A close relative of Rosli Dhoby, who was hanged in 1950 for stabbing Sarawak's second governor Duncan Stewart, claimed that the Astro drama series on the Sarawakian nationalist contained several factual errors. 
    
Lucas Johnny said the most glaring mistake was a scene which showed Rosli running away after stabbing the governor on the stomach before he was detained by police. 
    
"I was with my brother at the time and saw what happened and he (Rosli) did not flee after stabbing the governor with a dagger. Instead, he tried to stab a second time but was stopped by a Sikh policeman. 
    
"Rosli's action showed his bravery and how he was prepared to face any possibility," Lucas said. 
    
"In the drama 'Warkah Terakhir', Rosli Dhoby was featured as running away and this is embarrassing as it suggests that Rosli was a coward. That was not him. 
    
"If no one believes this, please come and see me and my brother and I will show the proof," he said.
 
Lucas said the producer did not bother to contact them for the real story before shooting the drama. 
    
He said the current generation should be aware of this factual error so that it would not change the overall historical fact. 
    
"I still remember the event like it was just yesterday. After Rosli was arrested, I immediately went home for fear of being arrested by police and many do not know this," he said. 
    
Lucas, 70, who attended a special forum on Rosli last Wednesday with his brother, Tahar, said he still has all the documents on Rosli including his last letter before he was hanged. 
    
"What was shown in the drama is only 60 percent accurate...as a close cousin (of Rosli) and witness during the incident with Tahar, most of what was shown were incorrect and one scene painted him as a coward," he told Bernama. 
    
Tahar, 74, also admitted that the drama had factual errors and refused to watch the following episodes after watching the earlier ones.  
 
The eight-episode drama was first shown on Astro Citra in 2009, and then shown repeatedly following popular demand. 
   
After he was stabbed, Stewart was rushed to Singapore for treatment but to no avail.
    
Rosli ( left ) was hanged to death on March 2, 1950 after he was found guilty of stabbing Stewart with a dagger on Dec 3, 1949 in Sibu.  
    
The forum, ' Sembang Kemerdekaan: Berani Mati Demi Tanah Air, Wira Muda Bernama Rosli Dhoby ' (Independence Forum - Willing To Die For Beloved Nation, A Hero Named Rosli Dhoby) was organised by Pustaka Miri.
  
- Bernama