The Mantri, the kings, and the legless man on the tree (1875)

At an Eid al-Fitr (1302 AH) feast in 1885, Raja Idris delivered a speech marking the 10th anniversary of British-style administration in Perak. The Malay prince expressed his full support for the system, stating his desire for it to continue and declaring he wished for no other. Raja Idris's affirmation stood in stark contrast to a dark episode that had unfolded exactly a decade earlier, on the third day of Eid al-Fitr (1292 AH). On that day—Tuesday, 2 November 1875—Mr. James Wheeler Woodford Birch (b. 1826, d. 1875), was assassinated.

The following day, a search party was dispatched to recover his remains. Four days later, on 6 November, the body of the British Resident was finally discovered in Bandar Bharu. According to Jenkins, the body bore seven wounds and had been tied to a tree, but Birch's feet were visibly missing. Birch's boss in Singapore, William Jervois (b. 1821, d. 1897) retaliated forcefully by deploying military forces to Perak, hastily assembled from Hong Kong, Burma, India and Labuan. In December 1875, following roughly a month of Malay confrontation, Pasir Salak was captured by the British forces.

About one year later, in December 1876, the Malay leaders were captured and tried at the Residence of the Mantri, by two Malay judges and two English accessors (Raja Yusof, Raja Hussein, J. G. Davidson and W. E. Maxwell). This dark episode in Perak has a couple of unplanned consequences.

1. Sultan Ismail was banished to Johor (he eventually died in Skudai on 4 September 1889).
2. Sultan Abdullah, the Mantri, the Laksamana, and the Shahbandar were exiled to the Seychelles.
3. Dato Maharaja Lela, Dato Sago, and Pandak Indut were sentenced to death. They were hanged on 20 January 1877.
4. Perak was operating without an official crown for about 4,000 days. Raja Yusof was installed only in 11 May 1887, he ruled only very briefly (\(n < 80\)) and was replaced by Raja Idris.
5. The British subsequently solidified their control over Perak and other native states, marking a decisive shift toward more direct colonial rule in Tanah-tanah Melayu.

With respect to the case against the Mantri, there are circumstances which, although they cannot be considered in the light of actual charges against him, should be noticed.

1. He openly expressed dissatifaction with the Pangkor Treaty and conspired with Abdullah and Ismail to get that treaty broken;
   
   
2. He caused Birch and Swettenham to be treated very inhospitably at Blanja in April 1874, ordering the people there not to supply them with food, without which he said the white people would be obliged to leave the country.
   
   
3. He plotted, on this occasion, with the Laksamana to induce Ismail not to give up the regalia to Abdullah. At a meeting with Abdullah and chiefs at Kota Banda in October 1874, he undertook to have the treaty broken; he incited Sultan Abdullah when on his way to Blanja with the Laksamana to induce Ismail not to sign the treaty, owing to which the negotiations proved fruitless, thus keeping up the division of parties and preventing a settlement of affairs.
   
   
4. He instigated the murder of Kerani Yusuf for ‘revealing secrets' as it was said to Mr. Birch.
   
   
5. He encouraged Sultan Abdullah, on the occasion of visiting him at Kuala Kinta on the 26 March 1875, to resist Birch's proposals for administrative reform.

Considering all these circumstances, although not in relation to the charges against him, it becomes clear that Ngah Ibrahim is an intriguing character. With this in mind, the following charges, based on the evidence, take on a more serious significance.

1. That in July 1875 he deputed Penghulu Mat Ali, Dato' of Kurau, to represent him at a full meeting of chiefs held by Sultan Abdullah on the 21st of the month at Durian Sebatang, at which it was determined to kill Mr. Birch.
   
   
2. That in the beginning of August 1875, having received from Penghulu Mat Ali full information of the determination come to at the meeting at Durian Sebatang, viz, to devise measures to kill Mr. Birch, he not only expressed his full approbation thereof, but gave Penghulu Mat Ali the sum of $1,000 to purchase arms and ammunition, and directed him to collect an armed fleet of boats to attack Kota Setia, as soon as he received intelligence that Mr. Birch had been killed.
   
   
3. That about the end of August 1875, he visited the ex-Sultan at Kinta by invitation, when he recommended Ismail to carry out quickly the plan which had been agreed upon at Durian Sebatang, and to send for the Maharaja Lela to give him his authority to kill Mr. Birch.
   
   
4. That in September 1875, at a secret meeting in the Laksamana's boat, consisting of the Maharaja Lela, the Laksamana, Toh Nara, Rajah Yahya, and himself, he openly expressed his approval of the design of the Maharaja Lela to kill Mr. Birch.
   
   
5. That the same night the chief above mentioned had a private interview with the ex-Sultan, at which he recommended Ismail to reject the Governor's proposals, and to authorise the Maharaja Lela to kill Mr. Birch.
   
   
6. That at the same meeting, he made arrangements with the Laksamana to send assistance to the Maharaja Lela and to attack Kuala Kangsar, whilst the Laksamana was to attack from Bandar Bahru down the river.
   
   
7. That upon hearing of the murder of Mr. Birch, he at once sent word to Penghulu Mat Ali to attack Kota Setia, which attack failed in consequence of the presence of men-of-war on the coast.

1. Since the astronomical new moon was on 29 October (10:13 am local time), the new moon must be readily visible on the next evening, i.e. Inception of Syawal 1292 = Dusk of 30 October 1875.
   
   
2. Raja Idris was crowned two years later, after his Eid speech. His full regnal name was: Idris Murshid al-Aʿẓam Shah إدريس مرشد الأعظم شاه.
   
   
3. Pandak Indut killed Mat Arshad and kick-started the Perak revolt.
   
   
   
   
4. Sultan Abdullah was permitted to return to Singapore from the Seychelles in 1894, nearly 20 years after Birch’s assassination. R. O. Winstedt recalled encountering the aging ex-Sultan in Singapore, who, while gesturing toward the mansion of the Sultan of Johor and his motorcars, remarked wistfully, “Had I but foreseen!”. See R. O. Winstedt (1951) Malaya and its history, Hitchinson's University Library, London, p. 68.
   
   
   Birch was reportedly taking his bath in a rumah rakit when he was hacked in the head by Sepuntum. See Buyong Adil (1972) p. 94.
   
   
   
   The Mantri and his children
   
   
5. In a report dated 11 November 1875 (A voice from Larut, Straits Observer, 16 November 1875, p. 2), Jenkins wrote:
   
   The body of Mr. Birch was found tied up to a tree in Banda Baru with seven wounds, minus the feet, by a party sent up expressly to search for it on 3rd instant, and was buried with military honors at the Residency.
   
   From what I have heard from influential quarters, the Natives of Perak, backed by their Chiefs, either directly or indirectly, are determined to fight us. Larut is quiet. We are all preparing for war. If the enemy should venture to attack us here we will give them a warm reception.
   
   The Mantri of this place caught intriguing is kept a close prisoner, i.e. detained at the Residency until further orders. Sultan Abdoola has fled - no one knows of his whereabouts. Captain Speedy is instructing the Sepoys how to skirmish with the enemy.
   
   It is expected that the Chinese settlers and miners will side with us. Hence distribution of arms to them is contemplated. They are useful as auxiliaries only.
   
   The pass from Perak to Larut is strongly guarded. Several communcations from the enemy have been intercepted. No further news from Perak have been received. Provisions are becoming dear. Weather fine.
   
   
   
   
6. Pinang 9th November 1875 (Straits Observer, 16 November 1875, p. 3). The S. S. Plato arrived at 3 am this morning and reports that Mr. Birch's body was recovered by a party consisting of a combined military and police force under the command of Lieutenants Booth and Elliot and Superintendent Plunkett. Captain Innes and Mr. Swettenham accompanied it. The body was tied to a tree, seven wounds were on it, the feet being cut off. The party were however fired upon and Captain Innes was shot through the heart; after some fighting, our men had to retire, which they did in good order with the following heavy list of casualities; Lieutenant Elliot badly wounded. Lieutenant Booth slightly. 1 Private 10th Regiment missing. 4 Private 10th Regiment severely wounded. 4 Private 10th Regiment slightly. 1 Seikh dead. 1 Seikh severely wounded. 1 Police man wounded. 2 Friendly Malays, one of rank, missing.
   
   The Seikh guards and Policemen were found to be perfectly useless. Mr. Birch was buried near the Residency on the 7th, and Captain Innes was to be intered on the evening of the same day. His Excellency the Governor arrived off the Perak river on the morning of the 8th with Captain Dunlop, Dr. Randell and 25 Artillery men. H. M. S Fly had arrived the preceding day with 80 rank and file of H. M's 10th Regiment and Dr. Orton. The thistie was there also. Sultan Abdoolla fled from the Residency on the approach of the troops in the Pluto. The whole country is supposed to be armed.
   
   
7. Pinang 10th November 1875 (Straits Observer, 16 November 1875, p. 3). The S. S. Pyah Pekhet arrive at 3 pm with Lieutenant Elliot and the rest of the wounded. His Excellency the Governor left Perak for Singapore yesterday. The Military and Naval forces were to proceeed up the river today and attack the stockade at which Captain Innes was shot. Mr. Birch's body was recovered on the 6th, and Captain Innes lost his life in leading an expedition on the following day against a stockade further up the river than where Mr. Birch's body were found. The authorities here have got orders to prepare quarters for 1,500 soldiers from India.
   
   
8. Laksamana Mohamad Amin (d. 1908) was the father-in-law to Ngah Ibrahim.
   
   
9. 

Location of Kota Stia, Bandar Bharu, Durian Sebatang, Pasir Salak, and Kuala Kangsar in 19th century Perak. Bandar Bahru is a small island formed at the confluence of Kinta River and Perak River. The map is taken from C. D. Cowan, F. A. Swettenham (1951) Sir Frank Swettenham's Perak Journals, 1874 - 1876, Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 24(4), p. 2.