MIRI: To know more about nationalist Rosli Dhoby, one of the best persons to approach is his cousin Lucas Johny, who is presently putting up a month-long ‘Rosli Dhoby – Freedom Fighter’ exhibition at Pustaka Miri.
Lucas, an antique collector, when met at the exhibition yesterday said he was delighted to share with the public all that he knew about Rosli.
His collections on Rosli are in the form of newspaper cuttings, personal belongings, books and pictures.
“I had prepared for a year for this exhibition. All the items were collected via my family members, including those staying in England,” he remarked.
He hoped that the exhibition, which started yesterday, would be able to provide a clear understanding of Rosli who fought hard for independence.
“I was there to witness my cousin stabbed the second governor of Sarawak, Sir Duncan George Stewart to death,” Lucas claimed.
Rosli was a Malay nationalist from Sibu during the British colonial rule.
He was one of the leaders of the Rukun 13 organisation, along with Morshidi Sidek, Awang Ramli Amit Mohd Deli and Bujang Suntong.
The Rukun 13 was a secret cell which carried out assassinations of British colonial officers in the state.
Rosli assassinated Sir Stewart, the second governor of colonial Sarawak in 1948.