400 descendants of Abdul Ghapor hold mega reunion near Kuantan
KUANTAN: Nearly 400 members in the family tree of Datu Patinggi Abang Abdul Ghapor gathered at Padang Besar Sungai Lembing, some 50km from here.
They are the descendants of Abdul Ghapor, who was originally from Sarawak and said to be one of those who had opposed the rule of James Brooke in the state.
Abdul Ghapor was also made the first imam of Kuching Mosque in 1852.
One of his descendants, retired Universiti Malaya senior drama and theatre researcher Dr Abang Zainal Abang Abdul Latiff, said Abdul Ghapor was exiled to Malacca where he later died.
“He was falsely accused of raising taxes, creating chaos and conspiring to bring down Brooke’s leadership.”
The reunion brought together those who descended from one of Abdul Ghapor’s grand- daughters, Dayang Diot, who married Tuan Haji Abu Bakar and brought their seven children to Padang Besar Sungai Lembing where they had bought a plot of land in 1892.
Among the notable descendants are Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, who could not make it to the reunion.
Another descendant, Datuk Ahmad Omar, said they had traced the family tree back six generations, the details of which were stored in several time capsules.
“I will hand over the time capsules, which contain our huge family tree as well as some stories of our ancestors, over to the heads of the family in Sarawak, Pahang, Malacca and Singapore,” he said.
His daughter Fatin Nur Athira Ahmad, 20, said she found the huge gathering rare and refreshing.
“For me, it's a reminder that we are all linked and that the world is actually small.”