Use and Abuse of History.

UMNO’s godsend issue now is the communism of Mat Sabu. And it does not matter how imbecilic and mundane the issue is. As long as it can be used as fodder to UMNO’s aging canons. And as long as the issue can be turned into something racial. UMNO thrives and lives on such issues.

Mat Sabu, deputy President of PMIP, the Islamic party is a commie! Mat Sabu extolls communism. Mat Sabu is a commie lover. Mat Sabu loves Chin Peng, idolizes Uncle Ho because they share similar denture profile.

There can never be a more oxymoronic proposition than effectively describing Mat Sabu as the Islamic-communist. See whether UMNO’s implied consent to paint the PAS number two as an Islamic communist will go down well with the Malay ground.

Utusan’s suggested description will add a new twist to UMNO’s political lexicon- one can be godless and Muslim as the same time. Only Utusan and UMNO are capable of doing that. I am only ringing the bell- if UMNO continues on the trajectory of morbid intolerance and fails to accommodate plurality of ideas and interpretation of history, it will find itself increasingly defending a rigidified line of thinking in a forward moving liberalized world. It will become quite simply, irrelevant.

But for the moment, these concerns are not important. What is more important is for UMNO to do the bull in the china shop routine. Do as much damage as possible. The bull will go on rampaging until it is immobilized.

The issue was spearheaded by Utusan Malaysia. The political capital arose out of Mat Sabu’s speech regarding the events surrounding the attack on the police barrack and station at Bukit Kepong. Mat Sabu was assailing the wrongful treatment of one Mat Indera- a Malay urban legend of sorts, being lumped wickedly as just an ordinary terrorist.

Those who defended the police station and fortress at that time included also Malay policemen under the command of British officers. When Mat Indera attacked the station, didn’t it cross his mind, the ethnic origins of many of the defenders of the police post? In my opinion, given the ideological leanings of Mat Indera at that time, in his mind, the defenders then were just armed gendarmes of British imperialism working for the continued enslavement of a people wanting independence. To Mat Indera then, they were casualties of war.

Sometime earlier in 1915, a similar folk hero known as Tok Janggut whose real name is Haji Mat Hassan bin Panglima Munas, rose in rebellion against the unjust policies of British imperialists. After the Treaty of Bangkok 1909, the British took over the administration of Kelantan from Siam. They immediately begun massive changes in the state including those related to the collection of taxes and revenue.

The introduction of taxes was especially burdensome to the people of Kelantan. They included a per capita tax of RM1.00 per head per year, a 3 sen tax on fruit trees, a 3 sen tax on a bunch of coconuts and a 3 sen tax on beetle nut leaves.

In April 1915, the administration of Jeram, Pasir Puteh, was taken over by a Malay named Encik Latiff, who was an officer of the British administration. Encik Latif took over the authority of the local Raja and begun executing the collection of taxes with gusto. Disputes quickly arose over the imposition of taxes that led to the refusal of one Haji Mat Hassan (Tuk Janggut) to pay taxes.

Encik Latiff directed a police team led by one Malay named Sarjan Sulaiman (Che Wan) who proceeded with haste to Kampung Tok Akib to apprehend Tuk Janggut sometime in  April 1915. In the ensuing melee, Tuk Janggut stabbed Sarjan Sulaiman resulting in the latter’s death. Tuk Janggut quickly assembled his men and proceeded towards Pasir Puteh. On hearing the fearful news, Encik Latiff escaped to Kota Bharu. Retaliatory and a punitive force were quickly dispatched from Singapore to Pasir Puteh. In May 1915, the two forces clashed in Kampong Merbuk and  Kampung Pupuh.

To legitimize the punitive action, what did the British administration do? It did what became its modus operandi to isolate trouble makers- make out the trouble makers as criminals or in later years, as terrorists. The British adviser forced the Sultan of Kelantan to declare Tuk Jangut as a rebel and his actions treasonable. In the skirmishes at Kampung Pupuh, Tuk Janggut was struck by a bullet and died.

The lifeless body of Tuk Janggut was brought to Kota Bharu in an ox cart and the journey took a day. The body was later hung upside down and left for public viewing on the Padang. The body was later fired upon by Riflemen until it was cut into two. Whatever was left were then bundled up and sent by sampan to Pasir Pekan for burial.

When Tok Janggut took his rebellion to arms, many of the casualties were Malays who served as gendarmes for the British colonial administration. Do Malays condemn Tok Janggut for killing the Malay constables? They do not because they elevated the stature of Tok Janggut to a freedom fighter and the constables doing the biddings of the British are regarded as agents and running dogs of British administration.

So, why should those who defended the police station at Bukit Kepong be treated differently when Mat Indera attacked the station?

Any fatalities arising out of the attack are bound to evoke emotional responses. It’s unfair to suggest that by saying what he said Mat Sabu and those who have come out in his defense do not share in the anguish of the families of those who died gallantly defending albeit an edifice of an imperialist order. It’s also grossly unfair to suggest that Mat Sabu and his defenders make light of the bitter memories of descendants of those slain.

As usual, UMNO people will insist only they have the monopoly on empathy.

There are two sides of the coin. If we are asked to show empathy to those slain in the attack, then we must be magnanimous enough to show the same empathy to the families of Mat Indera and to the people of his village who were placed under siege and ransom by the British forces. Mustn’t we also show the same angst and disgust at the British forces for putting the villagers of Kampong Gombak Peserai literally at gun point and forcing a number of Mat Indera’s friend to collaborate in the capture and eventual execution of Mat Indera?