Adnan Bin SaidiAdnan bin Saidi
1915 -
February 14,
1942Place of birth
Kajang,
SelangorPlace of death
Pasir Panjang,
SingaporeAllegiance
Royal Malay RegimentYears of service 1933 - 1942
Rank
2nd LieutenantUnit 7th Platoon, C Company,
1st Malay BrigadeBattles/wars
Battle of Pasir PanjangAwards best recruit in the malay Regiment (3 British medals)
Adnan Bin Saidi, (
1915 -
February 14,
1942), was a
Malayan soldier of the
1st Infantry Brigade which fought the Japanese in the
Battle of Singapore. He is regarded by
Malaysians and
Singaporeans today as a
hero for his actions on
Bukit Chandu.
Personal life
Saidi was born at
Kajang,
Selangor and was a
Muslim of
Minangkabau descent. He was the eldest in his family. His younger siblings,
Ahmad Saidi and
Amarullah Saidi were soldiers as well. Ahmad was killed in action after his ship, the
HMS Pelanduk, was sunk by the Japanese enroute to
Australia. Amarullah survived the war and he now resides in Kajang, Selangor.
Adnan was married to wife
Sophia Pakir, an Islamic religious teacher. She died in 1949. They had two sons and a daughter, who died soon after birth. Their sons, Mokhtar and Zainudin Adnan now live in
Seremban and
Johore respectively.
"My father did not talk a lot. He was a firm man and believed in discipline. He was always serious and fierce… yet had a good heart. There seemed to be a ‘light’ illuminating his face." -
Mokhtar Adnan, Saidi's son
Battle of Pasir Panjang
Adnan led a 42-strong
platoon from the
Malay Regiment in the defense of
Singapore against the Japanese invaders. The soldiers fought at the
Battle of Pasir Panjang, at
Pasir Panjang Ridge in the
Bukit Chandu (Opium Hill) area on
February 12-14, 1942. Although heavily outnumbered, Adnan refused to surrender and urged his men to fight until the end. They held off the Japanese for two days amid heavy enemy shelling and shortages of food and ammunition. Adnan was shot but carried on fighting. After the battle was lost, the wounded Adnan was taken prisoner by Japanese soldiers, who tied him to a
rubber tree and
bayoneted him to death.
Because of his actions at
Bukit Chandu, Saidi is currently considered by Malaysians and Singaporeans today as a
hero. He is also credited as the soldier who caught the disguised Indian troops' marching error.
When Singapore surrendered, the Japanese
Kempeitai attempted but failed to find and murder Saidi's family in revenge of
Bukit Chandu.
Kent Ridge Park, close to the site of the battle now bears a plaque in commemoration of Lt Adnan Bin Saidi. A museum at Bukit Chandu stands in memory of the bravery of Malay Regiment soldiers. This regiment would later become the
Royal Malay Regiment of the
Royal Malaysian Army.
MY OPINION....
I admire him so much because of his bravery, his high spirit especially in defending our countries (MALAYSIA) from the colonist. He was someone that do the best in what ever he do and the above article is the proof of it, especially when he was easily promoted to sergeant in young age. As a student, his spirit really influence me because he is someone that sincere in defending our country and ready to sacrifice himself for that noble purpose. Maybe now we could live happily in Malaysia because there is no more war but we need to remember if a person like Sergeant Adnan does not exist, our luxury, our happiness that we have today maybe only in our dreams. Thats the importance of remembering the past so we wont repeat the same mistake and nowdays, if anyone notice, youth nowdays have less appreciation of what they have and they does not love their own coutries and bring more and more damage to the country.
