Mat Kilau's Re-emerge & Legacy

Since years before Mat Kilau re-emerges to the world, Mat Kilau had been regarded as traitor and had been dead long time ago that no one would have thought and believed the old man that claimed himself as Mat Kilau is actually the real Mat Kilau.

There had been news about him being dead such as from the English newspaper that published in Singapore. The Free Press had told about how Mat Kilau was defeated in Kota Bharu that he was injured on his face and head that the wound was so severe and bleed a lot which led him to death.

After Mat Kilau had seen the country and motherland that he loved had been independence, on December 26, 1969 Mat Kilau’s real identity had come out into the open when he himself made a declaration after the Friday prayers at the Pulau Tawar mosque in Jerantut, his birthplace.

Afterwards, the Pahang state government had built a group of high authority on investigating the declaration made by Mat Kilau which had shocked many people. The authority was built on January 8, 1970. There had been lots of people interviewed Mat Kilau to prove that Mat Siam, the name he used that time, is the real Mat Kilau.

Next, after months of investigations, on 10.30 am, August 6, 1970, Mat Siam was finally been confirmed as Mat Kilau by Menteri Besar Pahang, Raja Tan Sri Yahya Mohd She.

Unfortunately, 10 days after the confirmation, Mat Kilau died on August 16, 1970 at his home in Kampung Batu 5. He is said to have died at the age of 122 based on his estimated birth year 1847.

He was buried with full honours befitting a national hero at his birthplace, Kampung Masjid Pulau Tawar, Jerantut.

“His adopted son who later became his son-in-law as well, Abu Bakar Awang said that before he revealed his real identity, he was very evasive each time when asked about his background. Mat Kilau probably feared that he was yet to be pardoned for the allegations that he had betrayed the Sultan.”

“During the uprising, Pahang was under the reign of Sultan Ahmad Al-Muadzam Shah. He waited almost 12 years after independence to reveal that he was Mat Kilau as he feared the Sultan hadn’t forgiven him,” from the Star newspaper.

Mat Kilau’s grandson, Alhamdi Abu Bakar, said though his grandfather did not leave any wealth, he left a legacy and unparalled gallantry to be inherited by the coming generations in defending the nation from various forms of colonisation.

Abu Bakar, his son-in-law is the lead instructor of Seni Silat Tapak Setia Suci, the art of self-defence he inherited from his warrior father-in-law.

Sources:

1. Kumai (June 20, 2011) Pahlawan Mat Kilau. Retrieved on September 23, 2013 from blogspot.com website: mrkumai.blogspot.com
2. Sangtawal Sangkrata (December 15, 2009) Siri Pendekar Sufi: Muhammad Bin Imam Rasu @ Mat Kilau. Retrieved on September 23, 2013 from blogspot.com website: Sangtawal Sangkrata
3. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal Al-Aziz (January 11, 2009) My Real Hero!!! Pahlawan Mat Kilau. Retrieved on 23, 2013 from blogspot.com website: Nota Global: My Real Hero!!! Pahlawan Mat Kilau