Suratman
Markasan
Balada
Seorang Lelaki di Depan Patung Raffles
(The Ballad of the man who stood in front of the statue
of Raffles)
29 December
1979
Pak Suratman Markasan was
born in Pasir Panjang, Singapore in 1930. He started writing in the early 1950s
and later held important roles in the Malay literary movement ASAS50. I was a
little skeptical about his writings at first knowing that his recent works were
based on his philosophy of ‘Sastera untuk Islam’ or ‘Literature for Islam’.
However, I was beyond excited to find this gem of his written in 1979. Written
originally in Bahasa Melayu, the poem is a brave critic on the suffering that
‘the man who lost his head’ and his people had to go through under the
colonizing power of the British, in which Raffles is being portrayed as biggest
culprit.
It is a rather long poem, and
you must excuse my translation, as I myself feel that is impossible to
translate poetry. But I’ve tried my best! Here’s to SG50!
-
The Ballad of the man who
stood in front of the statue of Raffles
I
Day One: dead wind rigid sun
Motorcycle Beetle Bus Truck
Taxi Car Prime Minister
Expulsion of black smoke
filled with poison
To the face of Raffles I smiled
stiffly
To the nose of the man who
lost his head
To the eyes of the faithful
sergeant
To the red lips awaiting for the
bus
Including the poster ‘Keep
Clean’ it has nested
Raffles smiled stiffly
The man who lost his head
sputtered
‘I’ve told you a thousand
times
You cheated my ancestors dead
and alive
You stole their possessions greedily
You shared it amongst friends
of the enemies
You heard that Raffles? You
heard?
I should have brought you to
justice
To PBB in New York
Unfortunately, the judge
doesn’t have any teeth.’
The man who lost his head
whimpered
The crowd started whispering
The faithful sergeant moved his
seat
Head moving finding grip
Raffles smiled stiffly
The equator’s sun continued
to pinch and press
The skin felt dry and
withered
The man who lost his head
burst out laughing
He jumped from his squat
He pointed to Raffles who was
asleep
‘I will bring you forward to
Khomeini
let your body be nested in
silver
your head and your neck
strangled
hungry extremist and roaming
justice’
He squats again. Ponders
again.
He jumped suddenly and pointed
‘Your fate is still well
Raffles
Khomeini is still fighting
his own relatives
He is unwilling to speak to
you’
Evening, the man who lost his
head retreated orderly
Raffles smiled in his trial
The faithful sergeant made a
report;
‘I thought he was crazy!’
Two ladies of his race in
yellow singlet
Whispered ‘Who is the crazy
one?’
II
Day two: The sun finally
rises
Just like yesterday, the man
who lost his head squats
Above him is Raffles with his
arms folded, downcast
Remembering The Fame engulfed
in flames
Devouring the Malay treasures
of millions of dollars
Suddenly his thoughts were
disrupted
Temasek evolved to Majulah
Singapura
Chests full of brittling gold
expands
Citizens of the King and
Queen
Simultaneously the man who
lost his head stood up
‘I will curse you for your
sins for seven generations
you welcomed Farquhar and
Lord Minto
your investigations were
fine. Opened the doors of my city
Traders Laborers of the
leaders expanding pockets
Building Temasek to be
Singapura
Together with them entered
the cheaters robbers murderers
I am left with bones and
teeth
I curse you for seven
generations without any delay!’
The petite lady the lobster
Eurasian
The lady in shorts the Malay
forgot her decency
Grinning while saying
‘What’s that mad guy doing,
mann?’
The faithful sergeant stood
quietly
His head recorded the
atmosphere his eyes noted
The thighs of young maiden
and beautiful faces
The man who lost his head
pointed again
‘You are smart. You are
well-liked by many
Abdullah praises you till his
bones are black
Your words are like a sea of
honey
That are able to break the
unsure rocks
Tengku Long was trapped to be
Sultan
Fed and carried
Bathe in skies of the angel’s
heaven
Salary given as much as he
wanted
To be the mouth with eyes
shut’
He pointed again silently
And retreated without a word
The confused sergeant laughed
III
Day three: In front of the
deserted bus stop
Raffles continues to stand
without weary
The man who lost his head
continues to swear
The poster read: ‘Stop at
two!’
Accompanied by: ‘Try to be
polite!’
Raffles laughed. The lives of
the citizens are finally in order!
‘Berhenti! Stop!’
The man who lost his head
pointed and shouted
The mass society who are
waiting for their bus
Panicked and angered but just
for short while
‘Everyone let’s look at
Raffles who is getting tired
he will collapse in a while!’
and he laughed alone
‘Everyone look at this white
man
I am not dumb. But that
Raffles
You welcomed Crawfurd
A big liar from a big race
Seven generations of his will
be struck by lightning
You allowed him to deceive
Husin Syah
Your people seized my country
I curse your descendants for
seven generations
Will revolt for revolt
He points in exhaustion
‘I am left with teeth and
gums
you heard that? You heard
that Raffles?’
Raffles smiled with his arms
folded
Sergeant giggled, his report
is little
IV
Day four: He stood by the
river
Brooding over the small waves
of the Singapore River
He sat a nearby bench
Faithful sergeant faithfully
waiting
Suddenly he was taken aback
‘You’ve changed into white
today
do you think I’ve turned old
that I no longer recognize
you?
I will continue to hunt you
Just like sergeant peeking on
me in the daylight!’
The faithful sergeant flushed
Unable to react just like Raffles
He broods over the peaceful
waves as peaceful as his eyes
‘Raffles Farquhar Crawfurd
Walter Raleigh
and the leaders of the world
now
Are indifferent: 2 x 5 = 10
They keep the cheaters
They look after the
executioners
They free the murderers
‘Astaghfirullah!’ exclaimed
the faithful sergeant
‘You are mad! You are mad!
‘I am mad? You are mad!
Raffles is mad! T’ien Tin Hui is mad! Everyone in the world are mad!’
they are still killing each
other
little murders massive
murders
you are mad! I’m not mad!’
and he walked away quickly
V
Day five: He wore a white
Baju Kurung
With Samarinda Kain Pelikat
complete with a white Songkok too
He stood at the mouth of the
river
In front of the statue of
Raffles in white shirt in white pants
‘I am not going to curse at
you today Raffles
Abdullah said you were a nice
man
That you did not like to
swear
That you did not
differentiate the rich from the poor
You did not like to be
addressed as ‘mister’ or ‘sir’
Only Abdullah knew of your
intentions
But that is alright, today is
Friday
The man who lost his head stroked
The writings on Raffles feet
From the direction of the
Parliament House
The faithful sergeant
appeared with two policemen
Running slowly towards
The statue of Raffles to find
The man who lost his head to
be on top
Hugging the statue of Raffles
and kissing its face
The sergeant and the
policemen were appalled
‘What are you doing up there
Mat?’
the one who was questioned
continued hugging and kissing
‘You are mad Mat! You are
Mad!’
and the a crowd started to
form around the statue of Raffles
and the crowd looked at the
human and the statue of Raffles.
