BRUNEI UPRISING - BEKENU KEDAYAN PERJUANGAN
"Kami Mau Merdeka"
"Kami Tak Mau Di Jajah"
On 8 December 1962 just after midnite, abt 600 villagers from Sibuti area of whom the majority were Kedayan with a few Malay converged upon Bekenu. The polis at the station surrendered without further ado. The British flag was lowered down, and in place was raised the tnku flag. The fighters worked round the clock on shifts to cover the town, making sure the town was calm. There was no rioting, no looting or violence. Every one cooperated.
On 14 December the polis, British troops and the swak rangers comprising the Malay/Kedayan/Iban descended upon the town and gunfire broke out on both sides. In the crossfire, 5 Kedayan were sacrificed, no casualties were reported on the other side.
I visited their memorial today. This memorial was built by private means only two years ago, after 48 years of saving and scrimping by one of the living survivors. Gone but not forgotten.
Penderhaka/Pemberontak or Pejuang/Nationalist, it is up to you to intepret.
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Lina Soo is a candidate for State Reform Party (STAR) for P196 Stampin, Sarawak in GE-13 and the author of popular book "Sarawak the Real Deal"
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