THE FACTS OF HISTORY

ABOVE are three pictures of the KRIS but in reality it is only of one with different shots of it. One shows its original state before enhancement by a skilled silversmith with added metal designs to the nose of the 'hulu', 'dongkok' and the 'sheath". The kris is a beautiful piece of art and yet it can be a menacing implement. A century or less ago it is the proud possession of the Malays. It adorns their everyday dress, the masculines especially in as much as the hand phones have become part of their uniform now.

Truly we have forgotten many things. The 'kris' and all its unique qualities with the skills of its craftsmanship are pushed aside except treasured by collectors. Its symbolic representation too goes with it. So too many others.

Now we start to impel on the course of history, retracing why our own Malaysian past have been ignored and almost unknown. Historians especially now debate our mistakes and more so our folly for representing science and technology as crucial to our part of education. Maybe they are but to push Malaysian culture and history to the wayside has become detrimental to our survival. Challenges are heard now. Questions of various kinds that hurt and impede unity and growth show their ugly heads. Understanding culture and history through visits and tours to places, monuments, museums etc or by readings can only give a sketchy view. Those educated in the early years before and after 1957 understand their history just as they know the lines on their own palms. So too they adore their geography. They can close their eyes and while on a train or bus journey either from the north or south of the peninsula repeat the names of towns all along the way. They would take you through the years from 1511 to 1957 without a halt, furnishing you with interesting anecdotes.

Now who would know what comes next after Behrang or Simpang Renggam. Many would be attending to their handphones instead.

Today, I view a program on the TV distilling the episodes of the war, its cruelty, challenges, MPAJA, Malayan Union opposition and the path to Merdeka. It is a good recapitulation to those who lived through it or those who understood it. But to many in the country, it is viewed as an everyday drama that comes quite regularly on the idiot box. No way, can it alter the concept of the present generation. Before history was a factor in the school curriculum. So too is geography. Now? Universities had programs in Asian history and Civilization. Not now. So where do we go wrong? For one thing we are confronted by questions that challenges even the roots of our constitution.