Rembau, one of
the component states of the Negri Sembilan federation,
dates from 1540. Two Minangkabau chiefs, Dato' Laut Dalam
and Dato' Lela Balang founded the state. They agreed a
pact whereby the headship of the state would alternate
between their descendants in the female line. The former
was invested with the family title of Dato' Setia
Raja, and the latter with that of Dato' Lela
Maharaja by the Sultan of Johor. The ruler is styled
the Undang Luak, he is selected by the great noble
title-holders within the state. An attempt to establish a
superior hereditary ruler (Yang di-Pertuan Muda)
proved a failure. The northern districts, centred on
Tampin, became a new principality, ruled by the family of
the Yang di-Pertuan Muda. The southern districts
continued under the traditional form of elective head of
state and retained the original name of Rembau.
STYLES
AND TITLES:
The ruler: Yang
Teramat Mulia Undang Luak Rembau, i.e. the Undang of
Rembau.
Wife of the
ruler: Toh Puan.
RULES OF
SUCCESSION:
The Undang may
be selected from one of two great families known as the
Waris Jakun (who hold the hereditary title of Dato'
Lela Maharaja) and the Waris Jawa (who hold the
hereditary title of Dato' Sedia di-Raja). Although
officially elected by the great nobles of the state, the
office of Undang alternates between the heads of the two
houses. Succession to the titles of Dato' Lela Maharaja
and Dato' Sedia di-Raja is through the female line.
Generally, the son of the eldest sister of the deceased
title-holder, succeeds him.
ORDERS AND DECORATIONS:
None, see Negri Sembilan.
GLOSSARY:
See under Malaysia, main page.
SOURCES: Ensiklopedia Sejarah dan Kebudayaan Melayu,
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia,
Kuala Lumpur, 1995.
R J Wilkinson, Papers on Malay Subjects, Malay History,
Part V, Notes on the Negri Sembilan, FMS Government
Press, Kuala Lumpur, 1911.
SPECIAL SCKNOWLEDGEMENT:
Dato' Hj. Zulkipli bin Hj. Shamsudin.
The Waris Jakun
Datuk Lela
Balang, 1stDato'Lela Maharaja. m.
Datuk Bungkal binti Batin Sekudai. They had issue:
1) Datuk
Pundong, who left descendants at Kampong Kota
->
2) Datuk
Makraman, who left descendants at Kampong
Chengkau ->
3) Datuk
Siti, who left descendants at Kampong Gadong
->
4) Datuk
Lijah, who left descendants at Kampong Tebat
Chembong ->
5) Dato'
Sri Rama, 2ndDato'Lela Maharaja
- see below.
The Waris Jawa
Datuk Laut
Dalam, 1stDato' Sedia di-Raja, by his
wife, Jawa. They had issue:
1) Datuk
Malidi, who left descendants at Kampong Bukit
->
2) Datuk
Norimah, who left descendants at Kampong Pulau
->
3) Datuk
Shamsiah, who left descendants at Kampong Tengah
->
4) Siti
Hawa. m. Dato' Sri Rama bin Datuk Lela
Balang, 2ndDato' Lela Maharaja
(d. 1555), son of Datuk Lela Balang, 1stDato' Lela Maharaja, by his wife, Datuk
Bungkal binti Batin Sekudai. She had issue - see
below.
The Rulers
1540 - 1555
Dato' Sri Rama bin Datuk Lela Balang (Waris Jakun), 2ndDato' Lela Maharaja. b. ca. 1516, son of
Datuk Lela Balang, 1stDato' Lela Maharaja,
by his wife, Datuk Bungkal binti Batin Sekudai. m.
Siti Hawa binti Datuk Laut Dalam, daughter of Datuk Laut
Dalam, 1stDato' Sedia di-Raja, by his
wife, Jawa. He d. 1555, having had issue:
1) Dato'
Ombo [Amba] bin Dato Lela Maharaja Si Rama, 2ndDato' Sedia di-Raja and 3rdDato'
Lela Maharaja (s/o Siti Hawa) - see
below.
2) Other
left descendants at Kampong Tanjong ->
1555 - 1605
Dato' Ombo [Amba] bin Dato Lela Maharaja Si Rama, 2ndDato' Sedia di-Raja and 3rdDato'
Lela Maharaja, son of Dato' Sri Rama bin Datuk Lela
Balang (Waris Jakun), 2ndDato' Lela
Maharaja, by his wife, Siti Hawa binti Datuk Laut
Dalam. Styled 3rdDato' Lela Maharaja 1540-1553
and 2ndDato' Sedia di-Raja from 1555.
He d. 1605.
1605 - 1620
Dato' Lenggang [Genggang] (Waris Jakun), Dato' Lela
Maharaja. b. ca. 1540.
1620 - 1645
Dato' Pandak (Waris Jawa), Dato' Sedia di-Raja. He
d. February 1645.
1750 - 1790
Dato' Lulinsoh ['Uban] (Waris Jakun), Dato' Lela
Maharaja and Undang Luak of Rembau. m. at
Malacca, 1757, a Portuguese lady, and had issue:
1)
Y.A.M. Dato' Kusil bin Dato' Lela Maharaja Uban, Dato'
Lela Maharaja and Undang Luak of Rembau - see
below.
1790 - 1795
Dato' Pekak (Waris Jawa), Dato' Sedia di-Raja and
Undang Luak of Rembau.
1795 - 1812
Y.A.M. Dato' Kusil bin Dato' Lela Maharaja Uban (Waris
Jakun), Dato' Lela Maharaja and Undang Luak of
Rembau, son of Dato' Uban, Dato' Lela Maharaja and
Undang Luak of Rembau.
1812 - 1819
Y.A.M. Dato' Bogok [Bahago] (Waris Jawa), Dato' Sedia
di-Raja and 12th Undang of Luak Rembau. He
d. 1819 (bur. Kampung Relong, Sekudai).
1922 - 1938
Y.A.M. Dato' Abdu'llah bin Haji Dahan (Waris Jawa), Dato'
Sedia di-Raja and 18th Undang Luak of
Rembau, CBE (c 3.6.1933), educ. Malay Coll., Kuala
Kangsar. Joined Co-Op. Dept. Mbr. Federal Cncl.
1930-1938. Rcvd: Silver Jubilee (1935) and
Coron. (1937) medals. He d. at Rembau, 1938,
having had issue, including a son:
1)
Y.A.M. Dato' Haji Ipap bin 'Abdu'llah, 10thDato' Lela Maharaja, 19th Datuk
Undang Luak Rembau - see below.
1938 - 1962
Y.A.M. Dato' Haji Ipap bin 'Abdu'llah (Waris Jakun), 10thDato' Lela Maharaja and 19th Undang
Luak of Rembau, son of Y.A.M. Dato' Abdullah bin Haji
Dahan, Dato' Sedia di-Raja (Waris Jawa) and 18th
Undang Luak of Rembau, CBE, educ. Malay Coll.,
Kuala Kangsar. Elected and installed as the 19th
Undang Luak ofRembau, on the death of his father, 1938. Rcvd:
Coron. medal (1953). He d. at Kampung Legong,
December 1962.
1962 - 1998
Y.T.M. Dato' Haji Adnan bin Haji Ma'ah (Waris Jawa),11thDato' Sedia di-Raja and 20th Undang of
Luak Rembau. b. at Kampong Semin, Lubok China,
Rembau, 24th August 1931, educ. Malay
Sch., Lubuk China, and the Sultan Idris Teachers Training
Coll., Tanjong Malim. Professional school teacher
1951-1962. Elected and installed as the 11th
Dato' Sedia Raja and 20th Undang of Luak
Rembau, 19th January 1963. Rcvd: DTNS
(24.5.1979). m. 25th August 1955, To'
Puan Hajah Rahimah binti Haji Alias. He d. at
Kampung Senama, Rembau, 21st September 1998,
having had issue, seven children.
1999 Y.T.M. Haji Muhamad
bin Sharif Othman, Dato' Lela Maharaja, 21st
Undang Luak of Rembau. b. at Kampung Waris
Tebat, Chembong Kecil, Rembau, 14th August
1941, only son of Sharif Haji Othman bin Ibrahim, by his
wife, Puan Terinah binti Ma'arof, educ. Separi
Primary Sch., and Undang Secondary Sch., Rembau. A
descendent of the Dato' Lela Maharaja Suku Biduanda, of
the waris Nan Dua Carak (Perut Tebat). Employed as Public
Technical Ofcr. with the JKR, served at Kuala Kubu Bahru,
Rawang, Kuala Selangor, Seremban and Rembau, rtd. 1991,
thereafter entered business life becoming Mngr. of
various companies including Syarikat Seleksi (M) Sdn.
Bhd., Fajar Baru (Rembau) Sdn. Bhd., Panaromic Sdn.Bhd.,
D.J. Water Sdn. Bhd. and Syarikat Qalam Dinar. Elected as
Dato' Shahbandar. Elected and installed as the
21st Undang Luak of Rembau, 21st
November 1998. Chair. Belia 4B Sepri, Remabau, Farmer's
Development Brd., Sepri Unit, and of PKNS Labour Union;
Dir. Rembau District Co-op Dvpt. Brd.; Dep. Chair. PIBG
Sedia Raja Secondary Sch. and of Khairat Kematian Kampung
Sepri; Sec. Tanah Pinggir Sungai Beringin Pedas (RISDA),
and of Ulu Sepri Mosque. Rcvd: DTNS (1999). m.
To' Puan Hajah Siti Ramalah binti Haji Yunus. He has
issue, five sons, and five grandchildren.