The Story of the Holy War (Perang Sabil) in Sungai Manik
The story of the Holy War in Sungai Manik began when a Malay communist named Mail Rudo from the Communist Headquarters in Sungai Tungku was hacked to death by a Banjar fighter named Utoh Putih at Parit 6, Pekan Rabu, in the Bendang D.O area, now known as Chenderong Balai. The communists at that time were notorious for their heartless treatment of the villagers.
The communists frequently kidnapped people they claimed were close to the Japanese or those who refused to cooperate; these victims would be murdered and their bodies thrown into the Sungai Perak. As for the death of Mail Rudo, it occurred because he had tried to force the villagers in Bendang D.O and Sungai Manik to join his struggle alongside the communists. The communist forces then began searching for the mastermind behind Mail Rudo's death. Once the killer was identified, communist soldiers armed with MK5 rifles headed to Parit 6, Pekan Rabu, and killed Utoh Putih. Utoh Putih was shot by the communists while he was sleeping in his home.
The death of Utoh Putih caused the villagers to become increasingly enraged, and their anger boiled over when the communists at the Sungai Tungku headquarters demanded that the villagers hand over several young women to be used for their own gratification. If this demand was not met within a week, Bendang D.O. and Sungai Manik would be razed to the ground.
A religious leader of Banjar descent named Patuan Guru Haji Bakri, who hailed from Batu Pahat, became the leader of the Malay and Banjar uprising to defend their dignity and rights. He successfully rallied the Banjar and Malay people around Bendang D.O and Sungai Manik to rise up against the communists. On the final day before the deadline set by the communists, these 'Sabil' (holy war) fighters launched an ambush on the communist position at their small headquarters in Bendang D.O. Nearly 30 communists were killed by the Banjar fighters, marking the beginning of a series of Holy Wars between the Malays and Banjar people against the communists around Sungai Manik. The attack on the communist position in Bendang D.O led the communists to retaliate by burning and destroying the homes and settlements of the Malay people along the Sungai Perak. Scores of Malays from Kampung Gajah and Balun Bidai requested help and joined Patuan Guru Haji Bakri's struggle. A week later, Patuan Guru Haji Bakri appointed his grandson, Acil, as the leader of the attack on the communist position in Sungai Tungku. Armed with machetes and wearing protective 'wafaq' (amulets) tied to their heads by Tuan Guru Hj Bakri, the Sabil fighters began to assault the communist troops in Sungai Tungku. The communists were prepared for the villagers' arrival, but they could not withstand the advance of the Sabil fighters, despite having superior weaponry. Dozens of communist soldiers were killed in the attack, and the communist headquarters in Sungai Tungku was successfully destroyed.
Five communist leaders managed to escape during the battle. The war continued for some time until British troops from India arrived to restore order in Bendang D.O and Sungai Manik. This war caused prolonged tension between the Malay and Chinese communities. As a result, many Chinese shops and settlements in Sungai Tungku, Chenderong Balai, and Kampung Gajah were destroyed, and most of them relocated to Chinese settlements in Teluk Anson (now known as Teluk Intan), Langkap, and Chui Chak.
