Ngah Ibrahim

Ngah Ibrahim
ڠه إبراهيم
The wealthy Minister Paduka Tuan Ngah Ibrahim with his son Wan Mohd Isa (left), Mat Nasir (right), and Indian police (Sepoy) in Matang, Perak.
Orang Kaya Menteri Sri Paduka Tuan
In office 1863–1877

v t e Leaders of 19th and 20th century rebellions against British rulers in Pre-Malaysian states prior to WWII

Malacca Dol Said (1831–1832) Sarawak Rentap (1853–1861) Liu Shan Bang (1857) Syarif Masahor (1860–1861) Negeri Sembilan Tengku Antah ibni Yamtuan Radin (1872–1874) Datuk Siamang Gagap (1872–1874) Perak Lela Pandak Lam (1875–1877) Ngah Ibrahim (1875–1877) Sultan Abdullah (1875–1877) Pahang Dato' Bahaman (1891–1895) Tok Gajah (1891–1895) Mat Kilau (1891–1895) Sabah Syarif Osman (1830–1845) Pengiran Hassan (1888-1889) Dang Insum (1888-1889) Mat Salleh (1894–1905) Antanum (1915) Kelantan Tok Janggut (1915) Terengganu Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong (1922–1928)

Ngah Ibrahim or famously known as Tengku Menteri ^[3] , Menteri Larut ^[4] or Raja Larut ^[5] was a Malay headman who succeeded his father Long Jaafar as headman and administrator of the district of Larut upon the death of his father in 1857 till his exile to Seychelles in 1876. A known millionaire ^[6] from tin mining ^[7] ,he have been noted for first bringing modern administration practice in Perak, way before British arrival. ^[8]

At his peak, he was noted as richest Perak alive, richer than the Sultan of Perak himself. ^{[9] [10]}

History

Early Life

He was born in 1837 as a second child out of three ^[11] from a wealthy family of Raja Timah, Long Jaafar and his mother is Ngah pura, daughter of Syed Alang Alauddin. He was raised in Larut. ^[12] His other siblings is Kulup Seman and Ch Alang Sepiah. He was adopted son of Sultan Jaafar Muazzam Shah, Sultan of Perak at that time. There, he gained easy access to the palace. He later on went to Johor to learn modern administrative skill from Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim. ^[13]

As Raja Larut

After his father death, he was in his teenage years. Larut were governed by his uncle, Ngah Lamat for two years. ^[14] On 30th November 1857, he was granted powers to rule over Lumut far greater than his father. He then build his mansion slash fortress called Kota Ngah Ibrahim nearby Sungai Larut in Matang. ^[15] The complex were build nearby Sungai Larut, to enable easy access to his four ship, including two fire ship. ^[16] By the end of March 1864, he was granted Orang Kaya Menteri Sri Paduka Tuan, highest title in Perak at that time. His power is vested for land for the north of Kinta river to south of Bruas river. ^[17] His rise were noted from his wealth and his marriage to Perak aristocrat. ^[18]

During his administration, he instructed the pavement of roads throughout the area and govern thru modern administration practice, ^[19] such as establishing magistrate, judge, treasurer and clerk system. ^[20] He also move the administrative capital of Larut from Bukit Gantang to Matang and Lumut port from Sungai Limau to Kuala Sepetang. ^[21]

During his tenure, he encountered difficulties in managing rise of local Chinese triad conflict, especially between Ghee Hin and Hai San. ^[22] This lead to first Larut war in 1861. The Governor of the Straits Settlements, Orfeur Cavenagh intervened and on behalf of Sultan of Perak, he paid compensation the Ghee Hin with amount of $17,447. ^{[23] [24] [25] [26] [27]} To enhance security of Larut, he assembled police force, headed by Tristram Speedy. ^[28] The police force were powered with 110 sepoy from India. ^{[29] [30]}

By the time of Sultan Ismail Mu'abbiddin Riayat Shah of Perak, Ngah Ibrahim had quarrelled with Raja Muda Abdullah II, the son of the former sultan who had been passed over by the Royal Council in favour of Ismail. Abdullah sought to engineer a situation where the British would recognise him as Sultan and sought the services and recognition of Ngah Ibrahim. In return he appointed Ngah Ibrahim as Orang Kaya Mantri of Larut in 1858. ^[31] The two of them had a falling-out and embroiled miners in the Larut area in their dispute which eventually resulted in intervention by the British, the treaties at Pangkor for the cessation of hostilities between the miners, the recognition of Abdullah as Sultan of Perak and the appointment of a British Resident whose advice must be asked and acted upon on all questions except those touching Malay religion and custom. ^{[32] [33] [34] [35] [36]}

After the conclusion of Perak War, he and Sultan Abdullah II were exciled to Seychelles for being involved in the murder of James W. W. Birch, first British Resident of Perak.

Later Life

He never returned back to Perak after his exile to Seychelles. He were deported to Sarawak and then to Singapore. ^[37] He died and were buried in Aljunied cemetray, Singapore. His body were brought back to Larut on 9 September 2006 by Malaysian government. ^[38] His remains were brought back by Royal Malaysian Navy ship, KD Laksamana and were granted ceremonial burial. ^[39]

Legacy

There are several school named after him in Perak.

• SK Ngah Ibrahim
• SMK Tengku Menteri

See also

• Kota Ngah Ibrahim - Fortress slash mansion build by Ngah Ibrahim residency
• Chung Keng Quee

Notes

1. Siang, Wee Choon. Ngah Ibrahim in Larut 1858-1874. p. 1.
2. "Puter-puteri Laksamana: Kedudukan Mereka dalam Sejarah Melayu". Bernama (in Malay). 16 August 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
3. Samat, Talib (2016). Biografi 9 orang pemegang gelaran Tengku Menteri [Biography of 9 holders of Tengku Menteri title] (in Malay). ISBN   9789670626475.
4. "SEJARAH DAERAH". Ptg.perak.gov.my (in Malay). Retrieved 6 February 2026.
5. Zulqarnain, Iskandar (12 February 2019). "Ngah Ibrahim, Jutawan Tanah Melayu Abad Ke 19". Orangperak.com (in Malay). Retrieved 5 February 2026.
6. Ridhwan, Anwar (2005). Minda Melayu (in Malay). p. 92. ISBN   9789836285225.
7. Nazrin Shah, Sultan (2024). Globalization: Perak's Rise, Relative Decline, and Regeneration. Oxford University Press. p. 65. ISBN   9780198897774.
8. Abas, Wat Kamal (1 November 2025). "Warisan Ngah Ibrahim ungkap sistem pentadbiran moden orang Melayu". Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). Retrieved 5 February 2026.
9. Knowles, Margaret Isabel (1935). The Expansion of British Influence in the Malay Penisula, 1867-1885. p. 59.
10. "A Grand Home for a Tin Mining Elephant". Ipohworld.org. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
11. Kim, Khoo Kay (1981). Taiping (in Malay). Kuala Lumpur: Persatuan Muzium Malaysia. p. 1.
12. The Malayan Historical Journal. Vol. 1–7. Malayan Historical Society. 1954.
13. "Di Sebalik Nama: Ngah Ibrahim". Di Sebalik Nama. Season 1. Episode 9 (in Malay). 2023. 02:30 minutes in. Radio Television Malaysia . Retrieved 6 February 2026.
14. Ghazali, Abdullah Zakaria (1993). NGAH IBRAHIM Orang Kaya Menteri Paduka Tuan (PDF) (in Malay). Kuala Lumpur: Persatuan Muzium Malaysia. p. 4.
15. "Kota Long Jaafar, Perak". Pustakailmu.arkib.gov.my (in Malay). Retrieved 5 February 2026.
16. Halimi, Ahmad Jelani; Saat, Ishak (2010). Warisan Melayu Perak [Perak's Malay Heritage] (in Malay). Penerbit UTHM. p. 39. ISBN   9789675457180.
17. Wilkinson, R.J. (1908). Events Prior to British Ascendancy. Kuala Lumpur. p. 91.
18. Selat, Nordin (1976). Kelas menengah pentadbir Melayu (in Malay). Kuala Lumpur: Universiti Malaya. p. 2.
19. Wilkinson, Richard James (1920). A History of the Peninsular Malays with Chapters on Perak & Selangor. Kelly & Walsh. p. 113.
20. Siew Yen, Annie Chuah (27 September 2020). "Kota Ngah Ibrahim and Kota Long Jaafar". Museumvolunteersjmm.com/. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
21. Jasbindar, Freedie Aziz (14 March 2019). "Sejarah Awal Bukit Gantang Yang Sangat Penting". Orangperak.com (in Malay). Retrieved 6 February 2026.
22. Ahmad, A.Talib (1990). Bloodshed in Pasir Salak. Pustaka Antara. p. 10. ISBN   9789679372229.
23. A portrait of Malaysia and Singapore, Soo Hai Ding Eing Tan, Oxford University Press, 1978, ISBN   0195807227, ISBN   9780195807226, PP79
24. The Western Malay States, 1850-1873: the effects of commercial development on Malay politics, Kay Kim Khoo, Oxford University Press, 1972, P129
25. A history of Malaya, Joseph Kennedy, Macmillan, 1970, P138
26. A short history of Malaya, Gerald Percy Dartford, Longmans, Green, 1963, P128
27. The Making of Modern South-East Asia: The European conquest, D. J. M. Tate, Oxford University Press, 1971, P276
28. Ahmad Pauzi, Shaiful Shahrin (20 February 2023). "Sejarah sedih Ngah Ibrahim di Muzium Matang". Berita Harian (in Malay). Retrieved 5 February 2026.
29. Teoh, Alex Eng Kean (2004). Old Taiping. p. 19. ISBN   9789834180706.
30. Mani, A., ed. (1993). Indian Communities in Southeast Asia. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 560. ISBN   9789812100177.
31. Salma Nasution Khoo & Abdur-Razzaq Lubis (2005). Kinta Valley: Pioneering Malaysia's Modern Development. Areca Books. ISBN   98-342-1130-9.
32. Di mana Ngah Ibrahim disemadi? -- Perak, dakwa anak, Utusan Malaysia 4 September 2006
33. A History of Malaysia By Leonard Y. Andaya published by Palgrave Macmillan, 1984, ISBN   0-312-38121-2, ISBN   978-0-312-38121-9
34. Papers on Malay Subjects - Page 91 - by Richard James Wilkinson published by BiblioBazaar, LLC, 2008, ISBN   0-559-62546-4, ISBN   978-0-559-62546-6
35. Triad Societies: Western Accounts of the History, Sociology and Linguistics of Chinese Secret Societies, Kingsley Bolton, ISBN   0-415-15353-0, ISBN   978-0-415-15353-9
36. Southeast Asia: a historical encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to East Timor, Volume 3 by Keat Gin Ooi published by ABC-CLIO, 2004, ISBN   1-57607-770-5, ISBN   978-1-57607-770-2
37. "RETURNING HEROES Perak to welcome home two famous sons after 100 years" (PDF). New Straits Times . 3 September 2006. pp. 6~7. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
38. Jasbindar, Freddie Aziz (19 January 2019). "Ngah Ibrahim Dibawa Pulang Selepas 129 Tahun Dibuang Negeri". Orangperak.com (in Malay). Retrieved 5 February 2026.
39. Singh, Jaspal (3 September 2006). "Homecoming for Perak's forgotten heroes" (PDF). New Straits Times . Retrieved 5 February 2026.