Hari ini dalam Sejarah

I was at the National Archives (Arkib Negara) this morning going through the old newspapers of 1965. It was so interesting to read the past printed on that decades old papers. As I journeyed through the heavy and few inches-thick big map-like book, I came across an old 'pantun';

Daun empelas dalam puan,

puyoh mengeram dalam padi,

sangat-lah belas hatiku tuan,

guroh menderam, hujan ta' jadi.

We cannot find that kind of style of writing now with ' o' commonly used than 'u' in such words of guroh, puyoh and ta' instead of tak. In addition, the words used can be perplexing . Even though I might know the meaning of the word 'daun empelas' - daun mempelas, the word 'puan' keep me guessing. It could be a container or some thing.

As I leafed through, one particular news caught my attention. from the date shown, it was during the height of the "Ganyang Malaysia" campaign or Konfrontasi 1963-1966 by the late Sukarno.

6 terbunoh dalam nahas helikopter di-Sarawak

Kuching, Juma'at:

Sa-buah kapal terbang helikopter Angkatan Laut dari 845 Squadron telah terjatuh semalam dalam kawasan Nanga Gaat di Bahagian Ketiga Sarawak, menurut seorang juru chakap tentera keselamatan hari ini.

Katanya, 6 orang askar tentera keselamatan telah terbunoh sedangkan pemandu kapal terbang itu chedera parah. Orang2 yang terbunoh dalam kemalangan helikopter itu ia-lah:

Corporal Hashim bin Nel, Lance Corporal Mihat Hamid, Perajurit Ahmad Itam Budiman, Perajurit Zainal Yusof, Perajurit Ramli Mohamed dan Perajurit Abdul Hamid Mohamed. Mayat2 mereka telah di-bawa pulang untok dikebumikan setelah kaum keluarga mereka diberitahu tentang kemalangan itu.

Sumber: (Berita Harian 6/3/1965)

the news was short and concise. It never tells more about the people who perished in the crash. It never tells that they were all from 6th Battalion, Royal Malay Regiment stationed in a forward operation base,over 100 miles along Rejang River from Sibu. And it never tells why Perajurit (Private) Abdul Hamid bin Mohamed took that fateful flight. It never tells that he wasn't supposed to be in that flight but somehow managed to hop in last minutes replacing his friend. It never tells that he was bound for home just to get married to his sweetheart. So he died and buried at the Tanah Perkuburan Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. His grave is located at the far side of the cemetery and not far from P Ramlee's grave. Just walk straight along the pavement leading towards the small gate at the near end. His grave is just near-by.

His sweetheart eventually proceeded with the wedding ceremony with his coffin. It was in the newspaper with the headline, " Bersanding dengan keranda". (She after that remarried and gave births to several child. She soon divorced and passed away due to cancer in the mid 1980s.)

You might be wondering how I know so much about this unlucky chap. Well, he's my uncle.