This was a letter sent to Raja Kechil Tengah[1] Kamaralzaman ibni Raja Mansur in 1948 from the Secretary to Almarhum Sultan Yusuf Izzudin ibni Sultan Abdul Jalil, the post of which was held at that time by Raja Razman Raja Abdul Hamid (Ku Nick). The letter was an invitation to Raja Kam to Kuala Kangsar following his appointment as the new Raja Di-Hilir Perak.
(Source: Arkib Negara Malaysia)
The letter reads as follows:
“Nombor 1 dalam Sultan Perak 450/48.
Qauluhul Haq[2]
Setiausaha Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Perak.
Kehadapan majlis kekanda Yang Mulia Raja Kecil Tengah Perak di Taiping dengan beroleh selamat dan kesejahteraanNya.
Ehwal daripada itu adinda maklumkan dengan titah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Perak dipersilakan kekanda hadir di Istana Iskandariah Bukit Chandan Kuala Kangsar pada hari Khamis 15 haribulan Julai 1948 pada jam pukul 10 pagi kerana menerima surat gelaran dan bawar[3] bagi pangkat martabat Yang Amat Mulia Raja Di-Hilir Perak.
Hal inilah sahaja adinda maklumkan adanya.
Tertulis di dalam pejabat setiausaha Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Perak pada 6 haribulan Julai tahun 1948.”
Footnote:
1. Prior to the system as we know now, the hierarchy of the Raja Kechil Berempat in 1948 was (in ascending order of seniority) Raja Kechil Bongsu, Raja Kechil Muda (now abolished in the current system), Raja Kechil Tengah and Raja Kechil Sulong. This was revised by Almarhum Sultan Yusuf Izzudin in 1948. The post of Raja Kechil Sulong was vacant which saw Raja Kam as RKT appointed as RDH Perak, following which Raja Kechil Muda Musa ibni Sultan Abdul Aziz became RKS and Raja Kechil Bongsu Ngah Ali bin Raja Iskandar became Raja Kechil Tengah. The minutes of the meeting pertaining to these appointments can be read here.
2. Qauluhul Haq is an Arabic phrase which literally translates as ‘He (Allah SWT) hath spoken’ or berkataNya (dengan benar, yakni haq) in Bahasa Malaysia. This phrase can be seen as kepala surat in official letters from the palace (sometimes written as Qauluhu al-Ilaq or Qauluhu al-Haq wa kalamuhu as-sadiq). It can also be seen in the letter of DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong during the state opening of Parliament which is read – “QAULUHUL—HAQ. Warakatul-ikhlas walmuhibbah iaitu daripada Beta…” and so forth.
3. A bawar is a classification of keris otherwise known as keris kuasa, an example of which is the famous Taming Sari owned by Hang Tuah. Such a keris is said to possess supernatural powers and has to be “cleansed” in the melimau ceremony periodically to retain its potency. One of Raja Kam’s sons, YM Raja Muzaffar Kamaralzaman, remembered the keris as being sejengkal in length despite its scabbard (sarong keris) being setengah depa long!
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Reference:
1. Silat Melayu. Taming Sari.
2. http://www.parlimen.gov.my. Penyata Rasmi Perbahathan Parlimen Dewan Ra’ayat Yang Kedua 1968.
3. myais.fsktm.um.edu.my. Dukacita Sultan Kaimuddin, Buton, kepada Raja Bone.
4. Norhaslinda Ahmad.
5. Sheikh Mohd Fariz Saleh.
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