Antara Fakta Dan Tafsir Sejarah

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 Here is a short video where some local professors are saying that Malaya was never colonised for the past 400 years. Tidak pernah dijajah.  




The point they are making is that the country was never a jajahan but merely a 'naungan' under the British.
First off it sounds like a verbal quibble or verbal gymnastics otherwise also known colloquially as "semantics".  (There are also plenty of semantics about the word semantics).
Meaning people redefine words, play with words, rewrite the meanings of words to make a new story. 
The question that needs to be asked is why and to what purpose?
The good professor says Malaya was colonised for only two years from 1946 - 1947. Other than that only Penang, Melaka and Singapore were also colonised. The Japanese also menakluk or invaded Malaya for three years.
So was Malaya colonised or was Malaya just a naungan under the British?
The British appeared big on the scene in the 18th century. Francis Light got the title to Pulo Pinang in 1786. 
The Portugese got here earlier in 1511. So from 1511 - 1957 that is 446 years under various degrees of control by the western powers.
As I said you can play with words all day along. But there are simple ways of determining what happened in our history.
For example just ask the Portugese, Dutch, British and even the Japanese about their stays in Malaya. How did they define their stay here?
My point is regardless of whether Malaya was a jajahan, naungan, ditakluk, colonised or not colonised etc the Portugese, Dutch, British and Japanese were able to do whatever it was that they wanted to do. 

They had absolute control of whatever they wanted. They could depose or appoint any ruler, raja or sultan that they wanted. They took whatever they wanted. They could introduce their own language into the country or the local inhabitants adopted their language. 
There are over 400 Portugese words in Malay. Here are some of them from the Net :

1)     Bendera – Bandeira (Flag)2)     Gereja – Igreja (Church)3)     Jendela – Janela (Window)4)     Keju – Queijo (Cheese)5)     Kemeja – Camisa (Shirt)6)    Meja – Mesa / Tabela (Table)7)    Minggu – Domingo (Sunday)  ?? Hari Minggu means Sunday.8)    Sekolah – Escola (School)9)    Roda – Roda (Wheel)10)  Almari – Armario (Wardrobe)   (Cupboard – Armario)11? Sabun - sabun (soap - also in arabic)12. Kerbau - caribou, caribu  13. Kereta - kareta
The Dutch had "control" over Melaka and the surrounding areas (into Perak, Selangor and Johor) from 1641 until about 1825. And during their stay here the Dutch appointed governors to manage the place. That is also why the Dutch built the Stadthuys in Melaka. Apa maksud stadthuys? It means "city hall". 
Jajahan, naungan, invaders etc are just words. If the Dutch could build a city hall certainly they could collect taxes, revenues, acquire land, survey the land, issue titles etc.  Just like what they could do in their own countries.
In between the Dutch and the British, parts of Malaya were also "invaded" and controlled by another set of people ie the Bugis. So were the Bugis invaders, colonisers ? 
The British appeared on the scene in some strength in the 18th century. Francis Light secured the title to Pulo Pinang in 1786.
Err .. and what about Sarawak and Sabah? James Brooke became 'Rajah' of Sarawak. While Sabah was "managed" by the British East India Company.
So other than jajahan, naungan etc you can add extra words here : 'rajah', 'company management'.
Whatever words you use, the western powers could do what they wanted to do.
They could also buy and sell, own and disown entire countries as well. 
For example in 1824 there was the Anglo-Dutch Treaty whereby the Dutch gave up all claims to Melaka and the Semenanjung to the British. In exchange the British gave up all claims to Indonesia to the Dutch. 
This was not just Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola dividing market share among themselves. This was actually 'taking control' over these lands. The Dutch took over Indonesia. The British took over Malaya. 
And dont forget Siam. Siam was the sovereign power in the northern Semenanjung for a long time. 
In 1909 there was the Anglo-Siamese Treaty between the British and the Siamese (Thailand) where Thailand relinquished its claims to sovereignty over Kedah ("Saiburi"), Kelantan (Kalantan), Perlis (Palit) and Terengganu (Trangkanu) which entered the British sphere of influence.
So the British, Dutch and the Thais could jual-beli land and territory in this part of the world. The Siamese "sold" or 'traded away' or 'gave away'  Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis to the British.  
So a hundred years later in the 21st century the Majlis Professor can argue we were not colonised etc but  what really happened in history was that the foreign powers could do whatever they wanted with our territory and with our people. 
Whatever is your classification (jajahan ke, naungan ke, tanah takluk ke, etc) the Thais were able to do whatever they wanted when they were "in control" of Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu. Likewise the Portugese, Dutch and the British were able to do whatever they wanted when they were "in control".
But there are costs and legal implications about what you say. 
To the Majlis Professor Negara please understand that when you say you were not colonised (tidak pernah dijajah) you are absolving the Portugese, the Dutch, the British of their crimes, their wrongdoings, their responsibilities and their liabilities.
In India today there is a politician named Shashi Tharoor (who I hope will one day become the Prime Minister of India) who has made it his life's struggle to make the British pay some compensation for all the stealing that the British did in India for almost 400 years. Shashi Tharoor wants the British to make reparations (bayar pampasan). At the very least he wants the British to apologise for their 400 years of usurping the rights and the freedoms of Indians.
But here in Malaysia we have the Majlis Professor Negara telling the British, the Dutch, Portugese etc 
'Its ok Tuan, you did not colonise us. We respect your presence in our country for 400 years. You took our land, you stole our resources, you made us pay taxes to you but still you did not colonise us. So dont worry we will not hold you responsible for all the wrongs that you did. Terima kasih Tuan.'
Here we must learn from Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh did not bother asking the French to pay any compensation for "colonising" Vietnam. Instead the moment Ho Chi Minh declared the independence of Vietnam he said that Vietnam repudiates (batalkan / mansuhkan) any and all treaties, agreements, contracts signed by the colonial government in Vietnam.  Meaning an independent Vietnam would not be held responsible for any treaties signed under French colonial rule.
In Malaya those Water Agreements with Singapore were first signed (in 1927) by the British in Johor with the British in Singapore. Yes the Sultan of Johor signed but err..ahem..ahem.. upon the "advice" of the British Advisor. 
Then upon Independence in 1957 we did not mansuhkan atau batalkan those agreements. We should have followed the example of Ho Chi Minh.  Now Dr Mahathir is still complaining about the Water Agreements with Singapore. 
Here is a long YouTube video (over 1hr) on the formation of Malaysia. Within the first 10 seconds you can hear Tunku Abdul Rahman pleading his case to the British in London (in 1956): 
'my people have asked that Malaya be given independence if possible during 1957.."






Surely the Tunku knew the difference between jajahan and naungan but still he asked the British for independence 'if possible in 1957'.
Here is a question for the Majlis Professor folks. Look at those orang putih in the video who were listening to Tunku Abdul Rahman. Do you think the orang putih fellows were confused if they were 'penjajah' or 'penaung'? 
So a hundred years later you can argue the semantics - jajahan ke, naungan ke, colonise ke, protectorate ke. These are just verbal gymnastics.
The historical reality was bila depa nak tanah, dia ambil tanah. Kalau dia nak air, dia ambil air, kalau dia nak hasil dan cukai dia ambil hasil dan cukai. Kalau dia tak setuju sultan, dia letak sultan lain.  They could do whatever they wanted.  
Soalannya kenapa Majlis Professor mahu 'deny' apa yang telah berlaku dalam sejarah negara kita, especially yang melibatkan kehadiran orang lain? 
The answer is obvious - to wipe out the historical facts that you may not like. It is as simple as that.  Why? That is even more simpler to answer but maybe another time.
And then to rebuild the narrative again - of a history without the presence of those other people who you feel embarrassed about.
Then the retelling of the history can even be 'rebuilt' mengikut 'acuan kita' pula. 
And the acuan kita now is a religious and even an arab acuan. Another professor or ostard on youtube says 'sejarah tanah air  kita mengikut pandangan ulama Melayu adalah fahaman sejarah yang sebenarnya'  (or words to that effect) .
Apa kena mengena kaum agama dengan catatan sejarah kita?
There already are "rewritten" history books which say that the Tamil Maniam Purindan (precursor of the Melaka bendaharas) was actually a 'keturunan nabi' when the name Maniam Purindan is so obviously Tamil.  
Not only do you lose credibility (and also become a butt of jokes) but there can be a cost if you confuse yourself too much over your own history. 
Without any doubt at all the situation in the world now is a direct result of World War Two or Perang Dunia Ke-2. My good friend Dato Wan Mohd Shahrir - a history buff - always asks why I am so interested in the period of the Second World War or WW2.  Because that is the part of history that is most relevant to the entire world today. 
The conquests by Genghis Khan, the Roman Empire etc have less relevance to our everyday lives. 
Today in the year 2021 the Arab Israeli conflict is still relevant. The Arab Israeli conflict was a direct result of WW2. For example the Arab Israeli conflict is so important to the Tin Milo "Tabung Jihad Palestin" collected in the masjid on Fridays (where not a single sen has reached Palestine).
The rise of China today in 2021 is again the direct result of the Second World War. Hence the anti China paranoia in America is also a direct result of the Second World War.  After being bullied by the Japanese and the Europeans (up to the 1930s) the Chinese decided to get up off their backsides and show the world who they really are. And so we have the unstoppable China of today. The Chinese have figured out that if you just stay at home, the thieves and robbers may break into your house again. So it is better for China to go out and open supermarkets all around the world. The thieves and robbers can buy what they want and dont have to steal it. And China makes a profit.  
It is important for anyone to understand the real history around them. Whatever that history maybe. But in Malaysia the Second World War may not be considered 'history' among the local historians.  Because it is a history populated by "aliens".
The Second World War in the Pacific started here in Kota Bharu in Kelantan. Two hours before their bombing of Pearl Harbour the Japanese had landed at Pantai Sabak in Pengkalen Chepa in Kota Bharu.   The Second World War in the Pacific started here. But nobody wants to discuss the history of the Second World War because the soldiers defending our beaches at Pengkalen Chepa were Indian soldiers of the British Army. So it can be very confusing :  were those Dogras and Rajputs who faced off the Japanese at Pantai Sabak 'tentera penjajah' atau 'tentera penaung'?  
There is another cost to this type of verbal gymnastics. The people laugh at you. Thinking people will not take you seriously.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
By Syed Akbar Ali 

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