On 26 April 1994, in an elaborate ceremony at the Istana Negara, Tuanku Simon Mackay was appointed as Malaysia’s 10th Yang DiPertuan Agong.
Huh?
How could a Mat Salleh, a white man, be appointed as Malaysia’s King?
As you’ve already suspected, this never happened.
But, this Merdeka week, I thought it could easily have.
If Vyner Brooke, the 3rd Rajah of Sarawak didn’t abdicate in 1946, he would have continued on as Rajah.
Vyner Brooke, 3rd Rajah of Sarawak
When he died in May 1963, his grandson, Simon Mackay, then only 29, would then have become the 4th Rajah of Sarawak. When Malaysia was formed four months later, he would no doubt have joined the list of nine rulers eligible, in turns, to become the Yang DiPertuan Agong.
Since he was the most junior of the rulers, only becoming Rajah very recently, his position would be at the end of the list after all the other rulers. This means that in 1994, after all the rulers of all the other states have had their turn as Malaysia’s king, the Rajah, then aged 60, would then become the 10th Yang DiPertuan Agong!
Simon Mackay, 10th Yang DiPertuan Agong?
Other than not being a Malay, the other interesting thing is that the Agong is not a muslim. There is nothing though in the Constitution of Malaysia that states that the Agong has to to a muslim. It does, however, declare that the ruler of a state is the head of Islam in his state. I am sure that an exception would be made for Sarawak for otherwise Sarawak would not have joined Malaysia. Or, it is also possible, that the Rajah might have converted to Islam.
So, that’s why, we could easily have had an orang puteh Yang DiPertuan Agong.
But back to real history.
The man who could have been our 10th Yang DiPertuan Agong, Simon Brooke Mackay, is currently a member of the British House of Lords. His title is Baron Tanlaw. You can find out more about him in Wikipedia.
The family still has strong links to Malaysia.
Isn’t our history, and it’s possibilities, interesting?
18 responses so far ↓
ted mahsun // August 30, 2009 at 6:28 am |
I got a huge kick out of this post. You should make more posts about speculative history like this!
Kak Teh // August 30, 2009 at 10:45 am |
haha! this is really interesting. Perhaps I should get in touch with him. Ah, am also reading Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters.
Argus // August 30, 2009 at 10:52 am |
I agree with Ted. The possibilities are fascinating, aren’t they? Then our masyarakat would be more majmuk than it already is.
If only there’s more ‘live and let live’ in today’s society. *sigh*
Naz // August 30, 2009 at 9:07 pm |
‘love this entry!
tunkuhalim // August 31, 2009 at 12:37 am |
Ted – Maybe I should! How about what would have happened if the Melakans managed to beat off the Portuguese in 1511?!!!
Kak Teh – I think you really should. You could write an article called “The Man who could have been King”.
tunkuhalim // August 31, 2009 at 12:39 am |
Argus – Yes indeed, we would have an even more colourful society. The line up at the conference of rulers would look very interesting.
Naz – I’m glad you like it!
ted mahsun // August 31, 2009 at 1:18 am |
TH, that’s a good idea! Speaking of which, have you read 1515 by Faisal Tehrani, which speculates that exact question? It’s quite an interesting (and fun!) read, albeit with the unfortunate problem of not having an English translation.
bibliobibuli // August 31, 2009 at 5:43 am |
wah, you really got me there! you should write the “what if” story.
elisa // August 31, 2009 at 6:02 am |
wow, this is VERY interesting! I never knew this
azmi // August 31, 2009 at 6:22 am |
Agree with the others, speculative history would be intriguing to say the least
Asrif // August 31, 2009 at 7:27 am |
The first line did sound real somehow. Got me there… ’til I read on, of course.
A colorful imagery nonetheless. A colorful one.
amir // August 31, 2009 at 9:39 pm |
Yes to more posts like this one!
tunkuhalim // September 1, 2009 at 5:22 am |
Ted – I haven’t read the book but I should try to get my hands on it.
Sharon – Hah, I’m glad you liked it. Do you think that you might perhaps have a chance at the throne?
Elisa – Interesting stuff, isn’t it?
tunkuhalim // September 1, 2009 at 5:24 am |
Azmi – Yes, there are so many possibilites. Some good. Some less so.
Asrif – I thought it was a good strategy, to draw you in!
Amir – Sure thing!
CarTee // September 3, 2009 at 2:45 am |
I am delightfully surprised and amused of the thought of a Mat Salleh Agong, but yeah, lots of things are of accidental history. Like what if the English did not switch places with the Dutch, we’d all be arguing about learning Math & Science in Dutch! I agree with you when you sadi that hostory helps us understand who we are.Co-incidently I met a late writer’s wife just yesterday and she gave me a book that that her husband had written. It was about the history of Malaysian Indians, but unfortunately it’s in Tamil and his daughter’s translating it into English now. The point is, the the writer’s research revealed different dates and facts as compared to what’s written in history books today. One example is that of Parameswara. When I read history in the 80s, he was a Hindu price who later converted to Islam when in Melaka. But there are versions now that his son was the one who converted or that he himself was a convert when he came to Melaka. Luckily we know Indonesian history or else that too would be distorted. No one can change our past and I see no sense in manipulating facts. The impact on society manifests in “cow-headed” people taking to the streets.
tunkuhalim // September 4, 2009 at 9:02 am |
CarTee –
I’m glad that you enjoyed the post. Ah, the possibilities indeed. Here’s the biggie, imagine if the Dutch and the British didn’t split up the borders between Indonesia and Malaysia. What sort of countries would we end up with today?
I encountered the same thing with Parameswara. Actually, his name is an issue in itself. It should be Paramesvara, following the Hindu way of saying the name. Megat Iskandar Shah converted to Islam. Whether he was Paramesvara or his son is unclear. History is for all of us. It must never be distorted or used for political reasons.
Saracen_Crusader // October 19, 2009 at 12:08 pm |
That is interesting topic it also make me a shock too. By the way have you heard the popular time when someone want to be Melacca King? Have anyone know about that story? I would like to know what happened in the end of it?
tunkuhalim // October 21, 2009 at 9:15 pm |
Saracen-Crusader – Yes, I read about the new Melaka Sultan in the n’paper but no news after that!