Sistem Perundangan British dan Disiplin Banduan Penjara Pulau Pinang, 1870 - 1957 : Implikasinya ke atas Masyarakat (British Legal System and the Discipline of Inmates of Penang's Prison, 1870-1957: Implications on the Society)

Abstract

Kedudukan geografi Pulau Pinang di kawasan yang strategik telah mempengaruhi perkembangan ekonomi yang pesat dan membangun di pulau tersebut. Perkembangan ini telah membawa kepada peningkatan penduduk di Pulau Pinang secara mendadak dan mendorong kepada peningkatan kadar jenayah. Seiring dengan itu, kemasukan banduan ke dalam penjara di Pulau Pinang turut meningkat. Ini menyebabkan British memperkenalkan sistem perundangan barat bagi mengendalikan banduan-banduan di penjara Pulau Pinang. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menganalisis peraturan dan disiplin penjara yang dikuatkuasakan oleh British ke atas banduan di Pulau Pinang dalam tempoh 1870 sehingga 1957. Metodologi yang digunakan untuk mencapai objektif ini ialah melalui penelitian ke atas sumber primer yang diperolehi dari arkib negara Kuala Lumpur seperti Straits Settlements Annual Departmental Report, Rules And Regulations Under Ordinance No XIV Of 1872, surat-surat dan fail-fail berkaitan peraturan dan disiplin penjara semasa pentadbiran British di Pulau Pinang. Analisis yang dilakukan mendapati bahawa pelaksanaan sistem perundangan British ke atas peraturan dan disiplin Penjara Pulau Pinang telah berjaya melancarkan sistem pentadbiran dan  kehakiman penjara berkaitan pengurusan disiplin banduan.

Kata kunci :banduan, British, penjara, disiplin, masyarakat, Pulau Pinang

The Penang Island being a strategic region, had shown a rapid economic development.  This development had led to an increase in population dramatically, nevertheless, had also increased the crime rates of the island.. Due to this, the numbers of prisoners in the Penang’s prison had also  increased tremendously. This has led the to introduction of the  western legal system to handle prisoners by the British. The objective of this study is to analyze the rules and discipline enforced by the British rulers on inmates in Penang Island during the period of 1870 until 1957. The methodology used to achieve this objective is through a research on the primary sources obtained from the national archives such as the Straits Settlements Departmental Annual Report, rules and regulations Under ordinance No. XIV of 1872, the papers and files relating to the rules and discipline of the prison during the British administration.   The results of the the study had shown that  the British legal system of regulation and discipline of the Penang Island’s prison had successfully helped to smooth the system of judicial administration and management-related to prison inmates discipline.

Keywords:  inmates, British, prison, discipline, society, Penang Island