Malay Regiment

Regimen Askar Melayu Diraja (RAMD)

I have to write something on the Malay Regiment. As I was growing up, my late father reminded me to always remember and honour the Malay Regiment. That time I was just a little girl with absolutely no knowledge of war and nothing about soldiers, never mind the Malay Regiment, even my dad was not in the army. So why bother?

As I grew up, I heard and followed news about the Malay Regiment, just out of curiosity. They were always at Istana Negara and any padang parades, in white baju Melayu, kain sampin hijau and songkok, with a rifle each. There is nothing spectacular I can recall from my 53 years of living, till I read this website today: Malay Regiment

Now I know how fierce a battle the Malay Regiment had fought, especially those soldiers of C Company (C Coy) who fought at Pasir Panjang in Singapore, the last battlefront before both Singapore and Malaya finally fell to the Japanese on 14 February 1942. C Coy was led by a brave Lt Adnan Saidi who died in action - he died a martyr and a hero, mati syahid. More on the capitulation of Singapore at Total War Center (forum)

I have goosebumps just trying to write on him. He must be so brave to stay put, knowing very well death was the only option. Please read about him and the last moments of his life and how they brutally mutilated his corpse and in the end burned him! This is the most brutal of war savagery I have ever heard. Memang dia orang kerjakan dia gila habis. Dendam kesumat!

History of the Malay Regiment and its initial set up is here: Syarak Mengata, Adat Menurut

The  Royal Malay Regiment was formed in Port Dickson on 1 March 1933.
Source: The Straits Times, 12 March 1962, page 5. "Royal Malay Regiment marks 29th birthday."
http://bit.ly/sVTtdE

Mubin Sheppard (1905-1994)

Mubin Sheppard (1905-1994)

Tan Sri Dato' Dr Haji Abdul Mubin (Mervyn) Cecil ffranck Sheppard (M.C.ff. Sheppard), PSM, JMN, PPT, CMG, MBE, OStJ, ED (1905-11 September 1994)

Tan Sri Mubin Sheppard was born on 21 June 1905 in Kent, England. 
Educated: Marlborough College, Magdalene College Cambridge (BA Hon History)
In 1927 he sat for the Malayan Civil Service (MCS) Competitive Examination in London.

Joined Malayan Civil Service (MCS) 1928.

He arrived in Malaya in 1928 and served in the Federated Malay States (FMS). He worked his entire life in Malaya till he died. He was buried at the Muslim cemetery in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

First Director of Public Relations 1946-47;
British Adviser, Negeri Sembilan 1951-56;

Head, Emergency Food Denial Organisation 1956-61;
First Keeper of Public Records 1957-61
Director of Museum, Federation of Malaya (FoM) 1958-63;
Retired 1964;
Made a Tan Sri on 31 August 1969;

TEMD Research: I noticed Mubin Sheppard had helped 2 of the early Malay doctors - Datuk Dr Haji Abbas bin Haji Alias (Perak) and Dr Mohamed Said bin Mohamed (Negeri Sembilan).

His brief CV is as follows:

1. MCS Malaya 1928-1963
2. Company Commander FMS 
3. FMS Volunteer Force (FMSVF) during the war from 1941-42
4. Prisoner of War (POW) 1942-45 
5. He retired as a Major in the FMSVF in 1945 (war ended)

Of the Japanese war and the fierce battle by the Malay Regiment at Pasir Panjang, Bukit Chandu, 31K Pepys Road, before the final capitulation of Singapore, Tan Sri Dato’ Mubin Sheppard, an ex-officer and former POW, had this to say of his friend and troop leader of C Company (C Coy), the late Lieutenant Adnan Saidi: 

"He was heavily outnumbered by the Japanese…they bombed him but he fought on fiercely and inflicted heavy losses on them…. Adnan would have never surrendered under any circumstances. He was absolutely dedicated. In fact, just before fighting, he adopted a motto for his platoon, ‘Biar putih tulang, jangan putih mata’ - death before dishonour." More on Lt Adnan Saidi and the Malay Regiment

Tan Sri Mubin Sheppard was a historian of Malay culture and heritage. He wrote many books:

1. Tunku Abdul Rahman; Father of Independence (1957–1970) 
2. Taman Budiman: Memoirs of an unorthodox civil servant
3. Singapore 150 Years. 1982. ISBN 9971-65-092-4
4. The Adventures of Hang Tuah. 1984
5. The Malay Regiment 1933-1947
6. His other books
7. Historic Malaya 
8. Malay Courtesy 
9. Mayong stories 
10. Tun Perak

Joint author: Malayan Orders and Decorations

Recreation: Historical and Cultural Research

Founder Federal Arts Council;
Vice-President Malaysian Branch, Royal Asiatic Society
Editor Malayan History Society; Trustee National Art Gallery
See: Muzium Negara

The Who's Who in Malaysia 1971-1972

entry by Ahmad Rizal b. Ali

This family photograph was taken in 1957, together with the late Tan Sri Mubin Sheppard (2nd from left), when he visited my late great grandfather, A. Bakar bin Mohd Amin (2nd from right). The late Tan Sri was a former British Adviser (BA) and my late great grandfather, worked under him as chief clerk in the Kemaman District Office, Terengganu. http://www.flickr.com/photos/the1957album/937142240/in/photostream

Sources:
Wikipedia
SembangKuala Retrieved 21 November 2011
The Who's Who in Malaysia 1971-1972
Flickr