Ministry To 'Carefully' Study Historical Facts For Textbooks To 'Instill Patriotism'

The Education Ministry will carefully study the facts and information to be entered into history textbooks to instill patriotism among the young generation.

Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the step was among the ministry's efforts to change the education curriculum at the primary school level by having history as a special subject by 2010.

"What is important is noble values like patriotism, loving the country, comprehending the sacrifice of national heroes and understanding that the present state of the country did not come about just by being still but through blood and sweat.

"We must not be satisfied by our present position what with a world that is now smaller. Such efforts must be continued and intensified through how we stress our history to our children while they are still in school," Hishammuddin told reporters .

Earlier, in his speech, said Hishammuddin said the book could be a reference for students and also parliamentarians to further understand the processes and events that shaped Malaysian history.

He said the book could also bring about greater appreciation of independence leading to love, loyalty and patriotism in defending the country's sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, his speech reminded people not to forget the country's history while the country progressed.

"To learn the future, look at the past. I believe in that English phrase," he said. (The Star)

***** Oh dear! I've a strange feeling that this so-called effort to 'carefully' study the facts and bring 'changes' to the education curriculum will be the harbinger of more distortions and untruths to further cement the place of Umno in our 'unique' interpretation of history, while adding the present crop of our 'pemimpin' to the list of our nation's warriors who have 'sacrificed' everything in the 'struggle' for Merdeka and the nation's subsequent progress. When the word 'patriotism' is carelessly thrown around, one may lose sight of the fact that Umno's definition of patriotism usually refers to our unreserved loyalty to the party and its 'yeoman' service to the nation.

As with previous attempts to tinker with our history, the current effort too will involve the selection of a group of ultra-nationalist wingnuts who will give a highly slanted version which will further trivialize the contribution of the non-Malays while downplaying the substantial influence of China and India on the tradition, culture, language and heritage of the Malays. (Perhaps the bit about Proto Malays and their origins from Yunnan Province could be quietly edited out?) You can also expect the highlighting of unsubstantiated and unproved 'age old' connections with the Middle East. I wouldn't be surprised if there are claims of general ancestral blood ties which may just stop short of calling ourselves Arabs.

Perhaps I'm being overly cynical, but given our past attempts in rewriting history to fit Umno's grand designs, can you blame me?
Image - Source

Make History Lessons More Interesting, Urges Malaysian Historical Society. Also Keep It Truthful

Educationists should fully utilise modern facilities to make history lessons more interesting and able to capture the students' imagination, newly-appointed Malaysian Historical Society fellow Tan Sri Dol Ramli said, Saturday.

He said that during his university days, one of his professors was able to turn history into such an interesting topic that none of his classmates ever missed a single lesson.

"How history is presented is important. The education department, teachers, professors and lecturers should conduct history lessons in an interesting way.

"My professors could do it during my school days and they did not have many audio-video aids then. What more now with all the modern gadgets," he said at the PSM Fellowship Awards presentation at the society's headquarters here.

Dol, who was one of RTM's pioneers and a former Bernama general manager, received the fellowship from Heritage of Malaysia Trust president Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid.

The other two recipients were former Education Services Commission Tan Sri Sheikh Hussein Sheikh Mohamed and UKM Borneo Studies Centredirector Datuk Zainal Abidin Abdul Wahid. (Bernama)

***** Tan Sri Dol Ramli is a highly respected individual (His son Aziz Dol is a contemporary of mine and a very talented person) and he is absolutely right about the need to make history lessons more interesting.

However where the problem comes in is the spin that our history books give. It doesn't take a genius to quickly deduce after reading our history texts that the liberal interpretation and licence taken by our 'authors' is heavily skewed to promote Malay heroism and Umno propaganda while openly downplaying non-Malay involvement. Perhaps the good Tan Sri should also urge the government to keep historical 'interpretations' to a realistic and believable level.
Image - Source

MCA Seeks Unbiased Review Of Syllabus & Contents Of History Textbooks. There's No Chance Of This Under An Umno Govt

From today's The Star.

The MCA has recommended that a multiracial committee similar to the one formed to fine-tune the Ethnic Relations module be set up to review and finalise the syllabus and contents of History textbooks.

Its education bureau chief Senator Datuk Lee Sing Chooi said a review paper providing recommendations to improve the syllabus had been submitted to Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

“As citizens of a multi-ethnic, cultural and religious country, it is paramount to give due recognition to the history of each community in an unbiased manner.

“The subject should not just focus on one section of the community while neglecting to mention the roles and struggles of all communities,” he said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

He said information on major civilisations throughout the world should be expanded further to keep abreast with general knowledge and to encourage the understanding of international relations and history.

“This will provide a more balanced paradigm for our future generations and offer them a more competitive edge in embracing the challenges of globalisation,” he said.

Lee said personal convictions that might influence impressionable youths should be omitted from the contents of the textbooks.

“Terms which will spark feelings of uneasiness, resentment and result in rifts in our multiracial country must be avoided.

“The younger generation should be provided with a well-balanced perspective to instil unity and to share a common burden of nation- building and progressive outlook for the benefit of all,” he said.

At a separate press conference, Hishammuddin said he would study the syllabus and contexts of the textbooks in a comprehensive way.

“The National Education Blueprint (2006-2010) is for us to bring transformation to the educational field, and within these five years we will listen to constructive suggestions,” he said.

Lee together with The Review Paper project coordinator Loh Seng Kok and Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research CEO Fui K. Soong later issued a joint statement addressing the same sentiment.

***** If MCA genuinely wants to see a more accurate depiction of the nation's history, it should first change its support from BN to Pakatan Rakyat. There is simply no way that the fanatics in Umno would allow the truth to be told. They would prefer to wallow with pride in the fictional muck that they have created over the past fifty years.

In any case, even if some honest umnoputera (if we can find one and Hishamuddin definitely does not fit the bill) attempts to provide an unbiased version, he'll be hooted and booted out of the party. Certain historical half-truths, like ketuanan Melayu, a vague 'social contract', the unrestrained romanticising of Malay warriors and freedom fighters, the near total omission of the contribution of non-Malays in nation building, the over-emphasis on things Islamic and a pro-Arabic slant are essential for the continued survival of Umno.

MCA is either possessed with exuberant optimism, remarkable naiveté or is in perpetual denial mode for expecting meaningful changes to the syllabus and contents of our history books from Umno, home to the most rabid cultural and racial zealots in the country.

General Knowledge Of The British 'Shocking' - Poll

More than a quarter of the British population think that Mahatma Gandhi never existed, but was actually a legendary character created for celluloid. He is in good company because just as many Britons believe the same of Winston Churchill, Sir Walter Raleigh, Cleopatra and Charles Dickens.

A poll carried out by a UK TV channel to test the nation’s general knowledge found these shocking results where historical figures were mistaken for legends and fictional characters like Robinson Crusoe, Sherlock Holmes and King Arthur were thought to have lived.

The under 20-s were found to be the most lacking in basic historical knowledge. The results show both the lacunae in the school curriculum and the obsessive interest in celebrity and popular culture. A TV advertisement selling insurance uses a lugubrious talking bulldog called Churchill, and many youngsters believed that was Winston Churchill and had never heard of the Briton’s famous war time prime minister.

Many of the respondents to the survey believed that Gandhi was a character created by Sir Richard Attenborough for his award-winning film and had no idea that he had actually led the movement for Indian independence or inspired others to take up his ideology of non-violence. (DNA)

***** And we in the 'colonies' still look in awe at and applaud a mat salleh education, even a third-rate one.
Image - Source

Famed Chinese Warriors Go On Show In London

China's terracotta army is set to invade Britain on Thursday as the famous warriors go on show in London.

The British Museum is hosting "The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army" until April 6 and advance ticket sales are already breaking box office records, according to The Times newspaper.

After years of careful planning and negotiations, about a dozen warriors are set to go on show. Around 100,000 tickets have already been sold and the exhibition could outstrip the Tutenkhamun display in the 1970s, seen by 1.7 million people.

The terracotta warriors will be shown alongside more than 100 other objects to form the most important exhibition relating to China's first emperor, Qin Shihuan (259-210 BC), ever seen outside the soldiers' homeland.

The army, accidentally discovered by two farmers in 1974, was built to protect Qin's mausoleum.

"This man changed history. This man made China, created the idea of China, the oldest political entity that still survives in the world," said British Museum director Neil MacGregor. He was one of the great leaders in history, such as Alexander, Caesar and Frederick the Great, and one of the greatest administrative organisers of all time."

A full programme of events is surrounding the exhibition, including films, talks, lectures, festivals, craftwork, poetry, calligraphy, family events and workshops. Full price tickets cost 12 pounds. (Independent Online)
Image - Source

Are We An Islamic State Or Not? Najib Says "Yes" But MCA Says "No"!

In a telling dichotomy of views between the senior most partners in the ruling BN coalition, the issue of whether Malaysia is an Islamic state took a disputatious and potentially messy turn when the MCA openly contradicted the legally untenable opinion voiced by the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

To those Malays and Muslims who are not well versed with legal provisions in the Federal Constitution, such a declaration by Najib is welcome news. In their heart of hearts this is probably what they had always thought and the DPM's contention is merely a confirmation.

To the non-Muslims however, this Najib 'declaration' is more proof of the rocky road ahead for them as Umno attempts to stay in tandem with genuine Islamic states while (thankfully) still holding on tight to the 'moderate' tag. Over the past few days much has been written about Najib's views on the subject, so let us focus here on what the MCA has to say.

According to an NST report, the MCA, after reviewing the documents used in the process of drafting the Federal Constitution, insisted that Malaysia is a secular state. "The documents showed that a secular state is the foundation of the formation of Malaya and this consensus was made by our forefathers," the party’s secretary-general, Datuk Ong Ka Chuan said. The position was clear as evidenced by numerous historical documents, including the Reid Report, the Cobbold Commission and a 1988 Supreme Court decision.

Ong added that the issue of Malaya as a secular state was vigorously debated again during the 1962 Cobbold Commission before the entry of Sabah and Sarawak, forming Malaysia. "Again, the secular nature of Malaysia was reiterated as having been stated in the Reid Commission. The secular nature of our Federal Constitution has been the basis for our nation building since 1957 and reinforced in 1963."

Meanwhile The Bar Council said that in the context of the country’s history and the constitution itself that proclaimed its supremacy, there was no doubt whatsoever that Malaysia was a secular state. "It is time that the proposition that Malaysia is not secular (which is a rewriting of the constitution), be put to rest once and for all and that there is due recognition and reaffirmation of the clear legal and constitutional position that Malaysia is, and has always been, a secular state."

***** Setting legalese aside, what prompted Najib to so unequivocally make that statement? Do you really think that he believes what he said or even subscribes to that view? Unlikely. He is merely acting the role expected of an Umno pemimpin who has appropriated to himself the 'noble' task of 'struggling' demi bangsa, agama dan negara, nothing else. The opinion which he expressed has been noted, much to the delight of his target audience, the simple Malay voter. That's enough for him. The others can go to hell and discuss and debate the issue till the lembu2 come home, for all he cares. He has made his point and hopefully that will translate into votes and more support within Umno for him in the immediate future; a sort of instant political pahala for the neo-Islamic Malay armchair warrior, Hang Najib.
Image - Source
An interesting read: HERE.
An interesting development,( via Malaysiakini): Ministry Bans Islamic State Debate In Media.

Oxford Prof Documents India’s Math Contribution

Indians' contribution to the development of mathematics has largely been swept under the carpet in global history books. But a BBC crew, led by an Oxford professor, was in the country last week to film a documentary revealing Indians created some of the most fundamental mathematical theories.

The West has always believed that Sir Isaac Newton, famous for developing the laws of gravity and motion, was the genius behind key branches of maths such as calculus.

In The Story of Maths, Dr Marcus Du Sautoy, a professor of mathematics at the University of Oxford, claims Indians made many of these breakthroughs before Newton was born.

The Story of Maths, a four-part series, will be screened on BBC Four in 2008. The first part looks at the development of maths in ancient Greece, ancient Egypt and Babylon; the second focuses on India, China and Central Asia and the rest look at how maths developed in the West. The India reel focuses on how several Indians developed theories in maths that were later 'discovered' by Westerners who took credit for them.

“A lot of people think maths was a Western invention,” said Du Sautoy. “This programme is about how a lot of things were done here in India before they were discovered in the West. So the programme is in fact quite political because it shows how much we have ignored discoveries in the East,” he said. Du Sautoy’s team of a director, a cameraman and a researcher left Mumbai on Monday.

Aryabhatta (476–550 AD), who calculated pi, and Brahmagupta (598-670 AD) feature in the film, which also showcases a Gwalior temple, which documents the first inscription of ‘zero’.

“One of the biggest inventions in India was the number zero. Indians used it long before the West did,” said Du Sautoy. “When the West had Roman numerals there was no zero and that is why they were so clumsy. On the other hand, Brahmagupta was one of the key mathematicians in the world because he invented the idea of zero.”

The documentary also features the history of Kerala-born mathematician Madhava (1350-1425) who created calculus 300 years before Newton and German mathematician Gottfried Leibniz did, said Du Sautoy. “We learn that Newton invented the mathematical theory calculus in the 17th century but Madhava created it earlier,” Du Sautoy said.

Madras-born Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920) also features in the film. “He developed a lot of his own maths. He contacted English mathematician G.H. Hardy, who persuaded him to come to Cambridge. They began a collaboration between the analytical maths of the West and the intuitive maths of India, and together produced brilliant theories and amazing results.”

It was difficult for Ramanujan to travel to Britain because he was a Brahmin and not allowed to travel by sea. “He had to almost give up his religion but maths was also like a religion to him. He had no one to talk to in India because at that time no one was interested in his ideas,” said Du Sautoy. (Source - Hindustan Times)
Image - Source

An Indonesian Fairy Tale Of A Biography?

(Definition of fairy tale - an interesting but highly implausible story; often told as an excuse.)
The following is an equally interesting report from Channel Newsasia.

A biography on Indonesia's former president Suharto has triggered arguments and discussion in the country. That is because the book claims that the former leader was innocent of corruption. Instead, he was said to have fallen victim to his children and former ministers who enriched themselves through special privileges.

Nine years after Mr Suharto was forced down from office, the clamour for justice against the former President still reverberates across Indonesia. The 87-year-old former president has been declared too ill to stand trial for alleged embezzlement and corruption. He has been accused of siphoning some US$600 million through the seven foundations he led during his reign.

To date, public prosecutors are still exploring ways to recover the funds, which are said to be deposited in various Indonesian state banks.

A recently-published biography however, has argued that Mr Suharto is innocent of the charges. The book by Madam Retnowati Abdulgani-Knapp is the first authorised work on the former leader, and it has understandably created waves across the country.

The author said, "In the beginning he just said 'why, what else do you want to know?' Then we persuaded him by telling (him) we have to put everything in perspective, especially for the generation to come."

One perspective which the book tries to correct is the view that the seven Yayasan or Foundations under Mr Suharto were means for the former president to enrich himself. On the contrary the writer believes the foundations - set up with contributions from Indonesian Chinese tycoons - were Mr Suharto's short cut to help the country's poor and not to rely on the limited state budget.

According to Madam Retnowati, the contributions were paybacks from Chinese businessmen, which Mr Suharto obtained in return for the economic privileges he gave them. She said, "He took the short cut with a good intention. For that reason, writing about Suharto in my book, I try to understand what is his intention."

When asked if there was a good intention or a bad one, she replied, "I do believe (it was) all good intentions. But along the way, somebody took advantage of it - that is true." She believes Mr Suharto lost control of the situation, and fell victim to his children's actions. Mr Suharto was also betrayed by a number of his trusted ministers.

Madam Retnowati has brushed aside charges that she is out to defend the former president, citing the critical comments she made against Mr Suharto in a 1998 article in Time magazine. The international magazine was subsequently sued by Mr Suharto.

She said, "Now I'm defending him because I'm up to my neck with these ministers who got all the benefits and who never want to criticise him...I stood up against him. I stood up now when he was left alone and (has been) betrayed."

Many Indonesians may disagree with Madam Retnowati's view of their former president, but she hopes the biography will help people form a fair judgement of the former leader, and accord him his rightful place in Indonesia's history.

***** I'm not too conversant with matters Indonesian, theref0re please make your own conclusions on this subject.
Image - Source

Japanese Literature Nobel Laureate Blasts Japan Over Textbook Revisions.

So we aren't the only ones rewriting history. Fudging historical facts in Malaysia is the sole monopoly of the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, aided and abetted by the ministries of education and information. While here we falsify and exaggerate the achievements of some sections of the population while downplaying the contribution of others, the Japanese have gone several steps further by attempting to wipe off whole episodes of extreme cruelty perpetrated by them during World War 2.

Obviously they don't care what the world thinks of their barbarism and evil conduct during the war years. If their own students are bluffed into believing that Nippon entered the war to save the world, that's good enough for the propaganda clowns in Tokyo. It is surprising that a people who are considered intelligent and innovative should indulge in this despicable pursuit of fraudulent misrepresentation with lies and more lies.

The following is a report in Channel Newsasia on one such attempt.

Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe denounced Japan's government on Wednesday for ordering textbook publishers to delete references to troops forcing islanders to kill themselves in the Battle of Okinawa.

"It is truly regrettable," the 72-year-old Japanese novelist, whose book on the sub-tropical island sparked controversy for descriptions of mass suicides, told a news conference.

In the latest controversial revision to how Japan sees World War II, the education ministry said last week it had ordered changes in school textbooks for the first time over the mass suicide issue.

"There were people who were forced by Japanese troops to commit group suicides," was a sentence in a high school textbook prepared by Shimizu Shoin Co. The ministry changed the wording to: "There were people who were driven into group suicides."

The 83-day battle, the bloodiest in the Pacific war, left 190,000 Japanese dead, half of them Okinawan civilians. The US death toll reached 12,520 due to die-hard Japanese resistance on the southern Japanese island chain.

While many civilians perished in the all-out US bombardment, local accounts say Japanese troops forced residents of Okinawa - an independent kingdom until the 19th century - to commit suicide rather than surrender to US forces.

Oe, who won the Nobel prize for literature in 1994 and is known for his pacifist views, wrote in his 1970 book of essays "Okinawa Notes" that Japanese troops ordered Okinawan islanders to kill themselves.

A former soldier and the family of another have filed a libel suit against Oe and the publisher of his book on mass suicides. The education ministry listed the suit as a reason to alter textbooks.

"It is crude that the ministry has unilaterally taken up assertions on the side of the plaintiffs and forced revisions of descriptions in the textbooks," Oe said.

In recent years, nationalist academics have insisted that Okinawa's suicide pacts were voluntary and not due to orders by troops from mainland Japan.

The ministry said there was enough disagreement that "it is not appropriate to determine that there were military orders."

***** Can rewriting well documented events or 'revisions' of this nature and even the less serious ones as practiced in Malaysia be allowed, ignored or not condemned? Let us know.
Image - Source