THE FACTORS AND EFFECTS OF J.W.W BIRCH MURDER

J.W.W BIRCH

Birch was murdered on 2 November 1875 Dato Maharaja Lela and his assistant Sepuntum, who speared him to death while he was taking his bath, nearby a river, in Pasir Salak, near today's Teluk Intan (Teluk Anson).

There is inconsistency as to the reason why Birch was assassinated. One view is that Birch's assassination was because he outlawed slavery in Perak. Dato Maharajalela, whose income depended on capturing and selling the indigenes of Perak or Orang Asli as slaves, was then incensed and plotted with some of the slave-traders to kill Birch by spearing him when he was taking his bath in the river.

The more popular view among right wing Malay historians was that Birch was assassinated because of his disrespect of the local customs and traditions, which created conflict with local Malay chiefs. This is because modern Malay historians generally refuse to accept that the Orang Asli were being traded as slaves in the pre-Colonial era. Some accounts claimed that Birch even entered the palace of the ruling Sultan of Perak without removing his shoes.

The murder of JWW Birch led the British army to attack Pasir Salak, and following several days of battle, the leaders of the rebellion surrendered. In a subsequent trial held between December 14 and December 22 in Matang, Perak, Sultan Abdullah and Ngah Ibrahim was deposed and sent to exile in Seychelles.

However his act was considered heinous and he was convicted by the court, which takes place on 14-22nd December 1876. He was sentenced to death by hanging on 20th January 1877. Here it can concluded that Dato’ Maharaja Lela is a warrior that fought for interest of his nation and the country but ultimately betrayed by his own king and people.