This brass/bronze stamp with hardwood handle belonged to Raja Haji Muhammad Yacob bin Raja Bilah (often abbreviated as H. M. Yacob), an official administrative ink stamp used during his tenure as the Penghulu (chief/headman) of Mukim Papan in Perak, Malaysia.
The red ink seal impression reads "H. M. YACOB RAJA BILAH" in the upper arc and "PAPAN, PERAK" at the bottom.
The Historical Figure: Raja Haji Muhammad Yacob
Raja Haji Muhammad Yacob (1870s–1930s) was a prominent Mandailing nobleman, administrative leader, historian, and pioneer photographer in British Malaya.
Key Historical Highlights
Penghulu of Papan (1909–1932): On February 1, 1909, Raja Yacob succeeded his father as the official Penghulu (local magistrate and administrative head) of Mukim Papan in the Kinta Valley—the heart of Malaya's flourishing tin-mining boom. He served under the Perak state administration and British colonial authority for over two decades.
Noble Mandailing Lineage: He was the son of Raja Bilah (1834–1900), a famous Mandailing leader and wealthy tin miner from Sumatra who played a pivotal role in settling the Mandailing diaspora in Perak following the Klang and Pahang wars.
Historian & Author: In 1934, Raja Yacob authored "Tarikh Raja Asal dan Keluarganya" (The Chronicle of Raja Asal and His Family), a crucial Malay-language historical manuscript documenting 19th-century Mandailing migration, regional conflicts, and community development across Sumatra and Malaya.
Pioneer Indigenous Photographer: He is recognized by historians as one of the earliest native Malay/Mandailing photographers in Perak, capturing rare visual records of early 20th-century local life, court visits, and community gatherings.
Rumah Besar Raja Bilah: He operated his local administrative duties out of the landmark Rumah Besar Raja Bilah (Raja Bilah Mansion) built in 1896 in Pekan Papan, Batu Gajah. The grand two-story wooden structure remains a recognized heritage monument in Perak today.
No comments:
Post a Comment