On 7 June I was invited to meet with a Kairos group to discuss issues relating to the Malaysian national history curriculum. As an outsider to this country I would of course not want to make public comment on these issues, but was happy to exchange thoughts with a group of friends. I was surprised … Read more
Comment by CPI The Malaysian Insider yesterday (June 8) carried the rather arresting headline ‘Use Interlok as model for history textbooks, says historian’. The article reported a suggestion by Prof. Anthony Milner for Interlok to be used as a model for history textbooks. The reasons given are that the novel is “wonderfully inclusive” and “sympathetic” … Read more
Bloggers Universe Malaysia (BUM) is belatedly commemorating World Press Freedom Day with a forum by popular speakers. The ‘Bloggers’ solidarity with the press?’ will feature: Cheam Toon Lee – former editor-in-chief who had served in Sabah/Sarawak, Zunar as Malaysiakini cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque is better known, Ambiga Sreenevasan – Bersih 2.0 chairperson and ex-Bar Council … Read more
Most Malaysians – including members of the specially appointed government committee to review the history curriculum – may not be aware of the deep roots of the current controversy on the narrow religious and ethno-nationalistic approach that has come to dominate history education in the country. The following essay provides information on two studies that … Read more
A few days ago, someone sent me an anonymous e-mail appeal addressed to voters. According to the appeal, the coming elections, more so than others, is a vital election because we are at a crossroad. If we get it right we will prosper; if we get it wrong, we will suffer as we have seen … Read more
Urutan Power Point di bawah telah disediakan oleh Centre of Malaysian Chinese Studies (CMCS) dan Nanyang University Alumni Association of Malaya (NYUAA, Malaya) and dibentangkan kepada awam yang menghadiri upacara pelancaran kempen A Truly Malaysian History pada Mei 15 baru-baru ini. Laporan CMCS dan NYUAA membuat ulasan bahawa skop sempit matapelajaran Sejarah tidak berupaya … Read more
We speak these days of modern political “dynasties”. The Bhuttos in Pakistan, the Nehru-Gandhis in India, the Bandaranaikes in Sri Lanka, and now perhaps also the Lees in Singapore come readily to mind. But strictly speaking these are not dynasties, sovereign and commanding ruling houses. Rather, they are closely-knit and often locally or regionally focused … Read more
I went to Malaysian schools. I grew up in the Science and Technology era. I recall the excitement in our small town when a billboard went up at a major crossroad. It had a picture of the Prime Minister. He said the future was in science and technology. We were told we should aim … Read more
Introduction by CPI Under the Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah (KBSM), the History textbooks used in secondary schools are written by the Education Ministry and published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. The authors for the present KBSM History series are Ahmad Fawzi Mohd Hassan, Mohd Fo’ad Sakdan, Azami Man, Masariah Mispari, Johara Abdul Wahab, Ridzuan … Read more
Introduction by CPI Below is the first in the CPI series on ‘Reclaiming our truly Malaysian history’. The post provides readers with information on the meeting held in Petaling Jaya on May 15 to launch the national campaign on reforming the history curriculum and textbooks. During the next few weeks and months, CPI will feature … Read more