Stories: Mat Indera's Coffee

This time, let me share with you the story of the Datura and the Malaysian historical figure Mat Indera. A bit of Malaysian history here,  let's go. 

Just one picture for this short story.

During the 1940s after Japan's surrender, Malaysia was in a state of chaos. The anti-Japanese Malayan Communist Party turned against our British colonisers and the newly formed Federation of Malaya (later becoming Malaysia after gaining independence). A guerilla war ensued between the two, resulting in the Malayan Emergency (darurat), which lasted for about 12 years (1948-1960).

At the height of the Malayan Emergency, there was a particularly infamous event known as the Bukit Kepong incident, which took place in the state of Johor in Feb 1950. A fearsome Malay communist called Mat Indera led some 100 gunmen and attacked a police station in Bukit Kepong. Despite being heavily out-numbered, the policemen refused to surrender, some of their wives even took up arms in defense of the vicinity. However, the communists managed to capture the women and their children, threatening to kill them unless the police forces surrender. Even so, no one surrendered and the captives were gunned down mercilessly. Eventually, the communists set fire to the police station, killing all but a few survivors, 25 fatalities including policemen, their wives and children, as well as a few civilians. The communists later returned to the jungle.

Following the incident, the British authorities and the commonwealth armed forces tried to capture Mat Indera and his alliances, but he always managed to elude their capture. So infamous was his name, some attributed his ability to dark magic and sorcery. Eventually, the Brits placed a whopping 75,000 (RM, at the time) bounty of Mat Indera's head, dead or alive!

On a night of Oct 1952, the tricky Mat Indera would finally met his match, not by guns or arrows, but by a plant that can only be described by divine or demonic presence. He was invited to a meeting by his own members and given a cup of coffee laced with the seed of Datura! Soon after his poisoning, he was so intoxicated, reports mentioned that he was simply tied up with a string of grass and handed over to the British rulers. He was immediately found guilty and hanged to his death a few months later. 

The 'coffee' that altered Malaysian history. There's more than enough seeds here to dispatch 100 Mat Indera and all his followers.

The story of Mat Indera is still debated today because as the with case of history, good and evil depend on the eye of its reader. After all, history is written by the winner. Even today, some still consider Mat Indera a hero in Malaysia. I'm not here to condemn or to praise whoever that has passed, but facts remain. The Datura has once again left its trace in the course of human history, and so profound is its toxic effects, only the opium poppy can rival its influence. For that, will be our story next time.