The Concept of Good Governance in Kitab Kumpulan Ringkas Berbetulan Lekas: A Textual Analysis

Abstract

Good governance is a foundational element in the administration of a state, and it must be well understood by rulers, nobles, and those entrusted with leadership responsibilities. This principle is closely tied to the broader objective of achieving Maqasid al-Shariah, particularly in the domains of justice and the harmonization of relationships between the monarch, his ministers, and the rakyat (common people). This article critically examines the concept of governance as articulated by Raja Haji Ali Kelana in the classical Malay manuscript Kitab Kumpulan Ringkas Berbetulan Lekas (KKRBL) as the last known political treatise in the corpus of traditional Malay literature. The study adopts a qualitative textual analysis method, focusing on the ethical and philosophical dimensions of governance embedded in the KKRBL. The findings reveal three principal ideas. First, the state is analogized to the human body, in which every organ or component must function effectively to ensure the overall well-being of the whole. Second, the manuscript highlights the critical role of leaders in fostering justice, stability, and prosperity. Third, it underscores the significance of religion and historical consciousness as guiding frameworks in determining the trajectory of national leadership. This study aims to reassess and foreground Raja Haji Ali Kelana’s contribution to Malay political thought and proposes that the insights from KKRBL can serve as a moral and intellectual reference for contemporary and future leadership.