan thesis, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Istiadat Rembau. Parr. C.W.C.; andMackray.W.H. 1910, Rem- Abd･ Rahman Haji Mohamad. 1964. Dasar- bau, One of the Nine States: Its History, dasar Atiat Aerpati;e. Kuala Lumpur: Constitution and Customs. ISBreAS 56: Pustaka Antara. 1-157. Abu Hassan bin Othman. 1971. Prose$ Sosialisasi Undang-undang Tubuh Kleray'aan IVlrgen' Sembden. Individu dalam Masyarakat Melayu Kampung 1959. Kuala Lumpur: Governrnent Press. Selemak, Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. M.A. Winstedt, R.O. 1934･ Negri Sembilan: The thesis, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. History, Polity and Beliefs of Nine States. de Josselin de Jong, P.E. 1951. vanatrgkaba" IjlfBRAS 12(3): 35-11L 165 NII-Electronic Library Service