New Location of Tun Saban's Tomb in Lawin, Gerik
The name Tun Saban is often heard in the history of Perak's establishment as a sovereign state since the reign of the first Sultan of Perak, the late Sultan Muzaffar Shah, the second son of the last Sultan of Melaka.
The story of Tun Saban cannot be separated from the early history of the Hulu Perak district. According to the writings of Abdul Halim Nasir, Tun Saban was a well-known and respected Malay leader, even considered a hero by the Malay people of Perak, especially in the Hulu Perak district. There are various versions of the story and history regarding Tun Saban, both oral and written, which have been passed down from one generation to the next. Broadly speaking, the story of Tun Saban concerns his voyage to Kampar to meet Sultan Mahmud Shah (the last Sultan of Melaka) to request one of his sons to be installed as the Sultan of Perak.
Tun Saban is also said to be the son of Tun Perak (the Bendahara of Melaka). After Melaka was captured by the Portuguese, Tun Saban fled to several places, namely Bentan, Kampar, Patani, and later to Hulu Perak before the arrival of the first Sultan of Perak to the state.
According to records in a book written by N.A. Halim, the original location of Tun Saban's tomb was actually situated in the forest, about 19.2km north of Kuala Kenering, on a hill on the left bank of the upstream Perak River known as Bukit Changkat Merah.
It proved quite difficult to visit the tomb due to safety factors such as communist insurgent threats, wild animal disturbances, and other factors. The actual tomb of Tun Saban was later relocated to Lawin before the Bukit Changkat Merah area was submerged due to the construction of the Kenering Dam.
Today, the new location of Tun Saban's tomb is situated on the grounds of Sekolah Agama Rakyat al-Falahiah, Lawin. There is also another tomb in the vicinity of Tun Saban's tomb, which is believed to belong to Tun Saban's daughter.
Image credits and narrative adapted from:
- Raja Adley Paris
