THE ACCEPTENCE OF UPPER CLASS FOR THE INTERVENE OF BRITISH IN TERENGGANU : AN ADVANCED ADMINISTRATION OR A CONTINUING CRUSADE

by
Mohamad Hanafi Abdul Rahman

THE ACCEPTENCE OF UPPER CLASS  FOR THE  INTERVENE OF BRITISH IN TERENGGANU : AN ADVANCED ADMINISTRATION OR  A CONTINUING CRUSADE

The intervene of british in Terengganu began in the period of Sultan Umar (1839-1875) . there were two big incidents between the ruler of erengganu and British  where the first : Major General Sir Orfeur Cavenangh( 1820-1891) , sent a protest letter to  warn Sultan to stop  from helping Sultan Ahmad of Pahang in  Perang saudara 1857-1863. . This battle  involved wan Ahmad , his father in law and  wan Mutahir who been supported by the British .

The second,  Cavenang , same Major General in Singapore  sent two navies   H.M.S.Scout and  H.M.S. Coqutte then shooted the city of Kuala Terengganu  on  8 and  9 November 1862. Singapore Press reported that about 20 ancioent people were murdered and homes and shops . apart of them was His palace , Istana Hijau, that then he gave to Hj Kadir of Pasir Panjang to built mosque.

 . this british attacked as a warning because Sultan Umar protected his brother in law, Sultan Mahmud  Lingga who hided in Terengganu. this sultan confronted British could not able to perhsued his leaving in Terengganu some more long and then left to Patani.

This explains that British –from the beginning –utilized the weapon in intervene of Terengganu administration.

During the period of Sultan Zainal abidin,  (1881-1918), the setablishmet of straits states made  the threathen of British became more over,

After seven years of ruling the state, British Berjaya pula memerangkap ayahanda mertua Baginda, Sultan Ahmad caused Pahang to been enforced of receive the first Resident on 24 August  1888M.

On 6 June 1886M, British sent Gabenor  sir Frederic  Weld,the  Resident of  Perak ,and the  Resident of Selangor dan some eight officers  to visit Terengganu and meet Sultan Zainal Abidin.

On  8 September 1902, Frank swetthenham went to Terengganu with a mission to  advise Sultan Zainal Abidin for sign a treaty which the contains is:

Sultan Terengganu tiada di benarkan membuat sebarang perhubungan dengan kuasa asing melainkan menerusi kerajaan Siam. Sultan Terengganu bertanggung jawab membayar gaji seorang Penasihat dan seorang Penolong Penasihat yang di lantik oleh kerajaan Siam, di tempatkan di Terengganu, dan nasihat mereka mengenai segala hal pentadbiran di Terengganu hendaklah di ikuti kecuali perkara yang bersangkut paut dengan agama Islam dan adat orang Melayu.  Dan Raja Siam tidak akan mencampuri hal ehwal pentadbiran dalam negeri Terengganu selagi negeri itu dalam aman tenteram dan selagi negeri itu di perintah bagi faedah penduduk-penduduknya( Buyong Adil )

In refusal the treaty, , Baginda had determinate  that :

1)      He did not understand the contain of treaty (1902) which been written in English and Siamese.

2)      He would sent a delegation to Singapore for explaining that he was studying the contain of treaty.

3)      He would sent a delegation to Siam to discuss about the relationship between Terengganu and Siam which concern to the contain of treaty.

4)      He explained to Frank Swetthenham that he was not in healty condition due to some disorder problems.

 British signed the British- Siamise treaty- of menanda tangani perjanjian Bangkok 1909 ini menjadi satu cabaran yang sangat besar kepada umat Islam di Terengganu –

24 Mei 1909 His delegation met John Anderson (the Governor of Straits States) in Singapore to refuse the treaty that British and Siamise sign up without inform him first.

In July  1909 , British officer , W.L. Conlay sent down to Terengganu as British agent , sebaliknya untuk bertugas sebagai Ejen British