Brethren of Datu Abdillah

"Abdillah's Brethren" is a secret society based in Kolej Abdillah, a coeducational public and boarding school in Sarawak, Malaysia. Purpotedly formed in October 1980, the Brethren was said to consist of the high echelon of the student community in its infant years. Many of the ex-collegians dispute its existence, and cited the year 2006 as the starting date of the hoax. The society was formed with the motto "Semper Fidelis et Sevire"; meaning Forever Loyal and Serving, while its principles include Lex(Law), Mores(Moral) and Ethos(Ethics).

If the secret society does indeed exists, then The Brethren is Kolej Abdillah's best kept secret. It remained a secret until 2006, when a change of policy occurred within the society. For decades, the society has a selective policy in the induction of its members whereby only senior students are eligible to be its members.

History

The society itself was formed by three students out of sheer boredom and for the pursuit of fun in 1980. The change in school's policy in the 1980's however change the course of the Brethren's policy. Campus or school politics were a major part of the students' life then and the Brethren's involvement in school politics became inevitable. Hazing issue was also rampant, and the senatorial body of the Brethren, i.e. the Elders decided that the Brethren need to put its candidate as the Head Student so as to ensure the safety of other students.

The Brethren successfully dabbled with the school's politics and managed to influence the students' politics. Nonetheless, this fact was highly doubted by many when the Brethren came public in 2006 . The Brethren started to evolve gradually in the late 80's from a social club into a pro-democracy lobbyist, and even venerated Tunku Abdul Rahman and one of the most famous President of the United States, George Washington as icons of democracy.

The Brethren is said to be currently active, though its influence in Kolej Abdillah is debatable eversince what the Brethren referred to as the "reistatement of students' power" in 2006. Most of the students currently running the student government office are unaware and not the members of the Brethren.

Symbol

The Brethren's most famous symbol among its members is the "Supremacy of Knowledge" symbol, which was created by the First Grandmaster of the Brethren. It depicts a beast, (a rhinoceros) and a man, "acknowledging the supremacy of knowledge". It was first published in its first newsletter.

The symbol soon became famous, though subsequently the man and the rhinoceros was dropped in later versions of the symbol, leaving just the Corinthian column and the chakra. Its simplicity made it easily recreated by the Brethren's members.

In 2006, a clock tower was erected in Kolej Abdillah which replicates the symbol. The Brethren took credit in the building of the tower, though this claim is highly speculated.

Activities
The society is a discussion forum in its essence, in which the members of the clandestine society would meet up at a member's house once a fortnight to discuss various issues, but mostly revolve around Malaysian contemporary political issues. This tradition was said to start during the political struggle between the fourth Chief Minister of Sarawak; Abdul Taib Mahmud and his predescor, Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub in 1985.

In year 2005, the Brethren upheld Syed Hussein Al-Attas as "...the most influential Malaysian academician...ranked on the same level with Isaac Newton and Thomas Jefferson". His book, The Myth of the Lazy Native was described as "...a gold mine neglected by Malaysians."

Annual meeting would be held usually in late December in which, each members are obliged to wear an all-black attire.

Underground passage
There were rumours persisting the Brethren in which one of it specifically mentioned of a secret tunnel for members to gain entrance into Kolej Abdillah. The tunnel was said to be dug during the construction of the school as a part of a sewage system, but was later abandoned due to unknown reasons. It was then rediscovered in the 80's by the co-founders of the Brethren, and was used as a secret entrance to the school. In the mid 80's, during which the Brethren took a more serious form, the tunnel was used by members who have left the school and gain entrance into the school compund for any secret meetings.

Location of the tunnel
The location of the tunnel remained as a well hidden secret among the Elders of the Brethren. Nonetheless, rumors have it that the tunnel was filled in during the construction of the new academic block located at the football pitch. However, another rumor persisted that the secret passage is still functioning, and runs under the football pitch, connected to the city's sewage system.

Hoax allegation
The 2006 "revelation" was seen by some as a hoax, with many citing it as a Da Vinci Code effect. All the story regarding the tunnels and its secret hiding place within the school parameter was, as what one of the alumni described as; "too marvelous and extraordinary to be ignored". Despite that allegation however, a Friendster group was created by a user who uses the screen name the Grandmaster. Another collegiate secret society, Order of the Bull's Blood is also quite similar to this Brethren in the sense that both societies' existence were deeply questioned.

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