Rosli Dhobi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rosli Dhobi
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| Born | 18 March 1932 Kampung Pulo, Sibu, Kingdom of Sarawak, British Empire
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| Died | 2 March 1950 (aged 17) Kuching, Crown Colony of Sarawak, British Empire
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| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Burial place | Kuching Central Prison Cemetery, Kuching (1950-1996) Masjid An-Nur, Sibu (present location) |
Rosli Dhobi (born March 18, 1932 – died March 2, 1950) was a young Sarawakian nationalist from Sibu. He was of mixed Malay and Melanau heritage. He lived during the time when Sarawak was a crown colony under British rule.
Rosli was a leader of a secret group called Rukun 13. This group was part of the anti-cession movement of Sarawak. This movement was against Sarawak becoming a British colony. Rukun 13 carried out attacks on British colonial officers in Sarawak. Rosli Dhobi became well known for his attack on Duncan George Stewart. Stewart was the second governor of colonial Sarawak in 1949.
Contents
Early life
Rosli Dhobi was born on March 18, 1932, in Kampung Pulo, Sibu. He was the second child and first son in his family. His father, Dhobi bin Buang, was a local Sibu Malay. His mother, Habibah binti Haji Lamit, came from a Sambas Malay family. Friends described Rosli as a quiet but friendly person. He had an older sister, Fatimah, and a younger brother, Ainie.
Rosli first worked for the Sarawak Public Works Department. He also worked for a newspaper called Utusan Sarawak. In 1947, he became a teacher at Sibu People's School. Rosli was known for being a nationalist and a poet. He used the nickname Lidros for his writings.
He wrote a poem called "Panggilan Mu yang Suchi" (Malay: "Your Divine Call"). This poem was about loving his country. It was published in Utusan Sarawak in February 1948. People used nicknames back then. This was because the British Colonial Authority watched out for anyone speaking against them. Rosli joined the Sibu Malay Youth Movement.
In August 1948, Rosli joined Rukun 13. An old friend, Awang Rambli, introduced him to the group. One of Rukun 13's goals was for Sarawak to join newly independent Indonesia. Many Sarawak Malays admired Sukarno, the first president of Indonesia. Some members of Rukun 13 may have supported Indonesia.
Attack on Governor Duncan George Stewart
Why it happened
After World War II, the Brooke Dynasty no longer ruled Sarawak. Rajah Vyner Brooke decided to give Sarawak to the British Crown. He believed this was best for the people. Sarawak then became a Crown Colony. It was ruled from London, with a governor sent to Sarawak.
Many people in Sarawak did not like this change. They had been told they would get to govern themselves. Anthony Brooke, who was supposed to be the next Rajah, also opposed this. He became a leader of the anti-cession movement.
The event
On December 3, 1949, Governor Duncan George Stewart was attacked in Sibu. Rosli and other Rukun 13 members were involved. Rosli and Morshidi Sidek were in the crowd welcoming the governor. The governor was meeting school children. Morshidi pretended to take photos of the governor.
When the governor stopped, Rosli attacked him. Rosli was arrested right away. He was sent to Kuching for trial and later to prison. The governor was flown to Kuching for medical help. He was then moved to Singapore, where he passed away a week later.
Death
Rosli Dhobi, Awang Ramli Amit Mohd Deli, Morshidi Sidek, and Bujang Suntong were found guilty. They were sentenced to death on December 4, 1949. Many people criticized this decision. Rosli was still a young person at the time of the attack.
Rosli was executed by hanging on March 2, 1950. This happened at the Kuching prison. The British government was worried about public anger. So, they did not let Rosli's body leave the prison. He was buried in an unmarked grave inside the prison grounds.
Sarawak later joined Malaysia on September 16, 1963. A tombstone was then placed at his grave. It was near the Islamic Heritage Museum.
Aftermath
Sarawak went through a difficult time after this. The anti-cession movement lost support. This was partly because of Rosli's strong actions. Some Malay leaders also supported the British. Most anti-cessionists were arrested and jailed. Some were sent to Changi Prison in Singapore.
Later, things returned to normal. Peace was restored under the third Governor of Sarawak, Sir Anthony Foster Abell. Those who were jailed in Changi were allowed to return to Sarawak. They continued their sentences at Kuching Central Prison.
In 1961, Tunku Abdul Rahman was the prime minister of Malaya. He was promoting the idea of forming Malaysia. He became interested in Rosli Dhobi's story. Tunku then talked with Sarawak's chief minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud. They decided to build a heroes monument near the Sarawak State Museum.
On November 29, 1990, the foundation stone for the monument was laid. Tunku and Taib Mahmud did this together. The monument honors Rosli Dhobi and other heroes. These include Datuk Merpati Jepang, Rentap, and Datuk Patinggi Ali.
In 1975, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was the minister of education. He changed the name of SMK Bandar Sibu to SMK Rosli Dhoby. This was to remember Rosli Dhobi's actions.
After 46 years, Rosli Dhobi's remains were moved. They were taken from Kuching Central Prison. On March 2, 1996, he was reburied in Sibu. This was at the Sarawak's Heroes Mausoleum, near An Nur Mosque. The Sarawak government gave him a state funeral.
In 2009, a Malaysian TV show called Warkah Terakhir ("The Final Letter") was aired. It told Rosli Dhobi's story. However, Rosli Dhobi's relative, Lucas Johnny, said the show had some mistakes. For example, the show showed Rosli trying to run away after the attack. In real life, Rosli tried to attack the governor a second time. The governor's bodyguards stopped him.
In 2012, a secret document from the British National Archives was made public. It showed that Anthony Brooke was not involved in Stewart's attack. The British government knew this at the time. But they kept it a secret. This was because the attackers wanted Sarawak to join Indonesia. The British did not want to upset Indonesia. Indonesia had just won its independence from the Netherlands. The British were also busy with the Malayan Emergency.
See also
- Anti-cession movement of Sarawak
- Rentap, an Iban warrior who fought against Brooke
- James W.W. Birch, first Perak resident who was killed by Dato Maharajalela Lela
Sources
- Adapted from Sabah dan Sarawak Menjadi Tanah Jajahan British, Sejarah Tingkatan 3 textbook
- Adapted from Pembinaan Negara Dan Bangsa Malaysia, Sejarah Tingkatan 5 textbook ISBN: 978-983-62-7883-8
