Stories of courage and solidarity are woven deeply into Tausug history. This article by Hadji Ali Usman Jilah remembers two patriots whose contributions shaped resistance efforts during and after World War II.

By Hadji Ali Usman Jilah

Note: The following article is republished with permission from the original author to help preserve and share an important piece of Tausug history.


This story has long been stucked with me. I am revealing it as remembrance for the vital contributions to the struggle by the two patriots Kalingalan Caluang and Tuan Hadji Mohammad Nur Omar who shared the same time. It started 83 years ago in 1942 during World War Two when the Tausug put up stiff resistance against Japanese accupation.
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‎Impressed by the Tapikan a.k.a. Fighting 21 the two Bornean leaders and a Chinese doctor came to Sulu to ask help to form a creditable military resistance movement in Sabah. Captain Kalingalan sent Tausug combantants to Sabah headed by Datu Mustafa using the sea facility of Tuan Hadji Mohammad Nur. They established organization, training, and arsenal. Their camp bombed wipping out everything. Datu Mustapha survived until the British Liberation Forces arrived in Sabah in 1945 and installed him Chief Minister as a reward.
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‎Kalingalan and Hj. Mohammad Nur did not ask anything from a beholden Chief Minister. However, the benefits of their good deeds journeyed to the next generations and reaped its payment in 1968 in the form of Sabah’s full support to the revolutionary forces in Mindanao and Sulu. First, by allowing the training of 90 recruits in jungle warfare in Pulau Panghor in 1968, training of 300 in base attack in 1972, training of 60 in artilliary bombardment in 1973, and welcoming thousands of refugees with open arms. All this, were the works of two Tausug zealots Captain Kalingalan Caluang and Tuan Hj. Mohammad Nur Omar remembered by their friend Chief Minister Tung Datu Mustapha of Sabah.
‎This story is based on real events and is factual and became informational through this writer. Thank you for reading

Source:
Jilah, H. A. U. (2025). The Two Great Tausug Heroes. Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1PmH8Ukym9/

Matagal nang nanatili sa aking alaala ang kuwentong ito. Ibinabahagi ko ngayon bilang paggunita sa mahahalagang ambag sa pakikibaka ng dalawang makabayang Tausug , si Kalingalan Caluang at si Tuan Hadji Mohammad Nur Omar na nagkasama sa kanilang panahon. Nagsimula ito 83 taon na ang nakalilipas, noong 1942 sa panahon ng Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig, buong tatag na lumaban ang mga Tausug laban sa pananakop ng mga Hapon.

Dahil humanga sa Tapikan o tinaguriang Fighting 21, dalawang pinuno mula sa Borneo at isang doktor na Tsino ang nagtungo sa Sulu upang humingi ng tulong sa pagtatatag ng isang makabuluhang kilusang panlaban sa militar sa Sabah. Ipinadala ni Kapitan Kalingalan ang mga mandirigmang Tausug sa Sabah na pinamunuan ni Datu Mustafa, gamit ang mga pasilidad pandagat ni Tuan Hadji Mohammad Nur. Nagtatag sila ng organisasyon, pagsasanay, at imbakan ng armas. Ngunit binomba ang kanilang kampo at tuluyang nawasak. Si Datu Mustapha lamang ang nakaligtas hanggang sa dumating ang British Liberation Forces sa Sabah noong 1945 at ginawang Chief Minister bilang gantimpala.

Hindi kailanman humingi ng kapalit si Kalingalan at Hadji Mohammad Nur mula sa Chief Minister na may utang-na-loob sa kanila. Subalit ang bunga ng kanilang kabutihang-loob ay umabot hanggang sa susunod na henerasyon at natanggap ang kabayaran nito noong 1968 sa anyo ng buong suporta ng Sabah sa mga rebolusyonaryong pwersa sa Mindanao at Sulu. Una, sa pamamagitan ng pagpahintulot sa pagsasanay ng 90 na recruit sa jungle warfare sa Pulau Panghor noong 1968; pagsasanay ng 300 sa base attack noong 1972; pagsasanay ng 60 sa artillery bombardment noong 1973; at pagtanggap ng libo-libong mga bakwit nang bukás-palad. Lahat ng ito ay naging bunga ng dalawang masigasig na Tausug , si Kapitan Kalingalan Caluang at si Tuan Hadji Mohammad Nur Omar na inalala at kinilala ng kanilang kaibigang Chief Minister Tung Datu Mustapha ng Sabah.

Ang kuwentong ito ay batay sa mga totoong pangyayari at mga tunay na tala, at naging kaalaman sa pamamagitan ng pagsulat ng may-akda. Maraming salamat sa pagbasa.