Wan Muhammad Saleh, the First Malay Appointed as Chief Penghulu in Perak
A prominent figure born in Kampung Ijok, Selama, has made a name for himself in the state of Perak. He is Seri Adika Raja Syahbandar Muda Wan Muhammad Saleh, who was born in 1861.
Seri Adika Raja Syahbandar Muda Wan Muhammad Saleh was a prominent and well-known dignitary in Perak during his lifetime in the early 20th century, specifically during the reign of the late Sultan Idris I (the 28th Sultan of Perak). In 1892, he was bestowed with the title Seri Adika Raja Syahbandar Muda. The remarkable individual we are discussing today was, in fact, a chief penghulu and also served as an assistant land revenue collector during the administration of Frank Swettenham following the assassination of J.W.W. Birch in Pasir Salak. This indirectly made Seri Adika Raja Syahbandar Muda Wan Muhammad Saleh the first Malay to be appointed as a chief penghulu in the state of Perak. He also served as a clerk to Sir Hugh Low (the 4th British Resident of Perak) in 1881. Due to his excellent service, Seri Adika Raja Syahbandar Muda Wan Muhammad Saleh was awarded the Imperial Service Order (I.S.O.) by the British government in 1903. In 1909, Seri Adika Raja Syahbandar Muda Wan Muhammad Saleh was chosen as one of the representatives for the Perak state government to attend the ceremony for the handover of part of the Hulu Perak district by the Siamese (Thai) government.
The ceremony for the handover of the Hulu Perak district by the Siamese (Thai) government to the state of Perak took place during the administration of J.W.W. Birch's son, Sir Ernest Woodford Birch, who served as the 8th British Resident of Perak.
The handover ceremony for the Hulu Perak district took place on July 16, 1909, in Kroh. He also traveled to the United Kingdom to accompany the late Sultan Idris (the 28th Sultan of Perak) during the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 and King George V in 1911.
At the age of 56, Seri Adika Raja Syahbandar Muda Wan Muhammad Saleh passed away while accompanying the late Sultan Abdul Jalil (the 29th Sultan of Perak) to visit the tomb of the late Sultan Tajul Ariffin (the 4th Sultan of Perak) in Pulau Semat, Mukim Senggang, Kuala Kangsar, on March 14, 1917.
The remains of Seri Adika Raja Syahbandar Muda Wan Muhammad Saleh were brought back to Ipoh, and he was laid to rest within the grounds of the Paloh Mosque, the construction of which was funded by Seri Adika Raja Syahbandar Muda Wan Muhammad Saleh in 1912. For your information, the construction of the Paloh Mosque in Ipoh was also funded by another wealthy figure, Orang Kaya Long Kassim, who was also very well-known in the state of Perak at that time. Sources, references, and images:
- aku-mencariredha-mu.blogspot.com
- Tempat-Tempat Bersejarah Perak by N.A. Halim (page 151)
