Kg Bantam and Kg Melayu Cocos Islands

It is intersting to note that the first villages established in the year 1827 by John Cluines Ross, the Scottish seaman and captain of the ship called BORNEO and who was a good friend of Alexander Hare, another Scottish adventurer and a former Resident and Commissioner for Banjarmasin and Borneo had been named Bantam Village and Malay Village, and names never lied, of course that goes to show that the Cocos Islanders first originated from Bantam Island, off Singapore Island, Johor and Malacca, two of the States in Peninsular Malaysia.

Some history stated that some of them had been former soldiers and convicts, many of them had fled from Alexander Hare group that left Malacca for Banjarmasin in Southern Borneo in 1811 to help the Sultan contain piracy and resistance from the Dayak and Bugis after the Dutch abandoned Banjarmasin, after two defeats by the British off Java Island.

Whoever they were originated from, they are now the Cocos Islander Community who have their own culture, religion and language.

5th Generation Family Tree

It was just superb wedding when the 5th generation daughter of Light Nanis Jackson Abas and Alexander (Iskandar), Norlina Light @ DJ Selina tied the know with Joeharudin Idom Nordin @ Chef Joe from Penang Island on June 5, 2009 in Kota Kinabalu.

It was like history repeating itself when the Brunei Sultan Shariff Ali married the daughter of Kesuma of Java.

Cocos Island found in Johor Map

Why was there an island called Cocos Island at the southern tip of Johor, Malaysia?
How was Cocos Islander Community related with Johor?
Was it through the Johor and Cocos Sultanate?
It would be interesting for the historian to research more on this topic.
Could the Cocos man or Alexander Hare had stopped in Johore before going to Sabah ( formerly North Borneo) and reach Pulau Balambangan?

Pulau Balambangan was also in the history of Wali Songo or the infamous 9 Saints in Indonesia. I could not find a Pulau Balambangan in Indonesian map. Could Pulau Balambangan and Sabah had come under the Indonesian influence before through the Majapahit Kingdom?

Maluka, Maluku, Malaka

The three names sound almost the same. Maluku is where the traders got their spices. Malaka is famous for its 5 warriors led by the well known Hang Tuah.Maluka is Alexander Hare kingdom. It is not in the modern map of Indonesia now.

These three area could be interrelated in terms of trade and ancestorial lineage. Who would believe this story anyway? Even many of his descendants did not know this fact, except the fact that they knew they did not have any proper history like the rest of the former kings or sultans. I believe that the truth will be known one day.

Why did Sultan Musa from Selangor went to Cocos Islands? Did he went there in search of his roots or knowledge or was he banished? So Selangor is associated with Cocos Islands eh? Very interesting story and facts that could attract further research by the historians.

Doit Alexander Hare

The picture of the coins is Doit Alexander Hare. As we know Alexander Hare is the founder of Cocos Keeling Islands.

The date of the Doit is AH1228 or AD1883. Used in Maluka (in Banjarmasin Sultanate) Indonesia.

So Alexander Hare had his own currency during his time. Not too bad eh. We are very proud of ye. Unfortunately the history of Alexander Hare is very scattered and s catchy.