Kuala Lumpur - RIGHT in the middle of the city is one of the busiest roads. Jalan Hang Tuah is busy almost all the time.
The road connects Petaling Jaya through Jalan Dewan Bahasa Pustaka and the city centre through Jalan Bukit Bintang. It is a common sight to see police officers directing traffic to ease the congestion on the road.
The road has a long history and has undergone three name changes.
The road was initially known as Gaol Road taking after Pudu Jail which used to be known as Pudu Gaol. The road was then renamed Shaw Road in 1938 taking after Bennett E. Shaw.
Shaw was the first headmaster of Victoria Institution and was a renowned educationist in Malaya. He was a conscientious and hardworking academician who set many precedents in the education field.
He had strong beliefs in an all-round education and was the first person to adopt elements of the British House system for the school in 1921.
Under the system, the school was divided into five houses for competitive sports like cricket, hockey and football. This system has since remained in schools all over Malaysia even up till today.
The road was later renamed Jalan Hang Tuah after a figure who is no stranger to Malaysians. The legendary Malay hero was said to have lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century. He was one of the most popular admirals and was known to be a really good silat master.
Hang Tuah was believed born in Kampung Sungai Duyong in Malacca to Hang Mahmud and Dang Merdu Wati. He showed tremendous interest in religious knowledge and skill in the art of self-defence and along with his four childhood friends, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir, Hang Jebat and Hang Lekiu, learnt the art of silat from a teacher named Guru Adi Putra.
The four of them eventually became popular admirals and officers in the Malacca Sultanate.
Their popularity rose during an incident when Hang Tuah and his friends killed a group of pirates who were attacking and causing havoc in a small village in Malacca.
While the Bendahara‘s guards fled, the four stayed and fought against the pirates and this impressed Tun Perak, the then Bendahara. Tun Perak hired all four of them to work in the palace.
Hang Tuah is known for his unfaltering loyalty to the Sultan and this was chronicled in Sejarah Melayu and Hikayat Hang Tuah. He became the Sultan‘s aide and accompanied the Sultan on official visits to foreign countries.
On a visit to Majapahit, a famous local warrior Taming Sari challenged Hang Tuah to a duel in which the latter won. The ruler of Majapahit awarded Taming Sari‘s keris, which was named after the owner, to Hang Tuah. The Taming Sari keris is said to have magical powers and many have said that it gave Hang Tuah supernatural abilities.
There are many stories that surround Hang Tuah, including his deception to convince Tun Teja to marry the Sultan as well as the famous fight that involved him and his best friend Hang Jebat.
Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat fought because of a misunderstanding and their battle which lasted for seven days resulted in Hang Tuah killing Hang Jebat.
Today, there are three roads named after the legendary hero in Malaysia, one in Kuala Lumpur, one in Malacca and another in Johor.
Source: thestar.com.my (3 Desember 2007)
