Malaysian's Warrior...Mat Kilau in Memory: INVESTIGATION OF HIS CLAIM

In 1969 December, God has moved the hearts of the Mat Kilau on it holding a self-introduction kad K/P 2044778 and named Mohamad bin Ibrahim, who introduced the really himself. To deflect him from being crowded, then Mat Kilau agreed to announce himself at his village. On the effort Omar bin Mat Kilau, Mat Kilau then taken to his native village namely Kampung Masjid, Pulau Tawar. On a Friday Disember 26, 1969, Mat Kilau had gone to the mosque in Kampung Masjid for Friday prayers.

After the prayer, Mat Kilau has recite al-Quran and later announced himself as Mat Kilau. As news reports proliferated on the emergence of this legendary warrior, the Pahang State Government subsequently formed a special Committee on the 8th of January 1970, to check the veracity and authenticity of his claim. Some people was interviewed Mat Kilau and they confirmed that the person was a real Mat Kilau. Once they approved it on Thursday morning at 10:30, 6 Ogos 1970, Mat Kilau was declared by Chief Minister of Pahang.

Counter-checks were made on his history and stories of his plights and ventures were corroborated and other evidences submitted before the Committee made the final decision.

His smooth and correct answers to the Committee’s deep queries on historical matters and made without hesitation, plus his mannerism and conduct and comfortable use of uncommon palace language during his meeting with the Sultan of Pahang, were substantial proofs of his genuine claim.

Physically, the big mole on his right cheek, a long mole below the left shoulder and visible, old bullet scars on his shoulders and body, plus an additional flesh on the small toe of his foot, tallied with his old identity and history.

He also has a special short stick with the hilt of a carved head of a bird. And it was said that he actually only use the stick and sometimes a sharp bamboo ("buluh runcing") when fighting or going to battle with the British. (The stick or sharp bamboo he used as a weapon is actually the "sulur bertam", a cane –like plant that grows high on the mountains in Pahang. The sulur bertam is dangerous to humans, and it may cause paralysis when one is hit by the cane. It is said that another legendary Malay warrior, the Orang Kaya Semantan, Datuk Bahaman, also used this sulur bertam as his weapon.)