Historically, a Kapitan Keling was a representative of the Indian community in a South East Asian city, similar to the more widespread office of the "Kapitan Cina" for the Chinese community. "Keling

Keling

Keling is a word used to describe people originating from the Indian subcontinent by native Malaysians and Indonesians. It is now generally considered offensive by majority of Indians....

" 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

Penang

Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...

. In 1795 he -along with Kapitan Cina Koh Lay Huan

Koh Lay Huan

Koh Lay Huan was a wealthy and educated man, who had earlier rebelled against the Manchu Qing Dynasty and fled to Siam and the Malay States, to eventually settle in Penang as its first Kapitan China...

 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.

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