Bendahara (Jawi: ) was an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms comparable to a vizier before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a hereditary post. The bendahara and the sultan shared the same lineage.

Tasks of the bendahara

The closest post which is comparable to the post of the vizier as the Malay kingdoms were Islamic kingdoms. As the bendahara was the head of the nobility, the status conferred certain responsibility. The bendahara was the backbone of the Malay Sultanate. For the ancient kingdoms of Malacca and Johor, there were many tasks and responsibilities but the primary ones were: The legitimacy of the sultan lay with the bendahara. The bendahara always consulted the other nobles before arriving at a decision. The bendahara and nobles did this for the well-being of the subjects and was essential if there were problems in the state. These tasks were more extensive than any vizier or the modern prime minister. The involvement of the British and the Dutch in the administration of the Malay States and the subsequent independence of Malaysia and Indonesia has reduced the bendahara to a symbolic title.

History

Though it is unclear when the title was first used, the Sultanate of Malacca had several influential bendaharas. The most famous is Tun Perak. Under Tun Perak's service which spanned several sultans, Malacca reached its height in the late 15th century. According to the Malay Annals and the Hikayat Hang Tuah, the bendahara secretly saved the life of Hang Tuah, a laksamana the sultan had ordered killed. In 1612, Bendahara Tun Sri Lanang of the Sultanate of Johor was commissioned by Sultan Alauddin Riaayat Shah of Johor to compile Malay history and record it into a book. The book is known as the Malay Annals and is an important literary piece in Malay language history. In 1699, Bendahara Abdul Jalil became Sultan Abdul Jalil IV of Johor after the previous sultan, Mahmud Shah II was murdered, leaving no heir behind. After the rule of Sultan Abdul Jalil IV, the bendahara was awarded Pahang as his personal fief. Bendahara Tun Abbas and his descendants ruled Pahang continuously until Tun Mutahir, was deposed in a civil war in 1863. The current Terengganu sultanate was founded by Sultan Zainal Abidin I of Terengganu in 1708. He was the son of Tun Habib Abdul Majid, a 17th-century bendahara of Johor.

Bendahara of Malacca and Johor

After the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese, the Malacca Sultanate was succeeded by the Johore Sultanate. The following Bendaharas were sidelined by the palace following the rise of Laksamana Paduka Tuan: After the succession of Sultan Abdul Jalil IV in Johor, the Bendahara were granted Pahang as a personal fief. Thereafter the Bendahara of Johor were known as the Bendahara in Pahang. They are also known as "Raja Bendahara" for their status as the rulers of Melaka as a vassal state of the Johore Sultanate.

Bendahara in Pahang

Bendahara in Brunei

In Brunei, the title of Pengiran Bendahara was given to royal family members and to serve as a significant military commander. Even now, the wazir class of aristocracy still goes by the title bendahara, although they now refer to it as Pengiran Bendahara Seri Maharaja Permaisuara.

Modern-day usage

In modern Malaysia, it is typical to render the position as prime minister. Though a bendahara's duties are similar to that of a prime minister's, the two terms are not interchangeable. One clear difference is the amount of power held by the two positions. In ancient times, the bendahara was typically the highest-ranking official after the sultan but the sultan retained ultimate authority. The sultan was not answerable to the bendahara. Current titles used: In Indonesia, a treasurer is commonly referred as bendahara. In Malaysia the equivalent/similar term for the treasurer of a small organisation/club is "bendahari". In the Philippines, the term bendahara was recorded by Antonio Pigafetta during the Ferdinand Magellan expedition to refer to the Prime Minister of the Rajahnate of Cebu who was the brother of Rajah Humabon, king of that Polity.