Historically, a Kapitan Keling was appointed by European authorities to govern local Indian communities in colonial territories in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

, similar to the more widespread office of the "

Kapitan Cina Kapitan Cina, also spelled Kapitan China or Capitan China ( en, Captain of the Chinese; ; nl, Kapitein der Chinezen), was a high-ranking government position in the civil administration of colonial Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo and the ...

" for the Chinese community. "

Keling Keling () or Kling is a derogatory term used in parts of Southeast Asia to denote a person originating from the Indian subcontinent. This includes both those from India and overseas Indians. In modern usage it is not commonly capitalised. Th ...

" is a Malay term for people of Indian origin, nowadays considered offensive but was not so regarded historically. Cauder Mohideen was the first Kapitan Keling of Penang. In 1795, he -along with

Koh Lay Huan Kapitan China Koh Lay Huan (; died 1826) was a wealthy and educated man, who had earlier rebelled against the Manchu-led Chinese Qing Dynasty and fled to Siam and the Malay States, to eventually settle in Penang as its first Kapitan China. He w ...

and other prominent members of the newly founded Penang community - formed the first Committee of Assessors to decide on the municipal rates and collection of taxes.Recipe for rebellion: THE THIRD SPACE By NEIL KHOR and KHALDUN MALIK, The Sunday Star Sunday August 3, 2008
/ref> The name of

Kapitan Keling Mosque The Kapitan Keling Mosque ( ms, Masjid Kapitan Keling, ta, காப்பித்தான் கெலிங மசூதி, Kāppittāṉ Keliṅa Macūti) is a mosque built in the 19th century by Indian Muslim traders in George Town, Pen ...

, founded by Indian Muslim traders in 1801 and still a prominent Penang landmark, preserves the memory of this office.

Notes

Colonial governors and administrators Political history of Malaysia {{India-stub