The Origin of Name Jementah

Jementah is the name of bandar[1], located about 21 km West of Bandar Segamat, Johor, Malaysia. It is the third largest bandar in Negeri Johor after Bandar Segamat and Bandar Labis. It is noted that on October 25^th 1879 A.D., a civil war, called Jementah War, broke out in Bandar Jementah. This war constitutes the first civil war ever happened in the region.

Besides the historical event, a miraculous happening had ever taken place in Bandar Jementah. Some people narrated, Bandar Jementah was once a forest land area covered by dense trees, mostly the dedap trees[2]. The local inhabitants called the forest as Jementah. What happened in the land, so that the people named it as Jementah? Do you still want to know the real story? Follow the complete story in the folktale below Asal Mula Nama Jementah (The Origin of Name “Jementah”)!

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Once upon a time, in the region of Bandar Segamat, Johor, Malaysia, there was a vast land covered by thick forest and dense bushes. The local people believed that the land was full of treasure-trove, which was very valuable and could make people rich. It was told across generation that the oceans of gold were buried in the land. No one knew where the exact location of such treasure. Some said that the gold were beneath the land, while others believed those were spread amongst the trees. A group of people decided to reveal the secret of treasure. Since there was no single person had ever passed through the forest, the people conducted a discussion on whereabouts the treasure. At the end of meeting, those people agreed to go along the forest, chopping down all tress they found, and clearing the area.

With an ample supply of food and gadget for cutting the trees, they altogether went to the forest and started searching for the gold. Arriving at the location, with the axes and knives, they cut down the trees and prune the bushes. After a long day of work, they had chopped down lot of trees, making them very happy as they imagined to would find soon the trove treasures. When the night came, those people stopped working, searching for a right place for resting. Then they started building tents for resting.

The day dawned, the people woke up one by one. But, soon after they opened their eyes, they couldn‘t believe what they saw. All the chopped trees were in the intact shape as if they had never been touched. The location became a dense forest like it was. Their hard work came to nought.

”It is very strange and unbelievable. It doesn‘t make any sense. How can the trees that we had cut back to its original shape, no scratch, no marks, ” a villager asked the other, knitting his forehead. Some of them shook their heads, showing that this was an amazing phenomenon.

They never thought that the trees would recover and such miraculous happening would take place. ”Calm down.....calm down..!!! Don‘t be desperate! We should keep trying and searching. Everyone who attends here wants to be a rich man. So there is nothing can make us move backward. It is our destiny to be the rich men,” said one of them, keeping their spirits up.  

”That‘s right,” said one of the villagers in clear voice, justifying what the other had said. ”We are not allowed to be in despair. A goal needs sacrifice. We should do like what we did before, to cut down those trees before us,” added the man.

With plenty of indomitable spirit, the villagers started walking through the forest, chopping down the trees they met. From the early morning to the dark night, they worked together as if they would never stop working. Feeling tired, they felt asleep in the tents they built. 

Amazing....... The next day, the same extraordinary phenomenon happened for the second time. They were completely confused of what the saw before their eyes. However, they had never been in despair and lost hope. Some of them lifted the group spirit, encouraging them to keep working, cutting down the trees. In the next day, the same thing happened. 

The miraculous event happened and happened as they tried to chop down the trees. The people of neighboring village, who passed by the location, always asked the same question to them, ”Why do all of you still cut the same tree in the same location?”. Some of them asked, ”When will you finish the job?”

”Jemu[3]..., jemu..., jemu...,” answered the villagers who worked, while shaking his head.

Another people asked, ”When will finish clearing this land?”

”Entah[4]..., entah..., entah...,” they answered.

The same thing happened every day. Every time they were asked about when would they finish the job, the same answer delivered: ”Jemu, entah, jemu, entah.” As the words were repeated all the time, the location where the people chopped down the trees was named so, Jementah. This name was derived from the combination of ”jemu” and ”entah”.

Few days later, a very brave man from Sumatra called Pawang Ketot and his wife passed by the location. Hearing such miraculous phenomenon, Pawang Ketot gleaned from all information that a bad spirit had stayed in the jungle. Thus he offered the villagers his service to cut down all trees in the jungle. The head village agreed with his offer. Then, Pawang Ketot and his wife built a small tent nearby the forest. On a midnight, he burned incenses and spelt some mantras, trying to chase away the bad spirits living in the jungle.

Since then, the strange phenomenon had never occurred, thus the villagers were able to cut down the trees and bushes in the location. All were happy after discovering the gold they looked for. The gold was spread around the trees. ”This is the good thing about never surrender,” said one of them. The villagers decided to settle in the new area and agreed to name the location as Jementah.

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As such is the story of Asal Mula Nama Jementah from Negeri Johor, Malaysia. This story, besides narrates the history of name Jementah, conveys an important message that can be used as daily guide. One of the moral values is the hard work and never lose hope. This attitude is shown by the villagers who kept working despite the challenges they faced. They never been tired of trying to cut down the trees which they believed hide the trove treasures. This is an exemplary behavior of Malay live. This is always stated in the Tunjuk Ajar Melayu (Malay Guides) below:  

It is stated in Malay expression:

apa tanda Melayu jati,
bekerja tekun tiada menyalah

(What is the character of being Malay. Never give up and keep working)

A Malay poem said:

wahai ananda cahaya mata,
rajin dan tekun dalam bekerja
penat dan letih usah dikira
supaya kelak hidupmu sejahtera

(Work hard, relieve the tiredness, your live will be happy)

(HQ/ter/114/04-08)

References:

• The content of story is adapted from Puteh, Othman and Aripin Said. 2004. Himpunan 366 Cerita Rakyat Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: PRIN-AD SDN. BHD.
• Anonymous. “Jementah”, (http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jementah), retrieved at April 1^st, 2008).
• Anonymous. “Perang Saudara Jementah”, http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perang_Saudara_Jementah), retrieved at April 1^st, 2008).
• Anonymous. “Kampung”, (http://bukittunggal.net/kampung/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=400, retrieved at April 1^st, 2008.
• Effendy, Tenas. 2006. Tunjuk Ajar Melayu. Yogyakarta: Balai Kajian dan Pengembangan Budaya Melayu in cooperation with AdiCita Karya Nusa
• Pusat Bahasa Departemen Pendidikan Nasional. 2005. Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia: Edisi Ketiga. Jakarta: Balai Pustaka.
• Safarwan, Zainal Abidin. 1995. Kamus Besar Bahasa Melayu Utusan. Kuala Lumpur: Utusan Publications & Distributors Sdn Bhd. 

Photo credit: mstar.com.my (foto Bandar Segamat)

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