The Third Sultan of Santubong Part two
Conflict between the Malays/Ibans and the Bidayuh
Dayak Darat, Dayak Sungkong Rara and Dayak Rara Tanah Taringas, (all Bidayuh) were descendants of the same ancestors. The Dayak Darat who were staying near in Tanah Berlidah no longer wanted to live together with the Malays and Ibans. The Dayak Darat (Bidayuh) were not satisfied with the Ibans receiving positions in the rulers’ houses and in the armies. The Ibans were also hired as Lubalangs in the army of Indera Samudera Punik.
The Dayak Darat (Bidayuh) merged with Suku Dayak Sungkong Rara (Bidayuh) and headhunting was performed on the Malays and Ibans in Tanah Berlidah. The Dayak Darat and the Suku Dayak Sungkong Rara also attacked the Ibans in the area of Sari Anyan which forced the Ibans to flee to the area of Sama Enggang (Simanggang later, then Sri Aman and now Simanggang). They constructed a longhouse there near the river called Sakrang (Sakerang) (now Skrang).
The Dayak Darat and the Suku Dayak Sungkong Rara wrested the Sari Anyan area from the Ibans. The Dayak Darat and the Suku Dyak Sungkong Rara beheaded the Ibans and the Malays to show their power. There were many battles between the Ibans and the Dayak Darat and Suku Dayak Sungkong Rara. Collectively, the skirmishes were known as Nguleh Palak (headhunting).
Sultan Abdullah Muhammad declared war against the Dayak Darat and the Suku Dayak Sungkong Rara, which had merged to become one group. The major wars between the army of Ibans and Malays and the two groups of Dayak Darat and Suku Dayak Sungkong Rara had lasted for two years. Many lives were taken on both sides. The combination of Dayak Darat and Suku Dayak Sungkong Rara was successfully defeated and forced to retreat to the highlands, the jungles and mountains of Sari Anyan (now Serian) and the interior part of Bawuk (now Bau) in ~1510.
After the war between the Malays and Ibans and the Dayak Sungkong Rara and Dayak Darat had ended, there were still small skirmishes between Dayak Sungkong Rara (Bidayuh) and Dayak Darat (Bidayuh) against Iban settlements. The Ibans fought back. In the beginning, the Ibans were never involved in headhunting and the keeping of the enemy’s head as a trophy. From these skirmishes and battles with the Bidayuh, the Ibans learned the art of head hunting kepala munsuh (the enemy heads). It became part of their culture. The raiding between Iban and Dayak Darat continued.
Many in the army and lubalang of Indera Samudera Punik were Ibans and they were allowed by the Sultan to return to their home settlements to take care of the safety of their longhouses from the Dayang Darat (Bidayuh). A considerable number of Ibans returned to defend their villages. The Sultan ordered the Malays and Ibans to help defend each other from the Dayak Darat (Bidayuh).
The Awang/Dayang Conflict
The refugees of the Awang/Dayang from Barunah (Brunei) had sought shelter in Indera Samudera Punik from the Sultan of Barunah (Brunai). They had lost much in their confrontation with Barunah(Brunei). The offspring of Awang/Dayang were from this line of descendants and they had lost the path to power. Some were forced to work in the Astana of Barunah(Brunei). They rebelled against the Sultan of Barunah but the rebellion failed. They were chased out of Barunah and into Indera Samudera Punik.
Sultan Abdullah Muhammad had given them permission for these refugees to construct a settlement up river from Salek near Mungguk Lang (now Mungguk Bukit Abun). Kampong Salak and Kampong Pasey Mas were formed. All the Awang/Dayang lived there. Some of them had requested to work as ulun (servant) in the Astana at Mungguk Maras. The Sultan let them work at the Astana. The Sultan ordered a guard post be built at the ulu Pulo Salak (upriver of Salak Island) to control the passage that led to the upriver. This was for the safety purpose of the refugees.
Problems arose between the local Malays and the Awang/ Dayang. The disagreement between the two groups was because the Awang/Dayang disrespected the Ibans. They looked down on the Ibans who had been serving in Astana for many generations. The Ibans reported the problems to the Sultan. The Sultan ordered that the Awang/Dayang not serve in the Astana, however, a small number of the Awang/Dayang were retained as servants to carry baggage on the Sultan’s travels.
The Battle for Malacca
Reports of the impending fall of Malacca and elsewhere to the Portuguese were brought by a messenger sent from the Sultan of Malacca, Sultan Mahmud, who had taken cover in Muar. The messenger was Tun Madi the son of Datok Bendahara Sri Paduka Tun Muhammad Salleh Tuan a.k.a. Bendahara Tepok the Bendara of Malacca. The messenger also brought a letter from Sultan Mahmud to Sultan Abdullah Muhammad. The letter requested help from the people of Indera Samudera Punik to defeat the Malacca invaders. The Sultan Abdullah Muhammad sent 1300 men in two boats with Tun Madi. The army of Indera Samudera Punik was led by Lubalang Semat Rotan Pengiran Sri Tuan Sulaiman Raja who was the younger brother of Pangiran Sri Tuan Abdul Hamid who was the Menteri Sri Paduka Indra Wangsa Diraja. Sultan Abdullah was determined to gather armies to help the Sultan of Malacca fight the Portuguese. While he was sailing to raise an army east of Tanjong Datok, his son Pangiran Sri Tuan Ibrahim Abdul Rahman, acted as the Sultan of Indera Samudera Punik.
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NOTE
When Ibrahim Abdul Rahman was acting Sultan, he was only ~ 30 years old. He was married to the daughter of Pengiran Sri Tuan Abdul Hamid, whose name was Pangiran Empuan Dang Mardiah. They had two sons and two daughters: Pangiran Sri Tuan Moheddin aka Baginda Mohed, Pangiran Empuan Dang Sara Adeng a.k.a Dang Akeng, Pangiran Seri Tuan Abdussalam and Pangiran Empuan Dang Amenah. His younger brother, Muhammad Daud was in Mecca.
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Upon Sultan Muhammed Abdullah’s return to Indera Punik, his son told him that the army they had sent help to the Sultan of Malacca, was destroyed and the ship was sunk in the Malacca Straits. The news was brought by the messenger of Sultan Mahmud of Malacca. Sultan Abdullah Muhammad was away in the country east of Tanjong Datok trying to raise an army. The messenger also brought back the injured soldiers from Malacca.
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NOTE
Most historians place the capture of Malacca by Alfonso de Albuquerque in 1511.
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NOTE
The use of the blowgun is used by the Dyak tribes as a hunting and fighting weapon. The Dyaks used the blowgun in an attempt to defend Melaka against the Portuguese. (Sopher 1965 p.174- 175) It is quite possible that the celates (Ibans who now live in Johore) mentioned here were Ibans sent by the Sultan.
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When Sultan Abdullah Muhammed returned to Santubong, he wanted to send more troops to fight in Malacca. He felt it was a tenet of Islam for one Muslim to help another Muslim who is in trouble. He suggested that the Malay army in Tanjong Kembang and part of the army in Kalaka to be sent to Muar to help Sultan Mahmud. His proposal was agreed to by the Ministers, however, the Ibans were not to be sent with the Malay fighting force because they were defending their longhouses against the Dayak Darat. Raids and beheadings were frequent near the longhouses.
The Sultan sent three additional ships from Kalaka and Tanjong Kembang. It was estimated the total number of soldiers was 600, which included the army of Indera Samudera Punik, and which was in Negeri Saambas under Sultan Saifuddin a.k.a. Sultan Sulaiman Abdullah. Because of the battles in Malacca and part of the Santubong troops being in Saambas, the defence of Indera Samudera Punik was stretched thin.
The Brunei Awang/Dayang
It was at about the same time that a group from the Kingdom Barunah (Brunei) led by a man called Awang Balitar had requested to temporarily dock at Santubong before they continued their journey to Riau Island. These were the Awang descendants living in Barunah (Brunei). There were only thirty- eight men. They were seen wandering around in Kampong Mungguk Maras and acting suspiciously. They were always spotted near the palace area as though they were monitoring the place. Their unusual activity was reported by the people to Pangiran Sri Tuan Ibrahim. The Awang were then chased away and forbidden to go near the palace area. The actions by Ibrahim sparked a conflict between Awang Balitar and his men and the Malay defenders. The incident was reported to the Sultan.
The Sultan, Abdullah Muhammad, offered the group a place to settle near to the other awang, close to Pasey Mas or to Pasey Salak. The newcomers were then forbidden to come near any kampung near Santubong. However, the Sultan’s offer was arrogantly rejected by Awang Balitar.
This made Pangiran Ibrahim angry and he requested the Sultan to punish Awang Balitar and his group because they were rude to the Sultan. The Sultan ordered that Awang Balitar and his followers be expelled from Santubong without delay. They were not allowed to stop at any other areas in Indera Samudera Punik. They would be killed if they were caught around Indera Punik. Awang Balitar and his men were escorted to their boats and were driven to sea. The boats used from the large ships to shore were confiscated.
The incident with Awang Balitar roused suspicion among Sultan Abdullah Muhammad and his ministers against the Awang descendants at Ulu Sungey Salak. The Sultan and his men invited the leader of the Awang group to meet with him. The leaders were Awang Sahmad and Awang Abun. When they were asked if they knew about Awang Balitar, they denied knowing him or his followers. However, there were groups of Awangs that cooperated with the Sultan of Barunah. They had betrayed the descendants of other awangs during the revolution of the Awang group against Raja of Barunah. They also said Awang Balitar was a spy from Barunah (Brunei) who was seeking the remaining Awang/Dayang who came to Punik previously.
The Assassination of Sultan Abdullah Muhammad
The Sultan had a habit of visiting the kampongs in his realm dressed in ordinary clothing to see how his people were faring. He had been carrying out these tasks since he became Sultan. A few days later, the Sultan performed his routine activities by walking to Kampong Santubong and other places with two of his lubalang. Over a few weeks, he called on the kampongs around Santubong: Kampong Pasey Pandak, Kampong Sungey Tekoyong, Kampong Pasey Putih, Kampong Mungguk Maras and Kampong Sungey Buntak.
The Sultan toured on a perahu dayong layar (a canoe with a sail) handled by two of his servants. As dawn arose and the sun came out, they travelled from the shore of Kampong Mungguk Maras and headed to Kampong Pasey Pandak. After he strolled around, he then moved on to Kampong Sungey Buntak by boat. They reached Sungey Buntak after Zohor (the second Islamic prayer of the day around noon) and they performed the Solat (prayers) at Kampong Buntak. He returned to Kampong Bukit Maras at Asar (the third prayer around four p.m.) He invited the two lubalang and the two servants to take wudhuk (cleansing before prayer) at the beach and performed the Asar Solat (prayers around 4 p.m.) at the Mungguk Maras Mosque before they continued their journey. They landed the boat near Batu Boyak. While they were taking wudhuk (cleansing themselves before prayer) they were attacked by a group of eleven people led by Awang Balitar. They had returned to Santubong a few days before. One of his men escaped from the attack and ran to Kampong Bukit Maras to call for help. Sultan Abdullah Muhammad was left with two lubalang and one of his servants. There was a clash of four against eleven. Meanwhile, news of the attack was made known to the people of Bukit Maras. Some of them rushed to the beach and some went to Bukit Maras.
During the fight, the Sultan fought very well despite of his old age and killed one of the attackers. However, during the struggle he was struck with a spear from behind. The spear went through his back into his chest. He was attacked by Awang Balitar. However, he managed fight back by kicking Awang Balitar in his private parts. Awang Balitar doubled over in pain and the Sultan quickly pulled his keris named Lok Lingkar Junjunan. With Awang Belitar’s head bowed in pain, the keris pierced his head behind the chin and came out at the back of the skull. Awang Balitar died on the spot. The Sultan leaned against the Batu Boyak (Crocodile rock) and died.
At the same time, the Kampong people came and surrounded the fighters and managed to capture three of the attackers alive. One of the attackers died because of the serious injury incurred in a fight with the lubalang. The remaining were brought to Pangiran Sri Tuan Ibrahim . The news of the killing of Sultan Abdullah had upset the people of Santubong and made them very angry. The remains of Awang Balitar together with his followers were minced and then burned by the mob. The people of the three kampongs also planned to attack the settlement of the Awang at Singai Salak but were prevented by Pangiran Ibrahim.
The Sultan’s body was brought back to be prepared according to Islamic custom. Sultan Abdul Jalil Muhammad Hafizus Salam Ibn al Marhum Sultan Abdul Jalil Jaffaruddin (The third Sultan Tengah) died on a Tuesday during Saar prayer on 20 Jumadil Waal 918 hj (3 August 1512.) He was buried at a special place near the Astana of Mungguk Maras near the foot of Mount Santubong close to a huge rock. He was interred according to Islam tradition and the culture of Indera Samudera Punik.
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NOTE
The Salasilah Raja-Raja Sambas as reported by Kratz (Kratz 1980 p.259-264) states that Raja Tengah was the son of the Sultan of Brunei and mentions he lived in Sambas and was married to the Princess of Matan. The Salasilah Melayu dan Bugis informs Raja Tengah died in Sarawak. Oral history adds that these accounts were written during the Dutch occupation and attempted to justify Sambas rule.
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