MORE ON HANG TUAH, THE MALAY DRAGON

Frankly I have not read the Malay Annals in full. Just found out that Tun Biajid was a son of Hang Tuah according to one writer, Ibrahim Mahmud (1966). If that is so, HT got married to whom? More importantly, in all likelihood he begotted descendents and hence his blood is around!

Many historians/writers have written about Hang Tuah and the Malays Annals otherwise known as Sulalatus Salatin or Sejarah Melayu.

Hang Tuah:
- A. Mubin Sheppard. 1949. The adventures of Hang Tuah
- 1964. Hang Tuah - a biographical summary. In Malaya in History VIII(2):19-25
- Abu Bakar Abd Hamid. 1979. Peristiwa-peristiwa dari Hikayat Hang Tuah. DBP, KL
- Abdul Jalil Noor (ed). 1963. Hang Tuah Pahlawan Raja Melaka. Pustaka Nasional, Singapura
- Abu Hassan Mohd Sham. 1975. Beberapa Aspek dari Hikayat Hang Tuah. Utusan Melayu Press, KL
- Ahmad Sarji. 2004. Hang Tuah: Tokoh Epik Nasional. Pelanduk Publications, Subang Jaya
- Ali Aziz. 1960. Hang Jebat Menderhaka. MPH, Singapura
- Ibrahim Mahmud. 1966. Tun Biajid Anak Hang Tuah. Saudara Sinaran Bros, Pulau Pinang
- Kassim Ahmad. 1958. Characterisation in Hang Tuah. Academic excercise, Univ Singapore
- 1964(ed). Hikayat Hang Tuah. DBP, KL
- Perwatakan dalam Hikayat Hang Tuah. DBP, KL
- Hang Tuah, DBP, KL
- Emeis, M.G. 1952. Bloemlezing Uit Het Klassiek Maleis (Bunga Rampai Melayu Kuno), J.B. Wolters, Djakarta/Groningen
- Rahman Napiah. 1994. Tuah-Jebat dalam drama Melayu: satu kajian intertektualiti.
- Shellabear, W.G. 1914. Hikayat Hang Tuah. Malay Literature Series. Singapore 4vols
- Singaravelu, S. 1981-82. The embassadorial mission of Laksamana Hang Tuah from the Kingdom of Malacca to the Kongdom of Vijayanagaram in South India. Tamil Oli 13:59-61; Tamil Studies, 1982 2(1):24-33; SARI, 1983 pp75-80
- Syed Alwi b. Syed Shaykh al-Hady. 1963. Hang Tuah atau Pahlawan Melayu. Donald Moore for Eastern Universities Press, Singapore
- Syed Zulfida. 1976. Wit dan hunour dalam Sejarah Melayu. Dewan Bahasa 20(4):197-218
- Teuku Iskandar. 1970. Some historical sources used by the author of Hikayat Hang Tuah. JMBRAS 42(II):38-53
- Usman Awang. 1992. Matinya Seorang Pahlawan - Jebat. DBP, KL
- Zainon S. Ahmad. 1994. Kajian Perbandingan - Sejarah Melayu - Hikayat Hang Tuah. Elman Publishers


Malay Annals:
- A. Samad Ahmad. 1979(ed). Sulalatus Salatin (Sejarah Melayu). DBP, KL
- Abu Hassan Mohd. Sham. 1977. Beberapa Aspek dari Sejarah Melayu (Sulalatu's Salatin). Utusan Publications, KL
- Braddell, Thomas. 1851-52. Translations from the Sejarah Melayu. Journal Indian Archipelago 5-6
- Braginsky VI. 1988. Lima Syarahan tentang Sejarah Melayu Klasik. Dalam Kryukova, E.S. dan Dorofeva (ed and transl). Siri Monograf IBKKM, Bangi
- Brown C.C. 1949. Malay Annals. Oxford Univ Press, London
- Cheah Boon Kheng. 1998(ed). Sejarah Melayu: The Malay Annals. Journal Malaysian Branch Royal Asiatic Society 18
- de Jong P.E. de Josselin. 1961. Who's who in the Malay Annals. JMBRAS 34(2):1-89
- 1964. The character of the Malay Annals. In Bastin, J. and Roolvink, R. (eds) Malayan and Indonesian Studies. Clarendron Press, Oxford
- Gibson-Hill, C.A. 1956. The Malay Annals, the history brought from Goa. JMBRAS 29(1):185-8
Hooker, M.B. and Hooker, V.M. 1821. John Leyden's Malay Annals. JMBRAS
- Leyden, J. 1821. Sejarah Melayu, 'Malay Annals': Translated from the Malay Language. London
- Muhammad Salleh. 1981. Sajak-sajak Sejarah Melayu. DBP, KL
- 1985. Oral qualities of Sejarah Melayu. 5th Europen Colloqium on Malaya & Indonesian Studies, Sintra
- Mustafa Mohd Isa. 1977. Perwatakan dalam Sejarah Melayu. Greeting Distributor Sdn Bhd, KL
- Rajantheran, M. 1999. Sejarah Melayu: Kesan Hubungan Kebudayaan Melayu dan India. DBP, KL
- Sanusi Hamid. 1967. Sejarah Melayu sebagai satu sumber sejarah. Dewan Bahasa XI(5):203-9
- Shellabear, W.G. 1910(ed). Sejarah Malayu or the Malay Annals. Malay Literature Series, Singapore 2vols
- Situmorang, T.D. and Teeuw, A. 1952. Sedjarah Melaju. Djambatan, Djakarta/Amsterdam
- Sweeney, A. 1967. The Connection between Hikayat Raja Pasai and Sejarah Melayu. Malay Publishing House, Singapura
- Teuku Iskanadr. 1964. Tun Sri Lanang, pengarang Sejarah Melayu. Dewan Bahasa XIII(11):484-9
- Tomizawa, H. 1981. A structural analysis of the Sejarah Melayu - an essay on a Malay dynastic myth. Japanese J Ethnology 46:55-79
- Tun Seri Lanag. ( ). Kesah Raja-raja Melayu Melaka dari Sejarah Melayu. DBP, KL. Agus Salim (ed), 1969
- Umar Junus. 1984. Sejarah Melayu Menemukan Diri Kembali. Penerbit Fajar Bakti, PJ
- 1990. Keturunan Iskandar Zulkarnain dalam Sejarah Melayu dan Tambo Minangkabau. Siri Seminar Pengajian Siswazah Jab. Persuratan Melayu, UKM
- Winstedt, R.O. 1938. The Malay Annals or Sejarah Melayu. The earliest recension from MS. No. 18 of the Raffles Collection in the Library of the Royal Asiatic Society, London. JMBRAS 16(3):1-225
- 1949. The Malay Annals again, Goa and the kings of Singapore. JMBRAS 22:178-80
- 1975. The Malay Annals or Sejarah Melayu. JMBRAS XVI(iii)
- Yusoff Iskandar. 1977a. Sejarah Melayu: edisi Shellabear/Winstedt: beberapa perbezaan. Dewan Bahasa 21(2):110-21
- 1977b. Metos dan legenda sebagai unsur penulisan Sejarah Melayu. Dewan Bahasa 21(7):470-86
- Yusoff Iskandar dan Abd Rahman Kaeh. 1978. Sejarah Melayu. Heinmann Educational Book (Asia) Ltd, KL
- Zainal Abidin Abdul Wahid. 1966. Sejarah Melayu. Asian Studies IV(3):445-51
- 1974. Sejarah Melayu. Dewan Bahasa 18
- Zakaria Ali. 2000. The Sejarah Melayu as literature. The New Straits Times, 26 July


Much of our history especially those written earlier are the works of colonial historians such R.O. Wintedt, R.J. Wilkinson, W.E. Maxwell, W. Linehan, C.C. Brown, Frank Swettenham, I.H.N.Ivans. Other western writers - Williams R. Roff, Barbara W. Andaya, J.M. Gullick, K.A. Adeelar, James T. Collins are wellknown and current.

ENTER THE SLAYER OF THE MALAY DRAGON

Jebat amok.

Hang Tuah is likened to as the Malay dragon - a warrior supreme and a paladin of faithfullness to his elders and masters, the sultans of Malacca. He is part of the Malay history especially binding since the Malay Annals came into being.

Winstedt in his History of Malaya, first published in 1903 (Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society) mentioned that Tun Perak during the reign of Raja Kasim aka Muzaffar Shah (1446-1456) was the patron of Hang Tuah, the Laksamana who originated from Bintan.

At Muzaffar's death, his son Raja 'Abdu'llah took the title of Mansur Shah for the throne. During his time Tun Perak, the Bendahara and Hang Tuah successfully quelled a rebellion in Pasai and restored its sultan.

Mansur Shah died in 1477. Raja Husain, a younger son of the deceased and a nephew of Tun Perak was installed as sultan with the title 'Alau'u'd-din Riayat Shah. Under the orders of the Sultan, Hang Tuah stabbed the murderer of Talanai, governor of Trengganu before the eyes of the Pahang king.

'Ala'ud-din sent Hang Tuah to reprove the vassal Sultan of Siak for not getting Malacca's sanction for death sentences. Tun Perak died ca. 1498 to be succeeded by his brother Tun Puteh.

Mahmud, a younger son of 'Ala'ud-din took over to be the last Sultan when Malacca fell to the Portuguese. During the battle Hang Tuah's palm was bleeding when he waved to his warriors and exclaimed "Tak kan Melayu hilang didunia".

Come January 19, 2012, enter the dragon slayer, Prof. Khoo Kay Kim, a noted historian said that Hang Tuah has no no historical basis. It is a myth. Prove it if it is true. Dig up his grave. If his bone fragment is found what good is it to do DNA profiling? There is no record to show that it was really him buried!


I am no historian. Dates of events are the cornerstones of history. Although names and events are mentioned but no dates are associated with Hang Tuah's chronicles. Is it his real real name or non de plume? What about his other 4 close friends? What are their linages. Did they get married and have children? Ahmad Sarji among others has written a book on Hang Tuah.

Lately many people want to get into the bandwagon of revising our history books. Is KKK directing the challenge to politicians and other non-historians what history is all about?

If Hang Tuah is a myth then "Tak kan Melayu hilang didunia". Is it a warning to the Malays that such a paradigm does not hold water?

KKK credentials as historian:

Khoo Kay Kim (ed). 1977. The History of South-East, South and East Asia, Essays and Documents. OUP, K Lumpur
Khoo Kay Kim. 1965/66. J.W.W. Birch: a Victorian moralist in Perak’s augen stable. JHSUM V
1966a. The Federation of 1890; its origin. Peninjau Sejarah I(ii):6-23
1966b. The origins of the British Administration in Malaya. JMBRAS 39(iii)
1966c. The Pangkor Treaty in Malay. Peninjau Sejarah jld 1
*1967-8. Johor in the 19th century: A brief survey. J Hist Soc, Univ Malaya 4
1968. Traditional Malay polity: two preliminary case studies. Fed Mus J, ns XIII
1968/69. Before Pasir Salak. J Hist Soc, UM, K Lumpur VII:40-52
1969/70. Perubahan di Setengah Negeri-Negeri Melayu (1880an). J Hist Soc, UM, K Lumpur
1974a. Malay Society 1874-1920. JSEAS (Dept of Hist, Nat Univ Singapore) 5(2)
1974b. Note on the Larut disturbances and a history of Perak. JMBRAS (reprint)
1975a. The Orang Besar-Besar of Selangor. Malaysia in History XVIII(2):36-45
1975b. Pensejarahan Malaysia. Syarahan Ketiga, UM, K Lumpur
*1976. Terengganu and Kelantan in the 19th century. Southeast Asian Studies Review (Gaya, India) 1(1)
1977-78. Tanah Melayu abad ke-18. J Sejarah UM XV:1-11
1978. The Peninsula Malay Sultanates genesis and salient features. In Second Workshop on Malay Sultanates and Malay Culture, 1978, Hasanuddin Univ, Ujung Pandang
*1979a. Local historians and the writing of Malaysian history in the twentieth century. In Reid, A. and Marr, D. (eds) Perceptions of the Past in Southeast Asia. Singapore
1979b. Recent Malaysian historiography. J Southeast Asian Studies X(2)
1980a. Nineteenth Malay Peninsula – I. In Zainal Abidin A. Wahid (ed) Glimpses of Malaysia History. DBP, K Lumpur pp54-60 2nd ed
1980b. Nineteenth Malay Peninsula – II. In Zainal Abidin A. Wahid (ed) Glimpses of Malaysia History. DBP, K Lumpur 61-7 2nd ed
1980c. Nineteenth Malay Peninsula – I. In Zainal Abidin A. Wahid (ed) Glimpses of Malaysia History. DBP, K Lumpur pp54-60 2nd ed
1980d. The Malay Peninsula: A political survey, 1900-1941. In Zainal Abidin A Wahid (ed) Glimpses of Malaysia History. DBP, K Lumpur pp83-9 2nd ed
1981. Taiping. Persatuan Muzium Malaysia, K Lumpur
1982(ed). Melaka Dahulu dan Sekarang. Pers Muz Malaysia, K Lumpur
1983(ed). Beberapa Aspek Sejarah Kedah. Persatuan Sejarah Malaysia
( ). Kedah diantara imperialisme dan kolonialisme : 1880-1909. Dlm Cheah, B.K dan Abu Talib Ahmad (ed) Kolonialisme di Malaysia dan Negara-negara Lain.
1984a. Majalah dan Akhbar Melayu sebagai Sumber Sejarah. Perpustakaan UM, K Lumpur
1984b. Kuala Terengganu pusat perdagangan antarabangsa. Dlm Abdullah Zakaria Ghazali (ed) Terengganu Dahulu dan Sekarang. Persatuan Muz Negara, K Lumpur
1985. Raja Lumu – Sultan Salehuddin: The Founding of the Selangor dynasty. JMBRAS 58(2)
1985(ed). Sejarah Masyarakat Melayu Moden. Penerbitan Univ. Malaya, Kuala Lumpur
( ?). Panji-panji gemerlapan: satu pembicaraan pensejarahan Melayu. UM, K Lumpur
1986a. The Perak Sultanate: Ancient and modern. JMBRAS 59(I)
*1989. The Peninsular Malay Sultanates: Genesis and Salient Features. Purba (J Malaysian Mus Soc) 8. (Paper originally presented at Workshop on Malay Sultanates, 4-7 Dec 1978, Universitas Hasanuddin, Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi)
*1991. Malay Society: Transformation & Democratisation. Pelanduk Publ, Subang Jaya 238pp
1992. Kedatangan orang Eropah. Dlm Malaysia Warisan dan Perkembangan. DBP, K Lumpur
Khoo, K.K. , Abdul Aziz Mat Ton and Baharam Azit. Melaka: the transformation of Malay capital c. 1400-1980. In Kernial Singh Sandhu and Wheatley, P. (eds), K Lumpur vol II pp70-92
Khoo Kay Kim (penyt). 1983. Beberapa Aspek Warisan Kelantan II. Perbadanan Muz Negeri Kelantan, K Bharu
Khoo Kay Kim. 1982. The election of the Datuk Kelana of Sungai Ujung. J Persatuan Muzium Malaysia (Purba) 1:86-96
1990. Negeri Sembilan: Sejarah awal dan sistem politiknya. Dlm Norazit Selat (peny) Negeri Sembilan Dahulu dan Sekarang. Muzium Negara, K Lumpur
Khoo Kay Kim. 1981. Sejarah Islam di Tanah Melayu. Widya, Feb 1981
*1990. Islam in Malaysia: a view of the pre-1941 scenario. Sarjana VI. (Originally paper presented at Sem on Islam in Malaysia, 13-15 Jan 1989, Singapore)
Khoo Kay Kim. 1970. The Malay Peninsula: a political survey, 1900-1941. In Zainal Abidin Abd Wahid (ed) Glimpses of Malaysian History. DBP, K Lumpur pp79-85
1972. The Western Malay States 1850-1873: The Effects of Commercial Development on Malay Politics. Oxford Univ Press, K Lumpur
1978. Suasana politik di Tanah Melayu sebelum Perang Dunia II. Kongres Sejarah Malaysia, 10-12 Apr 1978
*1981. The Malay Left 1945-1948: a preliminary discourse. Sarjana (J Fac Arts and Soc Sci, UM) 1(1). (Paper originally presented at 3rd New Zealand Conf on Asian Studies, 13-16 May 1979, Univ Auckland, N Zealand
1984. Negeri-negeri Melayu Pantai Barat 1850-1873: Kesan Perkembangan Dagang Terhadap Politik Melayu. Fajar Bakti, P Jaya
Khoo Kay Kim. 1974. Kuala Trengganu: international trading centre. MIH 13(II):16-30
1980. The Malay Peninsula: A social and economic survey. In Zainal Abidin A Wahid (ed) Glimpses of Malaysia History. DBP, K Lumpur pp90-6
*1981. Taiping Ibukota Perak. Persatuan Muzium Malaysia, K Lumpur 36hlm
*1982. Teluk Anson (Teluk Intan) 100 Tahun. Persatuan Muzium Malaysia, K Lumpur 78ms
*1986. Trade and shipping in the Malay Peninsula 1784-1824. In Mohd Yusoff Hashim et al (eds) Kapal dan Harta Karam. K Lumpur. (Originally paper presented at Colloquium “Trade and Shipping in the Malay Archipelago before 1900, 8 Sept 1984, UM) pp107-18
1991. Taiping (Larut): The early history of a mining settlement. JMBRAS LXIV(1):1-32
Khoo Kay Kim. 1981. Sabah History and Society. MHS, K Lumpur

CALL OF THE DRAGON

Off the coast of Johore there is a dragon transformed in to an island, Pulau Tioman.

Legend has it that there is a dragon, a Malay one lurking at the lost city of Tasik Cini, Pahang. Just like the Loch Ness monster it is yet to be caught.


Today enter the year of the dragon. Being a half-Hakka peranakan I got a reason to half-celeberate at least.

Apparently, there are many dragons around.

In the next episode, who is the dragon slayer?

COOLING IT OFF AT CAMERON HIGHLANDS

Halfway travelling from Spg. Pulai towards Cameron Highlands you may already in the cloudy mist at times.

Now with new easy access via Spg. Pulai and Gua Musang cool Cameron Highlands still proves to be an exotic spot attracting voluminous traffic during holidays.


Back then in 1965, L.L. John Pillay (my former English teacher at Tunku Besar Secondary School, Tampin), Din Merican (Bank Negara), K.C. Vohrah (Ipoh) among many others visited C.H. as indicated in the guest book kept by the local tourist bureau.
There are about 50 old time bungalows, a number of which found perched on hilltops and ridges quite hidden from view by trees and topography.

Familiar tudor-designed landmarks are The Olde Smoke House by the golf course, the Foster Lake House, Habu are still magnificient and well kept.





The Olde Smoke House (L) and Foster Lake House (R).








Not to be missed is the BOH Tea Plantations where you get the whiff of tea leaves being processed at the factory and also the panoramic view of the plantation at its tea outlet.

Tea was first introduced to CH by the Department of Agriculture at its station in Tanah Rata (now under MARDI) when it was just established in 1926. One year old tea stumps of Assam and Manipuri tea were originally planted. E.A. Cutler was the first resident Agricultural Officer in charge of the station.

The colonial government encouraged private enterprises to open tea estates and by 1940 BOH had planted 1500acres, the largest. Others include E. Auker (600ac), Shum Yip Leong (270ac), Cheong Kim Sang (44ac), A. Huntsman (40ac), Mrs. E.A. Lyford (12ac), Suparshad & Bros (12ac), Shozo Matsukawa (10ac), Lew King (10ac), and Ng Ying Fong (9ac).



Compared to my small farm (2ac) yet rented out to grow cabbages,  am a very late starter indeed. But then the farm is the highest in the clouds of CH.







Shall I build a loghome to replace the current hut? Not unless I want to stay isolated up there!

In the meantime if you are looking for a fully furnished 3-bedroom holiday apartment right in Tanah Rata town, contact me for booking:

Tel: 013 3763857




Aprtment's address:
Parkview Apartment, Jln Camelia, T. Rata (1st floor, facing garden).

R - Spacious living room (far end), dining and kitchen.

Rate (which may depend on the number of persons):

Weekends/public holidays: RM350
Weekdays: RM300

Travelling from Spg. Pulai halfway towards Cameron Highlands you may already in the cloudy mist.

Now with easy access from Spg. Pulai and Gua Musang, cool Cameron Highlands still proves to be an exotic spot attracting voluminous traffic during holidays.

Back then in 1965, Din Merican, K.C. Vohrah, L.L. John Pillay (my former English teacher of Tunku Besar Secondary School, Tampin) among many others visited C.H. as indicated in the guest book kept by the local tourist bureau.

There are about 50 old time bungalows, a number of which are found perched on hilltops and ridges quite hidden from view by trees and topography.

Familiar tudor-designed landmarks are The Olde Smoke House by the golf course, and the Foster Lake House, Habu are still magnificient and well kept.






The Olde Smoke House (L) and Foster Lake House (R).








Not to be missed is the BOH Tea Plantations where you get the whiff of tea leaves being processed at the factory and also the panoramic view of the plantation at its tea outlet.




Tea was first introduced to CH by the Department of Agriculture at its station in Tanah Rata (now under MARDI) when it was just established in 1926. One year old stumps of Assam and Manipuri tea were originally planted. E.A. Cutler was the first resident Agricultural Officer in charge of the station.

The colonial government encouraged private enterprises to open tea estates and by 1940 BOH had planted 1500acres, others included E. Auker (600ac), Shum Yip Leong (270ac), Cheong Kim Sang (44ac), A. Huntsman (40ac), Mrs. E.A. Lyford (12ac), Suparshad & Bros (12ac), Shozo Matsukawa (10ac), Lew King (10ac), and Ng Ying Fong (9ac).



Compared to my small farm (2ac) yet rented out to grow cabbages,  am a very late starter indeed. But then the farm is the highest in the clouds of CH.








Shall I build a loghome to replace the current hut? Not unless I want to stay isolated up there!

In the meantime if you are looking for a fully furnished 3-bedroom holiday apartment right in Tanah Rata town, contact me for booking:

Tel: 013 3763857

Address of aprtment:
Parkview Apartment, Jln Camelia, T. Rata (1st floor, facing garden).

R - Spacious living room (far end), dining and kitchen.

3 bathrooms available.

Rate:

Weekends and holidays: RM350
Weekdays: RM300

NAJIB'S TUNNEL VISION

Dr. Mahathir does not believe that the tunnel link is visionary (chedet, Jan. 7). Najib thinks it is.

Which is more strategic for the country, the tunnel or the scenic bridge? If he cannot foresee beyond his nose then Malaysia has a problem of tsunamic proprtions! Is it our neighbour holding him back?

Everyone knows that with the bridge, shipping time to Tg. Pelepas and Kuantan ports will be faster because they do not have to go around Singapore. Understandably, the latter's maritime volume may diminished to some extent.

"I hear you", frequently proclaimed by Najib is pure bull. What comes to the right ear goes out to the left and vice-versa. If he can play deaf to the Sultan of Johor and Dr. Mahathir, whatmore to the people of Johore and others. Apparently he can do what he likes. The bridge is a foregone conclusion as long he is the PM.

The UMNO-BN politics may seem to gain some grounds. Actually, the turmoil in the opposition parties deceivingly makes it looks gaining strength. We await if the PR leader is interned in Sg. Buloh then none is going to sing that he is king from a wheeled-throne.

Najib wants to get done with the GE13 but not confident of popular vote. . So he is playing by the ear. For his weak and clueless leadership, the GE can be delayed to next year and still he would not be able to prove himself. The great many years in politics has given him the art of nothingness and rhetorics.

The rakyat has no choice but to give him more rope to bind himself. Let him waste money for vote incentives. Of course the country and the next generation will suffer.

He said that university students hould be up-to-date with knowledge and we need to communicate with the language of technology. The language of technology is English. By abolishing PPSMI he is promoting 'poke eye' English. Too often, he is a man of contradictions.

He is talking about being innovative. Realizing it or not he is herding towards herd mentality with the 1Finger poke.

Are the APCO, CIA and Singapore hold the secret of Althantuya? If so they have a firm grip on Malaysia. Her ghost is Malaysia's burden.



Believe me, this would not happen:

"6. When completed I hope the causeway and the railway line will be removed. We will not need them anymore. Then water will flow east west and vice-versa. And small boats will be able to use the Tebrau Straits without having to go around south of Singapore." (chedet, Jan 7)

CHEDET AT BORNEO HEIGHTS

Malaysia is blessed with many highland resorts where spring climate prevail throughout the year. They are great getaway places within the country to enjoy the cool weather.

Dr. Mahathir praised the development and beauty of Borneo Heights (chedet, Jan 4) previously known as Penrissen Heights in the Kelingkang Range. He enjoyed staying 3 days up there.

Hotel and chalets by the golf course (R).



Another highland area of interest is Ba Kelalan, a highland valley of the Kelabit people far to the northeast of Borneo Heights in the Apo Duat Range along the Kalimantan border is of similar altitute, 1100m.

Gunung Jerai and Bkt. Larut over here are of equivalent altitude. In such high places the average temperature ranges between 17-25C.

G. Penrissen (L), bottom left.


Ba Kelalan (R), middle far right.

Chalets by beautifullylandscaped water garden (L).

Vantage point at the precipitous border with Kalimantan (R).

Vast vista of tropical green forest in Kalimantan.

Pak Tagal (L, right)), head of a well known Kelabit family.


Apple (R) of tropically adapted variety of Rome Beauty grown commercially at Batu, Jawa Timur can be grown in the highlands.

PROPHET MUHAMMAD saw IN HINDU SCRIPTURES

For many years (1980s) PERKIM published the Islamic Herald, a bimonthly magazine of scholarly standing. Tunku was the President of the dakwah and welfare organisation then.

In the late 90s I visited RISEAP (Regional Islamic Secretariat for East Asia and Pacific) office in the PERKIM building, Jalan Ipoh. The Manager, a former army officer though doing his best to organise dakwah activities found books and publications a nuisance! According to him, all the books had been carded away. A Mat Salleh (convert) officer was asked to leave.

This is how we manage Islam putting a wrong man at the right place! Was it just because the Minister in the PM Department incharge of Islamic Affairs a former brigadier?

Excerpts of an article from IH vol. 11 no. 5&6: Prophecies of our Prophet in Hindu scriptures.

(Scripture: Bhavishya Purana Parv 3, Khand 3, Adhya 3, Shalok 5-8)

(Scripture: Atharva Veda, Kanda 20, Sukma 127, Mantra 1-3)