An Indian rubber tapper

In Malaysia, many South Indians found work as a rubber tapper on the estates during the rubber boom of the early 20th century. An indentured system tied the labourers to a three-year contract before the 'kangany' system took over in 1910, where the Indian estate foreman employed workers and their families from his own village. Similarly, Indian immigrants in Singapore worked on rubber estates, or as labourers among other jobs.