KANANG, THE HEAD HUNTER

Kanang anak Langkau, the famous Iban Tracker of the Sarawak Rangers (later known as Rejimen Renjer) was awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP) by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Iban is also known as Sea Dyaks and Bidayuh as Land Dyaks.

Kanang joined the Sarawak Rangers as a tracker on 21 Apr 1962 then sent for 1-month at Training School for Jungle Warfare (now PULADA), Ulu Tiram, Johore.

The battle cry for the Sarawak Rangers 'Agi Hidup Agi Ngelaban (Iban) means selagi ada nyawa selagi itu berjuang.


Kanang was born in Rumah Panjang Karangan Manok Nanga Meluan, Kanawit on 2 March 1945. His father left him and he was brought up by his mother and grandparents.

Growing up as a kid he was kind of lawless, independent and afraid of nothing. He decided to leave school at Kanowit by standard 3.

His grandfather told him that bujang senangs in the Kanowit River would not harm them as foretold in a dream in which he cured the son of raja buaya of a sickness.

In the days of his grandfathers and earlier tradition, the Ibans were ferocious headhunters using sandaus (parangs) and spears.

Kanang used M16 to hunt heads of Siliwangi infiltrators during the Confrontation (1962-1966) and communist guerillas during the Second Malaysian Emergency (1968-1983).

He could detect the enemy by the smell of the air, bird and animal movements, broken twigs, disturbed soil and other signs. He was not afraid of booby traps because he could locate and dismantle them. As sargeant heading a platoon he volunteered to be the man at the most front.

An Iban belief to avoid badi ie. being haunted by the spirit of the dead, Kanang got to eat the brain of a dead guerilla he killed.

He always had this dream of a pak haji berselindang hitam everytime he was about to battle the enemies in the jungle. He himself witnessed a Siliwangi soldier being kebal ie. bullet proof.

During Operation Gerak Setia Khas, early 1980 Kanang was shot at the chest and stomach several times. He was in coma for 1 week, spent 1 month under ICU and 1 year ward care.

Seperti mati hidup kembali, katanya. For the valour he was awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa.

Kanan retired as Sgt. Major while serving the 11th Renjer Rejimen Malaysia on 30 May 1986. He brought his family to settle at Rumah Panjang Samy, Skra Hilir.

His past injuries disabled him to do heavy work and farming. Soon he was poor and neglected. The country just forget him.

This morning, Dato' Kanang will be among the speakers at the Colloquium of Malaysian History at the Experimental Theatre, University Malaya.

THE BAIT TAKEN, LET'S NUKE THEM

A war looms over Iran. It will not be meted by the Greeks as in 330 B.C. in which Persepolis felled to Alexander (anyway the ancient society is now bankcrupt) but in total now by the West - US-EU and its proxy, Israel.

Persians (L), Greek (R) at the Battle of Plataea, 479 B.C.





The US has some longtime scores to settle with Iran. The stooge, Shah Reza Pahlavi the gateway to the country's oil was deposed during the 1978-1978 Revolution.

Even in times of difficulties after the war with Iraq, the US sanctioned Iran causing further humanitarian calamities.





The upsurge of Islam began with Ayatollah Khomeini's presidency in 1979.

The West's old score with Islam is about the lost crusades. The US, a crusading state will carry on the religous war to gain resources at the same time.

They can plan but Allah knows all.



Modern Tehran with the Elburz Mountains in the background (L).

Iran is resource-rich country. Besides oil they have iron, copper and resourceful people. Their nuclear power plants are on the verge of operation and this worries them. Only the have the monopoly of nuclear energy, Iran don't. That is ruse number 1 to go to nuke them.



Sanctions are being imposed to weaken the economy and populace of Iran. Hungry people are angry people and apt to go against their leaders. This ia also part of conditioning the world view to legitimise further drastic actions.

The latest ruse will be that Iran is barbaric for not selling oil 20% ot its oil to Europe knowing well that Europe's economy is in tatters. Worst still many deaths already and others are dying or suffering from severe snow. Iran has swallowed the bait, a trap to justify war.

The Persians have a long history of civilisation. Settlers and farmers were there about 6000 B.C. Long before that signs of human life were found in the Zagros Mountains dating back 100,000 B.C.


The war against Iran will obliterate much of its proud history and artefacts. A country devoid of historical records will be disunited, loose its identity and confidence. This has happened in Iraq and soon Afghanistan?



The Muslims will continue to fall into the Syiah-Sunni catharsis that suits the enemies. Let them kill each other!

SHAHRIZAT DENY USING HER FINGERS

After being heavily garlanded at the cave of Thaipusam what is Najib's decision on Sharizat?

By the way was the flower garland blessed by Hindu dieties and priests beforehand?

Shahrizat's denial of anything to do with her husband's RM250 million NFC project is analogous to denial of using her fingers to eat budu or milk a male cow.

Even at the proposal stage she must be able to foresee possible conflict of interest and other ramifications on Salleh taking the project. She must veto her husband right there and then using whatever means even using two fingers.

A sumarai kontot's simplistic solution to the NFC fiasco - pay back all and a retender the project! As easy as that. Millions have been spent where are they going to get the cash? Somebody got to buy back the infrastructure and then reinvest. We are not sure who is the government come PRU13!

ARE BEER FLOWING, DRONES DRONING IN RIYADH?

Beer is cheaper than coke in the US they say. Come Friday beer guzzling gets to a higher pitch, pitcher by pitcher because 'thanks goodness it's Friday' prelude to more bashing during weekend. Reportedly they are not as drunk as the Aussies in downing the alcoholic stimulant.

Hithertho, it is unbelieveable that the marines are not partying and guzzling beer in Riyadh, land of the Ibn Sauds. What prevent them from showing disrespect? In fact they would enjoy doing it as they did in Afghanistan, peed on Afghan bodies. The mother land of our sacred Mekah and Madinah is thus tainted.

The safest and most strategic place to keep drones in the Middle East is Riyadh. They are being used to kill Muslims in Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Syria ....

Who brought Holiday Inn, an American imperialist symbol  almost to the center of Masjidil Haram? Who built palaces overcrowding Masjidil Haram to the inconvenience of millions of Haj and Umrah pilgrims? Who demolished artifacts, houses and mosques associated with Prophet Mohamad s.a.w. and his family?

It is only in the last few years that pilgrims are getting better facilities in terms of accomodation , road system and transportation during haj and umrah. In the past 1000 years and more what have been done with the astronomous sum collected? Why overdoing it to place many 5-star hotels close to Masjidil Haram to the benefit of the rich and letting the poor and maim suffer long walks from far flung hotels? Why not built in balance to the needs of both types of pilgrims?

Whose head(s) is supposed to roll? Not that of Mohammad Najeeb A. Kashgari for a minor insult if there is!

This politician, inbred of a long heritage of acknowledged leaders is a man in a hurry. A decision is suppposed to be as quick as silver - the mark of efficiency which is not true in all cases.

To him a head (probably) chopped off is of no value in deriving a solution to a problem. As a menteri he could have said better - the Sauds just want their man back, and not to say anything about Malaysia to be a bed for extremist or terrorist.

THE HEROINE OF BAGHDAD

The real-life heroine of Baghdad al beit a Malaysian and a woman at that went twice to war zone Iraq. She returned to write the 1001 sufferrings of the Iraqis. The heroine is none other than Shahanaaz Habib, a journalist with The Star.

The Americans bombed and bastardized the Mesopotamian and Babylonian civilisation history. The Iraqis are still in turmoil and distrust each other. History unites people. It is a basis for national identity and confidence. Devoid of history, a pariah state exists.

May the WMD liars suffer the death of 300,000 deaths. The Iraqis will not forget revenge not in the next 1000 years.

Never before the Arab physique is at its lowest ebb. To redeem they must revolutionize against their dictators who are the collaborators of imperialism.

Angry Iraqis stomping a Spanish intelligence officer's corpse (R).

Life must go on (L)

Shahanaaz put her life on the line. May Allah protect her.
Her book (R) published in 2004.

TO KNOW THE MALAYS GO SEE WINSTEDT

R.O. Winstedt was a paragon of a scholar of Malay history and culture. To know him ie. his writings is to know the Malays.

Ricahard O. Winstedt (1878-1966) was born and educated at Oxford.
1902 - cadet in the Federated Malay States, posted to Perak
1913 - D.O Kuala Pilah
1916 - appointed to the Education Dept
1922 - mooted the idea of Sultan Idris Training College to produce Malay teachers
1928-1931 - President of Raffles College, Singapore;  and Director of Education, Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States
1931-1935 - General Adviser to Johore
On retiring from Malayan Civil Service he joined the School of Oriental Studies, Oxford


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( ). Malay history from Chinese sources. Bul School Oriental and African Studies, London XIII:182-3

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1909b. Malay industries, arts and crafts. Papers on Malay Subjects

1911a. Malay industries, hunting, fishing and trapping. Papers on Malay Subjects

1911b. Papers on Malay subjects: Malay industries, part 2, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping. F.M.S. Govt. Press, Kuala Lumpur

1911c. The history of the Peninsula in folk tales. JSBRAS no 157 pp183-8

1914a. Hikayat Anggun Che Tunggal. Singapore (ed)

1914b. Malay Grammar. Clarendon Press, Oxford

1914c. Hikayat Raja Muda. MPH, Singapore

1916. Malayan Memories. Kelly and Walsh

1917a. The Malay rice cycle. JSBRAS 75, 51

1917b. A rice ceremony. JSBRAS no 77 p249

1917c. An English-Malay Dictionary. Kelly and Walsh, Singapore

1917d. The advent of Muhammaddism to the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago. JMBRAS 77

1918. The Hadramaut Siyids of Perak and Siak. JSBRAS 79

1919. Misa Melayu. Singapore (ed)

1920a. Rice ceremonies in Upper Perak. J Fed Malay States Mus vol 9 pt 2 pp116-21

1920b. Hindu survivals in Malay customs. J Fed Malay States Mus (Perak)

1920c. Perak birth customs. JFMSM IX:84-7

1920d. Propiating the spirits of a district (enjamu negeri). JFMSM IX:93-5

1920e. The Campher language of Johore and Southern Pahang. JFMSM IX:9

1920f. Malay works known by Werndly in 1736 A.D. JSBRAS 82:163-5

1920g. The Indian origin of Malay folk tales. JSBRAS 82:119-26

1920h. Malay manuscripts in the libraries of London, Brussels and the Hague. JSBRAS 82:153-61

1920i. History of Kedah. J.S.B.R.A.S. 81, 29-35

1920j. The genealogy of Malacca’s kings from a copy of Bustanu’s-Salatin. JMBRAS LXXXV:39-47

1920j. Perak the arrow-chosen. JSBRAS 82

1920k. Rice ceremonies in Negeri Sembilan. J Fed Malay States Mus J 9(2):122-8

1920l. Family relationships in Negeri Sembilan. FMS Mus J IX(2)

1920m. Election of a tribal chief in Negri Sembilan. FMS Mus J IX(2)

1921a. Indian and Malay beliefs. JSBRAS 83:88-91

1921b. Hikayat Nakhoda Muda. JSBRAS 83:104-9; 1960 edn published by Malaya Publ Hse, Singapura

1922a. Hikayat Indraputera. JSBRAS 85

1922b. A Malay pantheist charm. JSBRAS 86:261-7

1922c. Two legends of Malacca. JSBRAS 85:41-5

1923. Some Malay mystics, heretical and orthodox. JMBRAS I(2):312-8

1923(ed.). Malaya: The Straits Settlements and the Federated and Unfederated Malay States. Constable, London

1924a. Keramat: Sacred places and persons in Malay. JMBRAS II(3):264-79

1924b. Education in Malaya. British Empire Exhibition, Malayan Series Pamphlets, London

1925a. Shaman, Saiva and Sufi: A Study of the Evolution of Malay Magic. Constable, London

1925b. Notes on Malay magic. JMBRAS III(3):6-21

1925c. Sacrifice at communal rice ceremonies. JMBRAS 3(2):13

1925d. Rain making. JMBRAS III(3):8-9

1925e. A Kelantan invocation of the earth spirit. JMBRAS III(I):83

1925e. The Malay Magician: Being Shaman, Saiva and Sufi. Constable, London; Routledge & Kegan Paul, London 1951 revised ed

1926a. The founder of Malay royalty and his conquest of Saktimuna, The Serpent. JMBRAS 4(3):413-9

1926b. Karamat: sacred places and persons in Malaya. JMBRAS 4; repr 1977 in A Centenary Volume , 1877-1977

1927a. The Tale of Trong Pipit. JMBRAS V(3)

1927b. More notes on Malay magic. JMBRAS V(2)

1927. Kitab Tawarikh Melayu. Fraser & Neave, Singapore

1928a. Kedah Laws. JMBRAS VI(II)

1928b. Gold ornaments dug up at Fort Canning, Singapore. JMBRAS VI(4):1-4

1928c. Kedah laws. J.M.B.R.A.S. 6(2):1-44

1928d. Some Rembau customary sayings. JMBRAS VI(4)

1929a. Royal tabus in Negri Sembilan. JMBRAS XII(3)

1929b. Negri Sembilan; the history, policy and beliefs of nine states. JMBRAS 7(3):99-101

1929c. The rituals of the rice-field. J.M.B.R.A.S. VII(3):437-47

1929d. The Perak genies. JMBRAS VII(3):260-6

1929e. Old Perak account of bethrothal ceremonies. J.M.B.R.A.S. 7

1929f. The Perak Royal musical instruments. JMBRAS 7

1929g. Indonesian bronze drum-head from Pahang. JMBRAS VII

1931. The Constitution of the Colony of the Straits Settlements and of the Federated and Unfederated Malay States. Royal Inst Int Affairs, London

1932a. A history of Johore (1673 – ca 1800AD), from Hikayat Negeri Johor (Jawi). JMBRAS 10(i)

1932b. A history of Johore (1365-1895 A.D.). J.M.B.R.A.S. 10(3):1-167; repr 1979

1932c. The Bendaharas and Temenggongs. J.M.B.R.A.S. 10(1)

1932d. The Temenggongs of Muar. J.M.B.R.A.S. 10

1932e. Mother-right among khasis and Malays. JMBRAS X(1)

1932f. The early rulers of Perak, Pahang and Acheh. JMBRAS 10(1)

1932g. Tuhfat al-Nafis a history of Riau and Johore. JMBRAS X(2)

1932h. Malaya, the Straits Settlements and the Federated and Unfederated Malay States. London

1932. Mother-right among khasis and Malays. JMBRAS X(1)

1933. Abdul Jalil Sultan of Johore 1699-1719; Abdul Jamal Temenggong and Raffles Founding of Singapore. JMBRAS 11(ii)

1934a. A history of Perak. J.M.B.R.A.S. 12

1934b. A history of Selangor. J.M.B.R.A.S. 12

1934c. History of Malaya. Luzacand Co, London

1934d. Negeri Sembilan, the history, polity and beliefs of Nine States. JMBRAS 12 pt 3

1935a. A history of Malaya. JMBRAS 13(1)

1935b. Johore Empire. JMBRAS 13(1)

1936. Notes for a history of Kedah. J.M.B.R.A.S. 14

1937. The romance of modern Johore. Asiatic Rev ns 33(July):539-44

1938a. Kedah Annals. J.M.B.R.A.S. 16

1938b. 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. J.M.B.R.A.S. 16(3):1-225

1938c. The date authorship, contents and some new MSS of the Malay romance of Alexander the Great. JMBRAS XVI 2:1-23

1939a. A history of Malay literature with a chapter on modern development by Zainal Abidin bin Ahmad. JMBRAS XVII(3)

1939b. Bibliography to ‘A History of Malay literature’. JMBRAS 17

1940a. Malay Titles. JMBRAS 18(2)

1940b. Did Pasai rule Kedah in the XIVth century? JMBRAS XVIII(2)

1941. Slab-grave and iron implements. JMBRAS vol XIX, pt 1, pp93-8

1943a. Nature in Malay literature and folk verse. JRas pp27-33

1943b. Malaysia. In Arberry, A.J. and Landau, R. (eds) Islam Today. London pp211-26

1944a. The Indian influence in the Malay world. J. R. Asiat. Soc. Great Britain and Ireland (London), pp186-7

1944b. An undescribed Malay version of the Ramayana. JRAS pp63-73

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1948b. Malay history from Chinese sources. BSOAS XIII(1):182-3

1949a. Britain and Malaya 1786-1948. Longmans London

1949b. Malaya and its History. London; republished by Hutchinson Univ Lib, 1969

1949c. The Malay Annals again, Goa and the kings of Singapore. JMBRAS 22:178-80

1949d. A panji tale from Kelantan. JMBRAS 32:53-60

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1951. Malay Proverbs. London

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*1953a. The Malay Magician. OUP, Singapore 180pp. First published 1951 by Routledge Kegan Paul, London

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1953c. An old Minangkabau legal digest from Perak. JMBRAS 26(1):1-13

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1956b. The maritime laws of Malacca. JMBRAS XXIX(3):22-59

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Winstedt, R.O. and Sturrock (eds). 1914. Hikayat Awang Sulong Merah Muda. Singapore

_____ and Blagden, C.O. 1917. A Malay Reader. Clarendon Press, Oxford

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_____ and _____ . 1961. Cerita Jenaka. Malaya Publ Hse, Singapura

_____ and _____ . 1964. Hikayat Anggun Che’ Tunggal. OUP, K Lumpur

_____ and _____ . 1965. Hikayat Malim Dewa. OUP, K Lumpur

INTERMISSION: CAN ANWAR MEMBANGKOK-MEMBENGKOK LIKE ALL THESE?

Somebody got to rewrite the Kama Sutra!

acrobatic

tigeric

giraffic

mothic

frogic












human nature
back to nature
mother nature
conserve nature
nurture nature