Mat Taram bin Sa'al

Case overview

Mat Taram bin Sa'al (alias Utoh) was an Indonesian mass murderer who killed eleven people and wounded ten others on a Kuala Lumpur-bound train and a kongsi near Bangi, Malaysia on October 9, 1947.

Background

Mat Taram bin Sa'al hailed from Tunggal Island near Sumatra. He was a Banjarese padi planter. He owned a farm in Parit Six, Bagan Terap, near Teluk Anson. He sold his house and land for 200 Straits dollar when he wanted to return to his birthplace, and then travelled with his wife and three children by train to Singapore to inquire about the price for the journey. He became depressed after finding he could not afford the fee for the ferry. According to his wife, he stayed awake for two days, and he eventually decided to return to Parit Six.

The offence

On October 9, Mat Taram bin Sa'al and his family went to Labis by bus, where they boarded the mail train from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. For most of the journey he remained quiet. At about 6:10 p.m., when the train had just passed Bangi and was on its way to Kajang, he entered the restaurant car, drew a pocket knife with a four-inch blade, and attacked four British Other Ranks of the Malaya Command Signals Regiment who were having dinner at one of the tables.

He killed sergeant Herbert Victor Marston by stabbing him in the heart. He fatally stabbed J. Cormack in the abdomen. He grievously injured Robert Ralston with a stab in the chest. He also stabbed a Malay named Mohamed Eusoff, and he stabbed an Indian named Malimalai, who succumbed to his chest wound on October 12.

When the train was brought to an emergency halt, Mat Taram bin Sa'al jumped off and disappeared into the jungle. Under a bridge near the railway tracks, he stabbed a Chinese vagrant to death.

Three miles further on, he entered a kongsi hut near Sungai Tangkas. In the hut, he killed Cheow Hin, as well as two elderly women, and three children. He wounded nine other people, including four children, before fleeing.

One of the wounded people was a woman who succumbed to her wounds soon thereafter. After police arrived about one hour later, the wounded were brought to hospital.

Victims

Mat Taram bin Sa'al killed eleven people:

• Cheow Hin, 40
• Chong Yit San, 7
• J. Cormack
• Liew Kew, 2
• Liew Ng Tai, 5
• Malimalai
• Herbert Victor Marston
• Three elderly women
• Chinese vagrant

Investigation

While hundreds of police officers searched for him in the jungle around Bangi, Mat Taram bin Sa'al went on a 90 mile march to his home in Parit Six. He arrived 36 hours later.

He was asked why he had returned, since it was thought that he was on his way to Sumatra. He told that he had no money for the trip and was on his way back home. He also said he had lost his wife and children when he was pushed out of the train after a fight that was incited by a Chinese boy who had spilt tea on him.

After being brought to Sabak Bernam Police Station, Mat Taram bin Sa'al related his story and told police that he couldn't remember anything that happened after he was pushed off the train. One of the policemen, who had read the story about the mass murder in a newspaper, suspected that he could be the sought culprit, and so Mat Taram bin Sa'al was arrested.

Arrest and identification

Mat Taram bin Sa'al was detained in Teluk Anson, where he was identified by his wife.

He was charged with the murder of Herbert Marston on October 13.

Trial and proceedings

The case was transferred to the court in Kajang, where hearings began on October 14. On October 29, Mat Taram bin Sa'al was sent to the mental hospital in Tanjong Rambutan to be observed there for a month.

Sentencing and mental status determination

On May 4, 1948, Mat Taram bin Sa'al was found to have been of unsound mind while committing the murders. He was sentenced to be confined at the mental hospital in Tanjong Rambutan at the pleasure of the Ruler-in-Council.

Aftermath

After the attack, police arrived at the hut about one hour later, and the wounded were brought to hospital.

People wounded

Those wounded were:

• Robert Ralston
• Mohamed Eusoff
• Liew Ngan, 8
• Liew Fah, 14
• Liew See Tai, 13
• Chong Kew, 13
• Ng Lan, 50
• Chong Shuen
• Wong Yee
• Chin Sam

Other details

• Mat Taram bin Sa'al’s pocket knife had a four-inch blade.
• Mat Taram bin Sa'al returned to Parit Six during the period when police were searching for him in the jungle around Bangi.