Maharaja Kinta Toh Chandang Bin Kulop Kinta Toh Changkat Piatu

Once upon a time, the Kinta District or 'State' was inhabited by the 'Orang Darat', who were the Semai Orang Asli, and governed by the 'Maharaja Kinta'. They controlled the land areas and river routes around the Kinta District or 'State'.

Toh Chandang (1636-1670) was the son of Kulop Kinta Toh Changkat Piatu bin Sultan Mansur Shah I (1580-1640), while his mother was the daughter of a Temiar Tok Batin named Puteri Mazwin. He was also the grandson of the 2nd Sultan of Perak, Sultan Mansur Shah I ibni Sultan Muzaffar Shah I (1549-1577), while his grandmother was the daughter of a Semang Tok Batin.

During the reign of the 9th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Sallehuddin Riayat Shah ibni Sultan Mahmud Shah I (1630-1636), Perak was struck by a plague, forcing him to migrate to Aceh. While in Aceh, he was believed to be critically ill after also contracting the plague. Finally, he passed away in 1636 on Acehnese soil. He is considered the last Sultan of Perak from the Melaka Dynasty in the Perak Malay Sultanate Monarchy system before it was continued by the Siak Dynasty Sultans.

After the passing of the 9th Sultan of Perak, Sallehuddin Riayat Shah ibni Sultan Mahmud Shah I, Toh Chandang was nominated to be installed as the 10th Sultan of Perak as he was the grandson of the 2nd Sultan of Perak, Sultan Mansur Shah I. However, the Sultan of Aceh, Sultan Iskandar Thani, chose his cousin, Raja Sulong, as the 10th Sultan of Perak. Raja Sulong held the title Sultan Muzaffar Shah II. At that time, Perak was under the conquest of the Aceh Kingdom. Sultan Muzaffar Shah II was the first Sultan of Perak from the Siak Dynasty and was married to the great-granddaughter of the 2nd Sultan of Perak, Sultan Mansur Shah I. After Sultan Muzaffar Shah II (1636-1653) was installed as the 10th Sultan of Perak, he bestowed upon Toh Chandang the title of 'Maharaja Kinta' for his services and devotion to him. Maharaja Kinta Toh Chandang was the only holder of the 'Maharaja Kinta' title in the Perak State Monarchy system. The son of Maharaja Toh Chandang, named Toh Tambak, held the title of the first Orang Kaya-kaya Panglima Kinta Seri Amar Bangsa DiRaja (1670-1710), and the position of Orang Kaya-kaya Panglima Kinta Seri Amar Bangsa DiRaja still exists to this day in the Perak Malay Sultanate Monarchy system.

Reference sources:

• "Salasilah Keturunan Panglima Kinta Seri Amar Bangsa DiRaja dan Toh Senongsa Seri Nara Wangsa", compiled by Fazil Shuhaimi Talib, published by the Kulop Kinta Family Association (PK3).
• "Titles and Ceremonial Traditions of the Royalty and Nobility of the State of Perak, Malaysia", written by Dr. Adib Vincent Tung Abdullah, published by the Perak Academy.
• "Official Website of the Office of HRH the Sultan of Perak Darul Ridzuan", published by the Office of HRH the Sultan of Perak Darul Ridzuan.
• "Particulars on the Royal Family and Chiefs in Perak", National Archives of Malaysia, ANM 3003/0008160.