Page 120 - Malay sketches

MALAY SKETCHES
The Sultan was and is an old gentleman for
whom I have the highest regard, and I desire to
speak of him with the greatest respect. He had
had his own fighting day and was tired of it, he
wished to be left alone, that was all ; but he recog-
nised that boys will be boys, and if the young
Selangor Rajas took their pleasure in this way, he
was inclined to regard their escapades with an in-
dulgent eye, provided they did not interfere with
his opium cum dignitate and his immediate sur-
roundings.
The Sultan's own sons were
very much interested
in the guerilla warfare that was then being carried
on throughout Selangor, and the feature of the dis-
turbances was that chief said he had the
every
Sultan's approval of his proceedings. Some time
later I was myself in Selangor, and, as this state-
ment was constantly being dinned into my ears, I
took the liberty of asking his Highness what it meant.
He promptly pointed out that each of these Rajas
in turn came to him, stated his case, and asked the
Sultan if that was not correct. His Highness
"
always replied, Quite correct," but, as he explained
"
to me, benar ka-pdda dia, bukan benar ka-pdda
"
kami" which being interpreted means, correct in
their view, not in mine." He was evidently tickled
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