The royal bodyguards of Perak's Sultan

HRH Sultan Abdul Jalil, the Sultan of Perak, and his consort surrounded by their Sikh bodyguards comprising members of the Mounted Police from the Federated Malay States in the early 1900s. Photo: Courtesy of National Archives Malaysia

The British recruited brave men from Punjab to serve as policemen and guards in their colonies to help stamp out the secret society feuds in the tin mining area of Perak.

Sikhs made their way into the Straits Settlement and the Malay States of peninsula in the 19th century and quickly became known for their gallantry in the security forces and their competence in maintaining law and order.