MEMORY OF THE WORLD REGISTER Selangor State Secretariat Archives (1875 – 1953) (Malaysia) Ref N° 2010-51 PART A – ESSENTIAL INFORMATION 1. SUMMARY The documentary heritage proposed is a series of public records in the form of files dating as far back as 1875 to 1953. They constitute an organic whole highlighting local administration during the British colonial era. These records are unique to the Archives as they constitute the oldest organically related group of records that are extant in their original form. The records are important for the understanding of the history of the state of Selangor, as they began at the crucial time when the British Resident to Selangor was first appointed by the Colonial Office in London. It was also the time when Jugra used to be the royal town with Klang as the administrative centre of Selangor. The records cover the early beginning of local history in Selangor at a time of civil war and also a time when Kuala Lumpur was just founded. It took more than 10 years before Kuala Lumpur became the state capital in 1886 and subsequently the capital of the Federation of Malaya. Today, Kuala Lumpur is the most important city in Malaysia, and due importance must be given to the records commensurate with its status as the capital city. Although the records are created at the State level, they fulfill historical gaps at the Federal level. The most important records were those of the Federal Secretariat whose records were burnt during the Japanese occupation. As a result, information on a number of key historical issues can only be gleaned from the Selangor State Secretariat records. These records enjoy special status, being the most frequently consulted record group, and by far the most fruitful source for the social, economic and administrative studies of early Selangor. These records have provided the sources for the writing of numerous theses, academic papers and books on Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and the history of the country as a whole. 2. DETAILS OF THE NOMINATOR Name (person or organization): National Archives of Malaysia Relationship to the documentary heritage nominated: Custodian and preserver. Contact person (s): Dato’ Haji Sidek bin Haji Jamil, Director-General, National Archives of Malaysia Contact details (include address, phone, fax, e-mail): National Archives of Malaysia Jalan Duta 50568 Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA Tel : 603-62010688 Fax : 603-62015679 E-mail: [email protected] 3. IDENTITY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE DOCUMENTARY HERITAGE Name: Selangor State Secretariat Archives (1875 – 1953) Description: The record group comprises 302,334 files, dating back in 1875. They contain a vast range of subject matter including economic activities, development, urban planning, education, immigration of foreign labour, social changes, and crises such economic depression, riots, Japanese invasion (1941 -1945), communist insurgency and the evolution towards parliamentary democracy. The records are classified systematically with file references indicating the year of its creation. These file titles contain detailed and specific references to the content. 4. JUSTIFICATION FOR INCLUSION / ASSESSMENT AGAINST CRITERIA 4.1 Is authenticity established? The authenticity of the records is unquestionable as they are official documents discovered at the office of their creation. They contain the hallmarks of originality and authenticity as evidenced in the official letterhead, signatures, seals as well as circumstantial evidences of the events documented. 4.2 Is world significance, uniqueness and irreplaceability established? The link with world history is not difficult to establish. The history of mankind in the years between 1840s and the first half of the twentieth century (roughly coinciding with the years covered by the records) has sometimes been described as the flowering of civilization, a universal characterization of transformation and change that was reflected not just in the countries of the western world, but also in the colonized countries of Asia and Africa. Needless to say, this period in human history has witnessed such far reaching changes that have deeply impacted present day civilization and way of life. The pace and extent of changes have been unprecedented, and their reflections have been captured to some extent in the records of the Selangor State Secretariat, offering some insights into the way modern man, in a land far removed from the western centers of economic and political power, has had to adapt himself to a system whose origins and development are totally foreign in nature. The archives have world significance in that they provide detailed information on the origins and growth of what has today become a major world city, Kuala Lumpur. Every aspect of urban development is covered in these series, providing invaluable insights into the genesis and evolution of a world metropolis. The material has universal relevance for a study of urban planning and nation building in any other parts of the world. There is no equivalent source available, as many record groups of that period have been destroyed. 2 Besides Kuala Lumpur, the records provide a comprehensive account of the origin and development of numerous villages and townships throughout the state of Selangor. These include what have now become well known and populated settlement areas in the country. The records also show that the mainspring of transformation was in the area of economy, which was primarily designed by the colonizers to feed the needs of the industries in the ‘mother country’. The files provide information on major products such as rubber and tin that were developed for a world market. Furthermore, clearer details on the emergence of modern transportation in order to expedite export of these commodities to the ‘mother country’ are also available in the files. There are numerous references in the files to the role played by a migrant population namely from China, India and other neighbouring countries which became increasingly indispensable for the continued economic prosperity of the so-called ‘mother country’. Much of the subject matter covered in the files is clearly of world significance such as the pioneering efforts of the country in combating diseases such as malaria and beri-beri. These records also provide valuable material for the study of genealogy. They provide wealth of detail on many English, Australian and other Commonwealth administrators and civil servants who served in Malaya from the mid 17th century to the first half of the 20th century. From the sociological significance, these records also provide material for the study of social stratification during the colonial era. Of no less universal significance is the establishment of public institutions for the education, health and security of the people of Selangor. The records also depict Malaya’s relationship with the rest of the world especially Britain and Commonwealth countries. Indeed the files not only relate to the countries within the Commonwealth such as Singapore, Brunei, Australia, India, Nepal and the African countries, but also to other countries in the immediate neighbourhood such as Indonesia, Siam, Vietnam and Burma. The files as a whole provide a lesson in a nation’s transition from colonial to self-government. The inter-regnum of the Japanese Occupation is also covered, and so is the smooth transition of power from Britain to an independent Malaya. The historical continuities in the social, political, economic and diplomatic domains over a period of eight decades are captured in the record group as a whole, thereby providing an understanding and insight into the dynamics of colonial history, and also our relationship with the world at large. The subject areas in the records are indeed wide ranging. They must be studied in a broader, universal context, not just for any study at the micro level but for theoretical construct as well. 4.3. Is one or more of the criteria of (a) time (b) place (c) people (d) subject and theme (e) form and style satisfied?( see 4.2.5 ) (a) Time : The time span covered by the record is important as it coincides with the recorded history of the state of Selangor. It contains as much information as is necessary for the purpose of documenting the history of the state as a whole from the point of view of colonial administration. 3 (b) Place : The places to which the records point have become significant townships and villages in Selangor. Indeed, Selangor has itself been, for the best part of its existence, the richest and most powerful among the Malay States (also termed as British protectorates). (c) People: The records contain references to well known personalities in history such as Sultan Abdul Samad, Yap Ah Loy, Yap Kwan Seng, Raja Bot, Raja Musa, Thamboosamy Pillay, Chu Kia Peng, Chow Kit and many others. (d) Subject / Theme: The records are not limited to any particular subject or theme. The scope is vast and encyclopedic, providing invaluable research materials for a wide range of subject areas. (e) Form and style : The record group consists of original files dated 1875 -1953. The documents are hand written, typed or printed. They have been created in the course of official transaction, and are to be considered as primary sources. 4.4 Are there issues of rarity, integrity, threat and management that relate to this nomination? (a) Rarity : The files are original materials which cannot be found elsewhere. Neither are there any other sources of information on the same subject. (b) Integrity: The collection is an undisturbed whole, having organic interconnectedness and integrity that are useful for its evidential value. (c) Threat: Due to the heat and humidity of the tropical climate, the collection is kept in an environmentally- controlled repository. Preventive measures against fire, rains etc are also taken to ensure the safety of the collection. The entire group of this archive has been microfilmed for conservation and easy access, and also been de-acidified and laminated for long-term preservation.