Very Bad Publicity For Malaysian Silat.

There is this brief report in the NST today regarding the misbehaviour of several exponents of our very own martial arts, Silat. We tend to assume that those who are accomplished and experts in this art, or Mahaguru as we respectfully refer to them, will be people of high principles and morals. Indeed many such exponents have done martial arts especially silat proud and have sacrificed much of their time in passing on their expertise and knowledge. It was therefore sad to read of the escapades of a few so-called masters who have betrayed the trust of their students and disciples by giving in to that base human weakness, sexual depravity. Read and feel sad.

**** An assistant silat instructor was charged yesterday with molesting one of his students.

Selamat Md Said, 46, was alleged to have used criminal force to molest a 22-year-old between 11pm and midnight on March 15 last year.

Magistrate Mujid Saroji set bail at RM3,500 in one surety and fixed April 25 for mention.

Two weeks ago, silat master Baharrudin Zakariya, 54, whom Selamat was assisting, was charged with raping two students, aged 20 and 14.

Sessions Court judge Zunaidah Mohd Idris set bail at RM20,000 pending mention on April 12. ****

What will parents think and do in future if their young children show an interest in learning this ancient art? Are they going to say "no we can't trust the instructors. Enrol yourself in the Karate class?" Because of the senseless actions of a few, the whole of silat tends to get a bad name and in the end the practice of it as a martial art and even as an exercise will begin to decline. Perhaps the authorities which control silat could endeavour to put in place safeguards to prevent this type of behaviour from recurring.
Image - Source