Gempak gempita negeri Melaka

Guruh berdentum bumi bergegar

Jaguh tersanjung bertarung nyawa
Rasuk ajal teman pendekar
- pantun from Hikayat Raja Raja
This is the story of a person whom I respect the most. His name was Tuah bin Mahmud. I
am pleased to tell the story about this towering Malay who had shaped the history of the
Melaka Sultanate and became the source of inspiration to thousands of people.
Hang Tuah was a humble Malay. An Orang Laut to be exact. Son of Hang Mahmud and
Dang Merdu Wati. Born in Bentan, his family migrated to Sungai Duyung, Melaka when
Tuah was still a toddler. He had lived through the reigns of 6 Sultans Sultan Muhammad
Shah, Raja Ibrahim, Sultan Muzaffar Shah, Sultan Mansur Shah, Sultan Alauddin Riayat
Shah and died during the reign of Sultan Mahmud Shah.
He was born in the mid 1430s. We first met him at a wedding of Jebats eldest sister
right after the coronation of Raja Kassim (Sultan Muzaffar Shah). He was older than the 7 of
us although I suspect Jebat was slightly older than him because his voice broke much
earlier than Tuah. Jebat was our group leader then. The rest of us were myself, Lekir, Lekiu,
Hassan, Hussain and Iskandar. Jebats sister had just married Bentara Hamzah Datuk
Bongkok. Hamzah was recently appointed as Bentara in the new Sultans court and we all
aspired to be just like him.
During the day, we imagined ourselves as the young Melaka heroes who would vanquish
the armies of Siam or fight the Javanese pirates singlehandedly and save Melaka from any
invaders. And at night, all 8 of us would gather at Hamzahs house and listen to his
adventures in the palace.
Through the advice of Hamzah, we were sent to Gunung Ledang to learn martial arts from
his former mentor, Sang Adiputra. We stayed there for 2 years. Hassan, Hussain and

Iskandar did not come with us as their parents moved to Inderapura (Editorial note: now
Pahang).
I remember Sang Adiputra once foretold that Jebat would have been a greater warrior than
Tuah but his own recklessness will be his downfall. Jebat was clearly a stronger warrior than
Tuah. But he was impatient at times and where Tuah lack in strength, he made it up with
tremendous agility and cunning. Thus, a stronger warrior does not mean a better one. It was
there in one of the caves in Gunung Ledang that Tuah was made our leader. Sang
Adiputra told Jebat to listen to Tuah and never doubt his actions. To Tuah, he advised him to
be sincere and serve Melaka as he sees fit. Above all, he wanted all of us to take care of
each other.
Upon our return, Melaka had a new Bendahara whom everyone had proclaimed a hero
upon his victory over the Siamese armies up north. Tun Perak was indeed a charismatic
Bendahara. He was in his 30s when he became the Bendahara. Tall and almost regal in
nature, he inherited the qualities of his late father, the old bendahara during Sultan
Muhammad Shahs reign.
When a group of orang laut ran amok in the main market near the docks, Bendahara
Tun Perak had just came out from the Syahbandars meeting hall. It was unfortunate that he
brought only 3 guards with him. Eventhough Tun Perak could easily strike down a few of
them, the overwhelming numbers of the orang laut had joined in and started to encircle the
helpless Bendahara. All five of us, not more than 16 years old, fought along beside the
Bendahara and his guards while waiting for help.
In the end, nearly 20 of the orang laut had been killed while Jebat and myself were slightly
wounded in the legs. Lekir lost his little finger in the process. Only Tuah was left
unscratched. Tun Perak was so impressed that he appointed all of us as Biduanda and we
worked as Tun Peraks special retinue from henceforth.
We were living in an exciting times as Sultan Muzaffar Shah was the first of the warrior
sultan in the dynasty. All his previous ancestors were more of a merchant than a warrior.
Melaka was in the midst of expansion and we were swept along with it. We traveled a lot
during those days. All of us even followed the younger brother of Tun Perak (Tun Perpatih
Putih) to the Forbidden City as part of an envoy to help bolster the diplomatic relations

between Melaka and China. Emperor Zheng Tong was so pleased with the eloquent speech
of Tun Perpatih Putih and the gifts by Sultan Mansur Shah that he gave one of his niece, Li
Poh to become a wife to the Sultan.
At first Princess Li Poh was not pleased and would show her sadness openly during our
voyage home. But during the journey, Jebat would use his charm and tell funny stories to
soothe her worry. We even called her Hang Li Poh just to make herself feel accepted as
one of us. In later years, her son Paduka Mimat would help Tuah in his adventures of finding
the elusive Puteri Gunung Ledang.
One of the best adventures to have been taken place was when we went to Majapahit two
years after Sultan Mansur Shah was coronated in 1459. Tuah was already a Laksamana
replacing Tun Hamzah Datuk Bongkok who was sent by the Sultan as the Governor of
Inderapura. Sultan Mansur wanted an ally to fight off the repeated threats from Siam. He
offered to marry one of King of Majapahits daughters in exchange of safe trading routes in
Selat Melaka for Majapahits vessels. Not pleased with the apparent blackmail, Raja
Girisawardhana wanted to test the strength of Melaka warriors first. If our warrior loses,
then Majapahit will not need the Sultans protection. If we win, then he will bestow his
daughter, Raden Galuh Chandera Kirana to Sultan Mansur as wife.
The next day, back from the borders of Majapahit, fresh from the rest after the battles with
neighbouring kingdoms, Taming Sari, the greatest of all Majapahit warriors, stood face to
face with our Hang Tuah in the crowded palatial courtyard. It was mid morning. The sun was
shining brightly. Tuah hated the weather in Majapahit. It was too hot, too soon. Some
say Taming Saris keris had magical properties. At first glance, it was nothing more than a
simple keris, with wooden hilt, and almost rustic looking. But the blade was gleaming
menacingly. It was longer than any common keris. It curves 7 times before it reaches the tip.
The preferred weapon in the region at the time was the golok (Editorial note: a long curvy
sword). But since both men wanted the fight to be more intimate, they opted the keris as the
weapon of choice.
Eventually, Taming Sari was slain by Tuah near twilight that same evening by his own blade.
Raja Girisawardhana was in awe with Tuahs prowess. Taming Saris keris was broken at the
hilt during the fight. The Majapahit King decreed that a new hilt of gold and pink rubies be

made. But the blood of Taming Sari that had stained upon its blade was very difficult to
disappear. It gave the blade an eery dark brown and deep red hue. It was said that the
blood of Taming Sari was the reason that gave the keris its magical powers.
The keris was presented to Laksamana Tun Tuah in a highly decorated manner; with so
much grandeur and dignity. We were so proud of him. Tuah then gave his own keris,
Pamung Sari to Jebat. Upon our return to Melaka, Jebat was promoted to the rank
Temenggung while I was promoted as Bentara Kanan. The vile Patih Kerma Wijaya came
into existence as an envoy of Majapahit and chief adviser to the new bride from thereon.
Tun Perak tolerated Patih Kerma Wijaya but we hated him. His opium smelled breath made
me nauseous sometimes.
In the 15th year of his majestys rule, Tun Tuah was sentenced to death for treason. Patih
Kerma Wijaya had skillfully wedged himself into the inner circle of the Sultan and planted
the seeds of his treachery while the 3 of us were away on duty in Riau. Upon our return,
Tuah was about to be executed in Sungai Ujung. Only Jebat managed to secretly see him
in his confinement. The rest of us had to protect the Sultan from the angry mobs that had
surrounded the palace.
I realized the minute I saw Jebats face after his rendezvous with Tuah that he will plot
vengeance. When Tuah was about to be executed by the orders of the Sultan, his last words
to Jebat was buat baik berpada pada (do a lot of good), but before he could finish the
sentence, Jebat furiously screamed at him with words - buat jahat biar kepalang! (yet
unleash a lot of evil) and then left him abruptly. Jebat had always been the brooding type.
He was more temperamental and sarcastic in nature as compared to the mild mannered
Tuah.
I disagreed with Jebats plan but chose to remain quiet. Jebat pacified the angry mob
outside the palace and met with the Sultan and his family within. The Sultan was grateful
that Jebat had understood why Tuah had to be killed. The law is the law and no one is
above it, so said the Sultan. At that juncture, Jebat grabbed Taming Sari and killed the
Sultans youngest son, Raden Kelang (son of Raden Galuh) in one swift motion. His voiced
had turned cold when he whispered menacingly to the Sultan;

Engkau yang dilaknati, minta ampun pada Tuhan! (You who are damned by God, ask for
His forgiveness!)
But before his blade touches the Sultans chest, Lekir managed to sidestep Jebat and they
both fell awkwardly. I quickly rounded up the Sultan and his family to the exit and herded
them to a safe place. By then, Jebat managed to kill a few Royal Guards. Lekir was injured
and had to be taken out of the palace. Jebat looked at me one last time before screaming;
Raja adil kita sembah, raja zalim kita sanggah! (We submit to a fair King, but we fight
against a cruel King!)
Jebat wanted Patih Kerma Wijayas blood in exchange for the palace. Most of the Sultans
concubines decided to stay with Jebat for reasons I do not know. Jebat was indeed quite
good looking and was popular with the ladies in the court. Pateh Kerma Wijaya was holed
up in Bendaharas house for a couple of weeks. Although Tun Perak despised him, he was
still a diplomatic ambassador from an allied nation.
At the end of 1473, Pateh Kerma Wijaya was killed in an ambush by Jebat two days before
the monsoon season. Running scared, the Sultan asked the 3 of us to confront Jebat.
Reluctantly, we obeyed the orders. But Jebat would not fight us or even listen to us. The
palace that he reigned supreme now was like a fortress.
One night after a full cycle of the moon, Tun Perak summoned me to his house. He was
grief strickened and wanted me to find an old hermit called Sang Rajuna Tapa. I reckoned
Tun Perak was delirious from having a high fever. Sang Rajuna Tapa was certainly no
hermit. He was the legendary Bendahara during Parameswaras rule in Temasik. How could
he still be alive? He must close to be a hundred years old by then. But in haste I did go to
Ulu Melaka.
I was shocked that Tun Perak had been hiding Sang Rajuna Tapa and Tuah in Ulu Melaka.
Sang Rajuna Tapa was indeed an old man and had disguised himself as an old imam called
Syeikh Mansur. Years ago, he was banished from Temasik and was told never to come
back. Tuah had been learning some secrets of the art from him. He looked refreshed there
in Ulu Melaka. I was overjoyed upon seeing him. But sad at the same time. Tun Perak
should have not kept this secret from us. But then again, Tun Perak and Hang Tuah were
of the same breed of warriors.

The day Tuah fought Jebat was not as what was depicted by the storytellers. Although it has
been nearly thirty years, I can still remember it vividly.
Back then, Jebat had become more bloodthirsty by the minute. He was practically ruling
Melaka with an iron grip. Traders shunned our ports and the coffers dwindled. The
Majapahit King was rumored to prepare an assault to Melaka for letting his grandson
murdered. Through Jebats extensive reach as the Temenggung, the Sultans distant
cousins from Kampar, Siak and Indragiri had been secretly communicating with his men so
that one of them can be installed as a puppet Sultan for Jebat. A number of foreign envoys
hungry for power had also started to cut a deal with Jebat. Something had to be done.
It was after the Friday prayers when Tuah reached the palatial gates. With Pamung Sari in
his hand, we and about 200 of us swarmed the locked main entrance. Tuah called on Jebat
to come out. It took him about an hour to answer Tuahs challenge. By this time, the people
of Melaka had surrounded the palace, wanting to see the duel. I estimated about 20,000
people had come to watch them fight.
Jebat was happy upon seeing Tuah. But his laughter was not only hysterical, it was tinged
with madness. Jebat then killed one of the concubines just to whet Taming Saris appetite.
Jebat offered to fight on the courtyard but Tuah declined. He said its better to fight inside
the palace so that the people will not see the death of either one of them.
Storm raged Melaka that night. We knew that a terrible duel was taken place above the
howling wind. We waited outside till the next morning. Sometimes they would rest,
sometimes Jebat would let Tuah pray undisturbed. Tuah later on told me that Jebat declined
to pray because his sins were already too great to be forgiven by God. By late afternoon, we
heard the death cries of Jebat from the inside. Tuah came rushing out. His face was
ashened while his body was covered in blood. He threw Taming Sari to me and ran towards
the parted crowd.
We went inside the palace thinking to find a dying man but lo and behold! Jebat was still
alive! But his stomach was badly wounded. He was busy wrapping the angry wound with a
piece of cloth so that his gut wouldnt spill out. Jebat was a strong warrior as ever. Seeing
his death face, Lekiu, Lekir and myself left him there attending to himself as the sight was
too much for us.

It was hard enough for Tuah to contain Jebat when he was angered and it was extremely
difficult for the Royal Guards to subdue the wounded Jebat. Nearly two hundred innocent
people died in his rampage in search of the Sultan. Finally exhausted, Jebat came over to
Tuahs house. We were there when Tuah lifted him up into one of the rooms. Jebat
managed to ask forgiveness from all of us for his treachery and for acting without our
consent. We shed a few tears then. Jebat died in Tuahs arms as the wrappings were
undone. Blood flowed freely from his mouth, nose, ears, eyes and every pores of his body.
He was just 37 at that time.
From that day onwards, Tuah became a different man. He became deeply religious. He
followed the Arab traders back to the heart of Ottoman Empire in Istanbul just to learn more
about Islam. The death of Jebat changed him. Jebat was his conscience at
times. Sometimes, his wild streak. He was more ferocious when Jebat was fighting
alongside him. The death of Jebat showed him how greatly Jebat was needed. During the
reign of Raja Hussain (Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah), Laksamana Tun Tuah had always
wanted to leave the life of the royal courts. But not until Raja Hussain was poisoned to death
in Pagoh did Tuah left in such agony. His heart broke yet again when he was unable to
prevent the death of the young Sultan.
I was made Maharaja Setia (deputy Bendahara) and Jebats only son, Khoja Hassan took
over as Orang Kaya Laksamana Melaka in 1488. Incidentally, Khoja Hassan was also
Tuahs son in law. Tun Tuah was called into service one last time during the reign of the
petulant Sultan Mahmud Shah as the head of retinue to find Puteri Gunung Ledang.
Until this day, the day I find rest at last, I am glad to have Hang Tuah as my brother. His
steadfast loyalty and unwavering stance to protect the system was like a beacon in the days
we weathered through. Tuah was given a terrible choice which he then chose as he saw it
fit. Hopefully, the new Bendahara, Tun Mutahir will find new breed of young Malay warriors
to protect what we have now against the dark days ahead.