Righting the Wrong

Forgotten Malaysian History

(Restoring Voices, Reclaiming Truths)

Ranjit Singh Malhi (2026)

The history syllabus we studied is completely different from what is present in the current school curriculum. There is a clear attempt to minimise the roles and contributions of various sections of society. There is a clear effort to rewrite the country's history to serve certain political agendas. This country would not be what it is today if not for the blood, sweat, and hardships endured by various immigrants who landed on this land.

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.

At this age and era, this book feels more essential than ever. Evidence of ignorance about Malaysian history is evident from the recent fiasco surrounding the legitimacy of numerous unregistered Hindu temples across the country. The confrontational buffoons who are on a witch hunt to demolish all Hindu temples they consider illegally built are products of Malay-centric, whitewashed history lessons. This book aims to set the record straight: the history of Malaya is not solely Malay-centric.

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

The Portuguese Eurasian community traces its ancestry back five centuries to Melaka. They still carry their surnames. We are aware of many sportsmen, musicians, politicians, judges, and even a ‘First Lady’ for a brief moment through Jeanne Danker 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.

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Knowledge without Wisdom!

Capture of Delhi 1858
Wiki Commons

Having an extensive amount of knowledge is not enough. One must assess the information and use it critically. It is like having a lot of money but no brain to manage it. In the end, it would be like the Emperor's new clothes, and everyone else would have a good laugh at the Emperor's expense.

This idea came to me while listening to a podcast about the 1857 Indian Sepoy Mutiny, also known as the Indian Rebellion or, more recently, India's War of Independence. About a hundred years after the Battle of Plassey, which marked the start of British rule in India, Indians were becoming restless. Christianity was increasingly influential in Indian daily life. British commanders included Christian prayer in their morning briefings. There was a sense that the British were actively proselytising Indians.

So, when the rumour spread that the bullets in the new Enfield rifle were greased with pork and beef fat, and required the sepoys to bite open its greased paper cartridges, Indians, both Hindus and Muslims, were provoked. It all began in Meerut when 85 soldiers defied their superiors. They refused to handle the bullets and were imprisoned. The other soldiers freed them, signalling the start of the rebellion.

Like wildfire, hushed, coded messages were sent between towns in the form of capatis (similar to Chinese mooncakes with hidden messages). Peasants rose up to oppose their colonial masters, especially around Lucknow. The natives rebelled against foreigners in Calcutta, Cawnpore, Delhi, and Lucknow. The problem was that they were not united. They fought in isolated pockets, defending regions such as Jhansi, territories, and their religious beliefs. The British were better organised. They used the telegraph to coordinate their troops and strategies. They also had formidable Sikh and Pathan fighters on their side. The Indians, however, had the numbers. An 82-year-old reluctant pacifist and poetic king, Bahadur Shah Zafar (Bahadur Shah II), was installed as their king. A fierce battle followed. The human tragedy was beyond words. It resulted in a stalemate; both armies remained trapped in trenches.

Aryabhatta -Mathematician-Astronomer
Extraordinaire 476-550 CE

India had advanced knowledge in astronomy. They understood that the Earth was spherical and that their heliocentric model existed long before Europeans could even count. However, knowledge that is not applied or understood in context can be cause for disaster. It is similar to a doctor refusing to attend to a patient and delaying essential care because of a lunar event. Indeed, the lunar eclipse would definitely alter his career path. He could be barred from practising, seeing patients, and might face removal from the medical register. Such a situation would be a 'cataclysmic turn of events' for him. Remaining inactive when a disaster is looming is unlikely to lead to a good outcome.

Suddenly, in early September 1858, the Indian soldiers deserted the battlefield. The Hindus, busy with their routines, had not realised that a full lunar eclipse was occurring. They believed such an event held spiritual significance and signified a disastrous turn of events; therefore, it was expected that prayers and rituals would mitigate its effects. The rest is history. The British gained the upper hand and continued their dominance over India for nearly another 100 years.

It is frequently observed that a lunar eclipse also took place at the time of Jesus Christ's crucifixion in 33 CE.

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A language war!

Parasakthi (Tamil, 2026)

Director: Sudha Kongara

https://letterboxd.com/film/parasakthi-2026/watch/

2026 is an election year for Tamil Nadu. The year started with a bang with two Tamil movies with explosive political themes. The highly anticipated Vijay of the newly minted party TVK, and his alleged last film, Jana Nayagan, is stuck with the censors for unknown reasons. Some insiders reckon that the dialogue is highly spiced with political innuendo or outright condemnation of his opponents, such as the DMK and the BJP.

The second movie, which did not pose a threat to Vijay’s heavyweight, not surprisingly, was cleared easily. This movie, starring Sivakarthikeyan, the game show host who found fame through sheer grit, is a historical drama based on the 1965 riots in Tamil Nadu against the imposition of Hindi as the national language. This film turned out to be a propaganda movie through and through, putting DMK and their former leaders as the sole defenders of the Tamil language. As DMK controls the whole of Kollywood, movies are and have been the mouthpiece of the ruling class. By controlling movie distribution, production and theatres, they maintain cultural and political dominance in Tamil Nadu. Through this movie, the ruling party hopes to present a false narrative to new voters, the Gen Zs, that only DMK can keep the Tamil language 'alive'.

DMK and its predecessor, DK, have been thriving on the same ‘divide and rule’ policy that the British employed to quell Indian resistance. DMK makes the Northerners their bogeyman. They subscribe to the now-defunct Aryan Invasion theory and create an aura that the Hindi-speaking people from North India are out to wipe out the Tamil language and culture. Within the state, they also accuse Brahmins of usurping others' opportunities with their perceived oppression of the rest of Tamil Nadu with Brahminical ideologies. 

The scenario for the 2026 state election is like this. With the spate of BJP wins in recent state elections, increasing the BJP’s popularity and the entry of actor Joseph Vijay into politics, are making DMK stakwart Stalin feel hot under his tall collar. His party has promised to eradicate Sanathana Dharma, but continues to be seen performing poojas for blessings. 

Recently, the perennial issue of teaching Hindi in schools resurfaced. DMK, the self-appointed defender of the Tamil language, had categorically put their foot down to deny compulsory teaching of Hindi in government schools. 

With the same rebel yell that they shrieked in 1965, DMK is entering the latest elections, and this movie lays the groundwork of their campaign.

Resistance to the introduction of Hindi into the Tamil Nadu school system has persisted for the longest time, even when the region was under the Madras Presidency. In 1937, under British rule in India, the Indian National Congress ruled this region, led by Rajaji. Congress, in preparation for self-rule, was toyying the idea of Hindi as the National language. The issue came up again just before Independence and again when the Constitution was drafted in 1950. Nehru promised Tamil Nadu that a grace period of fifteen years would be given before Hindi was made the official language. 

EV Ramaswamy, revered by DMK as the champion of Tamil, is also affectionately known as 'Periyar' (the Elder) and is anything but a bastion of the Tamil language. He had once condemned the language as barbaric¹, and it is not compatible as a modern lingua franca or for scientific purposes. 

It is ironic that in the 1930s and throughout the 1960s, the Dravida Party was hell-bent on opposing the Indian Congress Party over the language issue. Now, it has joined forces with Congress and is opposing the Central Government led by the BJP. Regardless of which party is in power, the DMK will oppose the Central Government. Remember, in the years before Partition, the Dravidian Party wanted to accede to Pakistan? And EV Ramasamy declared 15th August 1947 as a day of mourning.

https://www.reddit.com/r/IndianHistory/comments/1qcmlrf/1
965_tamil_student_protest_against_hindi/

This movie tries to retell events that led to the 1965 Hindi imposition riots. Nehru died in 1964, as the deadline to make Hindi the official language of the country approached. University students, instigated by Annadurai and Karunanithi, initiated demonstrations in multiple cities. The story tells a romanticised version of a docile elder brother who tries to save his young brother from harm. The elder brother has a violent past that resurfaces as a vengeful IPS officer who wants to squash the Tamil rebellion once and for all. In the midst of all this, a few figures from the past are shown, painting a DMK-friendly picture of them saving the Tamil language and its culture from being overrun by enemies from the North.

Historians and people who lived through the 1960s vehemently oppose the movie's alternative history of what actually transpired during that time. Others, including the Youth Congress group, are 'up in arms' about the negative portrayal of their former leaders. They scream for the film's banning.

(P.S. In the modern world, people are expected to learn as much as they can, including all the languages of the world. Alternatively, use Google Translate! Also, language is not everything, as seen in the later years. Andhra Pradesh, which was created along linguistic lines, was divided into Andhra Pradesh and Telangana because of economic imbalances.)

1. https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/nirmala-sitharaman-says-periyar-dismissed-tamil-as-a-language-his-was-a-push-for-reform/cid/2088564#goog_rewarded

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

A quick timeline...

India After Gandhi - The History Of The World's Largest Democracy (2016)
Author: Ramachandra Guha 
(Updated and Expanded) 10th Anniversary version

My knowledge of Indian history is limited to what I was taught in school, which only covered up to the time when MK Gandhi was assassinated in 1948. Since then, for someone from Malaysia, it was patchy, relying on whatever few articles and newsreels managed to reach us. 

This book helps to bridge that gap. It provides a detailed account of the critical events that took place after Nehru’s ‘tryst with destiny’ speech up to circa 2014, when a milestone event emerged. It mainly describes the political landscape and major events during that period. 

All these were penned by one of India’s eminent contemporary historians, Ramachandra Guha. Historically, Indian history throughout the 20th century, both before and after independence, was crafted by left-leaning historians under the influence of the Congress leadership. These historians are said to elevate the Imperial rulers, attempt to gloss over their mistakes, and depict colonial masters as saviours of the nation. On the other side of the rink are the bad boys, as determined as the British and other imperial powers, the members of the Hindutva movements. Guha is classified as a centrist liberal historian. The challenge with such a stance is that he will be criticised by both the left and the right.

The British did not have much hope for India’s future when they left. They predicted that the union would balkanise within ten years along ethnic, religious or linguistic lines. Anyway, towards the latter part of the 20th century, India became too expensive and rebellious to administer. The natives had wised up. The British had to leave to cut their losses. 

While celebrations continue in Delhi with pomp and splendour, chaos reigned in Calcutta at best. The exchange of people between the newly formed Pakistan and India did not proceed in an orderly manner. People were unaware of where the actual demarcation line was. 

From the get-go, India had to confront border skirmishes and the opposition of many princely states to joining the union. In Kashmir, with a Hindu ruler and a Muslim majority, Pakistan wanted Kashmir to cut itself away from India and join Pakistan. Maharajah Hari Singh wished to remain independent, but when Pakistani soldiers disguised as herdsmen infiltrated Kashmir to cause trouble, he abdicated to Jamu and sought assistance from India. 

Instead of deploying troops to take control of the situation, as his team advised, Nehru, in his great wisdom, believed the United Nations should intervene. The consequences of this quick, arguably mistaken decision are still apparent today. 

Then, the princely states had to be coaxed into staying within the coalition. The Nizam of Hyderabad gave India the runaround. Their situation was the opposite of Kashmir — a Muslim monarch and a Hindu majority. The Nizam was reluctant to hand over his wealth to India. Just a few years earlier, the Nizam was crowned the wealthiest man on Earth. He was adamant about either remaining independent or forging a close relationship with Pakistan. The problem was that Hyderabad was a landlocked state. The Islamic fanatics among the ruling class, the Razakkers, went on a killing spree to usurp lands from peasants. At that time, the Communists were also attempting to expand their influence. 

Vallabhai Patel, during Nehru’s absence in the UK, took the bold step of deploying his tanks to annex Hyderabad in a police action codenamed Operation Polo. The Nizam abdicated to Pakistan. It was not called a military action to avoid it being seen as an invasion of a sovereign nation. 

The Portuguese aimed to retain Goa as a Portuguese colony. However, the Goans did not share their sentiments. This prompted India to invade Goa and annex it through Operation Vijay.

 

The states in the North East region also experienced their own resurgence. Conflicts between tribes over land rights and reservations persisted. These conflicts continue in various forms even today. 

 

China and India were not on the best of terms after the Chinese Communist Party took control of China. The writing was on the wall that China posed a threat to India’s sovereignty. Despite the albatross around India's neck, Nehru thought it was wise not to strengthen defence within its borders. China had been encroaching into Tibet. In Nehru's view, after achieving independence through satyagraha (passive resistance), maintaining a large army was inappropriate. Nehru promoted the idea that China was a friend. The slogan of the early 1960s was 'Chinni Chinni Bhai Bhai' (Chinese and Indians are brothers). The Chinese later backstabbed India by attacking and taking over Aksai Chin, west of Nepal.

It was a wake-up call for India. They strengthened their military with help from the Soviet Union. In 1965, Pakistan, supported by the USA, provoked India by claiming a barren piece of land in Gujarat. Through Operation Gibraltar, they infiltrated Kashmir. India, following its humiliating 1962 encounter with China, quickly defeated Pakistan in 22 days, gaining confidence.

States in India underwent division along linguistic and administrative lines. Punjab was divided to form Haryana. Bombay was separated from Maharashtra. Himachal Pradesh was established. Telangana broke away from Andhra Pradesh. Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar, and Uttarakhand from Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, the Madras Presidency was divided into Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Andhra Pradesh attempted to claim Madras as its capital but had to relinquish it.

MK Gandhi once described India's heart as residing in its villages. Farming was the primary livelihood for the majority. Nehru promoted industrialisation, machinery, and the expansion of higher education to help the country progress towards modernity. IITs were established to support this goal. The Soviet Union provided assistance. On the international stage, Nehru, with his Fabian ideology, advocated for the Non-Aligned Movement, which aimed to remain independent of either side of the Iron Curtain. The US was quite agitated when he was seen as influential in the 1955 Bandung Conference, where China participated and its premier, Zhou Enlai, attended.

Nehru died in 1964 and was briefly succeeded by Lal Bahadur Shastri. He was beloved by the public and considered a hero of the common man. His rallying cry, 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' (Hail the Soldier, Hail the Farmer), boosted the nation's morale during India's 1965 war with Pakistan. He mysteriously returned in a body bag after signing a peace treaty in Tashkent to end the conflict.

Indira Gandhi was quickly promoted to the position. Throughout, she had been mentored by Nehru for the role. As with Shastri, Indira’s appointment was supported by a committee led by Kamaraj, a Congress leader. 

One of Indira Gandhi’s legacies must surely be when West Pakistan attacked East Pakistan after Mujibur Rahman’s party won the 1971 elections. Somehow, West Pakistan thought it was not appropriate for them to be governed by dark-skinned Bengalis. They sent in the army, and East Pakistan turned to India for help. 

In a swift and decisive 13-day war, India's security forces compelled West Pakistan to surrender unconditionally. India concluded the conflict before the arrival of US naval ships to support the West Pakistani forces. 

 

On Buddha Purnima, 18th May 1974, India became the sixth nation with nuclear capability, joining the USA, UK, USSR, France, and China, when it tested its nuclear bomb in Pokhran. The operation was named the Smiling Buddha. 

Another indelible event in Indira Gandhi’s leadership is the declaration of the National Emergency in 1975. After being guilty of electoral malpractice for using government machinery in her 1971 elections, the Allahabad Court declared the election invalid. This would automatically disqualify her from appointment and prevent her from holding any political post for 6 years. As the public cries grew louder, Indira Gandhi declared an Emergency. Hundreds of opposition leaders, social activists, student leaders, and journalists were arrested under the MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act), which allows detention without trial. Prominent leaders arrested included JP Narayan, a key icon of the post-Emergency era; Morarji Desai, who became Prime Minister in 1977; LK Advani, later a deputy Prime Minister; Atal B. Vajpayee; and the rebellious George Fernandez. The radio, TV, print media, and cinema were placed under strict government control. 

The Emergency period saw Indira Gandhi preparing her son, Sanjay, in an attempt to ensure dynastic continuity. He was granted extra-constitutional powers to undertake tasks not approved by the cabinet. He gained considerable notoriety through his unsavoury activities. He attempted to promote forced sterilisation and oversaw slum demolitions. There was an effort to mass-produce India’s affordable people’s car, the Maruti, which did not succeed at the time but was revived much later.

When the Emergency was lifted and elections took place, Indra was defeated. A fragile coalition was formed. The Emergency period, in a way, demonstrated to Indians that there is life after the Congress Party. In fact, this period also saw the splitting of the Congress.

The following years saw a few landmark events. The first non-Congress coalition did not remain in power for long. Due to internal conflicts, the government collapsed. Indira Gandhi returned as Prime Minister in 1981. Sadly, her dynastic ambitions of passing her realm to Sanjay Gandhi were shattered when he was killed in a plane crash.

1984 was another sad year when Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguard just months after she ordered Operation Blue Star. In that operation, the Indian Army entered the Golden Temple in Amritsar to suppress arms-wielding Sikh extremists. Rajiv Gandhi, Indira's other son, was promoted to fill the gap. The 1984 elections saw Congress winning a large majority due to Indira's assassination. Rajiv Gandhi became the youngest Prime Minister at 40.

His premiership was marred by a few controversies. First, there was the Bofors scandal, India's disastrous meddling in the Sri Lankan issue with their ethnic Tamils, the Bhopal tragedy, and Shah Bano's Supreme Court decision on her divorce maintenance settlement. He lost the 1989 elections.

For the second time, a non-Congress coalition formed the government under the leadership of VP Singh. Singh's tenure marked the beginning of the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid controversy in Ayodhya. The Mandal Commission, established in 1979 to identify socially or educationally backward classes, had its recommendations implemented in 1990. 27% of government jobs were reserved for backward castes. The Mandal-Mandir issue was not well-received by the citizens and contributed to the coalition's loss in the subsequent election.

1991 was a tragic year for the Nehru dynasty. A suicide bomber from Sri Lanka's LTTE detonated an RDX explosive while Rajiv Gandhi was campaigning in Tamil Nadu. The 1991 elections resulted in Narasimha Rao becoming the Congress' Prime Minister. Rajiv's widow, Sonia Gandhi, was disqualified due to her Italian origin.

The 1996 elections resulted in a hung parliament with no clear majority. The previous Congress government was plagued by the 1992 Bombay stock market scandal. Kashmir experienced renewed violence in 1995. The BJP was invited to form the government. Atal Bihari Vajpayee failed to secure enough support and had to relinquish the premiership after thirteen days. Following a series of appointments, resignations, and splits within parties, the 1998 elections were called. Once again, the results were hung, but Vajpayee became Prime Minister again.

 

The following year, Vajpayee lost a vote of confidence when the AIADMK withdrew its support. Vajpayee had refused to dismantle the Tamil Nadu government led by Karunanidhi. The 1999 elections took place after the Kargil War. With that morale-boosting victory in Kargil and Sonia Gandhi, an Italian by birth, on the opposition side, the BJP won.

There was a surprising leadership change in Congress in 2004. Manmohan Singh led the country for two terms until 2014, after which the BJP, under Narendra Modi's mentorship from Gujarat, has held power to date.

 

India, with its complexities, never fails to fascinate. It is a place to learn about humanity, the evil that men do, a treasure trove of knowledge, and a bottomless pit filled with mysteries of a bygone era. 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Have pedals can travel!

In the 1960s, when the Malaysian government, under the aegis of the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, proposed building a modern highway, the Federal Highway, to ease traffic in the Klang Valley, it drew considerable flak from the Opposition. They said it was a sheer waste of money.

The same kind of antagonism arose in the early 80s when the ruling government considered it another waste of money when a modern toll highway along the spine of the Peninsula was announced. The opposition also cited profiteering and the enrichment of cronies' coffers as the basis for their position. Still, the leaders successfully bulldozed their plan.

Undeniably, these projects have brought so much development to the country. One cannot imagine Malaysia without these highways, and life would not have been the same without the minister responsible for the roads, Samy Vellu, and his antics.

This was the first thought that came to my mind when I participated in a fellowship ride in Cyberjaya recently. It was an 88-km ride organised by the Development Board of the State of Selangor (PKNS) as a sin-washing, oops, CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility project. It was named the Selangor International Ride (SIR), but the only thing close to being international about it must surely be the expatriates who participated. I do not think anyone travelled all the way to partake in this event. It was not a race, there was no podium for medals, and there were no prizes. Just like in India, where SIR (Special Intensive Revision) of the Electoral Roll is chasing away illegal immigrants from places like West Bengal, SIR (Selangor International Ride) kept competitive cyclists away.

The ride was led by a lead police car and outriders, which created a safe gap for cyclists to speed up until they approached the water stations at the 40km and 60km marks. Here, the convoy would stop, regroup and restart after a short break. So, it was not a race, and there was no race chip to record participants' times.

The intriguing thing is the intricate lattice of well-paved dual-carriage roads that serve this whole area. From the Selangor Cyber Valley Lake Park, the convoy moved around the dull, imposing infrastructure surrounding Cyberjaya. In the 90s, Cyberjaya was earmarked to be Malaysia's answer to Silicon Valley. It promised to attract investors and market players by providing high-speed internet free from government controls, with information flowing seamlessly like rivers of glaciers. 30 years on, everyone realised it was just an afternoon post-prandial daydream that cleared when it became clear it was time to go back to work. In 2025, the police are more diligent at being a thought police than at going on their beat rounds, managing traffic, or keeping the community safe.

After completing a short loop near the starting point, the mammoth structure came into view: the Cyberjaya government hospital. Funny, less than 15 minutes' drive was another huge government hospital, the Putrajaya Hospital. In a sparsely populated area, it is mind-boggling that the powers that be deemed it necessary to have two large hospitals so close together. In contrast, other State hospitals, such as KLGH, Sg Buluh, and Selayang Hospital, were packed to the brim. Some things in life remain unanswered. This is one of them; the other may include the strange disappearance of MH370.

Technically, the bureaucrats would tell us that both hospitals are in different districts. One is in Putrajaya, whereas the other is in the Sepang district. From Cyberjaya, we slowly moved towards Sepang town and its vicinity.

The first time I saw the word 'Sepang' was when I was a teenager. It was written on a bus in thick, bold Tamil script. In fact, it was the only bus company that used Tamil lettering and operated solely on the Sepang route. During those days, rubber and oil palm estates covered these areas. To cater to its passengers, who were mainly plantation workers well-versed in Tamil, such arrangements were considered necessary. 

http://worldabh.info/evobus/benz/of1313/photo01.html

An interesting banner I saw outside a construction site while cycling read 'Keep Sepang Green and Clean'. I thought that message reeked of hypocrisy to the viewer. The whole area was green in the first place, cooling the air and reducing greenhouse gases on the planet. But no! In the name of development, to keep up with the rest of the world, we needed a brand new airport. A new town had to be started from scratch to prove our sovereignty. Industrial estates, expensive bungalows, and housing lots became essential. After clearing the trees, now we want to re-green them. That is the price of development, I suppose. What is development, purists may ask. But even the most spiritually inclined among us may feel that monetary offerings can help spread the Word more smoothly. 

Our journey took us to the outskirts of Banting and Kuala Langat, where we made our initial stop. There were hardly any challenging terrains to overcome. The temperature was mild for Malaysian standards, staying around 25 degrees Celsius throughout the ride. 

After a 15-minute break, the convoy reconvened and headed towards Sepang town proper and Dengkil town. Here, there was a slight inclination near the district office that needed to be conquered. After that, it was all flat all the way. 

A bit of forgotten history of Dengkil was not known to me when I passed through these few points, which are worth mentioning. It had long been of interest to archaeologists, who discovered ancient human activities dating back to the Neolithic period. This period in our history occurred between 10,000 BCE and 2,000 BCE, when humans evolved from hunter-gatherers to settled communities. Tin ore mining was an important industry in Dengkil from the 1920s. At the height of its prosperity, the Dengkil area boasted of having seven large modern dredges. During this period of exploration, bronze bowls, ceramic ware, stone tools, pottery, and agricultural implements from that era were found. Around that time, rubber plantations and Indian migrant workers came to occupy the region. The Chinese were brought in to work the tin mines. The pre-existing Malays in the area could not be persuaded to work for the colonial authorities, hence the need for migrant workers.

Kampong Jenderam Hilir, which we encountered on our route, is an important archaeological site located at the confluence of Sg Langat and Sg Semenyih. Bukit Piatu, which we saw signboards for, yielded a pottery shed.

The 1950s saw the creation of new villages by the Malaysian High Commissioner, Gerald Templer, and his men to combat communists. These settlements were another name for concentration camps. The British sold the idea of winning a war through a 'heart and mind' strategy to undermine communist activities.

Bukit Unggul Golf & Country Club
Courtesy Eric Lim

Paya Indah Wetlands, which is situated in the Sepang district, has seen better days. After flattening the land around Putrajaya and the KLIA (the airport in a jungle), maybe as an afterthought, after brutalising so much of Mother Nature, a disused tin mine was engineered as a wetland to showcase the tropics' fauna and flora. To enhance its allure, the Botswana government donated four hippopotamuses. Pelicans, crocodiles and porcupines were added for good measure. The Wetlands are rarely visited these days.

There is another rarely mentioned news of the oppression of the Orang Asli that has been going on here. The Temuan tribe, who had lived in Bangi, was relocated in the 1970s when their land was used to build the UKM campus. They were given a plot of land around Bukit Tunggul in Dengkil. In 1993, a private golf course was planned to be built on their land. After years of confrontation, by obstructing water and electricity supply, the Court of Appeal, in 2005, reserved that piece of land as their ancestral land. Things, however, are not all hunky dory for the Temuan people.

The ride finally ended back in Cyberjaya with much pomp and splendour. Another ride, another venture to another part of the country not often explored by the mainstream, or at least city slickers. The best way to explore any place is to take a slow voyage on foot or pedal power. Have pedal can travel!

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