Thursday 3 July 2008

A Tragic End...for DS

I give up. I was hoping that Dang Sarat and her dalliance with a leader of a state and her hocus pocus would lure more readers to my blog. But I was wrong – I simply can’t compete with other blogs with more explosive issues and more revealing ends (pun certainly intended).

So it is DS as I refer to Dang Sarat in my work versus SD. And I can’t win, Even as I am typing this, another sms came in about another explosive and damning revelation. DS, about more than a century old can’t afford to compete with real time stories.

But on reflection, and I am not saying that whatever is flying around in the blogs and media; accusations and counter accusations, are true, but there are certain things which I realise, never changed.

In most scandals, there’s always the femme fatale, the monstrous feminine lurking somewhere to make an appearance. And in the case of Syair DS it is the eponymous character herself.

DS was actually an ex-employee of a Singapore ruler. ( Am not drawing any parallels here!) She was in fact recommended to work for the Sultan because of her obvious skills and abilities in certain areas, but she took it upon herself to do more than that. She wanted to get closer to the Sultan. And this, as I had mentioned before, was through the use of hocus pocus.

The dalliance between employer and employee went on for quite sometime under the very eyes of the officials and of course the wife. Now, tell me, which wife could tahan the frolickings right under her nose? The wife here, who happened to be the Queen of Patani, had been so patient and even allowed the establishment of another residence for the other woman. While her own maids smirked and laughed openly at DS’s antics, the Queen, or sometimes known as the Peracau, merely turned away when she saw the other woman with the ugly oversized chastity belt, who at times, demanded her husband to piggyback her. What an ugly sight! But one day, she couldn’t stand it no more and gave these orders:

Menengar sembah segala menteri - wajah bertambah manis berseri
lalu bertitah raja pis[t]ari - ‘Memanda bendahara pergilah sendiri
Dengan segera suruh dikerjakan - Dang Sarat itu PACAK SULAKAN. (OUCH!!!!).

[When [she] heard what the ministers said, - her face became increasingly sweet and shining
then the illustrious Queen said: - 'Please Prime Minister go
and order that the following be done immediately: - Dang Sarat [must] be IMPALED.

And she said all these with a smile!
Many commenters wanted to know what happened to DS – and I can reveal now that her once pride and joy was cut, she was sula’ed – impaled with a rod pushed through her end – a tragic end one might say.
The Sultan then sailed back to his state, with the oversized chastity belt and DS’s hair hanging from the masthead of his boat.

There – I will put DS to rest – for now.

PS - femme fatales come in many different forms. And so do tragic ends.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

a'kum kak teh...

i'm sure if dang sarat is in the BM syllabus for SPM, the students are going to open their eyes really wide. it is almost a reflection of what's happening nowadays... :)u

Anonymous said...

Kakteh, serabut kepala baca berita basi/sensasi ! Will make sure I have enough migrane medication for my trip home next week.

klmuk

Kak Teh said...

1bloghopper, Dang sarat in the syllabus? hmmmm, i doubt it in the present climate - imagine the exam question: Compare and contrast..bla bla bla...

klmuk, kemanakah di kau menghilang? dan sekarang nak balik masia cuti? Syoknya. Yes, do take lots of migrane tablets, You will need it, Dari jauh kita baca pun dah fening! Have a good trip and can i say something? I miss you and i miss the chit chats.

Pak Tuo said...

Kehadapan Kekanda Teh,

Secebis ukilan orang-orang terdahulu untuk renungan.

“ Adalah suatu hairan lagi tercengang aku sebab melihat dan memikirkan hal orang melayu ini belum sedar akan dirinya, dia tinggal dalam bodohnya itu oleh sebab ia tiada mahu menaruh tempat belajar bahasanya, maka mustahil pada akal adakah orang yang tiada belajar itu boleh menjadi pandai dengan sendirinya. Bukankah segala bangsa di dunia ini masing-masing ada belajar bahasanya?.”

-Abdullah Munshi

"Bak kata pepatah Cina “busuknya seekor ikan bermula dari kepalanya”, inilah senario yang kita hadapi dimana pada masa yang sama kita sibuk melaungkan dan mempromosikan penggunaan bahasa Melayu dikalangan pengamal undang-undang tetapi dipihak Badan Kehakiman pula masih ada hakim-hakim yang tidak yakin dengan kemampuan, kekayaan serta keindahan bahasa Melayu sehinggakan ada yang enggan bertutur bahasa Melayu semasa prosiding apatah lagi mengkaryakan penghakiman mereka dalam bahasa Melayu. Malah, kadang-kadang pepatah atau perumpamaan Inggeris yang di sebut dalam penghakiman mereka amat tidak difahami oleh masyarakat tempatan".

UCAPAN YAA KETUA HAKIM NEGARA
BAGIPERASMIAN PERTANDINGAN DEBAT DAN MAJLIS PENYAMPAIAN HADIAH PERTANDINGAN MENULIS MAKALAH UNDANG-UNDANG 2005
ANJURAN JAWATANKUASA BAHASA MELAYU, MAJLIS PEGUAM DENGAN KERJASAMA DEWAN BAHASA DAN PUSTAKA SERTA INSTITUT TERJEMAHAN NEGARA MALAYSIA

Terus mantapkan Kekanda ku.

Wassalam.

Kak Teh said...

salam Pak Tuo, that is interesting. Isnt that excerpt from Sepuluh Kebodohan Orang-orang melayu? I think I have seen the book at the British Library - memang Abdullah Munsyi banyak memperkatakan tentang kebodohan orang2 melayu. salah satunya ialah kerelaan orang2 melayu memberi setiap naskah asal buku melayu kepada raffles. Hasilnya, banyak hukayat2 kita yang dibawa balik oleh raffles dan kini tersimpan di Roal Asiatic society di London. Kita tak ada dan kalau nak buat penyelidikan terpaksa datang ke sini.

Anonymous said...

Creepy parallels, Kak Teh, very creepy... Today's climate? Everything's so uncertain, perhaps a little re-reading of past literature would not be amiss. Wonder how many of us could learn the lesson though...

OOD said...

sepanjang zaman, woman must not be scorned esp by another.

OOD said...

and kak teh,
tell lah the whole story, esp how the sorry affair affects patani and johor.

Kak Teh said...

Kenny dear, the sorry state of affairs is that not many people are taking traditional (malay )literature. -eople are more interested in law, accounting, IT - etc. at the recent conference - that;s obvious - number taking trad. malat lit dwindling! sad.
parallels? hmmmm...
the story lines are the same not matter what century the stage is set - only how the play is being executed. don't you think?

Kak Teh said...

Ood, dear ood, oh no woman cannot be scorned by another - tengoklah padahnya.

as for the whole story - well, me thinks (and also the opinion of my seefoo) the syair was very much anti johore. Must have been written by someone not from johore but ally of patani. Johore sultan sailed back with his tail between his legs.
The fleet of ships that took him to Patani to be married to the queen of Patani was decorated and described to be in full ceremony - this in contrast to his return voyage - flag mast carried the chastity belt and hair cut from his mistress.

anyway, wait for my publication laaaaa.

Nazrah Leopolis said...

and so we thought that in this day and age, we would not hear of pacak sula.

adoi! cuma kali ni, besar manakah caping emasnya? oooh, tak berani nak imagine!

Tunku Halim said...

Kak Teh - Perhaps this might be a seed for a novel? The story is certainly most riveting. The human condition is the same, no matter what century the story is from.

Kak Teh said...

nazrah, the caping is no only big but heavy!! made of gold lagi. I too cant imagine it. But it sort of symbolises the ugliness of the whole thing.


Tunku, yes, i reckon. You are always so encouraging.

Anonymous said...

Komen Pak Malim, kucing ray yang alim.

Kak Teh,

DS kena sula? kata kucing ray yang kurang gula. Saya berasa amat terkejut, kata Pak Malim sambil meminum sup bunjut.

Kak Teh said...

DS disula? tanya pak malim,
begitulah nasib orang yang zalim.

sekarang tak ada lagi yang boleh terkejut,
macam-macam drama tak larat nak ikut.

Pak Tuo said...

Bila tanya Pak Malim
Makan sup malam-malam
Bla kena kemut
Baru nak tengadah

Main ikut-ikut
pergi ramai-ramai
isteri tak disambut
kera dihutan disusukan

Busut-busut semut
sarang rama-rama
kenal hati semut
hati gajah dipandang hina

Kak Teh said...

pak tuo,
tak tau pulak macam mana nak jawab yang ini.

Anonymous said...

Kak Teh,

Bila dibaca-baca kisah ni. Mendalam maksudnya. Memang kisah seperti ni takkan basi, setiap era akan ada kisah sebegini.

Bila nak publish? hehehhe

~arena

ketam said...

Harap semua rakyat Malaysia dapat komen berkenaan perkara berikut. Kenapa Pengakuan Sumpah RAJA PETRA DAN BALA yang terang-terang adalah daripada “hearsay” atau dengar daripada pihak ketiga atau khabar angin MENJADI BUALAN dan PEKIKAN semua orang TERUTAMANYA PARA PENYOKONG ANWAR IBRAHIM yang kononnya betul tetapi PENGAKUAN SUMPAH oleh BEKAS TIMBALAN GABENOR BANK NEGARA yang dibuatnya sendiri atas apa yang dia lakukan sendiri TIDAK DIAMBIL BERAT?

Pengakuan sumpah yang mana benar? dari yang dengar orang kata ke atau dari org yang melakukan??

Rakyat masih tertunggu-tunggu dan tertanya-tanya apa sudah jadi dengan lapuran siasatan BPR tentang pengakuan bersumpah bekas Penolong Gabenor Bank Negara, Datuk Abdul Murad Khalid berhubung dakwaan bahawa Anwar Ibrahim mengawal berpuluh akaun induk berjumlah berbilion ringgit semasa menjadi Menteri Kewangan. Jika dilihat kepada isi pengakuan bersumpah itu, ianya bukanlah mudah untuk direka-reka.

Didalam akuannya, Abdul Murad turut menyatakan nama beberapa individu yang mempunyai kaitan dengan urusan dana berkenaan. Sebagaimana yang dinyatakan didalam akuan bersumpahnya, beliau menyelesaikan masalah individu tertentu setelah mendapat arahan Anwar menggunakan dana berkenaan. Risiko pendedahan Abdul Murad adalah besar jika beliau sendiri mereka-reka dakwaan berkenaan. Dakwaan Abdul Murad mungkin boleh dianggap berasas manakala penafian individu terbabit pula tidak boleh diketepikan begitu saja. Hanya penyiasatan rapi sahaja yang dapat menentukan segala-galanya.

Begitu juga, disebabkan kedudukan Abdul Murad di Bank Negara Malaysia sebelum ini begitu penting dan beratnya dakwaan yang dibuatnya itu, BPR tidak boleh menunggu masa yang terlalu lama untuk menjalankan siasatan. Tambahan pula, maklumat yang diberikannya itu adalah dalam bentuk akuan bersumpah. Sebagaimana dijelaskan oleh Ketua Pengarah BPR pada masa itu, Datuk Ahmad Zaki Husin, hampir setiap perenggan dalam akuan bersumpah itu adalah maklumat mengenai rasuah. Dalam sesuatu akuan bersumpah, setiap dakwaan perlu dibuat dengan rasa penuh tanggungjawab. Oleh itu, pengakuannya itu perlu ditangani segera.

Berhubung dakwaan Abdul Murad itu, BPR sudah pun membuat laporan polis dan dengan ini, siasatan dianggap sudah bermula. Abdul Murad pastinya orang pertama yang akan mempertahankan pengakuannya. Pengakuannya akan lebih jelas jika beliau dapat mengemukakan bukti, umpamanya segala dokumen berhubung urusan dengan bank terbabit. Mereka yang disabitkan dengan tuduhan itu juga seharusnya memberi kerjasama untuk memudahkan tugas BPR.

Satu perkara yang agak jelas Abdul Murad dan Anwar mempunyai hubungan yang rapat, sekurang-kurangnya ketika Anwar menjadi Menteri Kewangan yang sering berurusan dengan Bank Negara di mana Abdul Murad bertugas. Abdul Murad sudah pun menyatakan beliau diperalatkan. Apa pun, rakyat seharusnya menunggu keputusan siasatan tanpa perlu membuat andaian sendiri.

Yang menjadi persoalan sekarang mengapa kes ini sepi membisu. Mengapa tiada kedengaran susulan cerita mengenainya. Adakah kes ini sudah ditutup atau masih lagi didalam siasatan polis dan BPR? Rakyat ingin mengetahui tentang hasil siasatan kes tersebut. Anwar Ibrahim memang bijak dalam mencari kesalahan orang lain tetapi pada masa yang sama beliau sendiri yang melakukannya. Adakah Anwar Ibrahim terlalu suci dan bersih dan tiada cacat dan cela. Adakah satu lagi Suruhanjaya perlu ditubuhkan untuk menyiasat kes Anwar Ibrahim ini?

Kenapa Majlis Peguam tidak memperjuangkan Pengakuan Bekas Timbalan Gabenaor Bank Negara itu??

chinta said...

a very tragic end...I have to read both entries twice sbb tak paham sgt...not really good in malay classic ler....heheh

Unknown said...

Hello K Teh,

Well the way I look at it, only time has moved BUT not the mentality.

Funny, I feel we are still di 'zaman purba' in many aspects kan?

So much real life entertainment currently. I just wished they would just remain in the movies as it is affecting us commoners in quite a negative way economically now. Hmm...

You keep well.

Kak Teh said...

arena, bila nak publish? soalan cepumas yang memang tak terjawab. Insyaallah saja yang kak teh mampu ucapkan. Keep well.

cinta, kak teh pun mula minta cerita-cerita klasik ini baru saja. Tapi semakin banyak membaca semakin suka menghayatinya.

ruby - how true. I despair that we have gone to this level. It used to be something we read about other people, other people's country and leaders. and now the drama is being played out right before our eyes by our own people who are supposed to lead us - by example!

Anonymous said...

Salam Kak Teh

Laaaaaamaaaaanya tak kacau KT. Seronok bila kawan-kawan menyingkap sejarah silam. Memang sarat dengan pengajaran, dan banyak lagi yang perlu dipelajari. Tak faham lah pacak sulakan, peracau, chastity belt ....

KT dah baca Nordin Hussin's Trade and Society in the Straits of Melaka: Dutch Melaka and English Penang 1780:1830?

Era sebelum Dang Sarat, kan? Ada juga catatan tentang Trengganu di waktu peralihan abad ke 19.

Sayang saya kepada Penang semakin menebal setelah membaca beberapa bab dalam Trade and Society. Untuk pengetahuan KT, penulis buku Trade and Society pernah belajar di UEA sekitar pertengahan 1980an.

Akhir sekali, semoga Zuraina Majid dan pasukannya berjaya menobat Melaka dan Penang sebagai World Heritage Sites.

aMiR

Anonymous said...

Yes both charming cities are now in UNESCO's World Heritage List. Syabas to the formidable team. You make us proud again. I wish we can gostan the clock. Things might be different if we applied the same winning formula - assemble a formidable team - for Pedro Branca. Sayang seribu kali sayang ..., kan?
aMiR

Kaktiny said...

Kisah Dang Sarat.. perempuan juga yang musnahkan perempuan kan kakteh kan.. 9tak kiralah sapa mula sapa end up..)

best betul baca kisah2 sastera ni.. (teringat zaman amik sastera tingkatan 6 dulu.. exam class sentiasa score A...heheheh.. mmg minat sesangat..)

Kak Teh said...

aMiR - yes, I realised that you dah lama menghilang. No, I have not read Nordin Hussein's piece - would love to. It is certainly around the era of Dang Sarat - tell me more.

About the two cities - yes read abt that too! and I think we've said goodbye to Pedro Branca.

Kaktiny, yes, its an impt element this women vs women theme - what to do - rempah rampai hidup.

Anonymous said...

Kak Teh
Have you stumbled upon these:

Zaman-zaman tekukur mati,
Mati di bawah terung perat,
Zaman-zaman raja Johor mari,
Mari membunuh Dang Sirat.

Dari Pattani ke tanjung Kandis.
Ditiup angin Selat daya.
Dari mula ia manis.
Rupa Sultan kena perdaya.

extracted from a working paper presented at the Inaugurual Kongres Kebudayaan Melayu (held in Melaka, Dec 1982)

aMiR

Kak Teh said...

aMiR- thanks!!! I have no idea that there's something about this. Most probably this is from Hikayat Patani as there is a reference, in fact a small chapter on the Dang Sirat Episod in Hkt Patani.

Thanks.