Is the DAP State Government denying Negeri Pulau Pinang's History?

Something I found from a blog Pejuang Bangsa which sparked my curiosity:

The posting is titled "Guan Eng hapus elemen warisan Melayu dalam Hari Warisan Sedunia di Pulau Pinang"

I was then led to a PAS member's blog whose posting is titled :

Tiada elemen Melayu pada Hari Warisan Sedunia

Written by pemudabbendera
Jul 13, 2010 at 06:30 PM
Mohd Sabri Said

GELUGOR, 12 Julai: Aktivis warisan merangkap Pengerusi Persatuan Penduduk Kampung Tanjung ToKong, Mohd Saleh Yahya (gambar) menggesa Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang memasukkan warisan Melayu ke dalam Hari Warisan Sedunia yang dianugerahkan Pertubuhan Pendidikan Sains Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (Unesco) pada sambutan 7 Julai setiap tahun.

Katanya, ia perlu kerana sepanjang program yang diatur pada 7 Julai lalu, tidak langsung meletakkan elemen kemelayuan dalam sambutan walhal Pulau Pinang dibuka oleh orang Melayu bukannya Francis Light sebagaimana yang ditulis dalam sejarah.

Tambahnya, orang Melayu yang datang dari Pagar Ruyung, Indonesia lebih dulu mendarat dan melaksanakan berbagai urusan keagamaan termasuk mendirikan surau, masjid serta menamakan beberapa kampung dengan nama mereke.

Ini, ujarnya seperti Nahoda Datuk Jannatun yang membuka Gelugor dengan mendapat keizinan daripada Sultan Kedah, Batu Uban dibuka oleh Nahoda Intan, Datuk Nahoda membuka kawasan yang merangkumi Tanjung Penaga (kawasan jeti -Well Keay) Padang Kota Lama sehinggalah ke Jelutong, Datuk Kerana dibuka oleh Datuk Nahoda Datuk Keramat.

"Kerajaan negeri harus meletakkan sama warisan Melayu dalam sambutan Hari Warisan yang disambut pada 7 Julai setiap tahun. Tidak hanya memfokuskan kepada sejarah bangunan dan fakta sejarah yang lebih kepada kedatangan Inggeris," ujarnya.

Sepatutnya, kata beliau nilai-nilai kemelayuan diserapkan ke dalam sambutan kerana jelas dengan fakta bahawa orang Melayu terlebih dahulu membuka Pulau Pinang yang dulunya diberikan nama Pulau Kesatu oleh Datuk Nahoda Ragam yang dianggap sebuah pulau terbesar yang pernah ditemui di Selat Melaka.

Beliau juga mendesak kerajaan negeri mengkaji semula kedudukan Georgetown sebagai pusat bandar yang baru dengan nama 'Bandaraya Tanjung' ataupun lain-lain nama yang sewajarnya.

Katanya, lakaran peta-peta terawal yang dibuat oleh Inggeris merakamkan 100 peratus nama-nama Melayu tidak kira sungai, batu, pesisiran pantai dan jalan yang mustahil mengatakan pulau ini tidak berpenghuni, seolah-olah Francis Light menamakan Pulau Pinang.

Tambahnya, sejarah Pulau Pinang tidak bermula dengan kedatangan Francis Light sebaliknya antara wilayah pentadbiran Kedah dan sepatutnya pengisytiharan warisan mestilah bermula dengan warisan Melayu dan Islam sebagaimana yang dilakukan oleh Kerajaan Melaka Bandaraya Bersejarah.

"Kita menganggap pengisytiharan itu sebagai satu penghinaan pada warisan Melayu dan Islam yang seolah diketepikan dengan sengaja. Kami juga mahukan pengisytiharan dua tempat yang dikenal pasti sebagai tempat warisan Melayu di Batu Uban dan Kampung Melayu Tanjung ToKong," tambahnya.

Apparently this is a not so friendly advise from a concerned member of PAS minority Pakatan partner in the DAP dominated state Government of Pulau Pinang , Guan Eng DAP ignore it at their peril. I think it is timely advise and trying to skew the history of Pulau Pinang is a very undemocratic thing to do, it is dictatorial. I am sure the people of Pulau Pinang of all races elected the DAP to lead the State Government because they think that DAP will bring Transparency, Accountability and Competence in State Government not to start changing its History.

Talking about History of Pulau Pinang this is what I found when visiting the Pulau Pinang Government official Portal:

Info Penang > Sejarah
Sejarah

Negeri Pulau Pinang mula dijajah oleh lnggeris yang diketuai oleh Captain Francis Light pada tahun 1786. Bahagian Pulau Pinang yang mula-mula dibangunkan ialah di Kawasan Tanjung di Georgetown yang dikenali dengan nama Tanjung Penaigre. Pekan untuk perniagaan yang mula-mula dimajukan oleh Captain Light terletak di antara Lebuhraya Light, Lebuhraya Beach di pinggir pantai, Lebuhraya Malabar (kemudiannya dipanggil Lebuh Chulia) dan Lebuhraya Pitt.

Di dalam kawasan ini rangkaian jalan-jalan dibina secara bersegi-segi menurut sistem blok perumahan dengan jalan-jalan kecil melintang di antara satu sama lain. Rangkaian jalan-jalan yang telah dibina masih kekal hingga ke hari ini. Jalan tunggal yang dibawa ke pedalaman Pulau Pinang jalan-jalan Pinang. Kawasan di sebelah selatan Lebuhraya Malabar dikhaskan untuk perkampungan Melayu. Di sini satu tapak luas dikhaskan bagi sebuah masjid berhampiran dengan persimpangan ialah Pitt dan Lebuhraya Malabar.

Dalam pemerintahan Captain Light pekan yang dibina ltu berpaya dan berlumpur tanpa satu sistem perparitan yang baik. Kawasan bandar pada ketika itu diduduki oleh orang-orang keturunan Asia dalam kampong-kampong yang kotor. Manakala pendatang- pendatang dari Europa tinggal di kawasan-kawasan yang lebih selesa dan bersih.

Sehingga tahun 1807 bandar Georgetown dilingkungi oleb sebatang parit besar yang mengalir dari laut di bahagian utara mengikut Jalan Transfer dan Jalan Maxwell yang ada sekarang lni sehingga ke laut di bahagian timur bandar. Pada ketika ltu Lebuhraya Beach sebenarnya terletak di bahagian pantai. Kerja-kerja menebusguna tanah telahpun bermula pada awal tahun tahun 1880. Aktiviti lni telah menambahkan luasan tanah bagi Pulau Pinang yang juga membawa kepada beberapa masalah perundangan dari segi usaha meluaskan muara sungai. Pada ketika ini masalah ini masih wujud sebagai "Weld Ouay Question".

Tarikh akhir kemaskini: 04/02/2010

read in full here.

There you see it folks absolutely nothing mentioning about the historically proven fact that Penang was originally part of the Malay Sultanate of Kedah. It was only on 11 August 1786, Captain Francis Light of the British East India Company landed in Penang and renamed it Prince of Wales Island in honour of heir to the British throne then. Light ceded Penang to the Government of India and promised the Sultan military protection from Siamese and Burmese armies who were threatening Kedah.

Unknown to the Sultan, Light had acted without the approval of the East India Company when he promised military protection. When the Company failed to aid Kedah when Siam attacked it, the Sultan tried to retake the island in 1790. The attempt was unsuccessful, and the Sultan was forced to cede the island to the Company for an honorarium of 6,000 Spanish dollars per annum. This was later increased to 10,000 dollars, with Province Wellesley on the mainland of the Malay Peninsula being added to Penang in 1800. An annual honorarium of 10,000 ringgit continues to this day be paid by the Malaysian Federal Government to the state of Kedah.

In 1826, Penang, along with Malacca and Singapore, became part of the Straits Settlements under the British administration in India, moving to direct British colonial rule in 1867. In 1946 it became part of the Malayan Union, before becoming in 1948 a state of the Federation of Malaya, which gained independence in 1957 and became Malaysia in 1963.

Yes folks Sir Francis Light cheated and lied to the Sultan of Kedah when he promised military protection when in fact he was unauthorised to do so. So, how come the DAP State Government tells the history of Pulau Pinang from the time this cheat, Francis Light colonised it for the British East India Company.

Is the DAP thinking and planning about denying Pulau Pinang's History? What possible good will it do to Pulau Pinang and its people.

One thing that the DAP must understand is that this is a multiracial multicultural country, it is not Singapore, what the DAP are doing in Pulau Pinang will be seen as divisive and not responsible, it is not good for the country's harmony.

It was reported that the latest population census in Penang showed that they are almost equal number of Chinese(41.3%) and Malays(41.8%) making 83% of the state population, the rakyat are getting smarter now and will vote in representatives who are responsible and will look after their constituent and not engaged in too much politicking and divisive politics. In a nut shell the ordinary men and women wants to have hope for the future and just be able to cari makan in a stable environment. DAP should not be cock sure that they will be able to keep Pulau Pinang even if it denies the history of Pulau Pinang from the time of its founding by the Malays read here. Be careful what you wished for DAP.

Here is a report card to the DAP State Government from a Penangite:

What has the DAP-led PR Penang State Govt achieve in 2 years+
Comment from a Penangite on Pakatan's Report Card - 30 People Cen tric Policies by Penang State GovtShare

Today at 7:58am

gG is in no way connected in this but very encouraged by the analytical mind of the writer in presenting the truth of the CAT Government Penang. We hope our present leaders can use this approach to rebut the allegations and lies of LGE's lies and half truths to Penangites. Do not be quiet when you should be making noise.

Normally, I don't like to dabble with politics issues as I neither support PR or BN. However, in this case, I will make an exemption in terms of fairness. I will encourage you to get your friends to support if the below on the other side of the coins is what you think can be supported. Recently, pamphlets on the 30 People Centric Policies of the Penang State Government and they name this as the Penang PR's report card to 1.5 million Penangites. Since I am a Penangite, I am entitled to responds here. The report said that it has implemented 30 policies that benefited Penang. Sure, let's see how :

Under Enabling the People.
a) Providing disabled friendly facilities where Penang has been acknowledged by UNDP as the best in Malaysia. Yes, thanks to the Penang State Govt for further enhancing this but....
The truth is I thought some level of thanks should also be given to the previous state govt and the former MP of Bukit Bendera for example. Gurney Drive has started to provide such facilities way before 308 and how come there is no acknowledgement here ? Take all the good things and push the blame. CAT - Continuously Avoiding Truth (CAT).

b) Gender Friendly Program
Under the previous state govt I believed such initiative has already taken place. For example, the Invest Penang GM is already a lady who is a former HR Manager. As such, this is nothing new when another lady replaces this lady. As such, claiming this as part of the initiative now, hmmm... I wonder the truth. There is also State Exco for tourism - Kee PC who is a lady too. In addition, I believe Jahara at one time also holds an exco position.

Your take whether is this new or publicity stunt ?
Please do not get me wrong. I am not against putting ladies who are capable to lead but what I am saying is that this policy of putting capable ladies in driving position has begin under the previous state govt already.

read more of this profound post here and judge for yourself.

Just wondering what the State BN led by Gerakan is doing now in Pulau Pinang, still sulking and licking their wounds from the March 2008 massacre?