Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. X SA VA GE MA LA YS OF JOHOR 5 1
Theft}
If any person steals the property of his neigh-
bour, he shall return it, and pay a fine to the Batin.
If a person has already stolen several times, the
Batin shall confiscate all his property.
If it is recognised that a person is in the habit
of stealing, he shall be killed ; because
it is not con-
sidered possible that a man who has given way to
such a habit can ever again become an honest
man.
The laws about marriage and divorce, and the
disposal of children, will be dealt with more fully in the
chapter on Marriage, Suffice it to say, with regard to
marriage, that they are strict monogamists, the penalty
for conjugal infidelity being the capital one ;
and
9
that
the laws concerning divorce provide for the return of
the dowry by the defaulting party ;
and with regard to
children, that they cannot be sold against their will,
whatever age they may be, but must be taken care of,
on the death of both parents, by the next of kin.
Inheritance?'
After the death of the parents the whole of their
property shall be divided amongst all the children in
equal parts.
To the foregoing account it may be added that
if a Jakun man died in debt, his debts were paid to
the extent of one half, the creditor losing the other
half, even though there were property enough left
to pay the whole. The balance went to the next of
kin ;
to the widow, if there were one, in preference to
1 J. I. A. vol. ii. p. 269. - Ibid. p. 270.