There is a superb article carried by the premier blog Kempen SSS - Satu Sekolah untuk Semua, in response to Sin Chew's Tay Tian Yan article; The need to be politically correct.
The Kempen SSS article started with:
Yes, They Have Now Said It … Be Politically Correct
RENCANA KALI INI
He did say about the need to be politically correct. But just look at the article by Tay Tian Yan below. Very clear he does not have an adequate knowledge or want to know more about the history of this country than those erroneous facts he puts out. Imagine, saying the history of this country began with the Malacca Sultanate. How shallow that is. He and the likes of him think the Malays had been here for only 500 years. And that the Hindu civilization of “1,400 years ago” was not Malay. That Malays are only those who converted to Islam en mass beginning with the Sultan of Malacca. Going by that perception, are the Chinese not Chinese before they accepted Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, the three religions in one that some one wrote in this blog in the past, that Professor C.P Fitzgerald said in his book on the History of China?
He has never heard of the Malay kingdom of Langkasuka (believed to be present day Patani), or the Greek records referring to the Golden Chersonese, Arab records or the Indian Pali texts, mentioning travels to the Malay Archipelago some 2,000 years ago, or the archaeological excavations in Batu Pahat and the Bujang Valley in Kedah since the days of Dr Alistair Lamb of the Universiti of Malaya many decades ago. He should definitely be advised to read such books as the “Encyclopedia of Malaysia, Early History”, edited by the Malaysian archaeologist Professor Dr Nik Hassan Suhaimi himself, and “Tamadun Alam Melayu” by Mohd Arof Ishak, published by the Historical Society of Malaysia, 2009.
Lacking in knowledge of Malayan / Malaysian history has led him to question even the need for making History compulsory in schools. He talks about the teaching of History like the Americans do, as perceived by him. Such narrow mindedness. Devoid of a true perception of the racial problems that have been existing in this country since Lee Kuan Yew and the DAP started the chauvinist “Malaysian Malaysia” slogan, perpetuated by Lim Kit Siang and the DAP. A concept that subverts the Special Position of the Malays and the Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak. One that does not show respect for the Social Contract entered into by the leaders of the major racial groups at Merdeka and the Constitution of the country that embodies that Social Contract. One that has been the latent cause of the 1969 race riots.
There is a need for “Persepsi yang sama tentang masa lalu”, says Dr. Firdaus Abdullah, Pakar Rujuk di Akademi Pengajian Melayu, Universiti Malaya, in his article below that. Chauvinistic DAP Tony Pua Kiam Wee jumped up with a negative perception, suggesting that the new policy would be an attempt at “indoctrinating school children with a narrow interpretation of the Constitution”. No sooner said than jumped. Like Lim Guan Eng accusing MACC of responsibility over Teoh Beng Hock’s death just as the Police were beginning their investigations, and the cause of death is not known until this very day.
These are the kind who must be taught the history of the country so that they know everybody’s contribution relative to one another and, more importantly, everybody’s place in Malaysian society. Article 8 of the Constitution says everybody is equal but Article 153 says the Malays and the Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak have a Special Position and attempts to make them catch up with – now far from equal to – the Chinese in wealth and education must be respected as well. It must be, for the sake of long-term unity, peace and prosperity.
read or comment on the rest of the post here.
The above are additional reasons why it is urgent and imperative that Sejarah be made a compulsory pass in SPM.
