YOU SAY | “Acceptance and tolerance are what our society lacks.”
COMMENT | Open letter to our PM: revising historical past textbooks
Kim Quek: Unbiased historian Ranjit Singh Malhi is right in his account of the complete Malay-focused historical past textbooks since 1996.
Such historical past educating, which nearly obliterates the position and contribution of non-Malays in nation-building over the previous two centuries, has undoubtedly contributed to the ingrained “Ketuanan Melayu” mindset amongst Malays – as if the land belongs solely to the Malays .
Proof of this phenomenon is the completely racially polarized voting sample within the 15th basic election, with nearly all non-Malays voting for the multi-ethnic Pakatan Harapan, whereas the overwhelming majority of Malaysians vote for the all-Malaysian Perikatan Nasional.
Until this critical and elementary flaw in our schooling system is corrected, all reform efforts to construct the “New Malaysia” below Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s authorities might be in useless.
Anwar ought to subsequently embody the suitable revision of our historical past textbooks to mirror our truthful historical past as an pressing and indispensable merchandise in his reform agenda.
Truthful play: Ranjit, little doubt Anwar would learn your message and reply to it. This is why. A real story protecting all of the small and monumental occasions that led to Malaya’s independence in 1957 and later the founding of Malaysia in 1963 is an important nationwide treasure any nation might ever possess.
Little question Anwar will acknowledge all these occasions that led to nation standing and make sure the documentation of the nation’s journey in 1957 and later in 1963. Our First Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman started the journey by taking step one. Our 10th Prime Minister Anwar will lead the nation to worldwide recognition and acceptance as a world-class nation.
sixth Era Immigrants: Hopefully Anwar ought to instantly be enticed into studying this open letter personally and placing an finish to the desecration of Malaysia’s place in world historical past – we’re all woven into each nation’s world historical past, aren’t we?
Right now, Malaysia’s warped historical past is sort of a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that already does not match anyplace on this bigger piece of the finished jigsaw puzzle. For instance, there are lots of variations of Anwar’s political struggles towards former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, and even variations of former Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s 1MDB debacle – all of that are reported around the globe.
How would Anwar or his grandchildren really feel if Malaysian historians solely had the variations and interpretations of Mahathir and Najib in Malaysia’s historical past books?
Once I give it some thought, hasn’t this all occurred since 1971, the federal government’s New Financial Coverage (NEP) was slowly being garbled to imply one thing else. Right and true historical past is vital, it has to suit into our future like a jigsaw puzzle.
WOMAN: Ranjit, I hope Anwar finds time to learn your letter and do what’s required. He ought to know what coverage measures are wanted to right the obvious politicization of the story by Malay racists.
If he does not know the place to start out, he would possibly think about enlisting historians of your sort to current his authorities with a set of actionable steps that Training Minister Fadhlina Sidek might embody in her plans for 2023.
BlackDeer5292: A number of months in the past I used to be in one of many state museums and was curious in regards to the one-sided illustration of the varied ethnic teams in our nation. Suffice it to say that not a lot consideration or delight was given to the displays for the minority cultures, it was fairly disheartening to see a loyal, taxpaying and patriotic Malaysian.
Whereas I applaud wholeheartedly and am justifiably proud when a tradition is portrayed with such grace and grandeur, the neglect of different cultures may be very obvious to any native or international customer to our cultural facilities. We must be happy with our multiculturalism, we’re one of many only a few nations on the earth acknowledged for this uniqueness.
Simply as a powerful household requires laborious work from each member – father, mom and youngsters – so a superb robust nation requires laborious work and sacrifice from all. Do not count on it to be simple however know that we’re household and Malaysia deserves our greatest.
Maya: Ranjit, solely when individuals are keen to just accept the reality will issues occur. Acceptance and tolerance are missing in our society. Sadly, none of us are vital thinkers and settle for all the pieces that’s written because the sacred reality. College students merely take out the info to excel in exams. They haven’t any alternative as a result of they by no means learn the true model.
Worse nonetheless, historical past is given little which means by science, and that is why we’re caught on this deep gap. They are saying that change is troublesome to attain.
Anwar will not fire up the hornet’s nest anytime quickly. Moreover, our schooling system itself is in tatters and wishes to vary. How Fadhlina will take care of something or change something might be a sign of the route we’re headed in earlier than the reality of the story is appreciated.
SK1008: Historical past is about info that occurred. I’m now 72 years outdated. Why ought to the historical past I studied as an elementary faculty pupil from 1957-1962 be totally different from what’s taught at the moment? Historical past can’t be modified. There may be nothing to be ashamed of documenting the reality. We nonetheless progressed as one nation.
Headhunters: Let’s face it, our historical past was not written by historians, however by politicians disguised as historians. Sabah and Sarawak have equally wealthy histories, however there may be little point out of the 2 states in our faculty textbooks.
Magnanimous46: Thanks sir in your continued efforts to deal with the bias and half-truths in our secondary faculty historical past textbooks. However the faculty authorities do not appear . They like to go away sleeping canine mendacity round. Does this imply that they condone the supposed erasure of the historic position of non-Malays in pre- and post-independent Malaya?
Do not they need the younger minds in our faculties to know the contributions and sacrifices made by non-Malaysians to nation constructing? Does this additionally imply that the alleged improprieties had been knowingly and/or deliberately condoned for a particular political agenda that quantities to racial bias and prejudice towards the non-Malaysians?
They are saying we are able to wake a sleeping man, however not one who’s pretending to be asleep. The alleged racial biases and manipulations in our historical past textual content came about throughout the a long time of the Umno/BN period. Apparently, they’re now senior companions in Anwar’s authorities. So the issue just isn’t outdoors of the federal government and accordingly there must be no drawback in resolving the matter supplied all of them consider a united Malaysia visualized by the Agong. Would Anwar be capable of fulfill his marketing campaign promise to deal with all Malaysians pretty and inclusively, no matter origin, race and faith?
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