REMBAU HISTORY, ETC. 49 
Tengah and Tanjong have each in their turn set a Sédia Raja 
in office. It would, however, be idle to assert that this demo- 
eratic principle has been honoured exceptin the breach. 'Fébat, . 
Gadong, Pulau and Tanjong are offshoots of the four earliest 
settlements, and the very division of the families into eight 
recognised ‘“Kampongs”’ dates only from the ©“ Undangship’’ 
of To’ Bogok (date A. D. 1810—1819.) A glance at the table 
of the Rembau Undang* will show thata Chengkau warts has 
eight times held the supreme office, while Kota, the earliest 
settlement of all, has provided the first Dato’ Rembau, and no 
other. In practice the gzlzran bésar only is operative. 
In theory the new Undang should be chosen before his 
-predecessor’s grave is closed: but the practical difficulty of 
settling promptly rival claims has rendered this rule a dead 
letter. 
The selection of a successor to a deceased Undang lies 
with the four great chiefs of the low country—  baroh.” 
When the rule of the “ gzliran bésar’”’ confines selection to 
the warzs Jakun, the Dato’ Gempa Maharaja has the right— 
as has the To’ Merbangsa, in the alternative event, of 
nominating a candidate. This nomination is preceded by the 
suggestion of possible successors by the five wards gedang,” 
who have however, as potential candidates themselves—no 
right of nomination. Should the nominee prove acceptable 
to the four chiefs, they are said to be in accord (kébulatan) and 
the four inland chiefs are desired to express their consent. 
("Yang sa-bélah baroh ménjadikan, yang sa-bélah darat 
mérukuc’’). It is essential that the eight chiefs be agreed on 
one candidate, for only an unanimous selection is valid. Dissent 
by the waris gédang or the twelve lesser tribal chiefs is 
immaterial—provided that the candidate fulfils all require- 
ments of blood and family. Inability to discover a candidate 
acceptable to all the electors resulted, under Malay rule, in 
war, but, by the provisions of the British treaty of A. D. 1888, 
(1) v. Appendix IT. 
(2) v. chap. IT. § 1 sub Suku. 
R.A. Soc., No. 56, 1910. 
*4 
An elective 
office. 
