Marcus, it was not a matter of choice.
The keris was a symbol of the man, and apart from its weapon function was a socio-religious symbol.
The pedang was merely a weapon.
The keris was a personal weapon when it fulfilled the weapon function, and on the battlefield, a weapon of last resort.
The pedang was primarily a weapon and had no socio-religious connotations.
The keris was, and still is, required wear in certain situations.
The pedang was optional wear in some situations.
Both could be pusaka, or heirlooms, but only the keris as pusaka had the function of uniting past custodians with the present and the present custodian with current members of the kin group. In the case of a ruler, the regalia pusaka keris had the function of uniting the ruler with the people of his realm.
The keris must be understood as a cultural icon, not simply a weapon, but the pedang is no more than a simple tool to end life.
There is no similarity between the cultural position of these two objects.
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