Sendeng recognised as a Johor heritage?

I just got some interesting (but unconfirmed) news yesterday from Razali, a fellow pesilat. According to him, Pertubuhan Seni Silat Sendeng Malaysia is being accorded the status of a Heritage of Johor by the Chief Minister of Johor, Dato' Haji Abdul Ghani Othman.

The event is slated to happen on the 22nd August 2008 at Dataran Tangkak, Johor which will see the gathering of 1000 Silat Sendeng Malaysia practitioners. If this is true, then it's an amazing development in the recognition of silat in Malaysia.

Some quarters might call it controversial, since the Sendeng style represented by this particular body is considered by purists as a mixed martial art. However, the late Haji Abdul Hamid Hamzah who founded the style popularised Sendeng to such an extent that his style became the definition for the system, even though it clearly incorporated Kuntau components.

It's a long time coming for Sendeng and I hope other states follow suit soon.