Travel Gears

May 1, 2008

THEY CAME BACK: THE GREAT GRANDSON OF BROOKE'S ADVERSARY

This is Zainal bin Latif, the great grandson of Datuk Patinggi Hj. Abdul Gapur.  Abdul Gapur was one of Sarawak's earliest nationalist who opposed James Brooke as rajah.  Together with Sharip Masahor, fought James Brooke from 1850 to 1860.  They were arrested and were banished;  Abdul Gapur to Umbai, Melaka while Sharip Masahor to Singapore.

Zainal said his family was only reunited with his relations in Kuching in 2003.  One of his daughter was married to one of his distant relative.

Zainal came about a week after a great grandson of Grant, an offficer with James Brooke appeared in Kuching.

EXHUMATION OF BROOKE BROOKE'S WIFE GRAVE

Grave diggers began their work