WHAT would you do with a few hours to kill in Singapore?

Well, I found myself in that situation recently, and while trying to figure out what to do, realised that my evening walk had led me to the Singapore National Library.

Quite a few posters around the entrance advertising the exhibition currently on caught my eye. Tales of the Malay World: Manuscripts and Early Books. Interesting.

The exhibition hall was not very big, but like many places with old, rare and possibly priceless artifacts, it was dimly lit.

What attracted me was the haunting melody that was wafting in the air. It was Syair Siti Zubaidah Perang Cina and Syair Bidasari, sung by Siti Shahirah Samad.

It had a mesmerising effect, and I stood transfixed, listening to the voice that was the only instrument stringing the words together.

It had been a while since I heard a syair, and it transported me back to the days when life was much simpler.

It was a good set-up, bilingual with a progression from the earliest old books to the latest, covering a few hundred years.

Some of it was very basic, just Jawi characters on plain paper, and others, elaborate and intricate, works of art with resplendent colours and designs.

Near the end of the exhibition, it got a little more contemporary – two projectors showing snippets from old Malay movies in a continuous loop.

The first was Singapura di-Langgar Todak, produced in 1961 and directed by Omar Rojik.

The other projector was dedicated to the quintessential Malay hero and anti-hero: the Hang brothers. Unlike the first projector, this showed two movies: Hang Tuah, directed by Phani Majumdar in 1959, and Hang Jebat, directed by Hussein Haniff in 1961.

Like many kids my age, I read the story of Singapore being attacked by swordfish as a young boy.

In the version that I remember, the hero was an intelligent young boy who advised the sultan that instead of using human bodies, they should use banana tree stems instead to trap the deranged sea creatures that were attacking them.

This strategy worked so well that the youngster was elevated to a position of power to enable his intelligence to be put to good use.

The movie version was a little more elaborate. It seems that Singapore was attacked as a retribution for misdeeds done by the ruling elite, maintaining political patronage and positioning the prime motive for the underhanded dealings.

In the movie, Si Nadim (acted brilliantly by Bat Latiff), the little saviour, instead of being recognised as a hero, is backstabbed by the ministers, who whispered that the child’s intelligence would be a threat to the sultan when he grows up.

Nadim is then thrown into the sea, with his hands and legs tied.

The Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat movies, though based on the same epic, presented different versions.

I must admit that I grew up adoring Hang Tuah as a hero, along with Superman and Mr Fantastic, the paragons of virtue and all that is right in the world.

As I got older, more exposed to the realities of the world, it is Batman and Wolverine that took over. And in comparison, it was Hang Jebat who is now the hero, someone who fights for justice, principles and the rights of individuals, instead of practising blind loyalty and tradition.

There was a short scene where Hang Jebat, having gone amok and taken over the palace, calls all the homeless and destitute over to feed them.

The grateful people bowed down to him in deference, but Hang Jebat stopped them.

“Don’t bow down to me! Do I look like someone who wants to be bowed at? No, not me. It is my duty to look after you. I am only doing my job!” – a little paraphrasing here, but that is the gist of the scene.

In both the movies, it was jealousy and selfish motives to protect their positions that led court ministers to frame Hang Tuah. Hang Jebat revolted against the rulers to avenge the wrong done.

What Hang Tuah did, killing his closest friend and avenger for loyalty, a trait much vaulted by tradition, is an act that I now question.

The movies are more than 50 years old now, closer to 60, in fact, but I cannot help thinking that the message in them is still very much relevant today.

I read the news and oft wonder if the leaders today realise that they are given the responsibility to lead and govern the people, to do what is right and not blindly support for the sake of loyalty.

There are those out there who know this and are trying their best to be truthful to themselves, their positions and their roles.

To have these people, who should be role models, derided, criticised and even threatened is an indication of how rotten the people in power are, afraid of their own shadows and willing to sacrifice all their values to cling on to power and position.

Sad to see, but it appears that we are still killing our Hang Nadims and Hang Jebats. – October 4, 2017.

* Md Noor Iqbal reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.