Forgotten Malaysian History
(Restoring Voices, Reclaiming Truths)
Ranjit Singh Malhi (2026)
Ranjit Singh Malhi is a senior academic who has been in the business of writing history books, like forever. Over the years, he has lamented that the Malaysian history taught in secondary schools has progressively downplayed the role of the Non-Malays in the country's early history. The contributions of the non-Malays to subsequent development, defending the nation against enemies of its independence, and their own economic progress are gradually being erased.
 |
| Penang Waterfall Temple Established in 1914, long before the Malayan Land Codes were established. |
Some time ago, many Malaysian historians mooted the idea that Malaysia was never 'colonised' by the British but merely 'administered' it. When the British enacted laws for Malaya on how it should be governed, as they did on several occasions, they effectively ruled us.
The word 'pendatang' (newcomer) is a slur in Malaysia used against non-Malay people. It is absurd to continue using such a phrase, as some non-Malays have been here since before the 16th century. Clearly, they are more deeply rooted here than some first-generation Indonesians who claim to be more Malay by virtue of their religion.
The Malays are a group of Austronesian seafarers from Taiwan who migrated through the Indonesian archipelago, from Sumatra, and then settled in the peninsula, mostly in the 19th and 20th centuries. The various tribes of people from the archipelago—such as the Malays, Minangkabaus, Javanese, Kerinchis, and Mendalings—each claim to be more 'son of the soil' than the others. It may be that the 1931 British census showed that non-Malays outnumbered Malays, which led to them being grouped together under the umbrella of Malay.
Lately, Yap Ah Loy's contribution to transforming Kuala Lumpur into a thriving city has been overshadowed in the name of 'Ketuanan Melayu' (Malay Supremacy). The names of Raja Abdullah, Sutan Puasa, and Abdullah Hukum are being mentioned. Raja Abdullah may have brought Chinese miners to work in Ampang. Sutan Puasa owned a piece of mining land. It was Yap Ah Loy who helped rebuild Kuala Lumpur after a fire and floods.
The Orang Asli's role as the peninsula's earliest inhabitants is often overlooked. They arrived on the peninsula around 10,000 years ago. During the era of the Malay Sultanates, the Orang Asli were enslaved, causing them to retreat further into the wilderness. They played a vital role in maintaining security, especially against the communists. The skills of the Senoi Praque need no elaboration.
 |
| Kpl Baharuddin @ Senoi Praque |
The Indian culture has been a powerful civilising influence on the Malay kingdom. This is reflected in their cuisine, language, wedding rituals, and royal ceremonies.
The author goes on to highlight the contributions of various communities in nation-building. The Javanese are depicted as a model of agricultural excellence. After being recruited as labourers across various geographical locations, they developed entrepreneurial skills and hard work that allowed them to become independent rubber estate smallholders. They retained their language and culture, living in Kampong Jawa, a common sight in many towns. Many Javanese have become Malaysian political leaders, not as Javanese but as Malays.
The existence of the Melaka Chettis, a unique Hindu Peranakan community, dates back to the 15th century. Originally traders, they have now expanded into many professional fields. Their culture combines Tamil Hindu, Malay, and Chinese influences. Many speak Bazaar Malay at home. The community even produced a dondang sayang singer. Their traditions, dress, and cuisine are a blend of Indian and local flavours. They are among the original inhabitants of Malaya.
The Baba-Nyonya, part of the Peranakan Chinese community, also shares a rich heritage with the Chettis. They have incorporated elements of Western culture into their traditions. They demonstrate allegiance to the Crown to distinguish themselves from the ‘off the boat’ Straits Chinese who arrived later. The former spoke a Malay-Hokkien blended language, while the latter spoke Hokkien or other dialects. The Baba-Nyonyas have their own distinctive cuisine and attire. Many from this community went on to become national leaders, including Tan Cheng Lock, the first president of the MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association); his son, Tan Siew Sin, the first Malaysian finance minister; and others.
 |
| Jean Abdullah |
South Indians contributed immensely to Malaysia's subsequent economic and infrastructure development. The history textbooks conveniently omit the part where hundreds of thousands perished in the elements during the transformation of tropical jungles into rubber plantations. Then the hands that diligently tapped the white gold under the cloak of darkness to create modern Malaysia. The British also found them to be excellent workers for laying railway tracks.
Then there were the Ceylonese, Malayalees, Telugus, Tamil Muslims, Sinhalese, entrepreneurial Gujaratis, and Sindhis.
The Sikhs, though small in number, proved to be no pushovers. Brought into the police force in the late 19th century, they play an important role in the country's defence. In this context, they are accused of being lapdogs of the British, doing their dirty work of curbing the natives. In their defence, the Sikhs were quite riled up after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the Komagata Maru incident, where Sikh immigrants from India were denied entry and turned back. The passengers who reached Calcutta were forcibly arrested and shot during a scuffle. This event is said to have spurred the anti-British Gadar movement. A Malayan Sikh is credited with chartering the ocean liner from Hong Kong to ferry immigrants to Canada.
 |
| Jagat Singh of Perlis |
The significance of Sikh moneylenders as an alternative to traditional banking cannot be overstated. The story of Jagat Singh of Perlis is quite compelling. His involvement in moneylending enabled him to acquire nearly half of Perlis' land. The British had to intervene and exile him to Penang.
Their contributions to the legal profession, sports, education, politics, civil services, banking, and medical services cannot be denied.
The ethnicities from Sabah and Sarawak also have their side of history that is glazed over to deny them their role in national progress. The 1943 Jesselton Uprising is a significant moment when a multi-ethnic Sanahan crowd stood up against the formidable Japanese forces during World War II.
The current Government, which has strong roots and links with the right-leaning, pro-British, elitist Alliance Party, aims to promote the idea that the UMNO-MCA-MIC coalition is the only entity claiming independence from London. The contributions of the radical Malay left, such as PKMM and their liaison with the Japanese while maintaining rapport with MPAJA and CPM, are downplayed. Ahmad Boestamam, one of the key figures of the Malay left and other offshoot parties, does not receive due recognition.
In the early years of Malaya, Chinese entrepreneurs played a crucial role in developing commercial agriculture and tin mining. There is a special mention of a defender of the working class, Karam Singh Veriah; Karpal Singh Deo, whose fierce arguments about the Constitution still echo in the Opposition's minds; the revered spiritual leader Nik Aziz; the best Prime Minister Malaysia never had, Tun Dr Ismail; and the 'more Malay than Malay' leopold who cannot change his spots, Mahathir Mohamad.
The book concludes with a report on the May 13 racial riots. The official narrative, as mentioned by Tunku, is that it was orchestrated by communal extremists supported by secret societies and Communists. In reality, it might have been a political coup in disguise. The ultra-Malay faction within UMNO, including Harun Idris, Mahathir Mohamad, Abdul Razak, and Ghazali Shafie, plotted to remove Tunku. It was a well-executed coup de tat that struck fear into Malaysia. New economic and educational policies were introduced to determine the country's direction for generations. Racial supremacy became ingrained in everyday life in Malaysia.
No comments:
Post a Comment