Major Dato’ Haji Mohd. Said Haji Sulaiman
Dato’ Haji Mohd. Said Bin Haji Sulaiman was born in Teluk Belanga, Singapore, in 1876. He received his education at the Malay School Teluk Belanga, where he also studied the Quran. He later continued his studies in English at Raffles English School. He entered into government service with the Johor government in 1898 and was stationed in various government offices. In 1910, he was appointed by the late Sultan Ibrahim as His Private Secretary, a position he held for 42 years (1910-1952), setting a record for the longest tenure in that role.
Major Dato’ Haji Mohd. Said actively participated in the Johor Military Forces (Johor Military Forces) or the Royal Johor Military Force (JMF) in 1914 as a Staff Officer. He was energetically involved, and during his tenure as the Sultan's Private Secretary, he held the rank of Lieutenant. He made significant contributions to the progress of JMF. In recognition of his contributions, he was bestowed the rank of 'Major,' a high honor. His name is also recorded in the London Gazette, March 1918, for his services in assisting the British during the First World War (1914-1918). Major Dato’ Haji Mohd. Said's diligence extended beyond JMF; he immersed himself in the field of Malay language and literature. His significant contributions in this area were through the Royal Johor Malay Language and Literature Alliance (PBMPB, established in 1888). This alliance was granted the title "Royal" by DYMM Sultan Johor in 1935, and its role and contributions to the development of the Malay language were immense.
It is not an exaggeration to say that Major Dato’ Haji Mohd. Said was the most significant figure in advancing the activities of this Alliance. At a time when Malay-language books were scarce, the Alliance provided this facility. When there was a need for grammatical explanations, the Alliance stepped in with this service. When the Malay language required new terms, the Alliance had a terminology committee, many of whose terms are still in use today. He authored dozens of books in various genres, including religion, history, language, literature, and customs. He compiled grammar books and dictionaries. Evaluated in terms of the era and the quantity of works produced, compared to his contemporaries, Dato’ Haji Mohd. Said emerges as an extraordinary figure.
As a writer and historian, he consistently documented the activities of JMF for the benefit of future generations. We are fortunate as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of JMF, as the published works have greatly aided us in many ways.
On October 27, 1955, at the age of 79, Major Dato’ Haji Mohd. Said passed away in Johor Bahru, leaving behind numerous contributions and services to the state of Johor in particular and the nation in general.
References:
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- National Archives of Malaysia, Johor Branch, EXHIBITION BOOK ON THE OCCASION OF THE CENTENARY CELEBRATION OF THE ROYAL JOHOR MILITARY FORCE 1886 – 1986 AT THE JUBLI INTAN HALL, JOHOR BAHRU, ON THE 19th & 22nd OF AUGUST 1986.
- JMF.