Raja Petra Kamarudin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Raja Petra Kamarudin
There is currently a raging debate going on between Umnoâs Deputy Youth Chief, Khairy Jamaluddin, and DAPâs International Secretary, Ronnie Liu. The object of the debate is about Ronnieâs press statement last Saturday which appeared in both the DAP website as well as Malaysia Today. In this press statement, Ronnie said as follows:
Many Malaysians, especially the young generation born after the Independence, know very little about the history of Malaya (now Malaysia). The History textbooks they studied in schools do not give them the real picture. Contrary to what they have learned from the textbooks, UMNO leaders were not the real fighters for Independence.
UMNO leaders were treated as friends of the British. Together with the leaders of MCA and MIC, they cooperated with the British master to negotiate for the Independence of Malaya. On the other hand, many of the real freedom fighters were thrown into jail.
Young Malaysians should know that PKMM (Partai Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya) leaders like Mokhtaruddin Lasso, Ahmad Boestaman, Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmi, Ishak Haji Mohammad (Pak Sako), Arshad Ashaari, Dahari Ali , Baharuddin Tahir, Khadijah Ali, Ibrahim Karim, Kamarulzaman Teh (Pak Zaman), Abdul Rahman Rahim and many others have played a pivotal role in the struggle of Independence (Merintis Jalan Ke Punchak, 1972).
PKMM sent a big delegation to the historic UMNO (United Malays National Organisation or Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu) congress which was held from March 1 to 4, 1946 in Kuala Lumpur. In the inaugural congress, PKMM proposed to âreject the Malayan Union and demand for a truly independent Malayaâ (menolak Malayan Union dan menuntut Malaya Merdeka yang seratus peratus).
Unfortunately, the proposal was rejected by the congress and the PKMM delegation staged a walkout as a protest on the third day of the congress. Its leaders continued to step up its struggle for a truly independent Malaya, unlike the other conservative UMNO leaders who wanted to maintain status quo.
The British started to clamp down on PKMM and API members in 1948. Many members and leaders were jailed and some of those who escaped from the police went into the jungle to join the arm struggle led by MCP. This created a political vacuum, which was quickly filled up by UMNO with the consent of the British. Both MCA and MIC were also formed after the establishment of UMNO with encouragement from the British.
Note: Partai Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM) was formed on 17 October 1945 in Ipoh, Perak, a year before UMNO was formed. Founding leaders include legendaries like Mokhtaruddin Lasso, Ahmad Boestaman and Dr. Burhanuddin al-Helmi (later became President of PAS). The objective of PKMM was to fight for a truly independent nation, free from the stranglehold of the British colonials. Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API), Angkatan Wanita Sedar (AWAS), Barisan Tani Se-Malaya (BATAS) and Majlis Agama Tertingga Se-Malaya (MATA) were all wings set up under PKMM to fight for Independence.
Khairy is hoping mad and has asked DAP Chairman Lim Kit Siang to repeat in Parliament what Ronnie said; that Umno leaders were not the real fighters for independence. He added that DAP should declare whether the statement was Liu's personal view or the party's official stand.
"If it is the party's stand, Lim should repeat it in parliament and let it be a topic for MPs to debate. Let the people evaluate for themselves, whether there is truth in Liu's claims," said Khairy.
Before I âadd fuel to the fireâ, let me first bring your attention to Mustapha Hussainâs book, Malay Nationalism Before UMNO: THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN, 1910-1957, which is being featured in the BOOK SECTION of Malaysia Today. What Ronnie said is absolutely correct and the mind boggles as to why Khairy should get all hot around the collar.
Let me relate a story related to me by Datuk Andika, the âgrand old man of Terengganuâ, probably the last of the Malay gentlemen and a product of the Malay College Kuala Kangsar, who recently died at the age of 100.
Before the Second World War, Datuk Andika was already working for the British. When the Japanese were ruling Malaya, Datuk Andika, like many Malayan civil servants of his time, was absorbed into the Japanese administration. At the end of the war, Datuk Andika resumed his service with the British, which at that time was under the British Military Administration (BMA).
The fight for independence had already begun long before the outbreak of the war and many Malays, some mentioned by Ronnie above, were active in the various âindependence movementsâ. Invariably, many Malays, who viewed the Japanese as the Asian âWhite Knightâ that was attempting to free Asia from Western imperialism, sided with the Japanese. Those pro-British Malayans, Malays and Chinese included, took to the jungles and joined the Malayan Peoplesâ Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA). This later became the Malayan Communist Party (MCP), but that is another story altogether. In a way, the British 'gave birth' to the MCP in that it was trained and armed by the British to resist the Japanese. Later, as the Malays would say, senjata makan tuan (the weapon cuts the owner), when the anti-Japanese force transformed into an anti-British force.
But why did these Malayans plus the MCP resist both Umno and the British? Were they really freedom fighters or traitors to the nation? Were their motives noble in that they wanted to free Malaya from colonialism or were they trying to topple a legitimate government elected by the people?
Maybe Datuk Andikaâs story can shed some light into why Ronnie said what he said and whether he is right in his assumptions.
Umno was set up in 1946 soon after the British returned to Malayan soil as an amalgamation of various associations, societies and movements. Not all were independence movements though and some were mere mama-papa outfits. As much as Umno may deny it, it was set up under the patronage of the British to undermine the more âradicalâ independence movements mentioned by Ronnie above.
When Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Razak visited Pahang in their pan-Malayan road show to campaign for support, Datuk Andika was the Assistant District Officer (ADO) of Dungun, Terengganu. The District Officer (DO) was of course an Englishman.
The DO suggested that Datuk Andika make a trip to Kuantan to attend the rally, a journey which then took almost two days due to the many ferry crossings one would have to make. To enable him to make the trip, the DO gave Datuk Andika one weekâs leave.
But Datuk Andika did not have the money to embark on such a trip, so the DO gave him the funds required. Armed with the one weekâs leave plus the money, Datuk Andika went to Kuantan to participate in his first political rally where he met the Tunku and Tun to discuss setting up an Umno division in Terengganu.
On his return from Kuantan, Datuk Andika set up the Umno Dungun Division, the first one in the state, with him as the division head. Thereafter, Umno spread throughout the rest of Terengganu where today it has eight divisions.
Datuk Andika revealed that not only did the British encourage, but they in fact assisted him in expanding Umno in Terengganu. Further to that, the British encouraged Datuk Andika to oppose the Malayan Union and instead fight for independence. Those other politicians who campaigned for independence on other political platforms were rounded up and detained by the British, especially if their campaign was not just anti-British but anti-Umno as well.
It is no secret that the British not only played Godfather to Umno but was its protector as well. Those who opposed Umno would run the risk of detention in the same way as if they opposed the British. And those who opposed the British and were about to be detained would escape detention if they joined Umno. They were allowed to be anti-British in Umno but would see the inside of prison walls if they do so outside Umno.
Maybe instead of challenging Lim Kit Siang to repeat Ronnie Liuâs statement in Parliament, Khairy Jamaluddin can instead explain to the Malaysian public how Umno obtained immunity from reprisals from the British in its âstruggleâ for independence.
--
Posted by Raja Petra Kamarudin to MT-loony at 9/05/2005 06:32:00 PM
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