Notes on Land Titles of Sungai Punggor, ,

Junji NAGATA*

Malaysia and the accompanying historical cha- I. Introduction nges. The analytical focus will be placed upon: ( 1) the adaptive process of individuals, groups of Since the mid-nineteenth century the resource individuals, and local society as a whole to the frontier in peninsular has been con- changing local ecosystem and wider political ec- verted into agricultural land on a large scale and onomy, and (2) the degree of association and has attracted a great number of people of various integration among people whose socioeconomic socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Such an and cultural backgrounds seem to vary. The expansion of human habitat in the peninsular has description and analysis will be carried out by posed various important societal and academic integrating the biophysical/human elements of the problems associated with the social and economic above issues into a conceptual framework of cul- development of the . The author's funda- tural-political ecology. As to the study atea, mental concern is to elucidate the ecological and Mukim Sungai Punggor, , the social relations embodied in this agricultural de- State of Johor was selected (Fig. I ).t) It is velopment of the resource frontier in peninsular situated in the lowland of western Johor along the

MUKIM SUNGAIPUNGGOR RENGIT

日 Intemalond Boundary State Boundary 日 日 D面dhmぬり ,

Fig。 1。 Adminislぼ ative in Johor alld the study area

* D€partment of Geography, College of Arts and Sciences at University of Tokyo (Komaba), Tokyo.

一- 75 -一 Notes on Land Titles of Mukim Sungai Punggor, Rengit, Johor (Nagata)

straits of and forms a part of the hinter- tions.a) land of Rengit Qtekan Rengit). The area of Under the National Land Code (NLC) which this mukim is 88.06km2, the population 9,395 and was made effective on January 1, 1966 several the number of households 1,968 according to the types of title can be distinguished depending on l99l census. whether final or qualified, whether in perpetuity In the state of Johor agricultural land develop- or for a term of years, and whether they are ment was pioneered by Chinese planters in the registered in the Registry of the state (one in each latter half of the nineteenth century. They opened State - mostly at the State capital) or at the Land up gambier and pepper plantations along the Office of the district (one such office in each rivers flowing into the Johor Strait, along some district). Before a final title is registered, the land major rivers on the east coast, and along the must be surveyed and the boundary marks must and Batu Pahat river systems on the west coast. be emplaced on it. Pending survey, a qualified Between Batu Pahat and , where Mukim title can be prepared based on the provisional Sg. (Sungai) Punggor is situated, the mangrove- survey, and thus two types of title can be seen. fronted, swamp-backed coast, to which no major One is final and the other is qualified. A qualified river flows, inhibited penetration of Chinese title (QT) confers the same right as the final title planters into the interior (Jackson, 1968). In the except that the land under QT cannot be sub- early 1890's the Chinese population of Johor is divided, partitioned, or amalgamated. The aim of estimated to have reached about 210,000 (Jac- QT basically resides in enabling the approved kson, 1968),2) whereas the Malay population was applicant (in case of alienation) or the proprietor insignificant until the end of the nineteenth centu- of the individual portions of land (in case of ry. It was only 110,000 in the 1911 census, but , partition, and amalgamation) to from the beginning of this century it was in- transfer, charge, or lease in respect of the land creased rapidly by Javanese and other Indonesian before the final survey is completed. immigrants to the west coast (Gullick, 1987). Final title and QT can be either Registry or According to the 1980 census, 87% of the popula- Land Office titles. Thus four types of title can be tion of Mukim Sg. Punggor is Malay and 13% distinguished, that is, Final Registry title, Final Chinese, while about 90% of the Malays in this Land Office title, QT corresponding to Registry area are said to be of Javanese origin and the title (QT(R)) (Hakmilik Sementara (Daftar)), remaining lO% are Melayu, Bugis, Banjar. Most and QT corresponding to Land Office title (QT of the Chinese in the area are said to be of (M)) (Hakmilik Sementara (Mukim)). Normal- Hokkien origin whose ancestors arrived almost at ly Registry title is given in case of area the same time as the Javanese. or any lot of country land5) exceeding ten acres in Official land records, especially land titles, pro- area, whereas Land Office title is given to any lot vide us much useful firsthand data about the of country land not exceeding ten acres in area. changing socioeconomy of the study area. In However, there are some exceptions to this rule addition they give us valuable information about because it is finally decided by the State Authority the institutional basis of the land development and which title is more suitable to any given lot. land management there. This paper summarizes Actually in case of Mukim Sg. Punggor there exist the kind of titles and other related documents lots which are held under Registry title not ex- available in Mukim Sg. Punggor, and discusses ceeding ten acres, and on the other hand, there their nature and problems as materials for study, exist lots under Land Office title that exceed ten and then presents some basic data derived from acres.6) these documents.3) NLC provides two forms of Final Registry title. One is Grant (Geran II. Outline of the land titles in Peninsular ) and the other is State Lease (Pajakan Negeri). Grant is for land alienated Malaysia in perpetuity and State Lease is for land alienated In the land system in Peninsular Malaysia, for a period of years. QT(R) is registered for commonly known as the Torrens system or the land to be held finally under Grant or State Lease. registration of title system, initially all land In the same way NLC provides two forms of belongs to the State. Alienation, which is com- Final Land Office title, that is, Mukim Grant pleted by registration of title, allows the right over (MG) (Geran Mukim) and Mukim Lease (ML) the land to pass from the State to the person or (Pajakan Mukim). MG is for land alienated in body named in the title, subject to certain condi- perpetuity and ML is for land alienated for a

一- 76 -一 Notes on Land Titles of Mukim Sungai Punggor, Rengit, Johor (Nagata)

before the end period of years. As in the case of Registry title, 82% of which had been registered up to 96% before is registered for land to be held finally of the Second World War, and QT(M) The registration of EMR under MG or ML. Independence in 1957. is due to some delays in For these titles two documents are prepared. after 1966 under NLC The registration of One is known as the register document of title procedures and is exceptional. NLC and continues (RDT) which is compiled in registers in the Reg- QT(M) began in 1966 under 1993 5,192.6 acres istry of the State or Land Office. The other is a until now (Table 2). Up to registered. The registration copy of RDT, and is known as the issue of docu- (1,616lots) had been under NLC, but the ment of title (IDT). This title should be kept by of MG also began in 1966 1993 only the proprietor. At the Registry of the State or number is still small (Table 3). until Al- Land Office, besides registers of Grant, State @2.0 acres ( 148 lots) had been registered. of Grants and are Lease, QT(R), MG, ML, and QT(M) under the though the registration QT(D) between 1931 and NLC, there exist some registers which were pre- exceptional in this mukim, registered for pared under the previous land laws which were lg3g, and in 1980, Grants were 1976 introduced under British colonial influence. In 425.0 acres (26 lots) (Table 4), and between (11lots) (Table the case of Johor these are registers of Grant, and 1988, QT(D) for 115.9 acres between the time State Lease, and CT (Certificate of Titles) in the 5). The difference in the acreage caused by Registry of the State and Mukim Registers in the of registration and of 1993 is mainly purpose of public Land Office. They were prepared under the previ- State land acquisition for the school, mosque, ous land law entitled the Land Enactment 1910. use, for example, drainage, road, The titles compiled in Mukim Registers are com- graveyard, and so on. figures quoted monly known as EMR (Extract from the Mukim The crucial point here is that the Register). The titles in these registers under the above are not equivalent to the number of lots and previous land laws are still in force and can be the net acreage of the alienated land in Mukim Sg. this. used for the purposes of NLC until they ate Punggor. There are several reasons for and then continued in the new form of titles provided by First, if the land is alienated under QT, in NLC. on completion of survey final title is registered respect of the land, the result is that the final title its Titles in Mukim III. Alienated Land and is given to the already alienated land. The alien- Sg. Punggor ation of land can only be made if the land is State This section summarizes under what kind of land. This case of giving of final title in continua- in titles, what amount of land has been alienated in tion of QT doesn't mean alienation. Second, amalgamation Mukim Sg. Punggor year by year. In Mukim Sg. case of sub-division, partition, and in the Punggor all the land is classified as country land, of land, and in cases where there is no space damaged, and there is no area declared to be town or documents of titles or they are lost or land by the state. In addition the land of this new title(s) can be registered in respect of the Third, mukim has been solely developed by smallholders, land in continuation of former title(s). not by plantation or mining companies, so that there are some cases where the already alienated land for most of the alienated land in Mukim Sg. Punggor land is surrendered or acquired as State Finally, has come to be held under Land Office titles. The some reason, and then re-alienated. Land Office titles in respect of this mukim are kept there is the problem of the Japanese occupation in the Sub-district and Land Offices in Rengit period from 1942 to 1945. In Mukim Sg. Punggor (Pejabat Tanah dan Daerah Kecil, Rengit). The during this period EMR was registered for 170 Registry titles in respect of this mukim are kept in lots (794.6 acre), but except for a few cases in Lands and Mines Office (Peiabat Tanah dan continuation of former titles, EMR for 164 lots Galian) at Johor Bahru. (766.3 acre) was canceled after the Second World Table 1-5 show the number of lots and the war in accordance with the Titles to Land (occu- those aqeage of the land for which titles are registered pation Period) Ordinance 1949. Most of in Mukim Sg. Punggor year by year. There lands were re-alienated after 1950. to should be only one lot in each title. As to the Taking these things into account, if we want form of titles, EMR and QT(M) occupy the know under what kind of titles, what amount of greater part. The registration of EMR began in land has been alienated except for the case of to 1929 and ended in 1980 (Table 1). During this re-alienation in Mukim Sg. Punggor, we have period 15,ML l acres (3,890 lots) were registered, extract the initial registration of title to a given

一- 77 -― Notes on Land Titles of Mukim Sungai Punggor, Rengit, Johor (Nagata)

Table 1. Registration of EMR in Mukim sg. punggor Registration 1993 Registration (initial Year alienation) 1993 Lot Acreage % % Acreage Lot Acreage % % Acreage 1929 232 1,013。 4 6.6 6.6 985。 0 232 1,o13.4 7.1 7。 1 985。 0 1930 271 1,065.1 6.9 13.5 1,CM4.4 271 1,o65.1 7.4 14.5 1,044.4 1931 571 2,304。 2 14.9 28.4 2,251.4 571 2,304.2 16.0 30.5 2,251。 4 1932 205 777。 1 5。 0 33.4 752.6 205 777.1 5.4 35。 9 752.6 1933 113 380。 3 2.5 35.9 367.2 112 376.3 2.6 38.5 365.6 1934 49 163。 0 1.1 36。 9 155。 6 47 153.3 1。 1 39。 6 145。 9 1935 109 424。 9 2.8 39.7 415。 5 109 424。 9 3.0 42.5 415.5 1936 231 928.8 6.0 45。 7 892.5 223 893.0 6.2 48.7 857.6 1937 425 1,733.9 11.2 56。 9 1,649。 0 415 1,695。 2 H.8 60.5 1,614.2 1938 184 777.4 5.0 62.0 752.0 184 777.4 5.4 66.0 752.0 1939 210 932。 0 6。 0 68。 0 897。 7 208 927。 2 6.5 72.4 892.8 1940 226 955。 0 6.2 74.2 901.0 217 924。 0 6.4 78.8 871.6 1941 85 391。 7 2.5 76.7 373。 8 83 379。 7 2.6 81.5 362.0

Subtotal 2,911 11,846。 8 76。 7 76。 7 11,437.7 2,877 11,710.7 71.5 81.5 11,310。 8

1942 1 3.4 0。 0 76.7 3.4 1 3.4 0。 0 81.5 3.4 1943 33 158。 3 1.0 77.8 152.3 33 158。 3 1.1 82。 6 152.3 1944 63 305。 2 2。 0 79。 7 285.9 59 289.8 2.0 84.6 272.5 1945 73 327.8 2.1 81.9 314.6 71 314.9 2.2 86.8 302。 0 Subtotal 170 794.6 81。 9 756.1 164 766.3 86.8 730。 0 ０ 1946 0。 0 0.0 81.9 0。 0 ‐ ５ 0 0.0 0。 0 86.8 0。 0 1947 61.7 0。 4 82。 3 60。 ０ ５ 5 11 42。 4 0。 3 87.1 41.2 1048 8.3 2。 6 84.9 ４ ７ 397.4 101 387。 0 2◆ 7 89。 8 378.2 1949 377.5 2.4 87.4 368。 ９ ７ “ 6 145 372。 5 2.6 92.4 363.7 1950 4・00.6 2.6 90。 0 ８ ４ 389.9 82 321.8 2.2 94.6 313.7

1951 296。 5 1。 9 91◆ 9 ８ ２ 281.5 49 138.9 1。 0 95.6 134.4 1952 321.7 2。 1 94.0 315。 ７ ４ 7 41 133。 1 0。 9 96.5 131.9 1953 224。 3 1.5 95.4 １ 218.6 50 118.6 0。 8 97.3 115。 6 1954 4。 9 0。 0 95.4 4.9 ３ 1 4。 9 0。 0 97。 4 4.9 1955 19。 0 0。 1 95.6 19。 ５ 0 2 10.4 0。 1 97.4 10。 4 1956 16el 0.1 95.7 15。 9 0 0。 0 0。 0 97。 4 0.0 Subtotal 2,130。 5 13。 8 95。 7 2,071:9 1,529。 7 10。 6 97。 4 1,494,0 。 1957 0。 0 0。o 95。 7 0。 0 ６ ２ 0 0。 0 0。0 97。 4 0。 0 1958 236。 3 1.5 97。 ３ ７ 2 226.6 30 94.7 o。 7 98.1 87.0 1959 106.l o.7 97.9 ２ 。 104.5 26 74。 7 0.5 98.6 73.2 1960 51。 5 0.3 Ю 98.2 48.9 18 40.l o.3 98.9 37.8 1961 31.2 0。2 98。 ６ 4 26。 7 3 16.2 0.1 99.0 13.0 1962 20。 7 o。 1 98。 Ｈ 6 20。 4 6 20.7 0.1 99。 2 20。 4 1963 51。 3 0.3 98。 ９ 9 50。 8 6 30。 9 o。 2 99。 4 30。 9 1964 35。 0 0.2 ‐ ７ 99。 1 31.8 3 10.5 0。 1 99.4 10,3 1965 60。 O o。 4 99。 5 Ю 59。 6 8 25.0 0.2 99.6 24.7 1966 40。 7 0。 3 99.8 ２ 38.6 4 18。 3 0。 1 99.7 16.7 1967 6.9 ooo 99。 8 ０ 3.9 2 6.9 0。 0 99.8 3.9 1968 O。 0 0。0 99。 8 0。 ０ 0 0 0。 0 0。0 99.8 0。 0 1969 0。 0 0。0 99。 8 0。 ５ 0 0 0。 0 0。0 99。 8 0.0 1970 8。 8 0。 1 99。 ２ ０ 9 8.7 5 8。 8 0。 1 99.9 8.7 1971 2.3 0。0 99。 9 2.2 2 2.3 0。0 99。 9 2.2

1972 0。 0 0。0 99。 9 0。 １ 0 0 0。 0 0。 0 99。 9 0。 0 1973 1.9 0。 0 99.9 1.6 1 ２ １ 1.9 0。 o 99。 9 1。 6 1974 9.8 0。 1 1∞ 。0 9.8 2 9。 8 0.1 1∞。0 9.8 1975 2.5 0。0 1∞ 。 １ 0 2.5 1 2。 5 0。 0 1∞ .0 2.5 1980 4.2 0。 0 1∞ .0 4.2 1 4。 2 0。 o 1∞ .0 4。 0

Subtotal 196 669。 2 4.3 1∞ 。0 辞Ю.7 367。 4 2。 6 100。 0 346。 5 Tota1 3,890 15.331.1 1∞.0 1∞ 。0 14,906.5 3,641 14,374。 2 100。 0 100。 o 13,881。 4

一- 78 -― Notes on Land Titles of Mukim Sungai Punggor, Rengit, Johor (Nagata)

Table 2. Registration of QT(M) in Mukim Sg. Punggor Registration 1993 Registration (initial alienation) 1993 Year Acreage % % Acreage Acreage % % Acreage ２ ４ ２ ４４ 1966 78.4 1.5 1.5 78.4 78。 4 1.6 1.6 78.4 ５ 1967 18.7 0.4 1。 9 18.6 16.2 0.3 2.0 16.2 ６ １ ４ ５ 1968 23.8 0.5 2.4 22.1 18.5 0.4 2.4 16.8 １ 1969 1.4 0。 0 2.4 1.4 1。 4 0。 0 2。 4 1.4 ３ 1970 12.2 0.2 2.6 11.9 12.0 0.3 2.6 H.8 ４ ６ ４ ５ 1971 172.1 3.4 6.0 170。 1 169.3 3.5 6.2 167.0 ０ ５ ０ ５ 1972 361.3 7.0 13.0 357.0 361.3 7.5 13.7 357.0 ６ ６ ６ ３ 1973 251.3 4.9 17.9 248。 7 241。 7 5.0 18。 7 239.2 ∞ ９ ‐ 1074 3.0 7.9 25.8 393。 0 354.7 7.4 26.1 344.6 ５ ５ ４ ７ 1975 “638.5 12.4 38.2 628。 4 601.6 12.5 38.6 592◆ 6 ９ ７ ９ ２ 1976 366。 0 7.1 45。 4 360.0 346.1 7.2 45.8 340.2 ２ ９ ２ ８ 1977 123.9 2.4 47.8 122.4 119.8 2.5 48.3 118.5 ４ ６ ４ ‐ 1978 157.1 3.1 50.8 155.5 140.3 2.9 51.2 138.7 ８ ７ ４ ３ 1979 174.9 3。 4 54.2 174.2 157.4 3.3 54:5 156.7 ‐ ６ ‐ ６ 1980 62.2 1.2 55.5 61.8 62.2 1.3 55.8 61.8 ２ ３ ‐ ９ 1981 93.6 1.8 57.3 92.2 81.4 1。 7 57.5 80。 9 ２ ‐ ‐ ２ 1982 94.1 1.8 59。 1 94.1 55。 7 1.2 58.7 55。 7 １ ５ ‐ ３ 1983 46.9 0。 9 60。 0 46.9 41.9 0.9 59.5 41.9 ‐ ４ ‐ ４ 1984 47.0 0。 9 60。 9 47.0 47.0 1。 0 60。 5 47.0 ７ ２ ７ ‐ 1985 187。 0 3.6 64。 6 186。 9 182.4 3.8 64.3 182.3 ３ ５ ３ ５ 1986 92.6 1.8 66。 4 92.6 92。 6 1。 9 66.2 92.6 Ю ０ ８ 1987 371.1 7.2 73。 6 371.1 368.1 7.7 73.9 368.1 ９ 。 ８ 。 1988 574。 9 11。 2 84.8 574.8 5“ 。5 11。 3 85.2 540.5 ５ ３ ４ ８ 1989 184.3 3.6 88。 4 183。 4 173.2 3.6 88.8 173.2 ５ ２ ４ ２ 1990 142.0 2.8 91.2 142.0 119。 0 2.5 91.2 119。 0 ７ ５ ７ ５ 1991 240.5 4.7 95。 9 240.5 240.5 2。 0 96.3 240.5 ４ ３ ３ ５ 1992 127.1 2。 5 98。 4 126.1 101。 8 2.1 98.4 101.7 ２ ６ ２ ４ 1993 83.8 1.6 1∞ 。0 83.8 78。 1 1.6 1∞ .0 78.1

Tota1 1,616 5,129。 6 100。 0 100。 0 5,084.8 1,384 4,803.1 100。 0 100。 0 4,762.6

piece of land. The results are also shown in Table to the spread of the land which was already surv- l-5. If the land was alienated under QT, and then eyed, and is shown on the map in Fig. 2. Land final title was given, the registration of final title is which was initially alienated under MG, or land adopted here. From 1929 to 1993 the alienated initially alienated under QT(M) and then regis- land in Mukim Sg. Punggor amounted to 19,668.8 tered under MG makes up only 0.4% (79.2 acres) acres (79.59 km2). The area of Mukim Sg. Pun- of the total area. The land which was initially ggor is 88.06 krn2, so that 90% of the land in this alienated under QT(M) excluding the land later mukim has already been alienated. Out of registered under EMR or MG accounts for 24% 19,668.8 acres of alienated land in Mukim Sg. (4,803.2 acres). Although 9% of it (n9.7 acres) Punggor, 65 % was alienated before the end of the is situated on land already surveyed, most of it Second World War, and 73% was alienated occupies the northeast part of Mukim Sg. Pun- before independence in 1957 . During the colonial ggor where the final survey has not yet been period, the land was mainly alienated under EMR completed. This area is the northwest fringe of a and during the post-independence period it was vast peatland which stretches across the borders mainly alienated under QT(M). between Batu Pahat, Pontian, and dis- The land which was initially alienated under tricts, and therefore, the development of the area EMR which includes one case where QT(M) was was held up until the post-war period. One more registered ahead accounts for 73% (14,374.2 area where the alienated land under QT(M) is acres) of the total amount. The spread of alien- concentrated is the coastal fringe outside the main ated land under EMR approximately corresponds bund (Fig. 2). Up to 1985, all of the QT(M) in

一- 79 -一 Notes on Land Titles of Mukirn Sungai Punggor, Rengit, Johor (Nagata)

Table 3. Regnstratton of MG in MuHIn Sg.Punggor

Registration 1993 Regis. (i.a.) 1993 Year Lot Acreage Acreage Lot Acreage Acreage

1966 3 5。 9 5。 9 0 0。 0 0.0

1967 3 5.8 5.8 0 0。 0 0.0

1968 1 4。 7 4.7 1 4。 7 4.7

1969 1 4.8 4.8 0 0.0 0。 0

1970 11 .2 42.9 5 18。 1 17.3

1971 2 “9.4 9。 3 0 0.0 0。 0

1972 1 3.3 3.3 0 0.0 0。 0

1973 2 5。 2 5.0 0 0。 0 0。 0

1974 1 5.4 5.4 0 0。 0 0。 0

1975 8 34.5 33.6 0 0。 0 0.0

1976 5 26.1 26。 1 0 0.0 0。 0

1977 0 0.0 0。 0 0 0。 0 0.0

1978 3 14.8 14.7 0 0.0 0。 0

1879 2 8.8 8。 7 0 0。 0 0。 0

1980 9 26.0 26.0 0 0。 0 0。 0

1981 13 60。 9 60.5 10 45.6 45.3

1982 7 32.4 31.7 0 0。 0 0。 0 1983 11 45.8 45.3 2 3.4 3.4

1984 23 89。 8 82.2 1 3.0 3.0

1985 5 26.4 26.3 0 0.0 0。 0

1986 4 8.2 8。 2 1 2.4 2.4

1987 10 42。 4 42.4 0 0.0 0。 0

1988 0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0。 0

1989 5 14。 1 14.1 1 2。 0 2.0

1990 3 11.4 11.4 0 0.0 0。 0

1991 5 32.8 32。 6 0 0。 0 0.0

1992 0 0。 0 0。 0 0 0。 0 0。 0

1993 10 39。 0 38。 9 0 0.0 0.0

Total 148 602.0 589。 8 79。 2 78.1

(Regis. (i.a.) : Registration (initial alienation)).

Table 4. Regishation of Grant in Mukim Sg. Punggor

Registration 1993 Regis. (i.a.) 1993 Year Lot Acreage Acreage Lot Acreage Acreage

1931 27.5 27.5 27.5 27.5 1932 109.7 104.3 109.7 104.3 1934 16.4 16.5 16.4 16.5 1935 14.8 14.8 14.8 14.8 1936 48.3 47.8 48.3 47.8 1937 75.0 74。 8 75。 0 74.8

1938 61。 6 61。 4 61.6 61.4 1939 H.6 H.6 H.6 H.6

Subtotal 20 364.8 358.5 20 364.8 358.5

1980 60。 1 60.1 0。 0 0。 0 0.0

Total 26 425.0 418。 6 364.8 358.5

(Regis. (i.a.) : Registration (initial alienation)).

-80- Notes on Land Titles of Mukim Sungai Punggor,Rengit,Johor(Nagata)

Table 5。 ReJstratiOn of QT(D)in Mukim Sgo Punggor

Registration 1993 Regis. (i.a.) Year Lot Acreage Acreage

1976 0.5 0.5 0。 0 0。 0 0。 O 1984 59.5 60.1 0。 0 0。 0 O.0 1987 47.5 47.5 3.0 47.5 47.5 1988 8.4 8.4 0。 0 0。 0 0。 0

Total 11 115.9 116.5 47.5 47.5

(Regis. (i.a.) : Registration (initial alienation)).

Theどrea surveved BATU PAHAT

MUKIM SUNGAIPUNGG ＼ ＼ ＼

ヽ Ｉ 「 呻

RENGIT Ｔ Ｔ ｔ Ｓ ｕｒｖ Ｍ 一 枷

Fig. 2. The area surveyed and not yet surveyed in Mukim Sg. Punggor

-81- Notes on Land Titles of Mukim Sungai Punggor, Rengit, Johor (Nagata)

Table 6. Land alienation in Mukim Sg. Punggor Year EMR MG QT(M) Geran QT(D) Total

l92Yl94l Prewar colonial period 11,710。 7 364。 8 12,075.6 (61.4) 1942-1945 Japanese occupation period 766。 3 766.3 (3.9) 1946_1956 Postwar colonial period 1,529。 7 1,529.7 (7.8) 1957-1993 Post-independence period 367.4 79.2 4,803.1 47.5 5,297.3 (26。 9)

Total 14,374.2 79.2 4,803.1 364.8 47.5 19,668.8 (100。 0) % (73.1) (004) (24.4) (1.9) (0.2) (10000)

(acre)

Mukim Sg. Punggor were registered for the land Table 7. Regishation of DP in Mukim finally to be held under MG. However, starting Sg. Punggor with 2 lots (10.7 acres) in 1986, from 1987 newly Year Lot alienated land outside the surveyed area, QT(M) which should be continued by ML for a term of 1922 u.k. 99 years, was basically registered. The land ini- 1923 u.k. tially registered under QT(M), and in future to be 1924 u.k. 1925 held under ML, accounts for 32% (1,532.1 acres) 508 1926 32 of the initially alienated land under The QT(M). 1927 lands which were initially alienated under Grant 14HЭ 1928 153 account or QT(D) for only 1.9% (364.8 acres) 1929 261 and 0.2% (47.5 acres) respectively and these 1930 557 lands can be found sporadically among the alien- 1931 218 ated lands under EMR. 1932 265 1933 1,015 fV. Some Records Preceding Land Titles 1934 79 1935 0 1936 50 Under the previous land law there existed a 1937 number of records concerning the approval of 35 application preceding land titles. In the case of Total (3,313) Johor, Dafter Permohunan Tanah Yang-Telah (u.k. : unknown). Dibenarkan (DP) , Surat Semantara (SS), and Register of Approved Occupants (AO) are known. ity,7. date of first settlement, 8. area ascertained, DP is a register of approved application. As for 9. nature and age of cultivation at date of settle- Mukim Sg. Punggor, there remain the books from ment, 10. terms and date of approval (premium, no. 135 of 192411925 to no. 141 of 1933, and from rent, special conditions, and so on), 1 1. SS no. 143 of 1933 to no. 145 of 193611937 in the number and date, 12. R/D number and date, 13. Sub-district and Land Office in Rengit. The regis- plan number of settlement tracing, 14. lot tration of DP ended in 1937, and book no. 145 is number, 15. date of second settlement, 16. R/E the final one. Although the registrations of DP (Requisition for Extract) number and date, 17. before 1924 are thought to be few, unfortunately receipt of extract, 18. MR (Mukim Register) or the books before 1935 are lost. Book no. 142, and AO number, 19. issue of extract, and 20. remarks. part of book no. l4l are also lost. In Table 7 the As far as Mukim Sg. Punggor is concerned, in not numbers of registration of DP of each year in a few cases 3,7,8, 12, 15, 16, 17 remained blank. Mukim Sg. Punggor during the period from 1925 In the column of "remarks" the boundaries are to 1937 are shown. The registration concentrates described. One important point here is that any on particular years, especially 1925, 1930, and forms of dealings in respect of the land are not 1937. recorded on the DP. A person named in DP is In the document of DP the following particu- considered to be only an applicant. lars are contained: 1. serial number, 2. date, 3. Out of the land initially alienated under EMR, former title, 4. nam€, 5. area applied for, 6. local- 92% (13,193.3 acres) has the record of approved

―- 82 -― Notes on Land Titles of Mukim Sungai PungBor, Rengit, Johor (Nagata)

Table 8. Application for EMR in Mukim application in DP (Table 8). Although the regis- Sg. Punggor tration of EMR in Mukim Sg. Punggor began in 1929, the registration of DP for EMR already DP Other Total Year started in I 922 and it continued until 1937 . If we Acreage Acreage Acreage % refer to some other documents such as CLR (Col- ― lector of Land Revenue) in the case of land which 23.3 0。 2 0.2 DP, we can summanze that of 128.8 0。 9 1.1 has no record in 38% was 1,432.1 10。 0 11。 0 the land initially alienated under EMR, 111庶 1,680.8 11.7 22.7 applied for in the 1920's, 55% in the 1930's, and 1926 114.0 114.0 0.8 23.5 before the end of the Second World War 95% had 543.6 3.8 27.3 been applied for (Table 8). 1;:: :li:| 591.1 4.1 3114 SS (Surat Semantara) literally means "tempo- 1929 901.1 6.3 37.7 rary letter". It provides the permit of occupation is Subtota1 5,414.8 5,414.8 47.7 37.7 and allows the use of the land until final title registered. It cannot be interpreted as an evidence 1930 14.9 1,570。 0 10。 9 48。 6 of title (Das, 1963) and it bears the following 1931 0。 0 849。 3 5。 9 54.5 endorsement in Malay: "This document cannot be 0。 0 1,192.3 8.3 62.8 transferred or sold without the permission of the 掲諸 71.3 3,625.2 25.2 88。 0 贈 : head of the Land Office." In fact, however, 1934 3,553.9 0。 0 69。 1 0.5 88.5 and charges are registered in SS. This is 1935 69。 1 0。 0 240。 1 1.7 90.2 transfers

0。 0 201。 9 1.4 91.6 an important point which distinguishes SS from

1;:: ill:! 2.9 119.8 0。 8 92.4 DP. In the document of SS the following partic- 1938 26。 1 26。 1 0◆ 2 92.6 ulars are included: name, number of DP, bound- 1939 16.0 16。 0 0.1 92。 7 aries, price of the land, rent, and cost of survey. "boundaries" the names of occu- Subtota1 7,778.5 131.3 7,909.8 55.0 92.7 In the line of pants of adjoining lands are normally recorded. 1940 19。 2 19.2 0.1 92.8 As to Mukim Sg.Punggor, there remain the com- 89。 0 89。 0 0.6 93.5 1941 plete set of books from no. I of 192211924 to no. 1942 0。 0 0。 0 0。 0 93.5 12 of 1928 in Sub-district and Land Office in 1943 2.5 2.5 0。0 93.5 Rengit. The numbers of registrations of each year 1944 5。 1 5。 1 0。 0 93.5 are shown in Table 9. The registration of SS 1945 0。 0 0。 0 0。 0 93.5 u.k. 142.4 142.4 1。 0 94.5 began in 1922 and ended in 1928, and during this period the number amounted to t,t2l. Of the 258.2 1.8 94.5 Subtotal 258.2 land initially alienated under EMR in Mukim Sg.

1946 0。 0 0。 0 0。 0 94.5 Punggor 3l% (4,488.7 acres) has SS (Table l0). 1947 162.4 162.4 1.1 95.6 Most of this land was alienated under EMR from 1948 452.8 452.8 3.2 98.8 1929 to 1940. 1949 56.9 56.9 0。 4 99.2 Register of AO (Approved Occupants) of 1950 78.1 78.1 0.5 99。 7 Mukim Sg. Punggor is kept in the Sub-district and 1951 19.6 19.6 0。 1 99。 9 Land Office in Rengit being compiled into 4 1952 2.2 2.2 0.0 99。 9

1953 5.2 5。 2 0.0 99。 9 1954 0.4 0.4 0。 0 99。 9 Table 9. Registration of SS in Mukim 1958 1。 8 1.8 0。 0 99。 9 Sg. Punggor 1960 3.6 3.6 0。 0 99。 9 1963 1.9 1.9 0。 0 100.0 Year u.k. 6.4 6.4 0。 0 100。 0 ２ 1922 ０ Subtotal 791.4 791.4 5.5 100。 0 1923 ３４‐ Ｔ Ｏ ｔ ａ 1924 13,193.3 1,180。 9 14,374.2 100。 0 100。 0 佃 ％ 1925 (91.8) (8.2) (10000) ６９ 1926 幽 (u.k.:unknown). 1927 ‐６５ 1928

Total 1,121

―- 83 -― Notes on Land Titles of M[ukim Sungai Punggor,Rengit,JohOr(Nagata)

Table loo Preceding documents(SS or AO)fOr EMR in Mukim Sg.PunggOr

Year EMR(Total) SS A0 None Remarks

1929 1,013.4 938。 1 0.0 75.3

1930 1,065。 1 739.4 0。 0 315.8

1931 2,304。 2 1,848.8 0。 0 455.5

1932 777.1 430。 9 0。 0 346.2

1933 376。 3 60.3 0。 0 316.0

1934 153。 3 27.7 0。 0 125.6

1935 424.9 61.8 0。 0 363.1

1936 893。 0 21.9 0。 0 871。 1

1937 1,695。 2 168.5 0。 0 1,526.7 1938 777.4 60.0 17.1 700。 3 1939 927.2 27.4 136.8 763.0 1940 924。 0 84.9 133。 7 705.4 SS>AO,1.3 acre 1941 379。 7 1.0 94.3 284.4 SS>AO,0.6 acre 1942 3。 4 0。 0 3.4 0。 O

1943 158.3 0。 0 0.0 158.3

1944 289.8 0。 0 10。 9 278.8

1945 314.9 0。 0 0。 0 314.9

1946 0.0 0。 0 0。 0 0。 0

1947 42.4 0。 0 1.5 41。 0 1948 387.0 3.6 45。 1 338.2

1949 372.5 0。 0 240。 9 131.6 1950 321.8 0.0 92.5 229.3 1951 138.9 4.5 126.3 8.1

1952 133.1 0。 0 133.1 0。 0

1953 118.6 0。 0 118.6 0。 0

1954 4。 9 0。 0 4.9 0.0

1955 10.4 0.0 10.4 0。 0

1956 0。 0 0。 O 0。 0 0。 0

1957 0。 0 0。 0 0。 0 0.0

1958 94.7 0。 0 94.7 0。 0 1959 74.7 0.0 74.7 0.0

1960 。1 0.0 40。 1 0。 0

1961 “16.2 0。 0 16。 2 0。 0

1962 20。 7 0。 0 20。 7 0。 0

1963 30。 9 0。 0 30。 9 0。 0

1964 10.5 0.0 10.5 0。 0

1965 25.0 0。 0 18.6 6.4

1966 18.3 0。 0 18.3 0。 0

1967 6.9 0。 0 6。 9 0。 0

1968 0.0 0。 0 0.0 0。 0

1969 0。 0 0。 0 0.0 0。 0

1970 8.8 0。 0 8.8 0。 0

1971 2.3 0。 0 2.3 0.0

1972 0。 0 0。 0 0。 0 0。 0 1973 1.9 0.0 1.9 0.0

1974 9。 8 0.0 9。 8 0.0 1975 2.5 0.0 2.5 0.0 1980 4.2 0。 0 4。 2 0。 0 AO>HS(M), 4.2 acre

Total 13,374.2 4,488。 7 1,530.6 8,354.9 % (1∞・0) (31.2) (10.6) (58.1)

(acre)

一- 84 -― Notes on Land Titles of Mukim Sungai Punggor, Rengit, Johor (Nagata) books, but unfortunately the latter half of the first registered (Table 1 1 ). However, if the case of book is seriously damaged. In Mukim Sg. Pun- replacement of the preceding AO is excluded, the ggor the registration of AO began in 1932 and number is reduced to 854, and of these 23% (199 ended in 1966, and during this period 1,O32 arc lots) were registered during the prewar British colonial period, T% (63 lots) during the Japanese occupation period, 60% postwar British colonial Table 11. Regishation of AO in Mukim period, and 9% (76 lot) during the post- Sg. Punggor independence period. Just as for the case of Registration Regis. (initial) EMR, AO registered during the Japanese occupa- Year tion period were also canceled after the Second Lot % Lot % % World War in accordance with the Titles to Land

1932 1 0。 1 0.1 1 0。 1 0。 1 (Occupation Period) Ordinance 1949. 1933 13 1.3 1.4 13 1.5 1.6 The document of AO contains such particulars 1934 o o。 0 1.4 0 0.0 1.6 as follows: serial number, lot number, full name of 1935 6 0.6 1.9 6 0。 7 2.3 occupant, locality and nature of cultivation, boun- 7 0.7 2.6 7 0.8 3.2 1936 daries, former authority (if any) , area, terms ap- 9 0.9 3.5 9 1.1 4.2 1937 proved (premium and rent per acre, special condi- 44 4.3 7.8 4 5.2 9.4 1938 (if any), payments made (demarcation 1939 34 3.3 11.0 34 4。 0 13.3 tions premium, receipt number and date), 1940 28 ~ 2.7 13.8 25 2。 9 16.3 fees, total, in Mukim Register, and 1941 65 6.3 20。 1 60 7.0 23◆ 3 date of settlement, entry date of registration. Register of AO in Johor 1 199 Subtota1 207 20.1 20。 corresponds to Register of AA (Approved Appli-

u.k. 1.2 21.2 1.4 24.7 cations) in the former Federated Malay States.

1942 0。 0 21.2 0。 0 24.7 Those whose names have been recorded in the 1943 3.4 24.6 4。 1 28.8 register of AA have the right to registration of 0.9 29。 7 1944 0。 8 25。 4 titles, but before getting final titles they cannot 1945 0.8 26.2 0.9 30.7 transfer, charge, lease or do other forms of deal- are not proprie- Subtotal 6.1 26.2 7.4 30。 7 ings in respect of the land. They ０ 。 tors but only approved applicants (Federal Lands 1946 0.0 30.7 ３ 。 and Mines Department, 1980). However, the 1947 0。 0 30.7 ６ ６ ６ ４ case of Mukim Sg. Punggor is a little bit confus- 1948 30。 9 61.6 ６ ９ ６ ２ In AO which was registered before the end of 1949 7.3 68.9 ing. ９ ９ ８ ２ transfers were 1950 9.6 78.5 the Second World War not a few ７ ‐ ４ ８ registered after the 1951 5。 6 84.1 recorded. In AO which was “ ２ ‐ 1952 2.5 86.5 Second World War transfers were not recorded ４ ２ ３ ‐２ 1953 3.6 90.2 any more, but transfers of the right to registration ２ ５ 1954 0.2 90.4 actually happened by way of assignment ‐ ４ ４２ of titles 1955 0.5 90。 9 Ｈ of approval from a former approved occupant to 0.2 91.1 1956 a new approved occupant. In this case the former Subtota1 640 62.0 88.2 516 60.4 91.1 AO was canceled and replaced by the new AO. Of the land initially alienated under EMR in 1。 3 89.4 1.4 92.5 1957 Mukim Sg. Punggor ll% (1,530.6 acre), which 1.7 91.2 1.3 93.8 1958 was alienated after 1938, had a previous AO 1959 2.2 93.4 1.9 95。 7 the land initially alienated 1960 1.2 94.6 0.7 96.4 (Table 10), while of previous 1961 0.5 95.1 0.4 96.7 under QT(M) 7% (315.5 acres) had a 1962 1.9 97.0 1.5 98.2 AO.

1963 0.6 97.6 0。 0 98.2 1964 1.0 98.5 0。 2 98.5 V. Concluding Remarks

1965 1。 4 99。 9 1.4 99。 9

0。 1 100。 0 1966 0。 1 1∞ .0 In Mukim Sg. Punggor 19,668.8 acres (79.6 repre- Subtotal 122 11.8 100。 0 76 8.9 1∞ .0 k-t) of land was alienated up to 1993. It sents 90% of the total area. The remaining lO% Tota1 1,032 100.0 100。 0 854 100。 0 100。 0 is State land but most of it has already been (u.k.:unknown) developed by now. We can no longer see undevel-

一- 85 -一 Notes on Land Titles of Mukim Sungai Punggor, Rengit, Johor (Nagata)

oped jungle in this mukim. The registration of land titles was began in 1929, reached 6l% during Notes the prewar colonial period, 4% during the Japa- nese occupation period, 8% during the postwar 1. From the viewpoint of land administration colonial period and during the post-independence the of the State ( Negeri) period 27% was alienated by the state. Before the may be divided into districts (daerah), and enforcement of NLC in 1966, EMR, the final land districts may be divided into sub-districts office title under the previous land law, was at the (daerah kecil), and district or sub-district center of land titles which were given in this may be divided into . The boundary mukim. of course it should be noted that there is of district, sub-district, and mukim may be a time lag between the approval of application and declared by the State Authority by notific- the registration of land titles. The record of ation in the Gazette. approved application dates back to lg22 in this 2. Jackson notes that "the figure of 210,000 mukim, and 35% of EMR was applied for in 1920s, Chinese in Johor in the early 1890's is proba- ffi% in 1930s. After 1966 QT(M) has taken the bly an over-estimate for there were only place of EMR and the registration of final titles 63,410 at the time of the 1911 Census. It is such as MG or ML is making slow progress. The possible, however, that there was a decline in Registry titles such as Grant or QT(D) are excep- the Chinese population of Johor after the tional, and it proves that most of the land in this turn of the century for another source main- mukim was developed by smallholders. tains that there were 150,000 Chinese in the The facts about land alienation in Mukim Sg. state in the early 1890's.' Punggor which were derived from the land titles 3. The research for this paper was carried out and other related documents in this paper have to from September 1993 to February lg94 be interpreted in relation to changing government under the sponsorship of the Ministry of policies and the wider political economy as well as Education, Science, and Culture, Japan ecology and society at the local level. The govern- (Grant-in-Aid for International Scientific ment intervention in land development and land Research: Cultural Ecologt of a Multiethnic management in this area should not be made light Nation-A Case Study of Malaysia) and Fuk- of. From this viewpoint the qualitative and quan- utake Science and Culture Foundation (Cul- titative analyses of restrictions and conditions tural Ecology of Agricultural Development in which were imposed on titles become significant. Johor, Malaysia). In Mukim Sg. Punggor coconut and oil palm are 4. The description of this section is mainly the main crops and on most of the titles the based on National Land Code and Federal cultivation of rubber is prohibited. Lands and Mines Department (1980). It is needless to say that land titles and other 5. According to the National Land Code the related documents provide us valuable dataon the land above the shore-line shall be classified changing socioeconomy of the study area. In this into three categories, that is, town land respect, the records of land transactions such as (tanah bandar), village land (tanah pekan), transfers, transmissions, and charges are worthy and national land (tanah negert). Town land of note. Mukim Sg. Punggor is basically a free- and village land (township area) may be hold area where land transactions can be done declared by the State Authority by notific- freely although some separate lots are declared to ation in the Gazette. be Malay Reservation. Land transactions be- 6. Before NLC came into effect, under the tween the different ethnic groups therefore pres- Johor Land Enactment 1910, EMR (Extract ents an important question in this area, and the from the Mukim Register) could be issued change in landholding from generation to genera- for areas not exceeding 100 acres being ditr- tion also raises a significant problem, although erent from the Federated Malay States Land these two questions cannot be separated. Finally Code 1926. In practice, however, they were it should be noted that actual land use and actual seldom required or issued for areas of over l0 land holders tend to be different from the descrip- acres (Nugent, 1930). tions on titles. To make an investigation of this fact also assumes considerable importance in un- References derstanding the political-cultural ecology of the study atea. Das, S. K. 1963. The Torrens System in Malaya.

一- 86 -― Notes on Land Titles of Mukim Sungai Punggor, Rengrt, Johor (Nagata)

Singapore: Malayan Law Journal Ltd. Chinese and European Agricultural Enterprise Federal Lands and Mines Department. 1980. in Malaya 1786-1921. : Uni- Manual for Land Administration. Kuala versity of Malaya Press' Lumpur: Federal Lands and Mines Depart- Nugent, C. E. 1930. Surveys for Title in Johor. ment. In Sarueys for Title in the Federated Malay Gullick, J. M. 1987. Malay Society in the Late StateswithNotesontheRevenueSumeysofthe Nineteenth Century. : Oxford Uni- Unfederated Malay States, edited by W. F. N- versity Press. Bridges. Kuala Lumpur: Federated Malay Jackson, J. C. 1968. Planten and Speculatorc. States.

87