Al-fatihah to the Father of Modern Silat

Pendita Hj. Anuar Wahab (source: Wikipedia)

Al-Fatihah and sincere condolences to the family of Pendita Hj. Anuar Wahab who has just passed away. He was the Guru Utama or the Grandmaster of Seni Gayung Fatani. Being a former practitioner of Gayung Fatani back in high school, this news comes as a really great shock. All that I can think of upon reading the news was that, it is such a great loss to the Silat world, particularly among Gayung Fatani members.

If the Malay legendary warrior, Hang Tuah is well known as the 'Father of Silat', I think it is reasonable to confer the title 'Father of Modern Silat' to Allahyarham Pendita Hj. Anuar Wahab. His contribution towards the development of modern Silat in Malaysia and the world is simply immeasurable.

To sum up his remarkable achievements toward Silat, it would be the modernization of the Silat syllabus, his contribution toward the establishment of PESAKA, the parent body of all Silat associations in which Silat Gayung Fatani was one of the founding member, he was also part of the founding member of the International Silat Organisation or PERSILAT, and most important of all, the founding of Silat Olahraga or the combative sport of Silat, which has brought greater fame to Silat through various regional and world competition.

Talking about Silat in general, if there is one thing that I really look forward to is that to see Silat become an Olympic sport one day, or perhaps some Hollywood (since there are no local producers who are interested) filmmakers would incorporate Silat into their films. Malaysia's most expensive film, 'Puteri Gunung Ledang' had Silat in it, but sadly the Silat that appeared on the silver screen were only in the form of Silat costumes and the spoken Silat (read:Malay) language, whereas the movements and all the fighting scenes were so alien to the even basic style of Silat Melayu; Hence the reason why Guru Ariffin Yeop decided to withdraw from being the Silat instructor.

Lastly, I have only one wish to the current leadership of Gayung Fatani. Please learn the lessons of Gayung, Cekak and some other Silat groups, whereby the moment their founding grandmaster passes away, a host of splinter groups were formed by former students of the grandmaster - each claimed to be the most righeous - and taking away all but the Silat's original name.

Below are some of Guru Hj. Anuar Wahab's contribution toward Silat from his writings.


Related blog post:
Pendita Anuar Wahab passes away - Nadzrin Wahab


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