Menelusuri Elemen Sejarah dalam Novel (Searching History Elements in Novel)

Abstract

Karya kreatif termasuklah novel, mempunyai kaitan yang rapat dengan sejarah kerana ia dihasilkan berdasarkan kreativiti yang terbentuk daripada pengetahuan serta pengalaman diri sendiri ataupun pengalaman orang lain. Novel Bukit Kepong karya Ismail Johari, terbitan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka pada tahun 1999 bertolak daripada peristiwa sejarah Bukit Kepong. Peristiwa Bukit Kepong adalah satu peristiwa berdarah di mana pengganas komunis telah menyerang Balai Polis pada 23 Februari 1950 di Bukit Kepong, Muar, Johor. Novel ini antara lain memaparkan kembali perjuangan anggota polis mempertahankan Bukit Kepong daripada serangan pengganas komunis itu dalam bentuk karya kreatif. Kajian ini melihat bagaimana elemen sejarah digarapkan dalam novel ini serta sejauh mana elemen sejarah itu boleh dipertanggungjawabkan sebagai sumber sejarah. Hasil penelitian mendapati novel ini telah menggunakan elemen sejarah yang tepat apabila menampilkan watak-watak sebenar yang terlibat dalam peristiwa tersebut. Dari sudut latar masa dan tempat juga memperlihatkan waktu dan tempat di masa peristiwa Bukit Kepong itu berlaku dan kawasan sekitarnya seperti Pagoh, Muar dan lain-lain. Novel turut menampilkan wajah Johor pra-merdeka. Daripada aspek peristiwa pula novel ini bertolak daripada tiga peristiwa besar iaitu gerakan komunis di Tanah Melayu, Darurat di Tanah Melayu dan Majlis Kenangan 1976. Pengarang didapati telah melakukan penyelidikan yang cukup teliti termasuklah mengadakan beberapa sesi temu ramah dengan tokoh-tokoh yang terlibat dalam peristiwa tersebut baik secara langsung mahupun tidak langsung, meneliti fakta-fakta daripada fail polis lantas diadun pula dengan daya kreativiti dan imaginasi yang seimbang antara isi dan bentuk. Elemen sejarah dalam novel ini boleh dipertanggungjawab dan dijadikan rujukan.

Kata kunci: Bukit Kepong; darurat; komunis; polis; sejarah

Abstract

Creative work includes novels are closely related to history as they are based on creativity formed from the knowledge and own experience or the experiences of others. Ismail Johari’s Bukit Kepong novel, the publication of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka in 1999 leaves Bukit Kepong history. The Bukit Kepong event was a bloody incident in which the communist terrorist attacked Police Station on February 23, 1950 in Bukit Kepong, Muar, Johor. The novel shows the struggle of the police to defence Bukit Kepong from the communist terrorist attack in the form of creative work. This article looks at how historical elements applied in this novel as well as how far the historical elements can be accounted for as a source of history. The analysis uses historical approaches that outline three characteristics; character, background and event. The research finds that this novel has been using the right historical elements when displaying the actual characters involved in the event. Background of time and place also shows the time and place in the Bukit Kepong event happened and the surrounding area like Pagoh, Muar and others. The novels also feature a pre-independence Johor. From the aspect of the event, the novel is based on three major events namely the communist movement in Malaya, the Emergency in Malaya and the 1976 event. The authors are found to have done a thorough research including conducting several interview sessions with the characters involved in the event either directly or indirectly, examining the facts from the police file then blended with the creativity and imagination of balance between content and shape. The historical elements in this novel can be accounted for and referenced.

Keywords: Bukit Kepong; communist; emergency; history; police