The legacy of Norhalim

In my previous posting, I paid tribute to Allahyarham Norhalim Ibrahim, a scholar well heeled in the Adat and I am going to cite his paper " Brief Introduction to Adat Perpatih". Although most Negeri Sembilan Malays have no clue on the Adat except for those who are intensely involved in carrying out their ascribed roles such the four Undangs and the chieftains under him, the Lembaga and Buapak of the respective clans, but there is no doubt that it still plays a role perhaps unconciously to many.
                 In his paper, Norhalim regard Adat Perpatih as a way of life because it encompasses a system which is matrilineal and characterised as a communal, fairly egalitarian and democratic. As a conceptual system it includes  specific rules that govern the behaviour and norms of society such as marriages, divorce, rights and obligations, domicile, property rights and kinship. The Adat was based on the precept;
              Baik dipakai dek muafakat
              Buruk dibuang dek rundingan
( If Adat is good, it will be practised by consensus; if it is bad it will be
  discarded after consultation )\
The Adat  emphasised on consensus and consultation as the basic ingredients of a harmonious and stable society. Philosophically, the Adat itself ascribes to change as reflected in the maxim;

            Yang buruk dibaharui (the old to be renewed)
            Yang usang diganti (the obsolete to be replaced)

Thus, Adat Perpatih is not a static system and it is adaptable to contemporary life without deviating from its norms and values. Another concept which is held dear is the concept of  'Muafakat' which is a reflection of solidarity. It is a rule that every important decision is discussed thoroughly during a 'Kerapatan' which is a gathering of all members of the clan involved where the specific problem would be thrashed out and solutions sought collectively. The method of problem-solving by the ' Kerapatan ' is termed as 'Muafakat' ( Agreement, as a convention or compromise to end any dispute ).
         I still remember my late father telling me that whenever in the preliminary engagement ceremony the maxim he was fond of citing ' Adat lalu dalam terang, muafakat lalu dalam gelap ' which meant that the negotiations must follow the rules of the Adat, but the agreement can override it. It just go to show that no matter how difficult the process of negotiations is, it could be overcome by discussions at the personal level between the parties involved in reaching an agreement.
         For those who are interested in getting the books written by Norhalim one of which is ; " Negeri Yang Sembilan " can always get the information from the Negeri Sembilan Museum which is a statutory body under the State Government. The Museum is situated right after the Toll Plaza on the exit to Seremban from the North-South highway southbound.