Why Was This Englishman Called the White Rajah of Hulu Perak?

The White Rajah was actually a ruling dynasty of an English family in Sarawak, the Brookes. The title for the Englishmen who ruled there was White Rajah, or sometimes known as the Rajah of Sarawak. The use of the word 'Rajah' was to distinguish the royal title from the Brooke family.

That is a brief story about the White Rajah in Sarawak, but what is its connection to the state of Perak? Today, orangperak.com wants to share the story of an English officer in Perak who also held the title of White Rajah, given by the local Malay community in the Hulu Perak region. The Englishman was none other than an officer named Captain Hubert Berkeley. Interestingly, Captain Hubert Berkeley was not a high-ranking British official or the British Resident of Perak. He was merely a civil servant, serving as the District Officer in Hulu Perak. We are sure you must be wondering why an Englishman who held only an ordinary position was given the title of White Rajah by the local Malay community, right? How great and significant were the services rendered by Captain Hubert Berkeley that the Malay community did not mind giving him that title?

For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, Captain Hubert Berkeley was born in 1864 and came from a wealthy and noble family. His grandfather held the title of Earl of Kenmare as one of the most distinguished retired government officials in Ireland in 1801. Before becoming a District Officer, Captain Hubert Berkeley began his career in Malaya as a police inspector in the Dinding district in 1886. Later, he joined the Perak civil service in 1891. Three years into his service, he was promoted to District Officer in Klang, Selangor, in 1902. Finally, Captain Hubert Berkeley was transferred to the Hulu Perak region in the same year. This was where the life of an unassuming English District Officer began, one that allowed the Malay community in Hulu Perak to accept the arrival of an outsider, especially from the colonial race. What we want to convey about Captain Hubert Berkeley's personality is that he had a unique lifestyle, different from other English officers. He was not someone who looked at or followed the currents of modernization; his soul preferred the traditional lifestyle alongside the local Malay community in Hulu Perak. This Hulu Perak District Officer was also very fond of agricultural activities, especially the cultivation of rice, vegetables, and fruits. It was not a major economic activity at that time, as the rubber and tin industries were the primary industries in Perak.

Captain Hubert Berkeley is also said to have created his own motto for the Hulu Perak district, which was "Koh Dhulu". "Koh Dhulu" is actually a term used by the local Malay community when handling elephants. What is even more interesting about Captain Hubert Berkeley is that he did not use a car as his primary mode of transport. Instead, he preferred to use a horse or an elephant as his "official vehicle" to travel anywhere. His elephant was said to be named Awang Padang. Captain Hubert Berkeley, who administered the Hulu Perak district, also did not see eye-to-eye with the British high command. Among the examples of disobedience he frequently committed was opening special settlements for former criminals under his own supervision and rejecting the modernization currents that the British Resident of Perak was trying to introduce at the time. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, he was also said to have had a friendly and close relationship with the local residents. He knew every village head intimately, with none excluded. In fact, some local families were so close to him that he could name three generations of their family.

Hubert Berkeley also never tired of helping residents in need with his own money. Finally, he retired from his position as the District Officer of Hulu Perak in 1926 at the age of 62, which was seven years beyond the retirement age of most English officers at that time. After retiring, Hubert Berkeley returned to England and passed away in 1942.