The Origin of the name Teluk Sengat

Teluk[1] Sengat is a city located on the mouth of the Johor River, around 40 kilometers from Kota Tinggi, Negri Johor, Malaysia. The city is an interesting site for marine recreation. Tourists come to visit this place weekly to enjoy the beach, fishing at the harbor or on the rafts which are lined up as long as the harbor. There are also a lot of food stalls lined up facing up the sea that offer various fresh sea foods.

It is said that the name of the city was originally Kampung Johor Lama. The story goes on telling that something bad happened to the village that people changed the name to the Teluk Sengat. What did actually happen that people changed the name? Are you curious to know the answer?  The story is told through the “The Origin of Teluk Sengat”

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Once upon time, there was a wise King at Negri Johor, Malaysia. The King had a Commander whose name was Buyong, and two Patihs[2], Patih Daeng Haji Muda and Daeng Haji Putih. The two Patihs were the brave knights from Bugis, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The King also had several beautiful maids who faithfully prepared all of his needs. Azizah was the most beautiful among all. Her behavior was as beautiful as her face that the King loved her so much. The Commander, Buyong, secretly had the same feeling to her as well. He had sleepless nights for not being able to get rid of her beautiful face every time he tried to close his eyes. He sensed a great passion in his heart to let Azizah know the love he had for her.

It was a silent night when Buyong asked Azizah to meet him at the garden of the palace. He poured out his love for her in a pantun at the garden.

“Mahal harganya kain batik
Dipakai selendang ke kuala
Jika bunga boleh dipetik
Dipersunting dijunjung di kepala”

Azizah responded the Commander:

“Teruntum sedang berbunga
Retak buluh sampaian kain
Kalau untung tuan yang punya
Masakan lepas pada yang lain.”

Unexpected luck shone on Buyong. Azizah responded to his love and both committed to one another. They made a promise to be faithful to each other.

Ubur-ubur sampingan dua
Tanam melati bersusun tangkai
Satu kubur kita berdua
Kalau boleh bersusun bangkai

Being afraid that the King would find out that both loved one another, Buyong asked Azizah to leave the palace. “My love! Our lives will be threatened if the King knows we love each other. Will you come with me to leave this palace? We will find another village to live safely My Love”, asked Buyong. “I will if that‘s the best for our relationship,” answered Azizah. “We will leave this palace tomorrow evening then,” said him.

The two lovers left the palace the next evening. They used a boat to find another safe place for their love. They finally arrived at Kampung Johor Lama after two days and two nights sail. They changed their identities that people might not know who they really were. Buyong addressed himself as Sahlan while Azizah as Halimah. They bought a small house at the village and lived an ordinary life as peasants.

On the other side, the King was fuelled with anger finding out that his beloved maid had left him. He commanded his two Patihs, Daeng Haji Muda and Daeng Haji Putih, to search for them.

“I command two of you to search for the traitor who had taken Azizah from me!” commanded the King ragely.

“But where should we search for Commander Buyong Your Majesty?” asked Haji Muda.

“Search for them to every corner of this country!” shouted  him.

“We will leave now Your Majesty,” answered the two Patihs at the same time asking for the King‘s permission.

Patih Daeng Haji Muda and Daeng Haji Putih sailed in boat to search for Buyong. They stopped at every village they passed. There were no sign of Buyong and Azizah until one day they arrived at a village which was close to the beach.

They met a peasant who was just finished working at his field. “Excuse us Sir. What is the name of this village?,” asked Patih Daeng Haji Muda.

“This is Johor Lama Sirs” responded the peasant.

“Did you ever have a chance to see a couple here?” continued Daeng Haji Putih for further information.

“What are their names if I may ask, Sirs?” responded the peasant.

“The man is Buyong and the woman is Azizah,” answered Daeng Haji Putih.

“I am so sorry Sirs. I haven‘t heard anyone with those names here. But there are a man and a woman who just arrived here several days ago. The man is Sahlan and the woman is Halimah,” informed the peasant.

Curiosity came to Daeng Haji Putih listening to the peasant‘s explanation, “Hmm...they probably are Buyong and Azizah”, said him to himself.

  “Where do they live?” asked Patih Daeng Haji Putih.

“Over there”, answered the man pointing to a house.

“Thank you for the information”, said Patih Daeng Haji Putih.

The two Patihs walked to the house as soon as they left the peasant. The door was shut tightly.

“Assalamualaikum!” greeted Patih Daeng Haji Putih while knocking on the door.

 “Wa alaikumsalam!” a voice from the inside responded.

Buyong was hit by great shock as he opened the door. He saw clearly the two men whom he knew well standing in front of him.

 “Sirs! How did you manage to come here?” asked Buyong panicly.

“ Commander Buyong, we are commanded by the King to take Azizah back to the palace,” said Patih Daeng Haji Muda.

“No! You have to kill me first if you want to take her from me!” challenged Buyong.

“Be it then as you wish,” responded Patih Daeng Haji Muda.

The two daring Patihs attacked Buyong at once. The fight happened even though it seemed to be not in balanced power. Buyong tried hard to fight back the two Patihs but couldn‘t really do for having no equal power to face the two men at the same time. He found difficulties in handling the attacks from the two Patihs. Seeing a chance, Patih Daeng Haji stabbed his keris to the Commander Buyong and it cut his right waist.

Buyong screamed for pain and hardly held his blooding wound. So bad was the wound that Buyong lost his power to fight against the two Patihs. The two Patihs finally took Azizah back to the palace. Buyong could do nothing but screaming painfully.

The villagers dared to check on Buyong only as the two Patihs were gone. They tried to cure the wound but none could do anything. People would say “Teruk Sengat” (very bad) when asked about the wound.

One day after the tragic incident, a merchant from China stopped by the village. The news of Buyong‘s wound reached his ears that he hurriedly came to see the Commander in effort to cure the wound. He did all the best to handle the wound, but they all failed. Hopelessly he mumbled with his Chinese accent, “this wound is Teluk Sengat” (very bad).

The rest of the villagers imitated the Chinese merchant since then on pointing Buyong‘‘s wound as teluk sengat. It was said daily that people agrees to name the village as “Teluk Sengat”.

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The story of the origin of the name Teluk Sengat  has been explained above. It delivers moral messages to hold in daily life. One of the messages is on responsibility. This is illustrated through Patih Daeng Haji Muda and Daeng Haji Putih who searched for Buyong and Azizah as commanded by the King. This attitude is important for the Malayans as is seen in the pantun below:

Apa tanda Melayu bertuah,
Terhadap tanggung jawab tiada menyalah

Elok kayu karena berbuah
Elok buahnya rasanya sedap
Elok sedap karena bertuah
Elok tuah bertanggung jawab

(MA/ter/04-08)

Sources:

• The story was adapted from Puteh, Othman dan Aripin Said. 2004. Himpunan 366 Cerita Rakyat Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: PRIN-AD SDN. BHD.
• Anonymous. “Desaru”, (http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desaru, accessed on  25 January 2008)
• Anonymous. “Johor”, (http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor, accessed on 25 January 2008)
• Anonymous. “Telok Sengat”, (http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telok_Sengat, accessed on 25 January 2008).
• Anonymous. “Pantun Berkenalan” (http://culture.melayuonline.com/?a=UHVxL29QTS9VenVwRnRCb20%3D, accessed on 16 February 2008)
• Anonymous. “Pantun Saling Berjanji”, (http://culture.melayuonline.com/?a=b3VxL29QTS9VenVwRnRCb20%3D, accessed on16 Februari 2008)
• Effendy, Tenas. 2006. Tunjuk Ajar Melayu. Yogyakarta: Balai Kajian dan Pengembangan Budaya Melayu bekerja sama dengan AdiCita Karya Nusa

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