Rentap, the (Dayak) Iban warrior who stood up against the British when they began to colonise Sarawak.



Originally named Libau anak Ningkan, the name Rentap was bestowed upon him when he cut off the head of their first enemy. He was also the chief commander of the Iban warriors in Skrang and Saribas.

Rentap wanted to get rid of James Brooke from his homeland because the British were messing with their culture and way of life.

Brooke wanted to abolish the taxing system practised for many generations by the heads of the village and their traditional practices (i.e. head-hunting). However, Rentap was not on board with those ideas and was not happy with that Brooke saw them as pirates.

Therefore, he gathered his people – who also weren’t fond of the changes imposed by Brooke – to attack the British forts at Sungai Skrang.

On 19 August 1844, Rentap and his warriors ambushed the British army as he claimed his victory over the battle. This victory aided Rentap’s rise to fame as he was even more respected by his people.

On 24 July 1849, Brooke returned with his army and attacked Rentap’s village. He brought his navy ships – H.M.S Royalist, H.M.S Ranee, and 8 other smaller ships – into Skrang and Saribas.

Then, on 31 July 1849, the largest battle that ever took place in Sarawak killed 500 of Rentap’s people, but the war was a victory to him because he managed to protect their chiefs.

In the year 1857, James Brooke sent Sir Charles Brooke to attack Rentap’s fort at Bukit Sadok.

Sir Charles managed to convince 3,000 Iban people and 500 Malay people to join the attack against Bukit Sabok but the attempt was proven a failure because the fort was impregnable. Not only that, the British couldn’t claim victory because a cannon named “Bujang Timpang Berang” was used to defend the fort.

After countless battles, Rentap died at the age of 70 years old. His legacy continues to live on in every Malaysians’ hearts.

His battle cry, Agi Hidup, Agi Ngelaban – which roughly translates to So long as I live, I will fight – still lives on until today as it’s the motto for the Malaysian Royal Ranger Regiment.

Rentap memang mantap

Legend has it that the word "lempang" was evolved from his name.

These days, we have keyboard warrior that tend to "Sentap" on everything

If he live in modern times , he would be a called a villain . Just replace "James brooke" and "British" with helangs or minions that kept encroaching and messing with their culture and way of life.

Awakens the pillar man

the british would be perfect ruler for us

lucky james brooke oredi die

sentap ni

James Brooke funded the theory of evolution

Alfred Wallace and Darwin obviously mapped how this one evolved lulz

I know someone who are descendants from the dayaks that help the rajahs
He gave them piece of land for agriculture n settlement.
Got land grants with rajah approval
Traitor?

Oh wai

3000 iban and 500 malays join the british?

I guess lompat katak is in the genes...

O wai

If he lived in China, BBC will call him freedom fighter.

Iban are real warriors by blood,

they even cut the heads of communist traitors in the past.

ohman kakwen joe_star bill888

This post has been edited by superbike: Aug 30 2021, 05:44 PM

many of his descendants are still here scattered throughout of Sarawak.

Where are they now?

Still lost to western imperialist lul

This post has been edited by Kakwen: Aug 30 2021, 06:16 PM

the dude with the badass tats

agi idup, agi,ngelaban
lol

Actually, a lot of these past warriors went against the colonial powers because their authority to collect taxes were taken away.

I'm a descendant of these British colonizer