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http://pgoh13.com/tunku.html
Few figures in modern Asian history are quite as appealing as Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. Whether it was his passion for horse racing or fondness for drink, the British-educated Malaysian of royal descent charmed everyone with his wit and avuncular wisdom.
The Tunku, as he was fondly known, presided over Malaysia's independence in 1957, and served as prime minister until 1970. Subsequently he became closely associated with opposition issues, and backed a rival to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad when the ruling United Malays National Organization split in 1988. He spoke out against Mahathir's use of the Internal Security Act and the perceived erosion of judicial independence. The Tunku died in 1990.
Now, a collection of previously unpublished conversations with the Tunku has emerged that sheds new light on the Tunku's character and ideas. On these tapes, the Tunku offers some scathing judgments on leading figures like Mahathir ("an irresponsible man") and on the strategy of Lee Kuan Yew in seeking independence for Singapore. He also offers insights into his life as a member of the Malay aristocracy.
Here are some excerpts of the interviews conducted by poet, author and former Far Eastern Economic Review Kuala Lumpur bureau chief Veerasingam Kukathas, better known by his pen name K. Das. Das died in 1993, but many people knew that he'd been working on a book on the Tunku, with whom he had long conversations over a six-month period in 1988.
*ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE, he said, the "brotherhood of man" is a wonderful idea. "It's a beautiful religion, it is not to be forced down people's throats.
"People have to become Muslims. They have to declare themselves to be of the faith of their own free will. People must never be made into Muslims by any authority in the world. It has been done, of course, and it is wrong. People have to convert of their own free will, never by force. Conversion is wholehearted acceptance of the Holy Prophet as the Witness to Allah . . . A man must choose for himself if he wishes to become Muslim, and submit to the will of Allah, and he must do so willingly with a pure heart. No, Muslims are not asked to force others to embrace Islam. They are only asked to welcome into the family those who embrace the religion of the Holy Prophet.
"The revolution in Iran is one thing, it was their own business, it nothing to do with us, even if they call it a holy revolution or Islamic revolution, and it was certainly not a cue for Muslims elsewhere to run wild and impose their will on others who were non-Muslims. It is only a matter for the people of Iran.
"As for Malaysia, there was no point in pretending she will become an Islamic state now or in the near future. People, not states, must choose on their own to become Muslims, and it is entirely up to the people to choose."
**"I believe in living and being happy, otherwise what the hell do you want to live for? How long do you expect to live for? Only yesterday I was running and jumping about as a kid, then as a young man, then a grown-up man, now I can't even walk. So why the hell do you want to make a nuisance of your life and make other people unhappy? Your duty when you take over leadership of the country is to make the people happy, that is the main thing."
***"[In 1963, Lee Kuan Yew led Singapore into Malaysia. Two years later, Singapore became an independent country, ruled by Lee's People's Action Party, or PAP.]
We got to work very closely with Singapore when we were forming Malaysia . . . The British terms were that Singapore could not be on its own but was free to join Malaysia. So Kuan Yew accepted all the terms and it was only after he joined Malaysia that he started to interfere."
****DAS: WASN'T THE PAP ITSELF CONTROLLED BY THE COMMUNISTS FOR A WHILE?
"That is why the British were not keen to give them independence on their own. So they had to join us or carry on being a colony of Britain. That is why Kuan Yew decided to join us. After that he did everything possible to break away."
*****[In 1981 Mahathir Mohamad became Malaysia's fourth prime minister. Today Mahathir is one of Asia's longest-serving leaders.]
"He could set up a republic in this country within two weeks. All he has to do is put it to the parliament with his two-thirds majority, they accept it and if the consent does not come or is not approved or disapproved within two weeks, it becomes law. And so, he can turn this country from a monarchy into a republic in two weeks.
He is an irresponsible man. He cares nothing for class, for law, for order, for the constitution. What suits him, he just does it. You remember once he said that you must be loyal, you must not idolize the leader? But what did he do? He called everybody to parliament to swear allegiance to him. Now he is going round the country on a so-called campaign . . . campaign for what? To support him, not to support the party."
DAS: HE'S DEVELOPING A PERSONALITY CULT?
"No, he suffers from that disease - inferiority complex. That is one of the diseases we find in the political world. Look at Idi Amin - he got 10 Englishmen to carry him in a chair in order to overcome his inferiority complex. That is dangerous."
I have long admired The Tunku as a principled man who love Malaysia and want to do what is right for the country. Just like Sir David Marshall, he was not in politics for the money and power.
As they say, history is written by the victors. We are fortunate that unlike past generations who only had had history books to rely on, we have the internet to provide differing views. It is sad that Malaysia and Singapore could not be as one due to racial and religious reasons that sets us apart. I believe it is more the latter that separates us. Together, we could have been one of the power houses on this planet. Who knows what we could achieve together?:(
Few figures in modern Asian history are quite as appealing as Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. Whether it was his passion for horse racing or fondness for drink, the British-educated Malaysian of royal descent charmed everyone with his wit and avuncular wisdom.
The Tunku, as he was fondly known, presided over Malaysia's independence in 1957, and served as prime minister until 1970. Subsequently he became closely associated with opposition issues, and backed a rival to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad when the ruling United Malays National Organization split in 1988. He spoke out against Mahathir's use of the Internal Security Act and the perceived erosion of judicial independence. The Tunku died in 1990.
Now, a collection of previously unpublished conversations with the Tunku has emerged that sheds new light on the Tunku's character and ideas. On these tapes, the Tunku offers some scathing judgments on leading figures like Mahathir ("an irresponsible man") and on the strategy of Lee Kuan Yew in seeking independence for Singapore. He also offers insights into his life as a member of the Malay aristocracy.
Here are some excerpts of the interviews conducted by poet, author and former Far Eastern Economic Review Kuala Lumpur bureau chief Veerasingam Kukathas, better known by his pen name K. Das. Das died in 1993, but many people knew that he'd been working on a book on the Tunku, with whom he had long conversations over a six-month period in 1988.
*ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE, he said, the "brotherhood of man" is a wonderful idea. "It's a beautiful religion, it is not to be forced down people's throats.
"People have to become Muslims. They have to declare themselves to be of the faith of their own free will. People must never be made into Muslims by any authority in the world. It has been done, of course, and it is wrong. People have to convert of their own free will, never by force. Conversion is wholehearted acceptance of the Holy Prophet as the Witness to Allah . . . A man must choose for himself if he wishes to become Muslim, and submit to the will of Allah, and he must do so willingly with a pure heart. No, Muslims are not asked to force others to embrace Islam. They are only asked to welcome into the family those who embrace the religion of the Holy Prophet.
"The revolution in Iran is one thing, it was their own business, it nothing to do with us, even if they call it a holy revolution or Islamic revolution, and it was certainly not a cue for Muslims elsewhere to run wild and impose their will on others who were non-Muslims. It is only a matter for the people of Iran.
"As for Malaysia, there was no point in pretending she will become an Islamic state now or in the near future. People, not states, must choose on their own to become Muslims, and it is entirely up to the people to choose."
**"I believe in living and being happy, otherwise what the hell do you want to live for? How long do you expect to live for? Only yesterday I was running and jumping about as a kid, then as a young man, then a grown-up man, now I can't even walk. So why the hell do you want to make a nuisance of your life and make other people unhappy? Your duty when you take over leadership of the country is to make the people happy, that is the main thing."
***"[In 1963, Lee Kuan Yew led Singapore into Malaysia. Two years later, Singapore became an independent country, ruled by Lee's People's Action Party, or PAP.]
We got to work very closely with Singapore when we were forming Malaysia . . . The British terms were that Singapore could not be on its own but was free to join Malaysia. So Kuan Yew accepted all the terms and it was only after he joined Malaysia that he started to interfere."
****DAS: WASN'T THE PAP ITSELF CONTROLLED BY THE COMMUNISTS FOR A WHILE?
"That is why the British were not keen to give them independence on their own. So they had to join us or carry on being a colony of Britain. That is why Kuan Yew decided to join us. After that he did everything possible to break away."
*****[In 1981 Mahathir Mohamad became Malaysia's fourth prime minister. Today Mahathir is one of Asia's longest-serving leaders.]
"He could set up a republic in this country within two weeks. All he has to do is put it to the parliament with his two-thirds majority, they accept it and if the consent does not come or is not approved or disapproved within two weeks, it becomes law. And so, he can turn this country from a monarchy into a republic in two weeks.
He is an irresponsible man. He cares nothing for class, for law, for order, for the constitution. What suits him, he just does it. You remember once he said that you must be loyal, you must not idolize the leader? But what did he do? He called everybody to parliament to swear allegiance to him. Now he is going round the country on a so-called campaign . . . campaign for what? To support him, not to support the party."
DAS: HE'S DEVELOPING A PERSONALITY CULT?
"No, he suffers from that disease - inferiority complex. That is one of the diseases we find in the political world. Look at Idi Amin - he got 10 Englishmen to carry him in a chair in order to overcome his inferiority complex. That is dangerous."
I have long admired The Tunku as a principled man who love Malaysia and want to do what is right for the country. Just like Sir David Marshall, he was not in politics for the money and power.
As they say, history is written by the victors. We are fortunate that unlike past generations who only had had history books to rely on, we have the internet to provide differing views. It is sad that Malaysia and Singapore could not be as one due to racial and religious reasons that sets us apart. I believe it is more the latter that separates us. Together, we could have been one of the power houses on this planet. Who knows what we could achieve together?:(
