IGNORE THE TITLE : A Discourse on Facebook

A friend gave me shout out about a week ago on Facebook with this rather long question. Before I go further,I would like to stress that my answer is based on my research and my beliefs. I only mean to share, not to impose.


IGNORE THE TITLE. I am setting aside the political aspects of his speech. Can anyone share on the authenticity of the historical aspects mentioned here? Panjang sangat video ni (ada 6 parts), tapi banyak 'fakta' tentang sejarah orang Melayu dan Malaysia yang kelihatan lain dari apa yang kita baca masa di sekolah. Zalina Abdul Aziz, you may know some Malay history?

CHEGU BARD PENJELASAN ISU CINCIN ROSMAH 30OCT2011 TEMIN PAHANG SIRI 1


Here are excerpts of my reply:

I am not sure which part you are referring to. I tried to listen to the different parts. However,from your question, I think you are asking about ALfonso de Alburquerque's invasion of Malacca. Alburqurque had personal hatred to Islam and fought against the Mamluks and the Ottomans. He once threatened to steal the remains of Nabi Muhammad. Whether this was a Perang Salib agenda, I would not know. Check Commentarios do Grande Affonso d'Alboquerque. Certainly, as Tome Pires mentioned, at the time, Melaka was the richest city of the orient. Alfonso wanted the true identity of the Spice Islands and found out after conquering Melaka.

As for history of Semenanjung, I have always maintained that we have a history of thousand of years, not just 500 to 600 years. Ptolemy maps, our old Hikayat, Chinese texts and even Gajah Mada's Sumpah Palapa (14th century) verify this. The Kedah Sultanate is the oldest. But remember, many preachers and traders alike passed through our lands, and did not stay. Their influence may have remained but they did not stay to run the country. Raja Chola attacked Kadram(Kedah) in the11th century. Why bother if there was no civilisation there. There was. The Kedah Sultanate.

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As I said earlier, Alfonso had a personal hatred for Muslims. Against this backdrop, it was also the time Europe was at war with the Ottomans. This was late 1300s to 1500s. Portugal however was actually at war with the Egyptian Mamluk - and the war was control of the spice trade.

Question:

As what was written in world history....by?

My answer: The secret is to read between the lines and from multiple sources. I won't deny that there was the constant war between Muslims and Christians in that period. But remember, it was more a time of greed of the lords. At times Portugal was angry A...lfonso de Alburquerque put his hatred for the Muslims above the profitable trade. He was only vilidated and pardoned after his death by the King of Portugal. But still, Alfonso hated Muslims and this was his prime motivation to conquer Malacca - to kill the Arabs hold on the Spice Trade.

***

One point. This speaker wants to state that UMNO leaders are afraid to acknowledge the Hindu beginnings of this land. This may be so, however,consider the following factors.
1. The Hindus in the early Millenia in this region are different from the Indians here in Malaysia now. The first wave did... not stay.They introduced the religion, way of life, traded and went back to India. The Indians today generally came to Malaya during British admin, stayed and are truly Malaysians. These are two separate entities.
2. The Hindus during Melaka's fall, in particular Nina Chattu actually betrayed the Sultan (well, he was not a very good Sultan but he was the leader of Melaka) and helped Alfonso's entry and victory. Incidentally this was the same case with Sang Ranjuna Tapa in Tumasek/Singapura betraying the king to let in the Majapahit forces. Again, this has nothing to do with the Indians in Malaysia today.

But the speaker should not lump all facts into ONE fact.

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The truth is , many politicians use history to confuse the people. We owe it to ourselves to read history if we are intrerested and find it out for ourselves. Everyone can read. This is the best form of getting information, not listening to speakers/politicians who skew it to their own political agenda.

Query :

Thanx ninot, informative. Kalau nak baca more nak dapat di mana? This guy kata he had to get it from the National University of Singapore? Any history on the other Hangs after the death of Hang Jebat then Hang Tuah? Were they Chinese? Did they ever exist?

My answer : According to text, Hang Tuah is son of Hang Mahmud and he was born in Sg Duyong. Yes, I was a little bit hasty in saying Sultan Mahmud was a bad leader. But he did allow division in Melaka. To be fair, he repented and wanted to realign his rule but it was too late. I read as many of the Hikayats and work hard at putting some sense into it [by reading up on history]. Professor Ding Choo Ming at Akademi Tamadun Melayu UKM helps me tremendously by discussing, teaching and giving me books to read. And I research on-line plus read as many books on world history in relation to the Peninsular.

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You see, Melayu baru are so eager to say our heroes are China, our ancestors are Indians. I am proud to have friends of all races since I was a child, but I am very certain who I am. As a people. The old Malay manuscripts were very open.... The man from Goa is the man fr Goa. Cincu Wangkang is the trader fr China. Now a whole book was dedicated to Hikayat Hang Tuah and his exploits. If this was a book about a viking or a greek king, this would have been taken as gospel truth in essence. Not us, we seek to destroy all evidence of pride in ourselves. Who's doing?

***

I have done a bit more research on the above, this time looking to what Singaporeans themselves say about the matter. Some light reading took me to peruse and finally dig deep into The Singapore Dilemma - The Political and Educational Marginality of the Malay Community by Lily Zubaidah Rahim. Interesting, to say the least.

Firstly, it reveals that Section 152, Singapore Constitution reads 'It shall be a deliberate and conscious policy of the Government of Singapore (GOS) at all times to recognise the special position of the Malays who are the indigenous people of ...the island and who are IN MOST NEED OF ASSISTANCE and accordingly it shall be the resposibility of the GOS to protect, support, foster and promote their political educational, religious, economic, social and cultural interests, and the Malay language. - Whether this is practised - you will have to use your own judgement and reading the book helps...

Secondly, the author confirms and is of the same viewpoint as my own research in saying confidently that the Malays have been here for more than 1000 years, '...it was only in the fifteenth century that the conversion of Malays to Islam occ...ured in large numbers. Thus, for a period of nearly 1000 years prior to the spread of Islam in the 'Nusantara', Malay rulers and their subjects were predominantly Hindus. In historical terms, most Malays in the 'Nusantara' have thus been Hindus much longer than they have been Muslims. - This is supported by 'The Malay Annals, Sejarah Melayu.

Thirdly, the author says, 'During the tumultuous merger period, Lee Kuan Yew (ST, 5 May 1965) challenged the special constitutional position and privileges of Malays in Malaysia by alleging that Malays were no more indigenous than the Chine...se, Indians and other immigrant communities. ...Lee referred to Malaysian Malays of Indonesian descent as immigrants who should be on the same footing as the other immigrant communities. Similar inferences which cast doubt to the indigeneity of Malays continue to be made by non-malay Sinaporeans and some non-Malay politicians in Malaysia.'

Lastly, the author points out the the Gov of Singapore has largely promoted a strong self fulfilling 'belief promoted by the PAP government that the poor (Malays) are essentially responsible for their individual failings or CULTURAL DEFICIENCIES.' I pray and hope that we will never be placed in this position.

Hey, thanks! Enhanced what was said in the video huh? Anyways, when LKY said abt the CULTURAL DEFICIENCIES, was he referring to the Malays in general, or its leaders? (!!chuckle!!!)

No, this does not enhance what was said in the video. It actually refutes it. It says that the Malay rulers and subjects (orang Melayulah tu) have been here for more than 1500 years. The video implies the Indian Hindus have been here longer. LKY was referring to the poor Malays in general.

Thanks for sharing, very good info and discussion...thank you, thank you.