Date of Award

1-1-2001

Thesis Type

Masters

Document Type

Thesis

Divisions

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Department

Department of History

Institution

Universiti Malaya

Abstract

This dissertation as suggested by its title, which translated become "The Chinese Secret Societies in Sungai Ujong, Negeri Sembilan (1800-1900)" is a discussion, mainly focusing on the development and activities of the Chinese secret societies in the area since it came into being until the early part of the 20th century. There are few issues in the development of the Chinese Secret Societies that will be given emphasis on, covering from the political aspect to both the economics and social aspects. One of them is the involvement of the Chinese secret societies in the feuds between the Malay chiefs in Sungai Ujong. In this case, attention will be given to their role in the rivalries between the chiefs in the form of the financial and military aids they provided for the chiefs. Their support for the Malay chiefs they chose can be viewed as a way of securing their hole and influence in their respective. This political issues will lead to the economic issue where their influences in certain area would be the main factor in securing their economic activities, especially in the opium trade and gambling dens in the tin mines. This work will also discuss the roles played by the Chinese secret societies to bring in the labour force from China to the Malay states which later on "contributes" to the growth of prostitution industry in Sungai Ujong. The brothels in Sungai Ujong were by the secret societies, just as the opium and gambling dens. The profits from these businesses were soon be used to build temples and Chinese Associations (Hui Guan). The decline in the development and activities of the Chinese secret societies can be traced by the end of the 19th century when their activities were seen as threatening to the peace of the state . This eventually led to the decision of the colonial government against the Chinese secret societies by enacting laws and regulations to control and later abolish the secret societies. As a whole, the Chinese secret societies should not be seen as a criminal group for their "notorious" acts; they should be seen as the people who contributes to the development of the society and state since the early years of the 19th century.

Initial

snms

Additional Information

Dissertation (M.A) -- Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, 2001.

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