Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

SAKAI OF PERAK 501
third title is Lela Pa-jangga. The last occupant of
this latter title had a daughter, who is now alive
and is married to Si Itam, the elder brother of Dr.
Luering's informant Singa'.
Laws}
The penalty of death is reserved for murder,- and
the execution of the murderer is permitted to the
relatives of his victim, the weapon which is to be used
being that with which the crime was committed.
As a rule the criminal escapes into the forest, where
he is pursued and killed, frequently during his sleep.
Crimes of this kind (murder) are, however, so exceed-
ingly rare as to be a quayttitd ndgligeable. The penalty
for theft, which is equally rare, is exclusion from the
tribe— "a sort of banishment." The man thus exiled
has to fell and plant a new clearing at a distance from
the settlement of his tribe, and if he refuses, is tied
up to a tree and Hogged with a rattan.
In cases of dispute (about women), or assault, the
Penghulu (who acts both as civil and criminal judge)
condemns the guilty party to pay fair compensation to
his victim.
—
For enticing away a married woman, the penalty
is a fine of seven dollars " at the most." Among
tribes which use money, the fines vary from one and
two to seven dollars ; among
are paid in kind (tapioca, rice, etc.).^
the wilder tribes they
' De Morgan, vii. 25 ; U H. ii. 558. sidered a great crime, To' Lila told me,
- The punishment of those who used and often gives rise to a fight. The
the blowpipe to commit murder was guilty parties are made to pay a fine to
especially severe ; the murderer being the husband, generally thirty dollars
compelled to eat a portion of his each. (This well proves the enormity
victim's tlesh [no doubt in order that it of the fault ! ) The woman's fine is
might poison him]. Eth. A'olizbl.\. 10. paid by her father or brothers. I pro-
^ Cp. Br. de St. -P. Lias, p. 281, secuted my researches on the penal
where we find:— "Adultery is con- legislation of the Sakai :