The Tyrant Billionaire

When the representatives received notice that Hardy was willing to meet with them, they were all excited and spent half the night discussing the upcoming meeting in their hotel in Kyoto.

The next morning, they got ready early and prepared to meet Hardy. When their car arrived at the estate, the three stepped out to see a man standing in the courtyard, gazing at the serene hills of Arashiyama in the distance.

Having seen reports about Hardy, they immediately recognized him as the famous Jon Hardy, the newly appointed governor of Penang and Malacca.

Hardy turned to look at the three and nodded slightly, walking toward them.

"You’re from Penang, Malacca, and Singapore?" Hardy asked as he approached.

"It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Hardy. I am Ibrahim Ahmad from Penang. This is Abdul Rahim from Malacca, and this is Firdaus Osman from Singapore," one of them introduced. @@novelbin@@

Hardy nodded and gestured toward the house. "Let’s go inside and talk. I’ve had tea prepared."

Hardy led the three into the study. After the servants brought tea and left, Ibrahim Ahmad began, "Your Excellency Hardy, we’ve come here to…"

Before Ibrahim Ahmad could finish, Hardy raised his hand to interrupt.

"I can guess why you’ve come. Matters concerning Singapore are not my responsibility. As for Penang and Malacca, they are now my territories. The reason I agreed to meet you today is to convey my stance through you."

Hardy’s tone was firm and commanding.

As governor, and with Penang and Malacca under his control, Hardy was the primary decision-maker. The representatives sought this meeting to negotiate for rights and possibly even independence.

However, Hardy had no intention of negotiating. His approach was clear: he would dictate the terms, and they would have to listen. As for any disagreements, they would have to resolve those themselves.

Ibrahim Ahmad and the others stiffened slightly, sensing that Hardy would be a tough negotiator. They doubted this meeting would end in their favor.

Seeing the three fall silent, Hardy continued:

"Penang and Malacca will not become independent. They will remain my territories, autonomous under British sovereignty."

"In a few days, I will officially take over Penang and Malacca. The governor’s office will be established in Penang. The policies for my territories are as follows:"

Hearing this, the three became highly attentive. What Hardy said next would determine their future.

"First, the territories will operate under the principle of equality. No group will be superior to another. All residents will have citizenship rights within the territories."

"Second, freedom of religious belief will be upheld."

"Third, freedom of language and writing will be guaranteed. English will be the official language, but learning Malay or other languages will not be prohibited. Schools may offer bilingual or even trilingual education."

"Fourth, cultural traditions of different ethnic groups will be preserved."

"Fifth, private property will be protected, and the British legal system will be implemented."

"Sixth, the political structure of the territories will be governor-led. The governor, appointed by the Queen, will have authority over internal affairs, foreign relations, defense, security, and public services."

"Seventh, a parliament will be established in the territories. All residents will have the right to participate in politics. Appointments of officials at all levels will also involve consultation with parliament. Parliament will hold some authority over economic development and administrative matters."

"Eighth, judicial authority will rest with the governor, who will appoint the chief of police, the attorney general, and the chief justice."

"Ninth, military authority will be solely under the governor’s control, with no involvement from parliament."

The three representatives listened to Hardy’s terms with mixed feelings of surprise and relief. They had come seeking equality, and Hardy’s policies addressed their concerns. Explore more stories with NovelBin.Côm

As for independence, they knew it was unlikely. Hardy’s proposals were already quite reasonable, even allowing for a parliament where representatives could have a voice.

Hardy was not interested in negotiating but simply informing them. Human desires are endless, and no matter how generous the terms, someone would always be dissatisfied. Hardy could not meet everyone’s demands, so he decided to make all decisions himself.

If they accepted, they could stay. If not, they were free to leave.

After the brief meeting, the three left without lingering, returning to Malaya. On the way, Abdul Rahim from Malacca remarked, "I think the new governor’s terms are acceptable. At least they’re far better than what the British offered."

Ibrahim Ahmad from Penang added, "The British strategy of dividing us from the Chinese was always transparent. Their aim was to maintain colonial rule by sowing discord between our groups. We never wanted trouble, just a stable environment to live in. After all, we’ve been here for hundreds of years. It’s the British who pushed us too far."

"That said, Governor Hardy’s terms fall within the acceptable range we discussed before coming here," he concluded.

Firdaus Osman from Singapore frowned. "Honestly, if Governor Hardy offered Singapore similar terms, we would accept them too. But he doesn’t seem interested in discussing Singapore. Its future remains uncertain."

Hardy had his reasons for relinquishing Singapore.

Some people always pursued lofty ideals, and Hardy believed in guiding those aspirations elsewhere. Naturally, that "elsewhere" was Singapore, still under British rule.

With Penang and Malacca becoming autonomous territories, the troublemakers would likely lose their foothold and public support. After years of conflict, people longed for peace and stability.

If Hardy had taken all three territories, resistance would have been inevitable, forcing him to confront hardliners.

In truth, Hardy had no intention of resorting to violent suppression. By giving up Singapore, he allowed it to serve as an outlet for unrest.

A few days later, Hardy received word that the two warships had successfully arrived in Penang and Singapore, reinforcements were in place, and intelligence-gathering efforts in Penang and Malacca were underway.

The representatives who had met Hardy returned to their respective groups and reported the policies he planned to implement. Most locals found them acceptable, appreciating the stability they promised.

However, the situation in Singapore was different.

Reports indicated that a major strike involving tens of thousands of people was being organized in Singapore.

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