Princess Selaras and the Chosen Land

Jambi (JP): Once, Princess Selaras Pinang Masak, one of the ascendants of King Adityawarman, who resided in Pagaruyung (also known as Minangkabau in what is now West Sumatra), wished to return to her native land in the Malay Kingdom, east of the Pagaruyung Kingdom. After an exhausting journey, she arrived at the upper reaches of Batanghari River.

Momentary at a loss over where to go next, the princess decided to sail downstream. She released two white swans, promising herself to land and build her palace at whatever spot the creatures decided to stop.

After a lengthy, meandering swim along the river, the two white swans landed at what is now the heart of Jambi City. The princess followed suit, and ordered the construction of her palace.

This area was later called Tanah Pilih (the Chosen Land), and Jambians believe it to be the beginning of the Jambi Kingdom.

Selaras Pinang Masak reigned in the Malay Kingdom, replacing Tan Talani, who died in 1460. The queen, folklore says, ruled wisely and became famous beyond the borders of Jambi, even to Java island.

In Javanese, pinang (areca nut) is known as jambe. The kings of Java island later called the Pinang Masal Kingdom the Jambe or Jambi Kingdom.

Following her ascension to the throne, Selaras Pinang Masak met a young Turk by the name of Ahmad Barus II, who was better known as Datuk Paduko Berhalo. They fell in love and married in accordance with Islamic traditions. They had a daughter they named Orang Kayo Gemuk and three sons, Orang Kayo Pingal, Orang Kayo Pedataran and Orang Kayo Hitam.

The three princes later took turns at ruling the kingdom, as did their offsprings until 1904. The last king of Jambi was called Ratu Jaya Ningrat whose title was Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin. He died a martyr in a war against the colonial forces on April 27, 1904, in Betung Bedarah village. He was buried in Muara Tebo.

In 1977, the Indonesian government bestowed upon him the National Hero title.

Jambi residency

In the early years of independence, Jambi was a residency (an administrative unit established during the Dutch colonial period), and part of the Sumatra Province.

A central government decree dated August 22, 1945, made Dr. Syaqaf Yahya the Residen (head of the residency), but a number of freedom fighters opposed the appointment so vehemently that Yahya resigned. He was replaced with Raden Inu Kertapati.

Groups of freedom fighters and youths then established the Indonesian National Committee of Jambi, and formed units that helped the residency administration take over various institutions from the defeated Japanese.

The new administration, however, encountered glitches aplenty due to various uprisings against the Dutch campaign to reclaim Indonesia.

On Dec. 28, 1945, three frigates of the Allies landed in Jambi. The fleet commander claimed their mission was to check up on the Japanese soldiers taken prisoner and to seek out the graves of the Dutch soldiers in Muara Tebo. Colonel Abunjani, the head of the residency and commander of the People's Army, ordered the Allies warships to depart.

On April 15, 1948, in accordance with Law No. 10/1948, Sumatra Province was divided into three provinces: North Sumatra, Central Sumatra and South Sumatra. The Jambi residency was incorporated into Central Sumatra.

The independence war escalated just before the second military operations of the Dutch in 1948. On Dec. 28, 1948, Dutch colonial forces launched both ground and air attacks against Jambi City, the center of Jambi's residency administration, causing many fatalities.

Resistance, however, grew in battles in various areas of Jambi. Many Jambi fighters were either killed or taken prisoner. It was during this upheaval that Jambi was, on Dec. 1, 1948, assigned to the Central Sumatra governor.

Raden Inu Kertapati wrote a decree delegating the powers of administration to Jambi Regent Ilir M. Kamil, Police Commissioner Nuskam and Junior Speaker of the Local Legislative Council A. Syarnubi; they ran the residency from places still untouched by the Dutch.

On Jan. 2, 1949, the Sumatra Territory Army Commander declared Sumatra a military zone. Jambi was then incorporated into the territory of Military Governor of South Sumatra, headed by Raden Bachsan, whose title was Titulary Lieutenant Colonel.

Then came the Round Table Conference between the fledgling Indonesian government and the Dutch in The Hague, resulting in the transfer of power across the archipelago.

In Jambi, the transfer was carried out on Dec. 27, 1949, from the Dutch Residen D.J.A. Van Viet to Raden Bachsan. Following the transfer, the Jambi residency was able to start putting its administrative affairs in order.

Jambi province

The Central Sumatra Province -- which covered West Sumatra, Riau and Jambi -- was expanded to three provinces, which included Jambi Province. This move was initiated in order to facilitate development programs.

Law No. 61/1958, dated 2 July, 1958, declared Jambi a province. It is bordered to the north by Riau Province, to the south by South Sumatra Province, in the west by West Sumatra Province and to the east by Berhala Strait facing the South China Sea.

With the edict of Law No. 12/1965, replacing Law No. 7/1965, Jambi was expanded into a province with five regencies and one municipality, namely Sarolangun Bangko, Bungo Tebo, Batanghari, Tanjungjabung, Kerinci and Jambi.

In October 1996, by virtue of Law No. 54/1999, Jambi was again expanded, this time into nine regencies and one mayoralty. They are: Batanghari, Muaro Jambi, Tanjungjabung Barat, Tanjungjabung Timur, Bungo, Muaro Bungo, Muara Tebo, Merangin, Sarolangun, Kerinci and Jambi City.

The last residen of Jambi, Djamin Gelar Datuk Bagindo, guided the transformation of Jambi from a residency to an autonomous region. He was governor of Jambi from 1956 to 1957.

Development programs started to bear fruit during the period of Governor R.M. Noer Atmadibrata, who led the province from 1968 and 1974.

This was also the period of the First Five-year Development Plan established by the New Order government. It was during this period that the regional administration completed Jambi's Five- year Development Plan, which provided a blueprint for the succeeding development planning.

The results of Atmadibrata's development programs were picked up and continued by Governor Djamaluddin Tambunan, who was governor of Jambi from 1974 to 1979. It was during this time that Jambians started to enjoy the benefits of previous development programs.

Improvements continued well into the next administration of Governor Maschun Sofwan; he led the province for two terms of office, from 1979 and 1989.

Jambi had, by then, started to catch up with other regions, turning itself into a region of promise in leaps and bounds. It was in such a situation that Jambi received the leadership of Governor H. Abdurrahman Sayoeti.

Now, the Chosen Land -- known as Bumi Sepucuk Jambi Sembilan Lurah -- is led by a young, energetic person conversant in both economic and political affairs: Zulkifli Nurdin. (Naswan Iskandar)