Muhamad Salleh bin Perang
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Dato' Muhammad Salleh bin Perang (1841 - 21 July 1915), carrying the title Dato' Bentara Luar, held an important post in the Johor administration from 1856 to 1912. His main task was to plan the development of Johore state.
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[edit] Contributions
Datuk Mohd.Salleh Perang is one of the Johore’s bureaucrats whose duty was to manage and develop lands and taking care of gambir and black pepper plantation. As the Head of Land Management and State Survey, he successfully drew a complete map of Johore with Jawi wordings. His first action was to plot a map of the development of the Johore State. The aforementioned map showed all the respective roads and cities that will be built all over Johore in that particular time. Aside from that, the map also shows the geographical details and most of the district of Johore. The map, in its time, was the first complete map that was plotted for a state in East Peninsular Malaya.
He was also assigned to develop main cities like Maharani (1888) and Penggaram (1893). Once, he had also been stated as Commissioner of Government for two provinces of Johore and later on, asked to go back to duty in Johor Baharu. Dato’ Bentara Luar is known as the architect and the man behind the development of the whole Johore state.
Being a Malay, his ability to converse in Chinese language and his knowledge of Chinese custom made him close with the Chinese people brought in by Kangchu System which, in return, made all his feats possible. In the 1880’s, he accompanied Sultan to visit China. He started of as the commissioner of the State Police and ended up as member of State Legislature and Cabinet.
[edit] Batu Pahat
During that time, Batu Pahat is the small town which opened by dignitaries and influential people such as chief villages. Batu Pahat is situated at Simpang Kanan area, roughly seven miles from the Sungai Batu Pahat which that time known as "Pulau Kundur".
On November 4, 1893, Muhammad Salleh which lived in Kampung Senangar has been called back to Johore Bahru. A week later on November 11, Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor instructed him to open Batu Pahat city. He started built the city with preparing a lot of facilities such as road, government departments with modernized management system.
The official opening of Batu Pahat city is held on January 1, 1894 by Muhammad Salleh himself and attended by important dignitaries, influential peoples and chief of villages. The city eventually prospered under him as a Sultan's representative governing Batu Pahat. He later became commissioner and encouraged villagers to open a farm and irrigations. At the same time, foreign investors has starting their business in Batu Pahat. Fluent in Chinese language and able to develop Batu Pahat district as a economic center are the main factor he being liked by Chinese. His contributions are recognized by Ungku Sulaiman bin Daud, the chief commissioner of Johore, during his official visit on December 21, 1896.
[edit] Retirement
The demised of Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor has led the British government exerting their influence in the Johore government. Slowly, the district officials throughout of Johore, those capable Malays in administrations and development including Muhammad Salleh himself has been revoked.
On April 3, 1909, Muhammad Salled received a letter from Dato' Seri Amar Di Raja which asking him to retired from his post. All his life, he had showed his loyalty to the Sultan and proved that he able to expedite his responsibilities with his own effort. Dato' Bentara Luar accused him on treason but no strong evidence found. On May 21, 1912, he resigned at age 71 years old. He replaced by Ungku Ahmad bin Ungku Muhammad Khalid as a Batu Pahat commissioner. Under him, district commissioner jointly responsible with British commissioner for administration.
[edit] Death
He died on 6:15pm Friday, July 21 1915 (18 Syaaban 1333) and buried at Makam Mahmoodiah cemetery, Johore Bahru.
