Teratak Za'aba

I stumbled onto a beautiful house while on my way to Gemas.Not knowing what it was for? Was it someone's house or a palace that stood out majestically on a piece of land. I did not stopped. I went straight to Gemas instead.But my friend En. Bahrain said, I should go and see this Teratak Museum, as he was from Kampong Lonek, which is a kilometer away from this Teratak Za'aba. So, I went, ready camera but was in vain. Am not allowed to take the interiors. I went there 2 weeks later, hoping to gather more info from this museum, and i met the elder caretaker and told him of my intention. Its for the Blog i created and i found out that there were no articles of Teratak Za'aba or Za'aba alone in English. He was disappointed too. He gave me permission to do so, taking photos of the interior was simply uplifting my spirit, that enable everyone to read about Za'aba in English. I hope my blog will not disappoint many others if found wrongly written of facts, but please do write to me, so i can edit for better factual reading.

En. Zainal Abidin bin Ahmad born in September 16, 1895, in Kampong Bukit Kerdas, Batu Kikir, Jempol, Negri Sembilan. He was usually known as En. Za’aba. His father, Ahmad bin Ibrahim, descendants from Bugis Linggi, a wealthy man, religious learned, and one of the few who can read and write Jawi (Arabic). His mother Intan Awaluddin, a descendant from Minangkabau. Za’aba was raised in two worlds, in respect to his father’s lineage, a beholder of Adat Linggi or the Adat Muafakat dan Kebulatan or in actual, Muafakat bil Kitab Wassunati Gabulatan Minat Ustaz Illamanati. The two worlds means, patrilineal from Adat Linggi and matrilineal from his mother, Adat Perpatih.

He started schooling at the age of 12 in the Sekolah Melayu Batu Kikir (Batu Kikir Malay School). He was actually taught by his father at the age of five. His father was very careful towards his son’s education. His first lesson was Muqadam then followed by religious studies on Al-Quran. Everyday, he will do his studies, soon after the prayers subuh, zohor and maghrib. His father was strict and diligently encouraging his son to study.

At the age of 7, Za’aba finished reading Al-Quran four times. He could recite and memorized Surah Jassin with ease. When he was 8 years old, his father took him to the mosque many times to pray and to recite the prayers to attended devotees (Jemaah). They were impressed by him, someone small with great ability to perform prayers in the mosque. He became popular.

He could not write and read Jawi. Through his initiative, he learnt himself. He managed verses like Bismillah ar-rahman ar-rahim, Surah al-Ikhlas, Surah Fatihah, Kalimah Syahadad and Istighfar and with great faith in prayers and fasting. He also learnt Rumi later on.

Soon, he was transferred to Sekolah Melayu Linggi (Linggi Malay School) to pursue further his studies and research on Religious study and Arab language. Here is the interesting story to share, in 1909 Za’aba with another student Shamsuddin represented Sekolah Melayu Linggi to sit for the scholarship exam. Purpose for this exam is to get a place in an English school, Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) and Christian Brothers School in Seremban with an ambition to be a trainee teacher. His father was against the idea for going into an English school. Za’aba became the top student for the exam from the total of 265 students vying for the scholarship. His father had no knowledge about his scholarship. He attended St. Paul Institution in 1910, given free text books and exercise books and an allowance of RM5.00 for monthly expenditure. When his father heard of this, he was not allowed to go home. The relationship with his father sores for almost three years. At the end of 1912, his father decided to let him come back for the holidays, sending RM1.25 for the bus fare. After the forgiveness from his father, he felt more relax pursuing his studies. In fact, his father sent financial help and he managed to save up for a pair of shoes….no more barefoot to school.

1913, was fruitful for Za’aba, he sat for Preliminary Cambridge in Kuala Lumpur. He graduated Third Class Honors. In 1914, he sat for 2 exams, Standard V11 and Junior Cambridge. He passed with flying colors. In 1915, applied for Medical School in Singapore, but was in vain, because the school needs Senior Cambridge qualification. And also every applicant must have the efficiency in Latin language. End of 1915, he sat for the Senior Cambridge exam in Kuala Lumpur and he was noted to be the first Anak Melayu Negeri Sembilan to passed the exam in six years.

In 1916, he began writing seriously and was stationed in Johor Baharu as a teacher. His first article “Temasya Mandi Safar di Tanjung Kling” was twice published by Utusan Melayu. During his time as a writer, he had gathered many articles of his own, articles on politics, language, economy, religion, literature and education. He was a temporary teacher, a monthly salary of RM25.00 at the beginning of 1916. June 1, 1916, he became Assistant Teacher in Bukit Zahara Government School in Johor Baharu with a wage of RM116.25 inclusive of life allowance and a yearly increment of RM5.00. 

On the April 10, 1917, he married Rafeah (Urai) Mohd. Hasban. The marriage between them were not accepted by his father. His father had actually agreed to an engagement for his son without Za’aba knowledge. She’s from Juaseh. On July 2, 1917, he divorced Rafeah. Christmas in 1917, he married Fatimah (Che Teh) Umar (1902-1964). He had a daughter in March 19, 1918.

In 1918, Za’aba worked in MCKK, a monthly wage of RM158.00. Maximum wage was RM200.00 and a yearly increment of RM5.00.

When he was in Sultan Idris Training College in Tanjung Malim, 1924(Kolej Latihan Perguruan Sultan Idris),  he combined the Arab and English language together into the Malay language, to improvise the arrangement of the sentences and the phrases for school books and general reading materials.

In 1931, he suffered nervous breakdown. His health were unstable when he got out from the hospital. Final advise from the doctor, he was advised to visit Indonesia for three months to recuperate with the intention to change his own perspective of thoughts, views and everything, nor should he read or write during his rest in Indonesia.  

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In 1932, he wrote his first book “Umbi Kemajuan” gathered from all religious articles he once wrote. He was active in community service.  He also became the General Advisor for the Writers Guild of Malaya (Penasihat Umum Persaudaraan Sahabat Pena Malaya) in 1937.

World War II broke, he was transfer to the British Telecast and Informative Department in 1939 to be the war announcer in Radio Malaya in Singapore. 

In 1945 he was the President of the Selangor Malay Association (Yang DiPertua Persatuan Melayu Selangor). In 1947, he was the lecturer for the Malay Language (Bahasa Melayu) in the School of Oriental and African Studies in London University until August 1950. He went back to Malaya in August 1950. On the way back from London, Za’aba and his wife went to Mecca for Haj, he was then 55 years old on September 16, 1950.

He retired at the age of 55.

In 1953, he was still sought after for his great work, he became the Senior Lecturer for the Malay Research Department (Jabatan Pengajian Melayu) at the University Malaya in Singapore. He was with JPN till December 31, 1958. Working hand in hand with Ungku Aziz, they formed student language institution and two years later, Federal Malay Language University Malaya (Persekutuan Bahasa Melayu Universiti Malaya)

At the age of 59, he went for his final exam in London University, and received Master of Art Second Class (Lower). He became a scholar/professor in 1956 officially, with the ‘songkok’ award at the Third Literature and Bahasa Melayu Congress in Johor Baharu. 

In 1962, he accepted the National Prestigious Award (Pingat Mangku Negara) that came together with the title Tan Sri by the Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di Pertuan Agung. He also received the degree in Honorary Doctorate in Literature at the first convention held in the University Malaysia in 1973.

He was known as the pioneer of Malay Grammar. He was worried about the backwardness in the Malay society. The importance of the Malay language, reading and writing meant so much to him and he was thoughtful in this aspect for the Malay community. 

Here are the few phrases he pointed out during his tenure as the writer for his people.

Kepada anak anak Melayu yang bernasib baik.

Mendapat pelajaran tinggi di Universiti,

gunakanlah pengalaman dan pengajian yang perolehi ini

untuk meminpin, mengajar anak anak bangsa kita

untuk mengembang dan mempertiggikan taraf pelajaran Melayu

For all Malays who had the opportunity to University,

used the experience and knowledge

gathered to lead and teach our children,

in order to expand and elevate the education

  

Jangan mabuk arak

Jangan bekerja terlalu lama

Rajin dan tekun

Tenang walaupun rumah kita terbakar

Evade drunk

Do not work too hard

Elegantly hardworking

Stay calm even though our home is on fire.

Mengarang buku buku Melayu bukan

Untuk orang orang asing tetapi untuk orang orang Melayu sendiri.

Kerana itu saya jarang menulis dalam Bahasa Inggeris

Composing Malay books is not for foreigners

but for the Malay itself.

That’s why I seldom write in English.

Tan Sri Dr. Haji Zainal Abidin Bin Ahmad (Za’aba) demised at the age of 78 in October 23, 1973

Teratak Za'aba officially open in February 2001. Officiated by Negeri Sembilan Chief Minister Tan Sri Haji Mohd Isa bin Haji Abdul Samad. 

Teratak Za'aba housed many Za'aba's artefacts and information. 

Opens everyday from 10.00am to 6.00pm except on Friday Prayer from 12.15pm to 2.45pm. 
Entrance FOC.

Facts taken from the book by Lembaga Muzium Negeri, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus and Arkib Negara Malaysia.
Photos granted permission by the caretaker for my blog.