Chinese officers of the Dutch East Indies
The Chinese had no political or cultural aspirations. They asked only for the opportunity of improving their economic position, and in this they met with no opposition from the Dutch, for the Dutch found their presence necessary for the exploitation of the islands. Amry Vandenbosch
That view expressed by Vandenbosch (1930) surprisingly still applies today.
The partnership between the Chinese and the Dutch during Indonesia‘s colonial period is a love and hate relationship. The Dutch wanted their revenue and the Chinese have the skills to move the business around the country and region, but the Dutch also feared their dominance. The early Dutch governor of East Indies recognised this:
No people in the world would do use better service than the Chinese.
Revenue Farms
The partnership had been going on since the Dutch settled in Indonesia. One way of formalizing this business partnership is through revenue farming. The revenue farms owner had the right to collect specific taxes or monopolize the sale of certain commodities or services in a defined area for a particular period. The revenue farms were publicly auctioned, and rich merchants bade for the highest license fees.
There was a range of revenue farms including the most profitable ones: opium, alcohol, pawnshops, and gambling licenses. Others include commodities that were not monopolised by European such as salt and sago. (Chinese are forbidden to own tobacco farms in Deli). There were also services such as the operation of ferries, tollgates, wayang performances, etc.
The Dutch found it to be a practical way of raising income. Chinese merchants who could manage one or few revenue farms also could make lots of money.
An example of an auction result of revenue farms in Deli can be seen below (Bataviaasch nieuwsblad, 02–01–1889)
Chinese Officers
As a way to control the Chinese, the Dutch government appointed community leaders as Hoofden der Chinezen or Heads of the Chinese, or locally known as Kapitan Cina or Opsir Cina. With the origin of the Kapiten system in Malaya, these officers had official administrative and some judicial powers within the Chinese community. The government conveyed its orders to these officers and the officers informed the government about their communities.
The officers were given military titles of Majoor (Major, 玛腰), Kapitan (Captain, 甲必丹), or Luitenant (Lieutenant, 雷珍兰). Below these officers were Chinese wijkmeesters, or district wardens that were in charge of local areas. These Chinese officers were usually men with wealth and power. They held several revenue farms. The marriage of business and administration made them even more loyal to the government.
The Lieutenant had the most contact with the Chinese community. From complaints and reports to rewards, any matter regarding Chinese affairs was brought to these lieutenants through the local wardens. The Chinese heads were obliged to keep the government informed of what was going on in the community. This includes reporting violations, misdemeanours and crimes, assisting tax collection, reporting new arrivals etc.
The Captain mostly had external duties. Including attending the regular meetings at the Resident’s office to discuss matters regarding local government, representing the Chinese community on government committees, or sitting in the court to deal with problems that occur between the Chinese and the natives or Europeans.
The Chinese Major was most prestigious and had the most responsibility for the community. The Major of Chinese was an ex officio member of the Landraad. He had to attend sessions at the local police court when Chinese were involved. Chinese businesses often called for the assistance of the Major for matters relating to the government.
Attires and Oath
The officers were chosen by the local resident but appointed by the Governor-General, usually for life. In the early day, the Chinese officers wore Qing dynasty official uniform, although they don’t have any position in the Qing empire. The tradition is also used for the Chinese Captains in Malaya (locally known as Kapiten).
In 1886, when the Qing empire sent two envoys to the Dutch Indies to survey Chinese coolies condition. They were surprised by the Chinese officers’ reticence who were supposed to represent the Chinese community. These officers had a delicate business relationship with the Dutch, and most of the time were unable and unwilling to fight for justice for their countrymen. They were mostly involved in administrative procedures such as registering for birth, marriage, and death.
In 1908, the Dutch regulation said the Chinese officer had one small and big costume set. The regular costume is a white uniform. For the Major, the “big” costume, worn in official ceremonies, consists, among other things, of a closed dress coat with a raised collar of black cloth, white linen collar and cuffs, and decorated with gold embroidery from orange and oak branches, and with six great gold buttons with crowned W; trousers of black cloth with gold lines and a cap with seven large gold buttons.
The Captain’s stick had a gold, the Lieutenant with a silver, and the District master with a yellow copper button. They wore the Rijks coat of arms and with the writing: Captain, Lieutenant or District warden of the Chinese.
The Governor-General officially appointed the Chinese officers. At the installation, they submit to the resident of the local government with the following oath:
“I swear, I to be appointed one of the Chinese shall be, directly or indirectly, to no persons, whether in or outside the Board, under whatever name or pretense, any gifts or gifts have promised or given, neither promise nor will give.
I swear that I will do or not do anything in this relationship, no one will accept any promise or gift whatsoever, directly or indirectly.
I swear I will be faithful to Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands and His Excellency the Governor-General of the Netherlands Indies as representative of Haren.
I swear I will follow up with diligence and diligence for my order established or yet to be established, and I, in the same way, will fulfill all the requirements that will come from the top commissioner “.
When a new position was vacant, the Chinese would had rumours that a certain candidate had paid an enormous bribe to be nominated. The Dutch official would deny it, but a Chinese would note down in his account books as beli ikan dan makan teh.
Some Chinese officers took advantage of the position and were involved in illegal operations such as opium smuggling. At the same time, some Dutch officials would like to have their tea.
But of course there are Chinese officers who are concerned and looked after their compatriots and some Dutch officials are clean. A story goes that a particular resident deliberately left the town during Chinese new year to avoid courtesy visits and presents. When he was transferred and auctioned his furniture (vendutie), no generous Chinese bidders were interested and it only sold for a low price.
Salary
The officers usually received an amount of salary. Some titulair positions were not paid.
In 1887, Deli Courant reported that Lieutenant Oen Gan The received a salary of NLG 150 every month, while lieutenant-titular Tjong Ah Yong (Tjong Yong Hian) who did all the work there did not receive any pay.
on 1st April 1893, the following positions were announced:
Tjong Yong Hian appointed as Captain of the Chinese at Medan, he received an allowance of 150 guilders a month.
Tjong A Fie, head of the Kheh Chinese, was promoted to Lieutenant.
Lo Loe Pioe and Khoe Teng Koh, both Lieutenant-titulair of Labuhan Deli were promoted to Lieutenant with an allowance of NLG 75 per month
Lim Tjing Keh from Bindjei and Ang Koen Djoe from Bagan Api-Api, both unpaid ward masters were promoted to Lieutenants, each received an allowance of NLG 50 per month,
In 1910, the East Coast of Sumatra’s Chinese Officers were formalised along with their annual salary:
1 Major at Medan f 1800 per year
1 Captain at Medan f 1200
2 lieutenants at Medan f 900
1 captain at Bengkalis f 1200
2 lieutenants at Laboean Deli f 900
1 lieutenant at Bindjey f 900
1 lieutenant at Tandjong Poera f 900
1 lieutenant at Luboek Pakam f 900
1 lieutenant at Pangkalan Berandan f 900
1 lieutenant at Bagan Api Api f 900
1 lieutenant at Tebing Tinggi (Siak) f 900
1 lieutenant at Tebing Tinggi (Padang and Bedagei) f 600
1 lieutenant at Tandjong Balei f 600
1 lieutenant at Laboean Bilik f 600
1 lieutenant at Tandjong Tiram f 600
1 lieutenant at Koeala Simpang f 600
1 district warden in Siak f 360
1 district warden Pantei Tjermin f 360
1 district warden Tandjong Bringin f 360
1 district warden Bandar Chalipah f 300
1 district warden Sunggal f 300
1 district warden Poeloe Brayan f 300
1 district warden Panipahan f 300
1 district warden Tanah Poetih f 300
Tjong A Fie
The most famous Chinese officer in Medan is Tjong A Fie. He arrived in Labuhan Batu at the age of 18 around 1880. His brother Tjong Yong Hian was already there and took him to pay tribute to the then Kapitein of the Chinese, Tjioe Tjoe Jen.
Tjong started working as a store helper, and he was known for being good at negotiation and arbitration. He made friends with all kinds of people in this mixed and multi-racial society. He frequently delivered goods to the local prison and talked with the prisoners. Many Chinese coolies were imprisoned because they were members of the triad society. which they considered as being noble, loyal, and brave.
Tjong moved quickly in business and ranks, on November 4, 1885 the controller of Laboean elected him as the lieutenant-titular of Chinese in Labuhan. On June 7, 1886 he was appointed as the head of the Hakka in Labuhan. This is followed by an appointment as the Chinese Lieutenant of Medan in 1893.
In 1906 when the Medan Municipal Council was established, he was appointed representative of the Chinese residents. In December 1911 he was appointed as a member of the Cultuurraad.
He owned several revenue farms, including opium, gambling, liquor and pawn house licenses in the East Coast of Sumatra.
When Tjong A Fie was a Lieutenant of Chinese in Medan, he also acted as the Chinese community’s informal judge. This is because, at the time, the police force Deli was still very small and cannot handle all matters. Tjong did preliminary investigations concerning the Chinese. When uprisings took place at the plantations, Tjong A Fie accompanied by a small police force, would go to the plantation. It often happened that his presence would already calm down the coolies.
Tjong A Fie still fulfilled this role when he was appointed as Major in 1911, accompanying the Controleur to the plantation where there was a coolie revolt.
Tjong A Fie and his brother also initiated a Chinese Postal Service to help Chinese coolies working in plantations to send letters and money home to China.
References
Buiskool, D.A., 2019. Prominent Chinese During the Rise of a Colonial City: Medan 1890–1942 (Doctoral dissertation, Utrecht University).
De Bruin, A.G., 1918. De Chineezen ter Oostkust van Sumatra. Nederlands, VIII, 127 p, Oostkust van Sumatra-Instituut, Leiden.
Queeny Chang. 1981. Memories of a Nonya. Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd.
Koos Kuiper, 2016. The Early Dutch Sinologists (1854–1900): Training in Holland and China, Functions in the Netherlands Indies. Sinica Leidensia, Vol. 135.
Lohanda, M., 1994. The Kapitan Cina of Batavia, 1837–1942 (Doctoral dissertation, SOAS University of London).
Vandenbosch, A., 1930. A problem in Java: the Chinese in the Dutch East Indies. Pacific Affairs, 3(11), pp.1001–1017.
Yen Ching-Hwang, 1985. Coolies and Mandarins: China’s Protection of Overseas Chinese during the Late Ch’ing Period (1851–1911). Singapore University Press.