DATO' BAHAMAN , PAHANG 'S NATIONAL WARRIOR

Abdul Rahman or best known as Dato’ Bahaman was a famous Malay warrior in Pahang during the British protectorate. He was a son of Tuanku Imam Nuh of Bangkinang and Rokiah Andul Rahman, daughter of Tok Setia Perkasa Semantan whom a Bugis descent hailing from Southern Sulawesi. Well known  as Seman among his family members and friends, he was an expert at the martial arts such as “silat”. Plus, people believed that he also can be invisible.

Dato' Bahaman

 Because of his abilities, people called him as “Seman Tahan” through which the unnamed river in vicinity was also known as “Sungai Seman Tahan”. Later, the river becomes the route in which British passing by. A rebellion then occurred due to the dissatisfaction of the Dato’ Bahaman and local leaders towards the intrusion of British over their territories.

It has been said that the hostility between Dato’ Bahaman and British had begun since 1890 but in became worse in 1891. Temerloh Colonial Officer, E.A Wise wanted to build a police station in Lubuk Terua without prior consultation of the formers which incurred the wrath of Dato’ Bahaman himself. Because of this matter, Sultan summoned Dato’ Bahaman to go to Pekan on advice of Hugh Clifford a Pahang’s Deputy Resident of British but Dato’ Bahaman refused. As the result, Sultan released a letter to dispel his position and rank as Orang Kaya Semantan.

Dato’ Bahaman made a decision to retaliate by ambushing C.E.M Desborough and his people on 1891. The attack was carried out because Dato’ Bahaman thought that C.E.M Desborough had come to capture him. Desborough’s party then escaped to Temerloh while  British officers started to prepare their armies in order to strike back at the Malay rebels. Still because of him, Pahang now has become a well known state and the largest state in Peninsula Malaysia.

References: 

http://www.necf.org.my/newsmaster.cfm?&menuid=45&parentid=144&action=view&retrieveid=707

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dato'_Bahaman