I knew about the story of Hang Tuah when I began to read Utusan Kanak Kanak, the children's paper which was circulated by Utusan Melayu during my early schooling years. Then a play on Hang Tuah was put up at the Lake Gardens in Seremban where my late uncle Hashim Amir Hamzah who was actively involved in its production, and I presumed that made Mubin Sheppard who was then the British Adviser in Negri Sembilan gave him a good recommendation for a job as a radio announcer in the then Radio Malaya at Singapore.
So I just cannot understand the fuss over Khoo Kay Kim's notion that Hang Tuah did not exist. Of what importance did he now bring up the subject-matter is a mystery to many. Just because he is the chairman of the committee which reviews the history syllabus for our schools does not confer on him the right to disturb the authenticity of his contributions to his ruler, Sultan Mansur Shah. He could well be just a myth, but to the Malays he is more than that. Hang Tuah is part of the Malay cultural heritage as pointed out by my ex-residential college mate in University Malaya, Prof. Ghouse Nasaruddin.
If Mubin Sheppard had his way, he probably wanted Hang Tuah's bust be put up in front of Muzium Negara and not just his mural, when he was heading the museum. He would be turning in his grave if he reads on the statements now made by Hang Tuah's detractors including those who said that Hang Tuah was a Chinese.
This is what happens when we are not proud of our past. After all not everything of importance need to be proven by empirical evidence and facts, because for all we know if we were to dig for them, they are buried deep under the Straits of Malacca, one of the busiest sea-lanes in the world. That is perhaps the reason why our treasure hunters have quietly carted away many of the artifacts found off our shores because they could well disguised their ships as a passing vessel. It is better for us to keep the legend as it is, because it is already a museum piece.
7 comments:
Dear Hal,
I'm equally perplexed, why now? An insignificant individual(a communist) was deemed the hero of Bt Kepong not the fallen Policemen and their families. The First PM not accorded the credit of getting independence. A lot more are being questioned lately on happenings which are well documented and these are not even myths! Politics tend to compromise on facts and principles but at what cost?
Hank
Dear Hank,
I suspect there is a hidden agenda here. The Malays have always practised one virtue that remains in our psyche, which is loyalty to whoever becomes Rulers. This is the element which cannot be replaced by worldly material values. Now the Malays are losing that element not just because of politics but by being undermined in their timeless values such as loyalty,courage and cohesiveness. Unless we realise this, we might lose that timeless value.
We do not seem to have enough problems on our plate as it is to go digging. Looking at the current problems with our young ones, dadah, anak luar nikah, mat rempit and so on we should be worried over our future.
Dear Pakcik,
I am rather perplexed by many things which seemed to be rather trivial but being given such publicity. There are more important things for us to do, but we seemed to be indifferent to them. It is one of the small signs of Doomsday coming.
Akhi Halim, thank you for bringing up the Hang Tuah issue. i think Prof Khoo Kay Kim did a great injustice to the pride of the Malays by saying that Hang Tuah did not exist as far as historical facts are concerned. even legeng has a place in the history of a race or nation. Strip all the legends from Chinese history and half of its grandeur will disappear.
This is the trouble when the the head of a commitee to review Malaysian history is a non-Malay. He might be a wellknown historian but he doesn't hsve the spirit and the pride of the Malays to give life and vigor that the history of a nation should have to fire up the imzgination of the young. In the hand of a non-Malay scholar the history of Malaysia might become as dry as a dog's bone.
Akhi Norzah,
It goes on to show why historians should only sit on sports committee. They lack culture in the true sense of the word. The race is not the critical issue inasmuch as the acculturation and assimilation of Malay Culture is devoid in the person. He should have been the convenient target of Berahim Ali.
wrote a blog on this myself. http://wp.me/p1ChLd-5Q Saving Hang Tuah in a secular Islamic nation. Would love to hear some comment.
Post a Comment