A Supplementary Note on a Genealogy of the Chinese Kapitans of Negeri Sembilan: Verification and Discoveries from National Archives of Malaysia

Title

A Supplementary Note on a Genealogy of the Chinese Kapitans of Negeri Sembilan: Verification and Discoveries from National Archives of Malaysia

Author

Weng-Woe YON

Page

221-252

DOI

10.6163/TJEAS.202606_23(1).0006

Abstract

The Kapitan System on the Malay Peninsula originated during the Portuguese colonial period in the 16th century and was subsequently adopted and continued by the Dutch, the British, and local Malay rulers, gradually developing into an indispensable part of the region’s political and social structure. The history of Chinese Kapitans in Negeri Sembilan can be traced back to the 1850s, with records identifying Sheng Ming Li as the first Chinese Kapitan. However, research on Chinese Kapitans in Negeri Sembilan remains incomplete; existing studies are mostly limited to individual cases, and due to fragmentary archival materials and the absence of newly discovered sources, several key questions remain unresolved: (1) when the Chinese Kapitan system was officially introduced in Negeri Sembilan; (2) how many Chinese Kapitan were appointed; and (3) when this system was ultimately terminated. To bridge these gaps, this paper utilizes newly uncovered archival records from the National Archives of Malaysia to conduct a thorough examination of the lineage of Chinese Kapitans in Negeri Sembilan, thereby providing a more comprehensive understanding of their succession and enhancing broader research perspectives on the Kapitan System.

Keyword

Negeri Sembilan, Chinese Kapitans, Genealogy, National Archives of Malaysia

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