Mat Kilau, The Legendary Malay Worrior

OUT of the many Malay warriors of Pahang who stood up against the British in the late
1880’s, only one lived to witness with his very own eyes the nation’s independence.

He was Mat Kilau, the son of local chieftain Imam Perang Rasu (aka Tok Gajah), and one of
the Malay warriors who rebelled between the 1880s and 1890s when the colonial masters
extended their rule to Pahang.

Mat Kilau’s obscurity is equally legendary. The feared warrior went into oblivion for more
than half a century as he was on the run after the British put a price on his head and
branded him a traitor to the Sultan.

At the initial stages, Mat Kilau, Datuk Bahaman, Mat Kelubi, Awang Nong, Teh Ibrahim, Haji
Mat Wahid and Mat Lela staged a formidable resistance that unnerved the British.

However, with more reinforcement and a clever ploy of accusing the group of betraying the
Sultan, the British succeeded in stopping more locals from joining the group and isolated it
from the community.

The British continued to hunt them. Records show that his father Tok Gajah who was also
involved in the resistance took refuge in Hulu Terengganu and died there, while Datuk
Bahaman and several of his followers surrendered to the Siamese rulers.

What happened to Mat Kilau then is unclear till today but he definitely went through a lot of
hardship especially when he had to move from place to place and take refuge under
different names like Mat Dahan, Mat Dadu and Mat Siam.

After being on the run for many years, he returned to Pahang and settled in Kampung Batu
5, Gambang, Kuantan, under the name of Mohamed bin Ibrahim @ Mat Siam.

Mat Kilau’s real identity only came out into the open when he himself made a declaration
after the Friday prayers at the Pulau Tawar mosque in Jerantut on Dec 26, 1969. After
months of research and investigations, the Pahang state government finally confirmed that
he was indeed Mat Kilau.

Unfortunately 10 days after the confirmation, Mat Kilau died on Aug 16, 1970, at his home
in Kampung Batu 5. He is said to have died at the age of 122 based on his estimated birth
year of 1847.

He was buried with full honours befitting a national hero at his birthplace, Kampung Masjid
Pulau Tawar, Jerantut.
His adopted son who later became his son-in-law as well, Abu Bakar Awang, 80, said that
before he revealed his real identity he was very evasive each time when asked about his
background. Mat Kilau probably feared that he was yet to be pardoned for the allegations
that he had betrayed the Sultan.

During the uprising, Pahang was under the reign of Sultan Ahmad Al-Muazam Shah.

He waited almost 12 years after independence to reveal that he was Mat Kilau as he feared
the Sultan hadn’t forgiven him,” said Abu Bakar.

One of his daughters, Aminah, 80, when met at her home in Kampung Batu 5, confirmed
that before Mat Kilau declared his actual identity, none of his children had the faintest idea
that their father known as Mat Siam was actually a warrior dreaded by the English.

Aminah is among four out of Mat Kilau’s five surviving children who have settled around
Kuantan. The others are Sabariah, Abdul Rahman, Salamah and Razali, while the eldest,
Zaleha, married to Abu Bakar, died in 1978.

Continuing the story, Abu Bakar, despite his advanced age, recalled vividly Mat Kilau’s
excitement on the run-up to the proclamation of independence.

“On that day (Aug 31, 1957), he woke up early and after the subuh (dawn) prayer he got
ready to leave for Kuantan as he was aware that the proclamation was also being held in the
states, other than at Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

“I was wondering why he was so eager to go to the state mosque field. Even though he was
more than 100 years old then, I noticed he was so excited to celebrate the historic
occasion,” he said.

Abu Bakar who is the lead instructor of Seni Silat Tapak Setia Suci, the art of self-defence he
inherited from his warrior father-in-law, remembered clearly how Mat Kilau had donned a
white round-necked T-shirt with a grey overcoat and a kain sampin wrapped over the top
part of his dark long pants. He wore shoes and his head was wrapped with a piece of cloth
known as kain cindai.

“Even I was intrigued where he got all those things and what the kain cindai signified,” he
said.

According to tradition, the kain cindai is a piece of silk cloth used by Malay warriors to wrap
around their head before getting into the ring to confront their foes.

Abu Bakar said the bizzare clothing and behaviour prompted Mat Kilau’s wife Ajrah Bakar to
reproach him, asking, “what’s wrong with you?”.

Upon getting ready, Abu Bakar and Mat Kilau left the house together and waited for the
free bus ride made available by the authorities in conjunction with the celebration.

Though the bus was packed with people, nothing could deter Mat Kilau who was obviously
impatient to get to the field.

“When we arrived at the field, we waited for the proclamation of independence. We

managed to see the parade ... there were decorated cars too and he (Mat Kilau) was visibly
exulted,” Abu Bakar recalled.

When the shouts of Merdeka began, Mat Kilau too joined in chorus.

While at the field Mat Kilau told Abu Bakar, “see, who would have thought I too will live to
see this country’s independence”.

This made Abu Bakar wonder what this man was actually trying to say.

Abu Bakar, who lived with Mat Kilau since the age of 18, noted that his father-in-law felt
contented with the opportunity to shout “Merdeka” at the field in Kuantan.

He was too feeble to go the Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur to witness the proclamation
of independence there.

Abu Bakar said the declaration of Merdeka was probably the most defining moment for the
warrior who tried to defend his race, religion and the sovereignty of his nation from
occupation by foreign powers.

Abu Bakar now hopes that some historical texts especially those describing him as someone
who betrayed the Sultan be revised.

“The English labelled Mat Kilau and his colleague Datuk Bahaman as rebels and traitors just
to hoodwink the people so that they wouldn’t support their struggle,” said Abu Bakar, who
is also the Kampung Batu 5 headman.
Mat Kilau’s grandson, Alhamadi Abu Bakar, 40, said though his grandfather did not leave
any wealth, he left a legacy and unparalleled gallantry to be inherited by the coming
generations in defending the nation from various forms of colonisation. – Bernama