*This is my article published in The Malaysian Insider on Prof. Zainal Kling's "Tanah Melayu Tak Pernah Dijajah" statement
SEPT 20 — It is unfortunate that as we age as a nation and in the midst of celebrating our 54th year of Independence, we have become cynical about our past and less sure about our heritage truth. It all started with PAS Deputy President Mohamad Sabu’s controversial speech about the Bukit Kepong incident which later spilled over into a larger history debate. The latest polemic is, of course, on Prof. Zainal Kling’s statement, representing the History, Legacy and Sociocultural Cluster of National Professor Council, claiming that Tanah Melayu states were actually never colonised. It is a statement that has serious repercussions especially since it comes from the most prestigious academic body of the country. Apart from Deputy PM/Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin agreeing to a review of history textbooks, the rest of the government, including its media, are somewhat hesitant to comment further. The opposition, meanwhile, was quick to pounce. PAS revered spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat slammed Prof. Zainal as someone who had just woken up from a deep slumber. A police report was even made against the professor! And now MP YB Manoharan wants to change the national flag. How funny.
Watching the video clip of Prof. Zainal’s press conference, he made it clear that the Malayan states were indeed colonised. The points he raised ironically contradicted the grand statement he made during the opening of that same press conference; Malaya was occupied by Imperial Japan from 1942 to 1945. Then, the whole of Malaya was placed under British Military Administration from 1945 to 1946 and consequently, by the civilian government of Malayan Union from 1946 to 1948. He argues that Persekutuan Tanah Melayu succeeding the Malayan Union was not a subject of the Crown thus Malaya was no longer colonised after 1948. Whatever the arguments are on events prior to 1941 and after 1948, World War II has indeed turned the Malay states into a colonised nation! So it is rather amusing to see a seasoned academic so used to public speeches making such a sweeping statement only to be contradicted later by his own points. Perhaps a case of the mic being too hot to handle?
The public confusion may have come about for all sorts of different reasons. Apart from Prof. Zainal’s poor choice of words, we have been over-emphasising the early period of British involvement. Prior to 1941, the fact is that only three states – Penang, Malacca and Singapore — were placed under direct Crown rule while the rest were Protectorates (and not Colonies). While some may rightly argue that Protectorates were merely another form of colonisation, the terms used in the treaties signed between the Rulers and the British are there for us to see and the literal meaning of the terms suggests that the Malay states are not colonies. So to a certain extent, there is some truth to the argument that the Malay states were not colonised. (Prof. Khoo Khay Kim in fact brought up the same issue in a piece published in the New Straits Times newspaper a few years ago and he repeated this opinion again in a forum recently). But all these debates became academic when World War II broke out. It was a game-changing event on a global scale that should erase any doubt that the whole of Malaya, including those of unfederated Malay states, were colonised and placed under direct Japanese and British rule until 1948 (if we are to agree with Prof. Zainal’s version).
Even then, his version of events after 1948 is also debatable. Yes, the Malayan Union was indeed dissolved and the Federation was conceived. Besides stricter immigration and nationality rules, the return of selected powers to the Rulers, the controlling structure of the Malayan Union remains intact. The states were administered by chief ministers who hailed from the British elite: the High Commissioner Sir Henry Gurney, was an officer of the Crown and held executive powers on virtually all administrative matters. Of course, this is open to debate and the legitimacy of this (or any) opinion will ultimately depend on the evidence trail, international law interpretation and historical documents. But I do believe that Tunku Abdul Rahman’s declarations of Merdeka on August 31, 1957 had meaning and were not a mere act.
The press is also to blame. Online news portals, obviously the news source of this controversy, used the provocative headline that “Tanah Melayu Tidak Pernah Dijajah”. (But to be fair to the editors, those are the exact words used by Prof. Zainal.) And we mortal beings being too lazy to investigate further were quick to react. The famous Viktor E. Frankl once said that between stimulus and response there is space. And in that space lies our power to choose. In this case, we got over-stimulated and chose to respond incoherently.
Still Prof. Zainal’s main contention that we were never colonised for 400 years was supposed to be both inspiring and provocative. It is inspiring because we were actually a nation of free people for most of our written history. If this is to become our new truth, it is a truth that we should be proud of. The Thais are proud that their nation remained free and independent throughout the ages. Shouldn’t we be equally proud that our country for most of the time was actually free? It is also provocative because it tells that something is terribly wrong with our history curriculum (400 years vs. 10-15 years?). Perhaps less public is Tan Sri Prof Syed Naquib Alattas’s “History Fact and Fiction” book launch recently in UTM KL. While our history books have been telling us that Nusantara received Islam from the merchants and ulamas of Southwest Asia, Prof Syed Naquib offers evidence and explanation that the Nusantara’s dakwah message was in fact communicated directly from the Arabs, possibly from descendants of the noblest family of Prophet Muhammad saw and His Sahabah r.a. His speech that day brought an immediate response from Minister Dato’ Khaled Nordin who amid the blushes, admitted that our history books need to be reviewed. It is a hollow commitment since he is in charged of higher education and not our schools and their curriculum content (how I wish it is Muhyiddin that day who came). So instead of sensationally labelling Prof. Zainal as an Umno stooge or professor kangkung, we should at least thank him for pushing an alternative opinion that surely will not sit well with the politicians and bureaucrats in power. Now there is a valid reason, an opening created by NPC, to push for a total review of our history books and correct the misconceptions that have been taught for generations. And if the NPC’s argument stood true to the test of academic rigour, what the government did over the years is nothing short of a scandal. Heads must roll and they will. But the opposition’s response has been mixed and confusing at best.
As far as my reading is concerned, there is no statement saying that this issue will be raised in the Parliament. In fact, the message the opposition communicated to the public is that the Malay states were colonised as taught in the history books. Their rationale; If we are not, then what is to become to Mat Kilau, Tok Janggut and Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong? Whether we were colonised or not, the fact remains that British interventions were real and these national heroes were up against those interventions. Perhaps without them, we would have been truly colonised!
With all the hoo-hah that it has been created, the NPC cluster now has the moral and academic responsibility to publish and present its findings in an intellectual, open seminar. Better still, get it published in an ISI-ranked journal. If NPC suddenly has cold feet, the challenge should be taken up by either private academic institutions or college-universities under the Pakatan Rakyat states. But don’t let this issue die a natural death in the grind of the media spin cycle. Because if this fades away, it is an academic crime of national proportions. Perhaps the time has come to for us to follow in the great footsteps of Tun Sri Lanang and commit ourselves to the publication of a true, great Malaysian historical masterpiece.
* Eidit Hashim reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
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NST today reported that the Education Minister has met with members of committee appointed to review our history text books and curriculum. Below are the full article;
Other members of the committee are historian Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim of University of Malaya's (UM) Department of History; archaeologist Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Nik Hassan Suhaimi Nik Abdul Rahman of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Prof Dr Danny Wong Tze Ken of UM's Department of History; Prof Dr Ranjit Singh a/l Darshan Singh of Universiti Utara Malaysia's College of Law, Government and International Studies; Head of Universiti Malaysia Sabah's Department of History Associate Prof Dr Ismail Ali; Assistant Prof Dr Shamrahayu Abdul Aziz of International Islamic University Malaysia's Law Faculty; Dr Neilson Ilan Mersat who is the Deputy Dean of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak's Social Sciences Faculty, and Dr Benedict Topin of the Kadazandusun Cultural Association.
NST today reported that the Education Minister has met with members of committee appointed to review our history text books and curriculum. Below are the full article;
PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today met members of the newly-formed special committee to study the History curriculum and textbooks for secondary school.
The committee, whose members were appointed today, is headed Malaysian Historical Society chairman Datuk Omar Mohd Hashim while the Dean of Universiti Teknologi Mara's Administrative Sciences and Policy Studies Faculty Datin Paduka Prof Dr Ramlah Adam is the deputy chairperson.
The committee, whose members were appointed today, is headed Malaysian Historical Society chairman Datuk Omar Mohd Hashim while the Dean of Universiti Teknologi Mara's Administrative Sciences and Policy Studies Faculty Datin Paduka Prof Dr Ramlah Adam is the deputy chairperson.
Other members of the committee are historian Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim of University of Malaya's (UM) Department of History; archaeologist Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Nik Hassan Suhaimi Nik Abdul Rahman of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Prof Dr Danny Wong Tze Ken of UM's Department of History; Prof Dr Ranjit Singh a/l Darshan Singh of Universiti Utara Malaysia's College of Law, Government and International Studies; Head of Universiti Malaysia Sabah's Department of History Associate Prof Dr Ismail Ali; Assistant Prof Dr Shamrahayu Abdul Aziz of International Islamic University Malaysia's Law Faculty; Dr Neilson Ilan Mersat who is the Deputy Dean of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak's Social Sciences Faculty, and Dr Benedict Topin of the Kadazandusun Cultural Association.
The meeting took place at the Education Ministry, here.
In a statement, the ministry said the committee was set up to help look into the content of secondary school's History curriculum and textbooks to ensure they were able to nurture patriotism and loyalty to the country among students and strengthen their identity as Malaysians.
In a statement, the ministry said the committee was set up to help look into the content of secondary school's History curriculum and textbooks to ensure they were able to nurture patriotism and loyalty to the country among students and strengthen their identity as Malaysians.
