The Kling People

I wrote 2 posts yesterday and this blog had 222 hits after that. Those were the two 'geram' articles I wrote. Sometimes I get this geram (angered, angry) mood and I write fast and strong, and I breathe like a bull or a bison when I'm just a swan. Sometimes I have no story to write about as my hands won't write even though the story unfolds in my grey matter. Today, I will write for you about the Indians. Everybody calls them 'Kling', a supposedly derogatory word, pointing to a lesser status of the dark skin people. Let me begin this story of the Kling people in my own words and in my own experience, unbiased by what other people have viewed and written about the Kling people.

INTRODUCTION TO THE WORD KLING AND THE KLING PEOPLE

Kling is not killing, keeling or kneeling. Kling is Kling, Keling or Kalinga, but not Klang or Kelang. The word Kling or Keling has many meanings, depending on what the context is. Here are some of the contextual meanings as I understand the word.

Type 1 context:

When someone shouts angrily at you and says 'Awak Keling kah?', then that means 'are you stupid?' or 'are you a fool?'. It implies that one must not act silly and, it is also an indirect order to ask you 'to do something better next time and not act foolishly'.

Type 2 context:

When boys are naughty and they play noisily around the elderly and irritate them, then the elderly will shout to them 'Hei, budak Keling!' which translates to 'hey, you naughty boys!' It does not mean the boys are Indians at all or that all Indian boys are naughty and noisy. It is just an expression.

Type 3 context:

When someone meets you and asks you 'Awak orang Kling kah?' or 'Awak orang India kah?' or 'Awak India mari?', then there are many shades of meanings. (i) Awak orang Kling kah? can be asking whether you are Indian from a Kling settlement (ie, a locality) or the Kalinga group of Indian people (ie, ethnicity). (ii) Awak orang India kah? can be asking whether you are Indian, and therefore assumes you speak and can comprehend the Indian language. (iii) Awak India mari? is directly asking whether you hail from India. It does not ask whether your ancestors were Indians or were from India. It only asks your status.

Type 4 context:

The racial group Kling or Keling refers to the many groups of Indians in Malaya, Malaysia and Singapore. Kling or Keling is an ethnic label for all Indians. Because the unlettered lay Malays do not understand Indian migrations and the geography of the vast Indian sub-continent, they group all the Indians as Kling or Keling. This is the weakness on the part of the Malays. So the educated Indians (Kling or Keling) must enlighten the Malays on this aspect.

If you look back into Malacca history, there is a place in Malacca called Tanjung Keling, supposedly where the Indians came ashore in Malacca during the Portuguese era, and also during the Dutch era. Whether the Indians came as traders or forced labour, I don't know, presumably both. Maybe they came as forced labour (convicts and coolies) first and then as indentured labourers later, and eventually as seekers of fortune. But the phenomenon of the Indians arriving and building an Indian settlement at Tanjung Keling is real, and that has lasted till today. But I don't find many Indians there. There is however, Shah's Village in Tanjung Keling in Malacca. Shah's Village was owned by H.M. Shah, an Indian relative of my father (my father was descended from a clergy Arab-princely Minangkabau lineage). My father recalled his uncle H.M. Shah's wife as 'rich with bangles'. So the Indians (and thus Kling or Keling) of Tanjung Keling, were actually rich and successful traders. If you study the H.M. Shah empire, you will be surprised to find that they own a lot of the assets and some of the prime lands in and around KL, Selangor and Malacca. A lot of hotels and resorts are theirs. So that is how powerfully rich the Kling or Keling can be and are today. So, don't belittle their status if you are not a millionnaire or billionnaire, or earning RM30K per day. The Kling or Keling are richer than all the Malays today, despite their humble origins as Indian migrants from 1511 onward (Portuguese era), 1641 onward (Dutch era), or 1824 onward (British era)) - as convicts, coolies, indentured labourers, fortune seekers, traders, etc. They have successfully found a new home here. The Malays cannot match the hardworking Kling/Keling who are able to persevere everything and make their way out of their misfortunes within 5 generations (if I take 1824 as the index). The Kling/Keling have every right to demand respect for their present status as the rich and powerful among the 28 million Malaysians we have today. So the Malays must use the word Kling or Keling rightfully, and respect the Indians who have made it successfully.

Type 5 context:

The historical word Kling or Keling is just a geo-ethnic label which western authors used for writing about the early Indians who arrived in the British settlements and outposts. We have to deeply think about why the British thought of the Indians as a lowly group of Indians and therefore discriminated them based on skin colour, etc. If we are humans, then we know that it is every human's right to live and be treated as human, as equally as other humans. We cannot treat others as lowly animals or treat them inhumanely. So that brings us to the question of 'why did the British discriminate the Indians?' I don't know. We all know the Indians tend to have dark skin shades while the British have fair skin tones. If you read the Quran, it tells us that the skin and ethnicity do not make us better humans. What makes us better humans is the faith we hold within. So why did the British discriminate and ill-treat the Indians? I guess, the Indians are gentle people and they take anger within, they don't show anger. They practise Yoga and are able to deal with a lot of insults, especially those arising from skin tones. The dark skin tones may make them feel inferior but the Great Creator has given the Indians something that no other ethnic group has. What can that be? The Indians are bestowed with the best brains for mathematics. Their brains are specialised for this very high mental capability. And because there are Indians in this world, we are blessed with things related to numbers. What are things related to numbers? What if I told you these facts: Silicon Valley is dominated by highly educated Indians; NASA is highly dependent on Indian scientists who all have PhDs; France and India have the best mathematicians; and there are many more evidences of the geniuses of the Indians. So, don't belittle the Indians just because they have a darker skin tone compared to you. Remember, you have a lesser brain than any Indian and you cannot see that. This is what I call Rahmatullah (rahmat Allah). So, be thankful that we have Indians in this world and especially a lot of them in Malaysia and Singapore. What would the world be without the Indians? Without the Indians, we won't be counting money, we won't be able to fly to the moon, we won't have holidays, and we won't be enjoying holidays overseas as nobody knows how to even schedule flights. All things dealing with numbers are from the Indians, including the money changer. There was even a big double-storey Indian Mercantile Bank in Kota Bharu before the Japanese invaded Malaya; Kota Bharu only had a small defunct Bank Pitis. So be very thankful that we have the Indians with us today.

The Indian money changer's box. Photo from Penang Museum.

Pre-war Indian Mercantile Bank in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. This is now the WWII Museum (Muzium Perang Dunia Ke-2). I used to follow my mother to this bank - I was 11 years old. The bank officers spoke English.

Go to Little India in Penang and Singapore, and you know what I mean. Even the flower shops near the temples (kuil India) are a delight to visit on weekends. I even bought flowers for my wedding from the flower shops by the Indian kuil in Dato Keramat Road in Penang. 

Indian flower stalls in Penang

And remember the oh-so-good roti canai, capati, murtabak, nasi briyani, kurma, and everything else Indian, the Indians have made this world a more colourful place and added so much variety to Malay cuisine.

Nasi briyani served in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. This plate costs RM8.50.

If you admire Indian materials (kain sari) then you have every reason to thank the Indians for the beautiful sari materials, both the feather-weight and heavy sari materials. They go well with Indian gold accessories. Oh! So wonderful life is with all these sari and gold and perfumes.

A beautiful purple Indian sari material from Bangalore, India, made into a Malay baju kurung for Aidilfitri. This is my daughter's baju kurung. She bought the material in Bangalore for RM80. and had it sewn in Kubang Kerian for RM30. This type of sari baju kurung sells for approx. RM300-RM500 in KL boutiques.

Masjid Kapitan Keling in Penang is a beautiful mosque. When I prayed there I had tears because the mosque is so lovely. It is an Indian mosque and is the cleanest of the many mosques I have been to. The grounds make you feel like you are in the palace when actually you are in the mosque. So please visit Masjid Kapitan Keling next time you visit Penang. Reasonably priced nasi kandar is served outside by the front gates. You can order the rice and that goes down well with air limau ais or teh limau ais. You can eat under the payung and watch the afternoon traffic pass by. Bon appetite!

Masjid Kapitan Keling, Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, Penang. This is a beautiful mosque within the World Heritage Cities (of two cities - Penang and Malacca).

Link to Old Indian Convict Settlement in Singapore

I think that settles the long introduction to the Indians whom we call Kling or Keling. Be happy!

Penang Mosques

Mosques in Georgetown

INTRODUCTION

 George Town (now Georgetown) is now a maze of lanes, roads, streets, and highways. It was easier to get to a place within Georgetown in the early 1980s. Today, it is impossible to drive without going into wrong lanes in Georgetown. The one-way street signs have made it more difficult. However, there is still hope in getting around the maze - the masjid jamek can certainly help. Each masjid jamek is unique and has a mihrab that faces qiblat, so that helps with street orientation.

Penang jamek mosques are plenty and they serve as landmarks (masjid sebagai mercu tanda). There are 3 useful landmark mosques in Georgetown: Masjid Jamek Titi Papan in Jalan Burma, Masjid Jamek Jalan Hatin in Jalan Hatin, Masjid Jamek Pintal Tali in Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong.



Burma Road (Jalan Burma)
This road is parallel to Jalan Hatin, and closer to the sea. Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe opens to Jalan Burma. The landmark mosque at this junction is Masjid Jamek Titi Papan.

Masjid Jamek Titi Papan
Masjid Jamek Titi Papan is in Jalan Burma (Burmah Road), at the corner of Jalan Burma and Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe. This is a Chinese area with Chinese eating/coffee stalls (kopitiam), houses, shops and trishaw.

On 27 May 2012, I met with Tok Chu at his residence in Air Itam. Tok Chu's wife is the youngest and only daughter of the Imam of Masjid Titi Papan. His wife is Hendon bin Ahmad, who is also the mother of Prof. Ahmad Murad Merican (graduated in Mass Communication, USM).

According to Tok Chu, in the old days, the drain (parit) was so big that even sampans and tongkangs sailed right up to the mosque. A wooden plank was used as a footbridge to get to the mosque, and hence the mosque was named Masjid Titi Papan. Titi papan is Malay for a wooden plank that was used as a footbridge.

PHOTO 1. Masjid Titi Papan in Jalan Burma (old Burma Road), Georgetown, Penang

Hutton Lane (now Jalan Hatin)
Hutton Lane (now Jalan Hatin) is a memorable lane. It once had a shop where USM staff celebrated farewell lunch. It also once housed the private clinic of Sir KM Ariff (Dr Kamil Mohamed Ariff bin Kadir Mastan). It has a mosque - Masjid Jamek Jalan Hatin. It has a school - Sekolah Melayu Chowrasta, now renamed to Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Tanjong, Jalan Hutton. The school building is still the old pre-war building.

Masjid Jamek Jalan Hatin
Masjid Jamek Jalan Hatin is in Jalan Hutton (Hutton Lane), across the road from Sekolah Sri Tanjung, Jalan Hatin, Penang.

PHOTO 2. Masjid Jamek Jalan Hatin in Jalan Hatin (old Hutton Lane), Georgetown, Penang

Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong
This is a wide road which once housed a big pottery shop on the right, just after KOMTAR. It runs by KOMTAR and opens into 3-lane Magazine Road at the traffic lights. There is one bright yellow-green landmark mosque on the left, just after KOMTAR, before the traffic lights. This is Masjid Jamek Pintal Tali.

Masjid Jamek Pintal Tali
Masjid Jamek Pintal Tali is in Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong and can be viewed from KOMTAR. Pintal tali is Malay for twisted rope. What is the history of this mosque? How did it get its name?

I didn't see any twisted ropes in the vicinity of the mosque nor were ropes made here. It could be that this area was nearby Sungai Pinang and served as a landing place for small to medium boats which were tied to the dock, pier or jetty. Why were twisted ropes used? Anyway, ropes are made from twisted jute fibres. So why the additional adjective, pintal (twisted)? Maybe the ropes really became twisted (entangled) and could not be laid down straight as they were really entangled? But fishermen can't be that negligent to leave their ropes twisted? Maybe twisting referred to how the ropes were tied to the docks? More Sherlock Holmes assignment here!

PHOTO 3. Masjid Jamek Pintal Tali in Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong, viewed through a glass window at KOMTAR, Georgetown, Penang

PHOTO 4. Masjid Jamek Pintal Tali viewed from a moving car, Georgetown, Penang

Other mosques in Georgetown, Penang are the Malay Acheen Street Mosque (Masjid Melayu Aceh) and the Masjid Kapitan Keling (the Indian mosque).

Links:
Masjid Melayu Aceh
Masjid Kapitan Keling

Kapitan

Kapitan = headman (Malay, ketua)

Kapitan Kling refers to Cauder Mohideen / Kader Mydin / Kadir Merican of George Town, Penang.
He was responsible for the construction of Masjid Kapitan Keling.
The hot & spicy Kari Kapitan served in Penang is named in his honour.
His younger brother is Noordin Merican (sometimes written as Merican Noordin)
The Bangunan Noordin within the grounds of Masjid Kapitan Keling is named after Cauder's younger brother, Noordin.

Kapitan China refers to Yap Ah Loy of Kuala Lumpur. He was a mining tawkey and was responsible for the development of early KL.

Kapitan Melayu refers to Tengku Syed Hussain Idid (sometimes spelled as Aidid) of Kampong Melayu, Acheen Street (Lebuh Acheh), Penang, an Acehnese prince who donated (wakaf) his land for the construction of Masjid Melayu (Jamek) at Malay Town in Penang.

(4) Masjid Kapitan Keling 1801

Wasiat Kapitan Keling & Tanah Wakaf

Kapitan Keling's wasiat lies with Qariyah Masjid Kapitan Keling. I was fortunate to obtain a copy. I have since passed on the wasiat to Haji Tamin Merican for sharing with the Merican clan members. Hopefully, the Merican clan can use it to reclaim their lost lands especially tanah wakaf in the vicinity of Masjid Kapitan Keling.

I was informed that tanah wakaf Masjid Kapitan Keling has a red marking on the pavement of buildings that belong to Masjid Kapitan Keling. The land office is nearby. Somebody should look into reclamation of tanah wakaf because illegal and unlawful use of tanah wakaf is haram in Islam and this matter must not be overlooked.

I do not have other legal documents pertaining to land use and land rights of Masjid Kapitan Keling and whatever Cauder Merican had in mind. I have not searched the documents of Dr AO Merican nor Penang Museum.

I am not in the legal business but I'm sharing my concern with readers so you can assist Masjid Kapitan Keling.

(2) Masjid Kapitan Keling 1801

Views from the minaret

18-19 November 2008

The following photographs were captured with permission from Qariyah Masjid Kapitan Keling on my second visit on 19 November 2008. They are reproduced here with the hope that people might get interested in the history of Masjid Kapitan Keling, support its activities in educating children, become interested in issues pertaining to tanah wakaf and write important things about how this mosque has & will serve us.

History

When Cauder Merican arrived in Malaya, he was not alone but came with his mother and younger brother, Nordin. An adjacent building to the mosque has been named after his brother.

Bangunan Nordin
Bangunan Nordin was previously a cluster of houses for builders of the mosque. It was renovated and eventually became Bangunan Nordin we see today.

Ancient graves
The graves of the pioneer mosque builders are in the front yard of Bangunan Nordin. A roofless mausoleum can be seen at the frontage adjoining Bangunan Nordin. Another covered mausoleum can be found at Jalan Kolam nearby, behind the buildings at Lebuh Buckingham.

Masjid Acheh
Masjid Acheh lies farther down the street and can be viewed from the Masjid Kapitan Keling minaret. The reason the two mosques are nearby is unknown. One explanation was the sermons (khutbah) at Masjid Kapitan Keling were delivered in the Indian language (Tamil or Urdu?) as the majority of the believers were Indians. The Achenese builders could not understand the Indian language and therefore constructed their own mosque. There may be other reasons.

Minaret tourguide (left) and Affandi.

Plaq of the minaret's construction. 
This minaret was erected by the Endowments Board from the funds of the Capt. Kling Mosque.

W Peel, President
HC Sells, Secretary

The Foundation Stone was laid by Haji Abdullah Imam

Committee of Management
Mas Abdul Aziz
Shaik Ishak
Haji Yahya Khatib

HA Neubronner F.R.I.B.A.
Architect

13th Rabi-al-Akhir A.H. 1334
18th February 1916

Views of the minaret built in 1916 before WWI.

Megaphone for call to prayer.

Tourguide and Affandi in the minaret.

First photo from the minaret. The 4-storey pink building nearest the reader was rebuilt after it was shelled during WWII. The sea (Atlantic Ocean) is in the far background.

Nearby Chinese temple viewed from the minaret. The pink building was shelled during WWII.

The pink building has a WWII history. It was initially a dhobi or laundry shop. The day's washing would be hung out to dry. There were carts carrying dirty and clean bundles of sheets/linen. During WWII, the Japanese bombers had mistaken the carts as carring canons under cover and shelled the carts and adjacent building. That area suffered the worst shelling for it had many carts lined up on the street!!

Masjid Acheh minaret is in far centre background.

Close-up of Masjid Acheh from Masjid Kapitan Keling minaret.

Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling viewed from the minaret. Rooftops & buildings which line Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling.

Bangunan Nordin (renovated), a centre for Islamic learning (inside the grounds, on your right as you enter through the main gate). An ancient well lies near its main entrance.

Bangunan Nordin, well and graves of the builders of Masjid Kapitan Keling in 1800s. A roofless mausoleum is partially hidden from view. A low lying periphery wall separates the graves from the mosque.

Masjid Kapitan Keling viewed from its only minaret.

Views from the minaret beyond Masjid Kapitan Keling, towards the hills.

Buckingham Street viewed from the minaret. The tower is KOMTAR (Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak).

(1) Masjid Kapitan Keling 1801

Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, Penang

Notes for visitors
Visitation hours: Anytime outside prayer times. When you hear the prayer call (azan), it signifies prayer time. You can decide to remain or leave.
Observing Muslim prayer: You can remain in the grounds or mosque and observe how Muslims pray. There is nothing wrong with observing how Muslims pray. There is no need to feel shy, awkward or intimidated and you don't have to run away or feel unwelcome. Just sit quietly and observe.
If you have just come direct from swimming at the nearby beach, please clean yourself at the washrooms and then step inside the mosque. Do not step inside the mosque when your torsos are dirty and smelly.
Slippers & shoes: Leave them outside the building entrance. Do not step inside the mosque with shoes on!!!
Dress code: Decently dressed
Ladies (Muslims & non Muslims): If you are in shorts or short skirts, you can borrow visitation cloaks (free size) at the main entrance inside the mosque.
There is no visitation fee. The mosque is a free place for all.
Please speak to the security at the entrance inside the mosque building if you wish to photograph inside the mosque. Photography is allowed inside and around the mosque outside prayer times. If you are lucky, there may be a tour guide to take you inside the mosque and tend to all your queries.
The greeting in Islam is "Assalamu'alaikum" which means 'peace unto you'. You will receive a reciprocating 'Salam', and just say 'thank you' and smile!!

If by any chance you feel you want to convert to Islam, you can convey your wish to the security guard, tour guide or anyone at the mosque and they will serve you. You do not have to have to change your name when you convert to Islam. Is it your heart that converts, not your name, you are still the same you!!

History
The East India Company acquired Penang in 1786 and renamed it the Prince of Wales Island.

Masjid Kapitan Keling was built in 1801 by a group of Indian Muslims who arrived on the beaches of Penang in 1797.  The Indians included the Havildars, Jemadars and Sepoys. The Indian community leader or kapitan was an influential rich merchant, Kader Mydin Merican @ Cauder Mydeen @ Cauder Mydin @ Cauder Mohiddeen Merican (1786-1834).

Cauder Mydin's name is inscribed in a monument at GH Penang as a donor in 1879.

Initially, there was a small attap musolla. The mosque had undergone 5 major renovations from 1803 to 1990. A minaret (menara) was added in 1916, before World War I. Part of the mosque (front right prayer corner) was bombed by the Japanese during World War II. The last renovation was performed by an Australian team.

Pitt Street (Lebuh Pitt) was renamed Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling on 26 December 1989.

The mosque and its surroundings was declared a World Heritage Site (Tapak Warisan Dunia) on 22 November 2008, whose ruling include buildings must not exceed 4 storeys.

Photos from Izaham Musa's Facebook (with permission):

Photos from author's collection, taken on 18-19 November 2008:

View from front entrance (east gate).

Chulia Street entrance (north gate).

Buckingham Street entrance (south gate).

 

Wet patches indicate site of original well which now lies buried beneath heavy concrete (near north side).

Wudu' pond for men's ablution (south side).

Pond enclosure (south side).

Pump hub - an engineering feat (south side).

Details of pump setup (south side).

Corridor leading to the ladiesroom and wudu' chamber (north side).

Courtyard behind the ladiesroom and wudu' chamber (north side nearest Chulia Street).

Rear garden sandwiched between ancient graves (wall on the left) and corridor to the ladiesroom & wudu' chamber (north gate side). Masjid main building is in the centre background.

Corridor view of the men's wudu' area beyond the buried well (north side).

 

Tahfiz classrooms (west frontage).

The 6th generation of the Merican clan bore Penang's first Malay doctor, Dr Ali Othman Merican or Dr AO Merican.