The Renown of Warriors in Perak

The glorious history of the Melaka Sultanate is truly unparalleled. Melaka's fame was due to Bendahara Tun Perak, and its strength was paired with Laksamana Hang Tuah.

Let us not forget that Perak also shares a lineage with the Melaka Sultanate, and certainly, the Perak Sultanate is on par with that of Melaka. The expression that Malay children shall never betray their Sultan, and that the Malay race shall not vanish from the earth, are among the sacred words of Laksamana Hang Tuah. The film Puteri Gunung Ledang reminds us of the sovereignty of Sultan Mahmud Syah; a sovereign king will surely have his divine retribution. Such was the sovereignty of his heir, who was sent to Perak to be installed as the Sultan of Perak. "Sekongkong Tanah Minangkabau, selilit Pulau Perca, di lengkong ular Saktimuna, perpisahan Beta di Selat Melaka, jika sah beta Raja berdaulat, lepaskanlah sekalian malapetaka." This article explores the strength and reliability of those who served the Sultan in days of old. If Melaka was strengthened by the wisdom of its Bendahara and the prowess of its Laksamana, so too was the legacy of the Sultanate in the land of Perak. Agility, wisdom, fame, mastery of martial arts, invulnerability to weapons, loyalty matching the oath of Laksamana Hang Tuah, business acumen, and noble ancestry map out the greatness of the Perak Sultanate in the eyes of the world. Following the author's reasoning and research, the greatness and fame of the dignitaries, and the reliability of the warriors in standing ready to defend the Sultan's sovereignty, are beyond doubt. This article only touches upon the author's limited capacity, which holds no value compared to the services and sacrifices of the warriors and dignitaries of this sovereign state. In previous articles, orangperak has described the greatness of state dignitaries, the prowess of commanders, the intelligence of Ngah Ibrahim's descendants in driving the tin mining economy in Perak, and the oath of loyalty of the common people in realizing the expression that Malay children shall never betray their Sultan. The glory of the Perak Sultanate began with the story of Tun Saban's invulnerability to the shots of Megat Terawis's matchlock. This was followed by the wisdom and prowess of the Panglima Bukit Gantang in carrying out the Sultan's orders to defend Perak from the Siamese army, and his cleverness in the marriage story of Sultan Abdul Malik Syah's son, Raja Kecik Tengah Ahmad, to Cik Puan Busu, the daughter of the Bugis King, Daing Masah. The Perak Sultanate's greatness did not lie solely in its warriors, but also in the fame associated with Perak's wealth in tin ore, discovered by the dignitary Long Jaafar in Larut. The story of the friendship between man and

an elephant named Si Larut

.

The greatness of the story of Tun Saban and Nakhoda Kassim braving the turbulent Melaka Straits is not the end of it; the miracle of the Malay dignitaries of Perak in taming elephants seems to tell us of the greatness of the Perak Sultanate, not only at sea but also on land. Long Jaafar's wealth was inherited by his son, Ngah Ibrahim, who held the title of Orang Kaya Menteri. The enjoyment of Perak's natural wealth was sucked and scraped away by Dutch looters, and the wealth was also spied upon by the British, who intended to control tin mining in Perak. The Pangkor Treaty of 1874 became the foundation for the arrival of the first British Resident, J.W.W. Birch, in this sovereign land. Power struggles at the highest to the lowest levels became a festering wound and a sign of the decline of the Perak State Government. The struggle for the throne between Sultan Abdullah and Sultan Ismail became the turning point for British intervention in Perak. The depravity and greed of J.W.W. Birch ignited the fire of hatred among the locals against the Resident's insolence. The denial of Sultan Abdullah's and the Malay dignitaries' power to collect taxes further added to his insolence. The author does not intend to rewrite articles already published on this orangperak platform. The spirit of nationalism was already deeply embedded in the hearts of the people of Perak. The patience of the Malay race has its limits; never disturb their wives and children, never disturb their religion, and never disturb their Sultan, or disaster will befall you. The history of Perak has never forgotten the story of their struggle, starting from the palace level down to the common people. When sovereignty is challenged and defiance runs rampant, your death is surely etched in this sovereign land. Perhaps the British Resident never knew, or did not want to know, about the sovereignty of the Sultan of Perak in the past. Thus, the tragic plan to end the life of that scoundrel was triggered; it had to be realized immediately as per Sultan Abdullah's order, which became the sacred words: "Malay children shall never betray their Sultan," and the Perak River thirsted for the blood of this traitor. The author feels no need to discuss this tragic story further as it has already been documented; however, in this article, the author lists several great Perak warriors, including:

• Seri Andika Raja ( Tun Saban )
• Panglima Bukit Gantang
• Panglima Kinta
• Dato Sagor ( Sri Agar )
• Dato Maharaja Lela Tan Lela
• Panglima Hitam ( Tengku Daeng Kuning )

The author also does not exclude or deny the greatness of Perak's history, which is also supported by the stories of the sacrifices of Malay dignitaries, including Siputum, Pandak Endut, Ngah Ibrahim, Che Gondah, Laksamana Muhammad Amin, Sultan Ismail, and Panglima Perang Semaun. May Allah SWT shower blessings upon the souls of these fighters. Their deaths were not sought, let alone rewarded with medals of honor... they died in body but live on in the struggles of future generations. On another occasion, the author will try to further unravel the greatness of the struggle of the people of this sovereign state in fighting for and defending its sovereignty and glory, especially in the land of Perak Darul Ridzuan. References:

• Sejarah Perak, Buyong Adil
• The First Person to Discover Tin in Larut
• Who was Panglima Hitam in Perak History?
• List of Former Sultans of Perak