Tuah or Jebat: Whose Vision Shapes Tomorrow?

 

In the legendary rivalry between Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat, we can explore who demonstrates more futures literacy—the ability to imagine, anticipate, and act with foresight in the face of uncertainty. Both figures are drawn from Malay history and myth, but their contrasting actions open a window into how people envision and shape possible futures.

Hang Tuah, the loyal warrior, embodies a vision of continuity. His famous maxim “Takkan Melayu hilang di dunia” (The Malays will never vanish from the earth) reflects a long-term collective foresight: safeguarding identity and tradition against threats. Tuah’s futures literacy lies in his understanding that cultural survival depends on unwavering loyalty to the existing system. He accepts the Sultan’s authority—even when unjust—because he believes stability ensures the endurance of his people’s future. For Tuah, imagination of the future is conservative; he invests in preserving order, continuity, and collective resilience.

Hang Jebat, on the other hand, breaks with loyalty in favor of justice. His rebellion against the Sultan after Tuah’s wrongful condemnation demonstrates a different strand of futures literacy: questioning assumptions and imagining alternative orders. Jebat refuses to accept a future where injustice reigns unchecked. By defying the Sultan, he signals a foresight that values fairness, accountability, and moral responsibility above blind loyalty. In today’s language, Jebat practices “disruptive futures literacy”—challenging power structures to create room for new possibilities.

Who, then, is more futures literate? The answer depends on how we define the future worth striving for. Tuah’s foresight is systemic and collective, ensuring cultural survival through continuity. Jebat’s foresight is ethical and emancipatory, envisioning a future where justice outweighs tradition. Both embody important dimensions of futures literacy: Tuah reminds us of the importance of resilience and continuity, while Jebat demonstrates the courage to imagine and fight for alternative futures.

Perhaps the real lesson is not to choose between them, but to recognize that true futures literacy requires both—Tuah’s long-term guardianship of identity and Jebat’s disruptive imagination for justice. Together, they remind us that the future is neither fixed nor singular, but contested, dynamic, and shaped by the choices we make.