The Story of Parang Panjang vs Communists in Bekor (Part 1)
The communist attack in Kampung Bekor lasted for two days and ended on March 6, 1946, nearly ten days after the incident where Malays killed Chinese individuals. The first attack occurred on Tuesday, March 5, 1946, at approximately 10:00 AM. This group arrived from the direction of Klian, Bekor, and Kampung Pauh, consisting of a force of 100 people. It is said that this group of attackers arrived from two different routes.
As the communists made their way into the village area, they reportedly encountered resistance near the house of Abdul Rahman bin Uda Mohamad. The Parang Panjang group that morning was led by Tuan Haji Salleh bin Abdul Manan. The communist group and the Malay villagers remained in the area for nearly two hours. Although no killings occurred during the first attack on March 5, 1946, seven Chinese houses were burned down. The spirit of the Malay villagers, who refused to surrender, forced the communists to retreat back into the forest. The communists' actions that morning prompted the residents of Kampung Bekor to hold an emergency meeting at the Bekor Mosque. They decided to form a village defense force. Children, women, and the elderly were gathered in the homes of religious scholars and the village head. Some residents even slept in rice huts at night out of fear of the communists. The first attack was more of a test by the communists to gauge the strength and preparedness of the Malays in Bekor. The Malays clearly showed resistance and rejected communist propaganda. A religious scholar, Tuan Haji Salleh bin Abdul Manan, reportedly received a premonition that Kampung Bekor would be attacked again within a few days. Therefore, he encouraged them to defend their homeland. To boost the confidence of the villagers, Tuan Haji Salleh bin Abdul Manan provided the 'Ayat Empat' (Four Verses) for the Parang Panjang line of Kampung Bekor to practice. Among the villagers who received and practiced these verses were Tuan Haji Shaari bin Haji Amin, Busu Ahmad bin Haji Amin, and Tuan Haji Bashah. The number of villagers who learned and memorized these verses that night was estimated to be only seven to eight people. However, this number increased over time after a fatwa of jihad fisabilillah was issued by local scholars. On Wednesday morning, March 6, 1946, between 5:00 AM and 5:30 AM, a second, meticulously planned attack took place. The Majlis newspaper reported that the number of Chinese attackers was approximately 500, coming from the Klian district. This group arrived in two factions, and their exact origin could not be determined, as they vanished into the dense forest after the attack. The attack on March 6, 1946, was carried out early in the morning while the villagers were asleep and lacked the strength to fight back. The attack was launched simultaneously from three directions. The first group attacked from the direction of Kampung Kelang and Kampung Teruan/Bekor. The second group came from the direction of Kampung Baru, while the third group came from Kampung Kubang Udang. Every intersection and main road throughout the village was tightly controlled by the communists. Witnesses stated that this attack was carried out by Chinese vegetable farmers from the outskirts of Kampung Bekor and Manong. In that attack, there was involvement from local Chinese residents who were masters of 'kuntau' (martial arts). According to information and the experience of Tuan Haji Mohd Ali, which was relayed to Abdul Rahman bin Uda Mohd, 15 to 20 communists came to Kampung Bekor and challenged the Malays to fight. However, he was captured and tied up with rope. He suffered wounds from being stabbed with a spear but managed to break free, escape, and jump into the river to save himself. The chaotic state of the village caused several residents at the Kampung Bekor Mosque to strike the 'beduk' (drum) as an emergency signal. The drum was struck not only by the Malays but also by the communist group. The Cruel Story of the Communist Attack in Bekor (Part 1), come read the continuation of this Cruel Story of the Communist Attack in Bekor at:
