Mohd Sohaimi Esa, Abang Mohd Razif Abang Muis, Wasino, Jalani Hamdan, Mohamad Shaukhi Mohd Radzi
Before the arrival of British colonial influence, Johor had developed close economic relations with Arab merchants who were active in sectors such as mining and agriculture. This article examines a series of royal correspondences (warkah) exchanged between the Johor royal court and Arab merchants, which serve as primary evidence of institutional trust and support in economic collaboration. Using the historical documentation method, the study explores both the textual content and the broader historical significance of these letters in the context of Johor’s economic expansion during the 19th century. Primary sources from archival records are analysed alongside secondary literature comprising scholarly works and previous studies. The findings highlight Johor’s open-door economic policy and the diplo-matic role of the royal institution in fostering foreign investment, particularly from Arab entrepreneurs. By foregrounding royal correspondence as economic evidence, this study demonstrates how documentary heritage can revise prevailing colonial-era narratives that privilege a single entrepreneurial community, thus advancing Southeast Asian historiog-raphy on plural economic agency. It also underscores the policy relevance of archival preservation and digitisation, showing how improved access to warkah enables cross-disciplinary analysis of state-merchant relations and supports sustainable heritage governance. © 2025, Universitas Negeri Semarang. All rights reserved.
Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia; Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia
