the birth of the duff development company in kelantan · 2016. 3. 30. · the birth of the duff...

IUs lfig llllt'S.f 511/1t1ll Mllhamfllad I V" Rfsja of Kt'/allfall.

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Hak Cipta Terpelihara © 1970 – Persatuan Sejarah Malaysia


The Birth of the Duff Development

Company in Kelantan

1900 - 1912 A NOlt' prepan.'t/ from doel/mel/ls k indly made ami/obit·

by

H UNTER A. CRAWHlRIl.

Plantation Age ncies. Penang.

When Robert William Duff entered Ihe serv ice of Ihe Pahang Government as atling Superin tendent of Police in 1892. no one can ha\'e anticipated his meteoric rise to f;nlle in an entirely different sphere. But within the space of fifteen }e:lrs his name was familiar to high officials in Singapore. Bangkok ,lIld London. and he had won the confidence and euoperation of the Raja of Kelantan. Sullan Muham-m:ld IV.

Duff proved to be an intrepid and resourceful Police Officer during the early days of the Brilish administration in Pahang. and he was the only European. apart from the Residency Surgeon. whom Hugh Clififord chose to accompany him on the gruelling expedition through the remote inland areas of Trengganu and Kelantan in ~'l arch ,lIld April 11S95. Duff had alrcadv entered Ulu Kclantan in 1894. and these 'two visits must have made an indelible impression on his mind. '-l is services were high ly praised by Hugh Clifford in his offieal report of the expe-dition. and when the Pahang Police were rc-organised in 1896 Duff was appointed Chief Police Ofliccr of Pahang. and moved the Police contingent headquarters from Pekan to Kua la Lipis.

Uut while he devoted his energies 10 the improvement of his widely scattered tontingenl. his thoughts must have been occupied with visions of the broad Lebir RiveT. a rich source of gold in ancient days. and with plans for Ihe development of a vast region of agricu ltu ral land . And

at some dute prior to 1890 he resigned his appointment as Chief Police Officer Pahang and returned to Kelantan.

His Highness Sultan Muhammad IV. Raj:! of Kelantan, hOld succeeded his uncle. Sultan Mansur in 1889. and for-tunately for Duff. was a ruler with exceptionally progressive and enterprising ideas.

1 9~1v On October IOth.~he Raja of

Kcianlan affixed his decorative Seal to ,Ill Agreement which granted to Rober! William Dun' personally. in partnership with His Highness, the right to develop two very large areas in the North and East of the State, based on the Lebi r ri\·cr. This first agreement was fo r a. period of forty years. but in 1903 the Duff Development Company was fo rmed nnd in 1905 a new Agreement was prepared and approved. simi lar to that of 1900. but incorporating more details, and pro-\'iding for the payment of a percentage Royalty to the Su ltan on gold, tin. agricu ltural and jungle products which were extracted from the land within Ihe concession. This agreement was ratified by His Majesty the King of Thailand. and witnessed by W.A.Graham. who was then Adviser to the Ke[an tan Government. appointed by the King of Thailand.

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The Duff company engaged Mi ning Engineers to prospect fo r mi nerals, and (50.000. was spent on this work. Fou r Dredges were installed on the Galas river and recovered a considerable quan tity



-·~.u·~/ r-

Let/I'r f rolll /1 ./1 . thl' Raja of A.'t'/allton to R. II'. DuIJ 1900 A. I).

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of gold, The company's headquarters \\'as cstablished on an altr:lcli\'e si tc. O\e rJook ing the junction of the Lebir and Galas rivers. and communications with the outside world werc maintained by river transport, In 1906 Rubber W;IS plantcd extensively on the We~tern bank of the Lebir, and 15,000 acres of agri-cultunll lund wcre suble:l~d. and were ~ubscq uently tran sferred to stale owner-ship,

In 1909 the State of Kdantan .... a~ transferred by Treaty 10 the Protect ion of thc British Government. and in 1912 a Deed of Cancellati on \HIS signed under .... hlch the Duff Company surrendered it s concession. granted under the 1905 Agree-ment. and received more limited ri ght~, II smaller aTt~:I and a cash gr:lIlt.

Lemrs from His Highncss the Raja of Kclantan to R.W,DulT ...... rillen during Ihis carly period a rc reproduced hetc. The illustr:l tions arc taken from a "olume containing 75.pages of protographic re-productions which \\crc published in 1910 by the Direct ors of the Duff Develop-mcnt Company fo r the informa tion of the Share Holders,

At the time when these photographs \\ere taken the Duff Company's Con· cc!>~ ion cO\'cred t .... o thousand fivc hund red square mi les of Kclantan terri lOry. By the new ,\grcc menl. signed on 15th .J uly 19 12, the area was reduced 10 thirty two thousand acres,

11.11. Ihe Raja of Ktlanlan "" jlh his Stale Council : 1909 A.D.

Le" to Right: Tuun Soh hi" Sultan Ahmad ( Tellgku lkJar /m/era Raja) : T~ngku Mohmm/ bill Sultan Ahmad (Tengkll Srimah Raja Tlla) : D YMM, SlIltan MuhammUlI I V inbi Sultull BO"K5U: Tengku Zai"al Abidill hill Suirun Bo"gsn ( Raja Dewa ): TC'flKkll MO/IlI. Sallel, bin SlI/la" Ahmad (Tengku Tem-en[,:go"g) : 7t.'flgkll Ahmatl bin SlIltan BongslI, (Tengku Bador ) ,

(The lIallln hal'(' bl'l'lI Jl'OI'idetl b)' Nik Sal/ell ('Nik 'ult Kechil) of KOla Blll/f/I, )

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Lellt'r from 11.11, Iill' Rtlja of 1\('/(11/11111 10 R,II'. Dllff. /901. A.D.

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JJ .JJ . II/(' Rajtl or KdllrllWI tlllll lli.r Slart' Cmm. i/ nilll Sir ) 01111 Amlersoll . tht' (iOI'(·rllOr. 111111 his I'llrl l. ( 11/ lh(' oemsioll of h i f /" .\1 1';'511 10 Kdalllan ill July 1909.

0/11' or (ollr riret/}!I'J eml,lo) {'d 10 dretl/:t' for G(J1d Oil tit /! ril'a Gulas .

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Document of Ratification, by the Thai Governme nt, of the

Agre eme nt between tho Raja of Ke lanta n a nd the

Duff De ve lo pment Company, in May 1905.

WHERAS there has been presented to His Majesty the King of Siam an agreement dated 24 th Rabialawal 1323 (corresponding to 29th April 1905) between the Govemment of His Highness the Raja of Kelanliln of the one part and the Duff Development Company limited. a corporation of 15 George Street. london. E.C., of the other part, which said agreement is expressed as intended to be substituted in the manner and to the extent therein stated for a cenain other ogreement between His Highness the Raja o f Kelantan and one Robert Wilham Duff, dated the 15th day of Jemadilachir, 1318 (corresponding to the 10th day of October, 1900 of the Chrisuan era) : and

Whereas said agrBement dated April 29th 1905. is expressly stated to be subject to the ratilication 01 His Majesty the King of Siam: and

Whereas there has been presented to HIS Majesty the King of Slam a letter dated April 5th 1905, from W.A. Grohom. ESQ .. H.S.M . Resident and Adviser, Kelantan. to Robert Wilham Duff, Esq .. which leller concerns Ihe Intmprelatlon to be placed upon Article 6 01 said agree-ment 01 April 29th, 1905, as regards the loyallY to be paid on tin property which could not be worked Ot a ploln of ten per cont ; and

Wheleas said Dull Development Company limited. and said Robert William Dull have represented 10 His Majesty the King of Siam that said Duff Development Company Limited has authorised and adopted the signature, sealing and delivery 01 sard agreement 01 April 29th, 1905, on ils behalf: and

Whoreas tho Govornment of the Raja of Kolantan has informed HIS Majesty the King of Siam that it has authOrized and adoptod Ihe Signature. sealing and delivery of said agreement of April 29th, 1905, Dnd Ihe signature and dclivety of said letter 01 April 5th 1905 on its bohalf: and

Whorcas said Govcmment and said Company having presented said Agreement 01 Apri l 29th. 1905. and said leller 01 April 5th. 1905. to HIS Majesty the King of Siam. have prayed that he will ratify the same:

Now. therefore. His Majesty having taken into consideration the facts and premises above mentioned, has authorised His Royal Highness Princo Damrong Rajanubabh. Minister of the Interior. to express His Majesty's gracious ratification of said agreement of April 291h. 1905 together with said Jellor of April 5th. 1905.

And His Royal Highness Prince Damrong Rajanubabh. acting under command of His Majesty. has hereunto set his hand and seal in witness of HIS Majesty's ratification of said documents.

Done at Bangkok on this the 6th day 01 February, 124.

(sd) DAMRONG.

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G('/ft'ral .\lOIIO!-:cr.f IIoust'. Kuola Lehir. /909.

011(' of ,I/(: CompallY's S I (,OIll u lIIncltf's a/ KIlO/a Lcbir. / 909.

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the birth of the duff development company in kelantan · 2016. 3. 30. · the birth of the duff...

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