In the beginning

1. In January 1916 about five years after joining the Kedah Civil Service, my father was appointed to sit on the Enactment Translation Committee. Thus began his involvement in the translation of Enactments etc. Later in September 1918, he was appointed a committee member for the drawing up of laws for the State of Kedah. His role was highlighted in a newspaper article. The writer wrote inter alia:

… He [M.I. Merican] is the soul of the Translation Committee and is really the translator of the English version into Malay. His work is not paste and scissors but putting every English word in the laws into intelligible Malay.

(The Straits Times, 16 August 1935, Page 17.)

2. The year 1922 opened a new chapter in my father’s career. In October he was appointed to the post of Assistant Superintendent Monopolies and Customs in Sungai Petani. Incidentally, just before being transferred to the town 54 kilometers away, he was appointed to carry out the work of special Translator of Enactments etc.

3. Thus the State Council decided as a temporary expediency that he should be called upon to assist in translation work in addition to his other duties and should receive a fee for so doing. Apparently he started doing the work of translating the Enactments when he was in Sungai Petani. His earliest work was probably the translation of the Arms Enactment, the Customs Enactment and the Arbitration Enactment. These were completed in December 1922 for which he was remunerated a sum of $100 rial.

4. Subsequently other translations followed. In a letter to the Under Secretary dated 29 April, 1923, he acknowledged receipt of an instruction ordering him to translate the Amendment (Criminal Procedure Code). He informed that he was then “translating the Pensions Enactment and Police Pensions Enactment, and Regulations made there under.” He further explained about the problem he was facing:

… They [the aforementioned Enactments] are difficult in regard to the legal phraseology and pretty long too. I shall take up the “Procedure” after finishing the Pensions Enactments and their Regulations. I am afraid the “Code” which is rather [long?] will take some time to finish.

2. My hands are full on account of the “Restriction” in relation to the Customs and I do out-door work in nature of inspecting outstations. This will handicap in expediting the translations to a decree [degree?]. I will c[arry?] on as much as I possibly can to do both.

3. I have translated the following for which I have not been remunerated:-

(i) The vehicles Enactment l334, Amendment Enactment 1341.

(ii) The Maintenance of wives and children Enactment 1341.

(iii) The Performances Enactment.

(a) Rules in relation to Musical and Theatrical Performances.

(b) Rules re conduct of Cock-fighting pits.

(c) Rules in relation to Bull and Buffalo Fighting.

(iv) The Cock-fighting and the Bull-fighting Enactment.

5. In a related letter to the Under Secretary dated 28 May, 1923 he restated of having translated the aforementioned Enactments including the Amendment Enactment (Criminal Procedure Code). He mentioned that the latter “had been a difficult job and done expeditiously.” He concluded with a request for a suitable remuneration for his work. The Government paid him $90 rial.

6. Less than two months later, he had translated another eight Enactments and Rules. In a related letter to the Under Secretary dated 4 July, 1923, he listed the Enactments and Rules as follows:

(i) “Export of Rubber (Restriction) Enactment, l34l”.

(ii) Rules under “The Export of Rubber (Restriction) Enactment, 134l”.

(iii) Pensions Enactment 1341”.

(iv) Regulations under “The Pensions Enactment, 1341”.

(v) “Police Pensions Enactment, 1341”.

(vi) Rules under “The Police Pensions Enactment, 1341”.

(vii) Forest Amendment Enactment, l34l.

(viii) Instructions to Magistrates etc. re-Inquiries of death.”

He also included remarks about his work in the letter:

With the exception of (vii) all have entailed upon me much mental and physical energy in view of the fact that they were pretty long and were required hurriedly. With regard to (i) (ii) and (viii) they were done very expeditiously owing to their urgent condition. I must request that Govt. will make a special allowance for such hard work.

Note: Mine in square brackets.

to be continued