Tun Ali of Pahang

Sri Paduka Dato' Bendahara Sri Maharaja Tun Ali ibni Almarhum Dato' Bendahara Paduka Raja Tun Koris (c. 1782 – October 1858) was the 23rd and the last bendahara of the Johor Sultanate, and the fourth raja bendahara of the Pahang Kingdom reigning from 1806 to 1857.

In 1853, Tun Ali declared his autonomy from the sultanate, paving the way for an independent Pahang, after two centuries of union with the crown of Johor. He was able to maintain peace and stability during his reign, but his death in 1857 precipitated a civil war between his sons.

Bendaharaship Tun Ali was the second son of the 21st bendahara of Johor Tun Koris on whose death he was installed by Sultan Mahmud Shah III of Johor in 1806. He was about 25 years of age at the time of his accession.

The Johor Sultanate at that time was approaching its dismemberment, with the sultan's power effectively reduced to the capital in Daik, Lingga. The rest of the Johor Sultanate was administered by three powerful ministers, the Bendahara in Pahang, the Temenggong in Johor and Singapore, and the Yamtuan Muda in Riau.

Succession dispute and the two Sultans In January 1812, Mahmud Shah III died, leaving two sons Tengku Hussein and Tengku Abdul Rahman. The Bugis Yamtuan Muda supported the claim of Abdul Rahman to the sultanate, and succeeded in having him proclaimed ruler at Mahmud's grave-side.

Jan Samuel Timmerman Thijssen took the regalia of the Johor Sultanate by force from Tengku Puteri Hamidah at Pulau Penyengat in October 1822. Sultan Abdul Rahman, after his return from Pahang and Terengganu around the same time was invested with the regalia at Lingga. The Bendahara appointed the Yamtuan Muda to represent him at the Sultan's investiture.

The signing of the treaty further undermined the cohesion of Johorean-held Pahang and Riau-Lingga which contributed to the emergence of Pahang and Johor as independent states. Johor became irrevocably divided when a succession dispute gave rise to two centres of power, one in Riau-Lingga (under Abdul Rahman Muazzam Shah, ) and the other on the Johorean mainland (under Hussein Shah, ).

Visit to the capital Sultan Abdul Rahman died in 1832 and was succeeded by his son, Tengku Besar, who was entitled Sultan Muhammad Shah. The new ruler visited Pahang, and too Bendahara Tun Ali to Lingga for the circumcision and installation of his son Tengku Besar Mahmud. The Hikayat Pahang describes the Pahangese magnate's visit in details. He brought a many people with him, including his two chief hulubalang, Dato' Parit, a chief of Bukit Sagumpal, and Dato' Tanggok Bingkal Tembaga. On his arrival, he went into the Sultan's presence and uttered the sayings prescribed by custom and the Sharia law on such occasions; and the ruler commanded that Lingga should be temporarily under the Bendahara in accordance with custom. With Tun Ali, were present the Yamtuan Muda, the Temenggong, and other chiefs.

After the installation of Tengku Besar Mahmud was accomplished, Tun Mutahir, eldest son of Bendahara Tun Ali, was made Engku Muda, and married Tengku Chik, the Sultan's daughter. Soon after the Pahangese potentate and his people returned to their country.

Tun Ali's four senior nobles were Orang Kaya Indera Maharaja Perba of Jelai, the Orang Kaya Indera Segara of Temerloh, the Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan of Chenor, and the Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar. The Shahbandar, living near Pekan, tended to become one of the Tun Ali's ministers. Tun Ali's chief minister was his son in law Saiyid Omar or Engku Saiyid. At that time in Pahang, there were a Mufti and a Chief Qadi, Tuan Haji Abdul Shukor and Tuan Senggang as well as many religious teachers of minor degree. They interviewed Tun Ali on a daily basis and expounded to him the precepts of Islam.

Economy Pahang under Tun Ali's rule was peaceful and prosperous. 20 gantang of rice cost only one dollar, and other food stuffs were equally cheap. Many people became rich and there was a great trade in gold. Pahang, with the exception of the rich tin-producing region of the river Kuantan which was kept as a private reserve by the Tun Ali, was free from import and export duties.

The Bendahara ruled nominally as vice-regents up to 1853. In that year, it appeared that Bendahara Tun Ali declared himself the independent ruler of Pahang, but the friction of the suzerainty of the old royal family continued in Pahang up until 1864.

Retirement and death Long before his death in 1858, Tun Ali had retired from active participation in the government of the state, and moved his residence to Lami on the river of Pahang where he spent his declining years trying in a vain to help his son reconcile with each other. On his retirement he had handed over the government to his eldest son Tun Mutahir. The heir took up his residence at Ganchong, hence the origin of the name Bendahara Ganchong by which he came to be known.

Tun Ali died in October 1858, and was buried at the Royal Cemetery, Kuala Pahang, having had five sons and six daughters. Tun Ali's death was followed by the succession dispute among his sons Tun Mutahir and Tun Ahmad, that later escalated into a full scale civil war.