Hang Jebat Melaka

Hang Jebat, a warrior labelled a tractor, all for the love of a friend.

During the rule of Sultan Mansur Shah 1456 - 1477 A.D., there lived five young men who grew up together.

Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu were inseparable and became known as the "5 Companions" in the epic "Hikayat Hang Tuah". The lives of the five "blood brothers" who were expert exponents of martial arts, took a turn when they saved the Bendehara of Melaka, Tun Perak.

Sultan Mansur Shah was so impressed with the five that he immediately gave them positions at his courts, and Hang Tuah became his favourite. Sultan Mansur presented Hang Tuah with a beautiful keris, the Taming Sari, said to possess magical powers.

However, the Sultan's undisguised appreciation and favouritism of Hang Tuah did not go down well with other court official, namely Patih Karma Wijaya. They plotted his downfall and and accused him of seducing the Sultan's favourite consort. The Sultan, upon hearing the rumour immediately ordered Hang Tuah's execution. Tun Perak believed in Hang Tuah's innocence, spirited him away to a secret hideaway.

Hang Jebat, who was beside himself with grief, could not understand why the Sultan summarily order his brother's execution without first giving him a chance to prove his innocence. Disillusioned and broken-hearted, Hang Jebat ran amok and sought revenge, killing everyone that tried to protect the Sultan. Fearing for his life, the Sultan approached Tun Perak and expressed his regret over Hang Tuah's hasty execution.

When the Sultan agreed to pardon Hang Tuah, Tun Perak told him the truth. Hang Tuah's joy at being pardoned turned to dismay when told of his new mission and after an extended soul-searching, went in search of Hang Jebat. In the ensuing fight, which was said to have lasted three days and three nights, Hang Jebat enlightened his childhood friend on why he turned against the Sultan, but being a man ingrained with the convention that the Sultan deserved absolute loyalty, Hang Tuah refused to accept Hang Jebat's reasoning. Finally, he drew his keris, the 'Taming Sari' and fatally stabbed Hang Jebat and the later died in his arms.

Hang Tuah went down in history as a hero who made a worthy sacrifice while Hang Jebat was labelled a traitor, all for a love of a friend.