Perak Miliki Tapak Warisan Dunia

Pengiktirafan Lembah Lenggong sebagai Tapak Warisan Dunia oleh Pertubuhan Pendidikan, Sains dan Kebudayaan Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu (UNESCO) pada 30 Jun 2012 yang lalu telah meletakkan Perak di dalam peta pelancongan bertaraf dunia. 

Sebelum ini, bandaraya Melaka dan Georgetown di Pulau Pinang telah mendapat pengiktirafan UNESCO pada tahun 2008 bagi kategori Bandar Raya Warisan Dunia. Gunung Kinabalu dan Gua Mulu juga  turut menerima pengiktirafan UNESCO sebagai Tapak Warisan Dunia sebelum ini.

Permohonan kerajaan Perak untuk menjadikan Lembah Lenggong sebagai Tapak Warisan Dunia telah bermla sejak tahun 1992lagi dan panel pemilihannya tertakluk di bawah Program Warisan Dunia Antarabangsa UNESCO yang diwakili oleh wakil daripada 21 buah negara termasuk Malaysia.

Lembah Lenggong merupakan tempat di mana penemuan awal rangka manusia pra-sejarah di Semenanjung iaitu Perak Man yang berusia 11, 000 tahun yang dijumpai pada tahun 1991. Penemuan ini telah membuktikan kewujudan penempatan awal manusia dari Zaman Paleolitik di Perak khasnya dan Malaysia amnya. Kajian arkeologi ini telah diusahakan oleh Profesor Emeritus Dato' Dr. Zuraina Majib sejak tahun 1987 dan berjalan selama 25 tahun.

Selain itu, kajian terbaru oleh Pusat Arkeologi Global Universiti Sains Malaysia telah menjumpai kesan tinggalan pra-sejarah tamadun awal manusia Zaman Paleolitik seperti kesan kawah tahi bintang (meteor) dan kesan debu letusan gunung berapi dari Danau Toba, Indonesia yang berusia lebih 1.83 juta tahun dahulu.

Paluan Akhir ingati pengorbanan pahlawan

Sultan Muhammad V berkenan memeriksa Barisan Kawalan Kehormatan Utama pada istiadat Sambutan Hari Pahlawan Tahun 2012 di Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, semalam. - UTUSAN/ZAINI HUSIN

KUALA LUMPUR 31 Julai - Tiupan sayu trompet serta begol yang mengalunkan Paluan Akhir atau istilah Inggerisnya Last Post pada istiadat Sambutan Hari Pahlawan Tahun 2012 di Dataran Merdeka di sini hari ini menimbulkan rasa sayu dalam kalangan hadirin.

Ketika ia dimainkan, Jalur Gemilang secara simboliknya diturunkan dan anggota tentera, polis serta pertahanan luar yang beruniform memberi tabik hormat sementara hadirin lain turut bangun bagi memperingati pahlawan negara yang terkorban demi mempertahankan tanah air.

Di medan perang pada zaman dahulu, Paluan Akhir dimainkan pada pukul 6.30 petang iaitu ketika anggota tentera mencari dan mengumpulkan mayat rakan terkorban serta di peringkat sejagat pula, ia dimainkan ketika pengkebumian anggota pasukan keselamatan yang terkorban ketika bertugas.

Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V yang juga Sultan Kelantan berkenan menghadiri istiadat tersebut serta melakukan pemeriksaan Barisan Kawalan Kehormatan Utama (KKU) oleh Batalion Pertama Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja.

Turut hadir pada istiadat itu ialah Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan isteri, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; Menteri Pertahanan, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi dan Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein serta isteri, Datin Seri Marsilla Tengku Abdullah.

Hadir sama Panglima Angkatan Tentera, Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd. Zin dan Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Ismail Omar serta pasangan masing-masing, pembesar negara serta duta asing.

Pada sambutan itu juga, satu persembahan pantomin diadakan bagi memaparkan kisah para pejuang dahulu menentang Jepun serta pengganas komunis dan menampilkan slot khas bagi menceritakan pengalaman tempur wira negara, Datuk Kanang Anak Langkau.

Kanang ketika ditemui selepas upacara itu tidak dapat menahan kesedihan apabila mengingati para sahabat yang terkorban sewaktu menentang komunis pada 70-an dan awal 80-an.

Justeru, katanya, beliau tidak sesekali akan dapat menerima atau memaafkan golongan yang menganggap komunis sebagai pejuang negara

The courage of Captain Raja Aman Shah

YM Captain Raja Aman Shah was the son of YAM Raja Haji Harun al-Rashid ibni Almarhum Sultan Idris Murshidul Azzam Shah, the Raja Kechil Sulong (1918-1945). He was born in 1902 and was educated at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar.

He was initially commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Perak Batallion of the Federated Malay States Volunteer Force (FMSVF) in 1929. He was also the Assistant District Officer in several districts around the Federated Malay States (FMS), including Ulu Selangor (1933-1934), Kuala Langat (1934-1936) and Jelebu (1936-1938), and was finally the District Officer for Port Dickson in 1938.

He was made Captain in the 3rd Negri Sembilan Batallion and served in World War 2 during the Japanese invasion of Malaya in 1941. When the FMS and Straits Settlement Volunteer Forces were mobilised at the beginning of the invasion, he applied to be released into military service, even though he could have remained as DO.

He and his comrades of the Volunteer Force fought bravely against the Japanese army in Johor and ultimately in Singapore in 1942. Following the fall of Singapore on February 15 1942, Capt Raja Aman Shah along with other soldiers from the Royal Malay Regiment and the British Volunteer Forces were rounded up in Farrer Park. In his book, Malay Nationalism Before Umno: The Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain, Mustapha Hussain described the selflessness of Capt Raja Aman Shah who declined an escape attempt from the Farrer Park detention camp and was willing to cover for a fellow POW from Perak if there was an investigation by the Japanese. He was also initially given a chance to be released, but declined when he was told that the release letter was for him alone. He then said that it was Allah’s will if he was to be released, and it was also Allah’s will if he and his comrades were to die together.

On February 28th 1942, he and the other POWs were marched on foot from Farrer Park to Geylang. Whilst many Malay volunteers were released to return home by the Japanese, the remaining Malay officers that remained were rounded up and brought to Bedok where all were shot at close range in trenches. The bodies of these Malay Officers, along with that of Capt Raja Aman Shah, were left where they fell, and were not accorded a formal burial.

Capt Raja Aman Shah was posthumously decorated and was commemorated on the Singapore Memorial at the Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore.

[YM Capt Raja Aman Shah Raja Harun Al Rashid was married to YAM Tunku Baharum binti Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid, daughter of the Sultan of Kedah, and one of his sons was also an officer of the Armed Forces, YM Major (R) Raja Ahmad Feisal Raja Aman Shah.]

Reference:

1. RoyalArk.net

2. Hussain M. Courageous fighting Malay men. In Malay Nationalism Before Umno: The Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain. p 9-14

3. Sheppard M. Man of valour. In MCKK Impressions (1905-2005). p 10-12

4. www.roll-of-honour.com

(Dipetik dan diubahsuai daripada SembangKuala, 31 Julai 2012)