The Fate Of Matan-Tanjungpura`s Panembahan Palace At Mulia Kerta

By Rudy Handoko

The Panembahan Matan Palace at Mulia Kerta, Ketapang, is the only remaining palaces from Islamic era in West Kalimantan. From the viewpoint of its historical artefacts, the Panembahan Matan Palace was the governmental centre of the Kingdom of Matan-Tanjungpura, which was actually the descendant of the Kingdom of Tanjungpura from Hindu era. It was in Sukadana, Kayong Utara District, that the Kingdom of Tanjungpura begun its civilization along the history of Tanjungpura that lasted since 1431 to 1742, with Sukadana being its centrum.

When the Kingdom of Pontianak established as a harbour city, Sukadana was its competitor so that it had to be conquered. In 1876, war broke between Sukadana and Pontianak and Sukada had lost and ist port had to be closed. Sultan Akhmad Kamaludin moved his governmental centre to the upper river at Indra Laya (Sandai sub-district), moved again to Karta Pura, Tanah Merah (Nanga Tayap sub-district), and then down once more to Pawan River and built a centrum at Tanjungpura village (part of Ketapang District), and finally settled at Mulia Kerta since the reign of Panembahan Gusti Muhammad Sabran until its collaps at the reign of Panembahan Gusti Muhammad Saunan.

Beside the Panembahan Matan-Tanjungpura Palace, Ketapang also has some artefacts from the ancient past, namely Makam Keramat Sembilan at Tanjungpura village and Makam Keramat Tujuh at Mulia Kerta, as well as other heritages such as tombstones and remains of ancient structure at Sandai and Nanga Tayap subdistrict.

Panembahan Palace functioned as a governmental centre at the time of Panembahan Gusti Muhammad Saunan, and according to some sources, it was this last Panembahan that had designed the palace`s architecture as it can be seen now. The childless Panembahan had disappeared misteriously. Some sources mentioned that he was one of the victims when the Japanese massacred people there in 1943 (the victims were intellectuals and public figures in the West Kalimantan society, and the massacre was also called “Peristiwa Penyungkupan”). However, local legend said that the aforesaid Panembahan was safe from the massacre and had been misteriously disappered ever since.

Actually, when Matan-Tanjungpura was changed into a swapraja, this palace still functioned as a centrum and collectively administered by Majelis Swapraja which is consisted of three close relative to royal family and had “Uti” title, namely Uti Apah who had the title as Pangeran Adipati,  Uti Kencana as Pangeran Anom Laksamana, and Uti Halil as Pangeran Mangku Negara. (Source: Sejarah Ringkas Kerajaan Tanjungpura). Finally, this iconic palace for Ketapang was changed into a museum by local government.

It was hoped with the change in the palace`s status, the local government will give bigger concern for the site. All over the are of Ketapang-KKU, it is the only artefacts left from the past, since Raja Simpang Palace (Trah Tanjungpura) at Melano, Simpang Hilir-KKU subdistrict, had entirely vanished, as well as the the palace of Sukadana Baru (after the moveover from Tanjungpura), King Tengku Akil Abdul Jalil`s palace (of Siak descendant).

Moreover, the palace is a home for various belongings of many Panembahans of Matan-Tanjungpura, such as canon, including “meriam beranak”, sewing machine, various types of clothes, bedroom, weaponry and much more. If managed and promoted well, as well as functions as a centre for the development of culture and tradition, the palace will yield benefit. And it will also maintained and its central role of the guardian of Kayong Malay art and culture will be revitalized.

Architecturelly, the palace was a reflection of the richness of Kayong Malay architecture. However, it appears bleak and its walls deteriorate. I believe that this historical site`s potential as a recreational site had not been fully developed. I wonder whether the local government has any real sense to maintain and preserve or may be the local government just does not have any sense of pride to its local history. I hope that it was not so.

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Rudy Handoko is an activist at Lembaga Studi Sosial dan Demokrasi, Pontianak, West Kalimantan

Translated by An. Ismanto (terj/3/06/09)

Source: http://www.kabarindonesia.com (14 March 2009)
Photo: http://inbudpar.ketapang.go.id

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