Take The Path Less Ordinary

We believe history is dynamic and we will revise this article accordingly to reflect the latest findings. We will stand corrected. Last update 7th Oct 2008.

If you look at the world’s map long enough, you’d realise that Malaysia is smacked in the mid-point corridor of Asia’s monsoon trade winds, which makes the country an epicentre of shipping route.

Seafarers and traders knew about it few thousand years ago. But we reckon being strategically located wasn’t all nice and dainty because history has shown Malaysia attracted the wrong kind of attention. Trade ships not withstanding, its waters were also frequently crisscrossed by armed fleets of the Dutch, Portuguese and British marking their turfs.

Imagine all that firepower in a choked hotbed. Indeed, olden Malayan history is riot of flying sparks. Today, the 900 km length Malacca Strait still convey 30% of world trade and 50% of world’s crude petroleum. Some 63,000 vessels plied the waters in 2004.

Origin of country name

The word “Malaysia” may have stemmed from the word “Malaya” or “Malai-ur”, a combination of two Sanskrit/Tamil words, Malay or “Malai” (highland, hill) and “ur” (town); thus meaning “hilltown”; surely, world famous highland Himalaya must have ringed a bell. This is not surprising as South East Asia was once ruled by ancient Hindu empires and Tamil, a southern Indian dialect, was widely spoken then. Neighbouring country Indonesia too was named for its bygone ties with India (notice the “Ind” in Indonesia?). Hundreds of words of Indian origin still pepper the Malay language today.

Another school of thought believes that the name Malaya originates from the word Melayu, a name first used to describe Orang Laut people who live in the riverbanks of Sungai Melayu that flows between Jambi and Palembang, southeast Sumatra, Indonesia. However, the theory needs more study as some anthropologists felt such small isolated community could not have fanned a wide influence over the naming of an entire peninsula which was once ruled by far superior and powerful kingdoms of Majaphahit, Srivijaya and Javan origin.

Nonetheless, cognates such as “Malesia” and “Malaisia” were already used as early as 17th century by Peter Flores in his journal. He sailed the Malay archipelago between 1611 and 1615 on English ship Globe. In 1615, his journal written in Dutch was translated into English. However, the name “Malaysia” seems to only gain popularity in 19th century. Take for example, in 1883, Italian writer Emilio Salgari published a novel titled “La Tigre della Malesia” (The Tiger of Malaysia) and in 1877, Odoardo Beccari published a botany reference book called “Malesia: Reccolta di Osservazioni Botaniche”.

Between 15th and 18th century

Despite the lack of surviving historical manuscripts (locals write very little) and monuments (building material, mainly wood, degrades double the speed in our humid weather), with little doubt, historians know no colonial powers would give a hoot about Malaysia if not for its strategic position as shipping route. The Malay peninsula was even named the Chersonesus Aurea, or the golden peninsula, by Greek astronomer and mathematician Claudius Ptolemy and Indian seafarers referred it as the Land of Gold.

“of such importance and profit that it seems to me it has no equal in the world”
- Portuguese Tome Pires wrote on Malacca

However, a peek into Malaysian bygone backdrop is more than that. Malacca may have been the dominant sultanate but other old kingdoms like Kedah, Perak, Patani and Kelantan also deserve some credit for their pivotal role in the course of Malaysian history.

One bite and you’d taste history spanning back to centuries. “Karipap”, a beloved Malaysian snack, is a classic example of bygone influence. For a country that has no expertise for flour cuisine, much less wheat planting, the Malaysian karipap bears uncanny resemblance to the Spanish empanadas. However, the local version is smaller and much spicier. It has been around so long that most locals regard it as traditional food of Malaysian origin.

If one can sum up what happened after the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese, it would be the feverish effort of remaining Malay sultanates around Malacca to hold on to their turfs from being colonialised and to ward off attacks by the powerful Siam kingdom from north. Other imperialist powers of Spanish, Dutch and English were also combing the region for prospect.

It was a busy time for everyone.

Then came 1786 …

…. the British saw a small window of opportunity when the Sultan of Kedah asked for millitary protection from Siamese and Burmese bullies which are constantly breathing down its neck. Eventually, Penang island was ceded to the British East India Company as collateral and it marked foreign foray into local politics. It did not take long before British interest spilled over to the mainland. This was mainly fueled by the discovery of rich tin ore deposits in Larut region ruled by Perak sultanate. Later, more deposits were found in Kinta in Perak and Klang in Selangor.

JAMES BROOKE, a swashbuckling English adventurer, introduced Sarawak to the world when he became the rajah of Sarawak in 1841, courtesy of the Sultan of Brunei for his role in helping the Sultan pacify warring tribes. Touted as the “white rajah”, he was highly regarded by the locals when he brushed aside London’s attempt to include Sarawak into its empire. James Brooke was succeeded by his nephew Charles Brooke and in 1917, Charles’s son Vyner Brooke became the last rajah until World War 2.

Like all mineral rich and lucrative places, turf tussle was inevitable. Again, British firepower was roped in by local feudal lords to win fights. State by state, the British spread its wings by gunboat diplomacy partnering local feudal warlords (read: colonization with insider help) will little opposition. Spears and arrows were no match for cannons. And soon the entire country was signed off the the British. Local noblemen and royalties in turn were given pensions and confined to ornamental duties.

A country that tin built

After Malacca demise as economic powerhouse in 15th century, it is safe to say that modern Malaysia’s foundation was fueled by wealth from the tin industry from 19th century onwards.

Every fiber of the country was stringed towards tin production. In 1889, the post and telegraph was a permanent feature of mining hamlets like Papan, Tronoh and Batu Gajah. Land surveyors, engineers, accountants and lawyers poured in from four corners of the world to capitalize on spin off businesses and activities. The first 13.5km rail track was laid from inland Taiping to shoreline Port Weld in 1885 to facilitate the transfer of tin ingots. With the growing population in tin mining hamlets dotting west coast Malaysia, the British also build police stations, hospitals, schools, teachers training colleges, public libraries and markets.

And to help British families feel at home, recreational hubs like rest houses, polo grounds, golf clubs, hill resorts and swimming pool were developed. Some sports club like the Hash Hound Harrier (HHH) started by the British still exist today.

What is today’s local sentiments toward colonial master ?

“A LITTLE BOY, son of Raja Bilah, insisted on giving me a tame monkey” - the Governor of Straits Settlement Sir Frederick Weld noted in his diary in 1882

Having spent a restless night in the “balek” (court house), the governor had a busy day in Papan and cheeky Raja Yacob succeeded in breaking the Anglo Saxon’s otherwise straight no-nonsense face into smiles. Sensing Raja Yacob was destined to shoulder immense obligation in the future, Sir Frederick and Sir Hugh Low, both family friends, suggested to Raja Bilah, a powerful chieftain, that the young lad be given formal education.

All over the country, young men from aristocrat families who became wealthy by tin trade were sent to England - with the help of colonial officers - for education and this gave rise to a sudden bloom of local intellectuals and literature works. Great works like “Tarikh Raja Asal dan Keluarganya” written by Raja Yacob later in 1933 detailed his Mandailing clan tin mining days in Papan and today his writings are a crucial research reference for historians. Without a foreign helping hand, literacy would not be possible.

Of course, the pages of history are also marred by the murder of James W.W. Birch in 1876. In his attempt to limit the amount of taxes collected by territorial chiefs, he stepped on some toes and was assassinated on the banks of Perak river in Pasir Salak. This has painted the murderers as early nationalists and Birch as imperialist in Malaysian mainstream history textbooks.

JWW Birch seated right

To be fair, Birch wasn’t all bad. He wanted to end slavery (hamba abdi) and openly helped slaves escape and sheltering them. Dato Maharajalela who killed Birch was a prominent slave-trader in his time; a fact omitted in most history books. Rightly so, Birch was merely upholding human rights but local capitalism unfortunately cost him his life.

Taking cue from the tragedy, British sent Sir Hugh Low who spoke impeccable Malay as replacement. He won the respect of locals with his easy going manner. (Editor: History aside, many don’t know Hugh Low is a prolific adventurer and nature loving dude too. Mt Kinabalu’s highest point, Low’s Peak, is named after him as he is the first to endure a 2 weeks’ trek and touched its peak).

These cases accentuate Anglo-Malay love hate relationship in the past.

Nowadays, although some politicians and historians bad mouth Malaysia’s colonial past, many citizens with steady heads on their shoulders realize that the English gave the country a head start in the areas of economy, education and politics. Moreover, the British legacy of citizen-backed democracy and a parliment system gave the country stability, unlike many SE Asian countries that are still ruled by generals and military-based governments.

Language is also a much appreciated sediment. Malaysia today has the largest English-speaking population in SE Asia and this is the key factor that helps reel in foreign investment and at the same time slingshot Malaysian best products and services to foreign countries.

The dark days of WW2

To reach peninsular, the Japanese had to get pass Thailand’s army forces and the British thought that would buy some weeks of preparation - but an unexpected twist happened.

On on December 8, 1941, after just a few hours of fighting in Chumphon, the Thais bailed out, sided the Japanese and the Phibun regime declared war on Britain and the United States. This effectively opened up a gateway into Burma and Malaysia.

This may looks quirky but Japanese actually conquered Malaya on bikes

The invaders wasted no time and marched in from Sabak beach, Kota Baru, on Dec 8, 1941 (yes, the same day after Chumphon) and booted out the British after ruling the country for 120 years. All hell broke loose over a period of two months. The might of the British empire in Malaysia crumbled as the Japs made their way to capture the prized Singapore. As reward for co-operation, northern states Kedah, Perlis, Terengganu and Kelantan were given to Thailand.

The Japanese propaganda of “Asia for Asians” was a lie. Indians, Malays and Europeans that did not manage to escape were rounded up in trucks and sent to Burma to work on the notorious “Death Railway”. The Chinese suffered the most and thousands were executed. Schools were turned into Kempetai administrative centers and golf fairways were turned into tapioca plantations for quick food production.

For those who survived the Japanese Occupation, the scars can’t be seen but the wounds are deep. It is still as clear as if it happened yesterday. Many old timers still habour hate towards the Japanese because friends and families were lost. The period between 1942 and 1945 was certainly the darkest spot in Malaysian history.

Post War Communism Threat

As part of the Atlantic Charter’s signatories, British had intentions of granting Malaya independence even before the end of WW2 (the Atlantic Charter advocates “the right of nations to self-determination”). However, nationalism in Malaya was hasten especially so during the Japanese Occupation. After Japanese left Malaya, a small band of local nationalists took up armed struggle under communist influence and turned their attention to the British instead.

A State of Emergency was declared in June 1948 when communist forces staged multiple attacks on weekly basis resulting in the murder of European planters and miners. About 11,000 lives were lost. High Commissioner Sir Henry Gurney orchestrated a military-styled exercise and re-settled villagers into roughly 500 new villages to insulate them against the communists. In mid 1954, jungle native Orang Asli sided the government and the communists went hiding deeper into the jungle. Finally in 1989, the leaders of Malayan Communist Party (MCP) was coaxed out of the jungle and signed a peace accord.

In the early days when poverty, poor wages and healthcare dogged the country, communism was easily bred. Honed by militia warfare during Japanese occupation, some patriots continue their rebellion when British forces returned. The most famous among them was Shamsiah Fakeh (1924-2008), often touted as Jungle Queen. She started out as the leader of Angkatan Wanita Sedar or AWAS, an organisation formed for the sole purpose of seeking Malaya’s independence from the British, but later fled into the jungle when AWAS was banned. She joined the 10th Rejiment of Malaya Communist Party (MCP) to launch guerrilla attacks on the British and eventually spent 40 years in exile in China after MCP was disbanded.

Independence - Too Many Cooks, Only One Pot of Broth

When crunch time came, everyone had a hefty dose of reality. Apart from lobbying for independence from British, the people also had to seek independence from the Sultans. Before independence, there were 9 states with sovereign power vested in Sultans and two English colonies in Malacca and Penang. The 9 states were not colonies but protectorates of the British empire.

After failing to form a unitary government called Malayan Union, state rulers under the Council of Rulers, collectively compromised and gave up certain privileges to the British High Commissioner in exchange of retaining their sovereign powers over religion and Malay matters. This enabled the concept of country citizenship to come into play. For the first time, the rakyat (people who called Malaysia home) has nationality and bestowed the rights to determine the country’s fate.

As the movement for independence intensified, race-based political parties namely UMNO (United Malay National Organisation), MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association) and MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress) prepared a memorandum for the Reid Commission, the body which oversaw the process the independence, and the Council of Rulers also submitted a memorandum of what they wanted in return. Of course, the Brits knew how all these would end because it was the same drill during the creation of United Kingdom. They too had to grapple with the wants and needs of kings, queens, noblemen and British Isles’ population of that stretches back to hundreds of years.

With demands pouring in from all sides, the drafting of Constitution hit many snags. Among thorny issues were the separation of state and federal powers, freedom of religion, the powers of the Council of Rulers (kedaulatan Raja-Raja), national language, the awarding of citizenship to the country’s myriad of inhabitants and the special position retained for Malay people and Islam.

With commoners, royalties and politicans of every temperament, tradition and ethnicity that was groomed by centuries of Asia Pacific trade and migration pattern, getting the gist of nationhood all in paper was anything but a walk in the park. Yet, finally Cambridge educated Tunku Abdul Rahman, a prince of Kedah state royalty and the president of UMNO, managed to weave everything together and reached a settlement.

On 31 December 1955, Tunku Abdul Rahman led a delegation to London for talks with the British Government to overcome the final hurdle. After a series of negotiation, on 31st August 1957, Malaysia became independent and Tunku Abdul Rahman became her first Prime Minister.

Racial Integration

Foreigners often admire in wonderment how a country that houses so many races could co-exist in today’s world that is tainted by racial and religious conflicts. Mind you, as told above, Malaysia’s road towards independence is hard fought and national integration didn’t happen without glitches.

The Constitution was written some 50 years ago by a good mix of thoughtful people and the wisdom that comes with it still holds true till today. Of course, every now and then, rouge politicians would take pot shots with racist issues or distort history but voters nowadays are educated enough to understand that they are nothing but ploys to gain political mileage. With good economical growth and abundant opportunities, people find very few reasons to tear apart the peace and stability enjoyed so far. As a matter of fact, being multiracial and multilingual has become the country strength in fanning Malaysians professionals and businesses around the world.

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To wrap up, here’s Malaysia’s timeline in less than 250 words ….

The Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya, based in Palembang, Sumatra ruled most of the Peninsular between 9th and 13th century. Recent discoveries in Kedah’s Lembah Bujang indicate a Hindu kingdom, Langkasuka, has occupied the Peninsular as early as 2nd century. Their influences are seen today in cultural art form like the “wayang kulit”, “menora” and “makyong” that are based on the Ramayana epic.

Watching “wayang kulit” or shadow play is a favourite past time in the countryside. “Wayang kulit” plays are influenced by Ramayana epic and said to be the leftover of Hindu empires which rule many parts of South East Asia as early as 2nd century.

In 14th century, the Javanese kingdom of Majapahit gained foothold but was quickly ousted by 15th century Moslem sultanate based in Malacca, founded by Sumatran prince Parameswara.

Drawn by Malacca’s rich trade, the Portuguese raided Malacca in 1511 and marked European’s foray into South East Asia. The Dutch elbowed Portuguese from Malacca in 1641 but by 1795, the British Empire had the Peninsular under its wings. During British control, the Colony of the Straits Settlement was formed and in 1895, states were combined as the Federated Malay States (FMS). Japanese invaded and occupied the FMS from 1942 to 1945 during World War 2.

After the war, sentiments for independence erupted and under the leadership of Tunku Abdul Rahman, who became the first prime minister, independence was gained from United Kingdom in 1957. Other British colonies of Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore joined in the Federation of Malaysia to form Malaysia. Singapore later withdrew in 1965 and became an independent republic. Malaysia’s experiences with terrorism came to an end when small bands of communist militants gave up in 1989 and signed a peace accord.

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OK, enough of the serious stuff. If the above long-winded history lesson makes you dizzy, we have the remedy. Everyone can make history - or make up history. For a lighter read, we have tweaked and thaw history with a ticklish twist.

Read “Blame it on Parameswara” for laughs.