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History - Have we really learn anything? PDF Print
Tuesday, 10 June 2008 10:54

Referring to the article in The Star whereby the Prime Minister said "Learn from history" really raised a few questions in my mind.

1)      If we are really learning from history, then why are we still being termed as "Malays" and "Non-Malays"?

Haven't we learned anything from World War 2 whereby hatred policy created by the then Nazi Dictator, Adolf Hitler, causes so much grievances that there are no accurate amount of measurement to the losses incurred. When can we ever move forward as one under the category of "Bangsa Malaysia". Why do we still allow extremist to continuously incite the issue of Malay Supremacy and causes more unease to the others who for so many years have felt belittled including myself. We were born into this country not of our choice, but God. We are God given rights as Malaysian. Do you know that Patriotism was at an all time low before the March 8 election? All this was because most people do not install any hope into this country. Ask them about what they feel about the country and they would turn away stating the fact that they don't care and that their wish is to leave this country for good one day. Why do certain politicians still lack behind time and carry on with their narrow minded policies? Our talents are running away which is a massive loss to the country and racism will only lead to destruction which is well proven. Are we really learning from history yet? I bet no.

2)      If we are really learning from history, then why do draconian laws like ISA and Sedition still exist?
Democracy exists when people can no longer accept dictatorship. During the time of dictatorship, people can be beheaded or incarcerated for speaking against the Government which is termed as "treason". Basically, the dictator can determine your life and death. As long as he or she wants you to be dead, there's no chance for you to live. Imagine your life is in some brutal man's hand. The people have no choice or whatsoever but to pledge their loyalty only because they fear the Government. Is this governing system fair? This is no different from slavery. As human progressed on, they believe in fair system and started to abolish tyranny. They believe in freedom of speech. They believe in freedom of choice. In short, they believe in democracy where they can make a difference in the country and that the Government should fear them instead because they can make a change whenever they wish to. With laws like ISA and Sedition, we are going back to dictatorship / tyranny. You fear the Government. The only difference was, with ISA and Sedition, it is not death penalty. Honestly, nobody dares to say much before the 8th March Election. Suddenly, many people started to find their voices around right after the election only to be stopped by ISA and Sedition Act. There were talks about monitoring blogs and so forth. Is this how we want to progress on? Are we learning anything from history? Again, a big "no".

3)      If we are really learning from history and believe that corruption and decay can cause civilizations to suffer and stop the country from progressing further, then why can't every politician declare their assets, practice open tender and have open policy on Petronas? What do we have to hide?
History has taught us that the greed of a man can lead to the demise of a nation. Take King Louis XVI for example. His hedonism lifestyle with his queen led to the demise of France because he was spending taxpayers' money lavishly. As for us, we have many cronies who are exactly like King Louis XVI taking taxpayers' money for granted. We could have been so much better without cronyism. The cronies earn easy money from the people and living lavish lifestyle, while the people are suffering. Close door policies will only breed more cronyism. It is a known fact. So are we really learning from history? No.

4)      If we are really learning from history, then why make a certain religion as official religion of the country?
History has taught us that civil wars and major conflicts can happen in a country because of religion. During the time of Queen Mary I in England, Protestants were totally wiped out by executions because Queen Mary was holding strong faith in Catholic. That was humanity at an all time low. No religion encourages violence especially Islam, Christian, Buddhist and Hindu. Religion should never be made as an official symbol of the country as it is a very personal thing and thus it is very sensitive. Why do we have to relate a personal believe or preference to a country? Imagine if I were to say Malaysia is an official Manchester United Football Club Supporters country because majority supports Manchester United in EPL. Does it feel right? We move forward as a nation, not as what we preach in. So are we really learning from history? A bigger "no" as not only we are not doing that, many other countries as well.

5)      More importantly if we are really learning from history to avoid all the wrongs, then why are we repeating all these mistakes?


TCJ

Comments (40)Add Comment
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written by Ken Liew, June 10, 2008 10:59:18
NO!!! dulu dijajah British...... Sekarang Dijajah umNO......

kita tidak ubah...... masih dijajah.
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written by Zapper, June 10, 2008 11:03:07
IN his moment of great wisdom, what the PM meant is HE is out to create history and NOT learned from it. If we noticed, with every crisis that confront the country, the leaders from chose the standard and safe solutions....this round...option A....the next Option B.. and so on.

You can take my 2 cents worth of wisdom.....when the effect of spiraling oil and food prices had settled down....we will be having shopping time. The excuse, the government have to generate economic activities because the private sector is not doing enough. Sounds similar....I told you!!
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written by Rainbowseahorse, June 10, 2008 11:04:44
What that Bodohwi ACTUALLY meant was to learn what the past Malaysian government has done right and effective in keeping the rakyat in the DARK (with Secrecy Act), QUIET (with ISA), INTIMEDATION (by raising Racial Issues periodically), suppress Freedom of Speech and definitely NO street Demonstration.
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written by kc respect, June 10, 2008 11:05:04
After 22 years of HISTORY OF MAHATHIR regime??? The most important economic lesson is .... CORRUPTION. Therefore, they are really learning their lessons, only thing is BADAWI wants to create BIGGER History, by BEING MORE CORRUPT THE MAHATHIR. So there, learning from history, they are!!!
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written by rakyatmalaysia, June 10, 2008 11:05:34
Cant u see that NAZI ideaology is embbed in BN ?

cant u see ? UMNO = NAZI ?

nazi hails ketuanan aryan and umno hails ketuanan melayu

fullstop
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written by Al Ambia, June 10, 2008 11:11:17
"Learn from history"Furthermore,if we learn from history as what has happen to Indonesia after they start killing the chinese and the aftermath.
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written by LC Teh, June 10, 2008 11:11:22
When I read that headline I just laughed and shook my head. The guy who never learned from history now tells everyone else to learn from history. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha..... but it's a cynical laughter...
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written by densemy, June 10, 2008 11:19:04
The only history they learn from is the history of the 6th century AD...

That's why the lessons of recent history pass completely over their heads and that's why their ability to think and to reason have been suppressed
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written by Rainbowseahorse, June 10, 2008 11:19:57
Yes LC Teh...hehehe..also telling us how much he care for us rakyat and then shaft us with a MASSIVE 63.3% hike in fuel price, and then tell us AGAIN how much he cares for us with that STUPID LOOK on his face appealing to us to understand.
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written by hakuna, June 10, 2008 11:35:01
SPOT ON TCJ - could not have relayed any better.
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written by harryo, June 10, 2008 11:42:09
In Malaysia, learning, preaching and practicing are different things particularly for BN politicians. So long they stay in power, so long they can sustain in power these different things are applied differently to different situation, a sort of divide and rule, like the colonial masters. To Malays they raise issues related to Malays, to the nons they tal about sensitive issues frightening your very existence. It had been going on for 50 years. Now they realise things cannot be as before. They need to change strategies. Give a chance to PR. Let's what is new for all Malaysians and not based on M and non=M.
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written by budakindia, June 10, 2008 11:43:26
maybe the british will be better than umno! who knows! look at hong kong! they are better off when they were under british! smilies/wink.gif
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written by wood, June 10, 2008 11:48:15
PM said "Learn from History." I wonder how many wakil rakyat and ministers really know much or care about History ?????

Waste of time and rakyats'money. We need real professionals to run the ministry ! Otherwise Malaysia can never get very far! Believe it or not ?????

Chanting Malaysia Boleh won't work ! If the otak is like that we cannot become world class only Jaguh Kampung !
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written by ilovepakatan, June 10, 2008 11:59:07
The chanting of Malaysia Boleh reminds me of the movie "V for Vendetta" whereby the fascist Chancellor of British chanted "England Prevail".

Are they copying fascism?

Read TCJ's blog: http://bolehjokes.********.com/
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written by ladasiber, June 10, 2008 12:01:23
PM said "Learn from History."

What and which History? Kesultanan Melayu Melaka? Lembah Bujang? Batu Bersurat? .... atau kedatangan Laksaman Cheng Ho (Orang China beragama Islam).... atau sejarah penubuhan UMNO lama dan baru? atau parti-parti lain? atau nak belajar History of Oil Prices in Malaysia.

You UMNO/BN idiots only want to learn from history bila rasa diri tu nak dijatuhkan atau dah nak jatuh sendiri. Bila senang atau dah kaya terasa nak cipta History tersendiri.
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written by FOLI, June 10, 2008 12:25:35
Perhaps if the gomen would organise an all expense paid seminar on history in some 5star hotel (preferably overseas) , then we would all go and learn something about history...
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written by Bunda, June 10, 2008 12:54:07
Referring to the article in The Star whereby the Prime Minister said "Learn from history"

My parents were in the same class as ABB in University Malaya in the 1960's. This AAB couldn't hack it as a History and Geography Major, so he changed subject to an easier class... Islamic Studies.

So, this man who couldn't even learn history is now telling people to learn something he failed in. What a joke!
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written by simply_say, June 10, 2008 12:55:51
"Nature recycles itself. History repeats itself. Religion has faith in itself. Technology creates itself. Humanity loves itself." - Mark Putzke

Perfect...

Easily insert quotes and jokes into your writing at http://www.xlpert.com/quotes.htm
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written by oknyua, June 10, 2008 12:56:54
TCJ, thank you for your well-written article, which unfortunately is based on the words (sentence) of a person famous for his flip-flop and sometimes lying tongue. I think you get what I mean. His words and promises mean nothing at all.
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written by LTn, June 10, 2008 13:02:21
LIKE I SAID OUR PM ADULLAH BADAWI IS SUPER STUPID HE DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT HIS TALKING ABOUT...

HE JUST READ WHAT HIS PIG HEAD WRITES... STUPID ASS PM.
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written by zul4kulim, June 10, 2008 13:12:38
Pak Lah only learns history from his isteri(s)....he is also history!
http://1426.********.com/2008/...-from.html
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written by InEffective, June 10, 2008 13:17:46
how many time must we repeat this.

'stop listening to what politicians say, just follow what they do'.

Form your views based on observable, verifiable, and measurable performance only.
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written by Rainbowseahorse, June 10, 2008 13:50:27
Hoooh...LTn....our Bodohwi does not even read the speech given to him. Haven't you notice that he mumbles and screwed up his face (like an idiot) to make out what was written for him to spew out from his mouth?? At times, he doesn't EVEN UNDERSTANDS what the hell he was MADE to read out!
Pathetic indeed! How can we EXPECT him to understand ECONOMICS & FINANCE???
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written by mgeo, June 10, 2008 15:10:33
After 40 years of oligarcy, fascism and hate propaganda, ask yourself this: if there is a major disaster, say 50% as bad as the cyclone in Burma, what are the chances of you and your family getting
(a) help in a fair manner in view of the erosion of democracy?
(b) any help at all in view of incompetence?
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written by shangrilapeace, June 10, 2008 15:27:18
The only thing that remind me of our history is the "one raised arm of Tunku" shouting Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka with the crowd roaring in unision. Loved the spirit & blushing with awe whenever I can catch a rerun on screen.
Can we feel this "Spirit" again?
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written by Rainforest, June 10, 2008 15:52:21
If we are not term Malay and non Malay, or BUMI and NON BUMI, the BN would have collapsed long ago!! This is divide and rule, man, it's classic and clear for the world to see. The BN is pitting the Malay(BUMI) against the NON-Malay, so that they can continue to rule, always making sure that the Malay are behind them. Maybe their mistake is the Education policy and sending too many Malay students oversea to be educated by the West. These educated Malays have their own mind and as a result they voted opposition, that is why the BN is always crying that the Malays are very divided now!!! I'm sure some of them know the game BN is playing and are real FED-UP as well!
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written by renoir, June 10, 2008 16:47:38
Essentially, when Louis XV1 came into power, France was already an impoverished country - the extravagance of his two earlier precedessors had seen to that.

We all know about Bloody Mary, but since history is usually written by victors, we seldom read about the blood-stained hands of Eizabeth I. Gloriania was indeed glorious, and a great monarch, but she was as bloodthirsty as they come, especially when it came to Catholics. Of course, the Pope shouldn't have declared her an illegimate child, but still . . . . .

LChuah
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written by SamYap, June 10, 2008 19:15:28
The PM is talking through his backside.

What history is he talking about? The history written by the British and studied by his son-in-law in Oxford? Or the history that Malaysian students read in our local university?

There are significant differences in the British version and the local version.

To be candid, I would opt for the British version, simply because in that version the colonialists were portrayed as colonialists and not as some Western hero bringing civilization to the backward East Asia. In that sense its histroy written purely from an observer's point of view rather than the victor. Its non-judgemental.

But if you read the local version, you would think we had to fight a bloody big battle to get Merdeka and it gets worse when the contribution of the non-Malays are played down and some cases ignored.

Learn from history? AAB, bugger off and learn history yourself, or maybe beg RPK to tutor you personally? RPK's history is quite good.

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written by Lim Lim, June 10, 2008 19:38:02
like it or not,the fact remains that if umno/BN goons continue carrying on their backs with the monkey businesses n sought to make plays with the racial profiling n divides jus for the sake of power mongering will see malaysian to the disastrous end ,headng nowhere except to the temple of the 'doomeds'!!it's been fifty years,don't tell me that those goons still in the dark??or is this their only capability n context within their hollow political script??pathetic... for those who hav the means to see the broader horizon but decided to play blind!!where would be the hope to weather the ever evolving global realm for us n the future generations??racism,for whom that bell really tolls?? jus wondering when malaysian are going to wake up from those umno's racist tricks??
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written by Wendy Low, June 10, 2008 21:29:36
for question 1), i fully agree with you. we do not learn from history. we tend to forget what has happened in the past and still made the same mistakes......

For question 2), well again we always tell people that our country adopts democracy. this is just to please people and to show but deep down we practice dictatorship. there is no word of freedom and everyone is scare of punishment i.e. ISA. Again i agree with you. we never learn from history.

For question 3 - 5, conclusion is we did not learn from history. we all know corruption and etc will stop a country to progress further. do we want just stop here. ask yourself? Think about it. so pls dont repeat the mistake done before.
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written by cheekhiaw, June 10, 2008 23:08:23
Some can be learning all the wrong things from history...

xxx
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written by macaufan, June 10, 2008 23:44:17
don waste time on watever Bodohwi said/commented bcos he'll b history in m'sia as d most short period in office who achieve highest vote in Parliment & d lowest vote too & lost 5 1 states !

never b4 a PM is came fr an enemy state !

is this wat Bodohwi meaning to future regime umno chief "learn from my history?"
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written by LACOBRA, June 10, 2008 23:46:49
History repeats itself from leaders who abuse their authority to manipulate accordingly.
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written by partiotic, June 11, 2008 00:20:41
To learn form history, then all our malaysian warlord must go, UMNO warlord, the MCA warlord, the MIC warlord, the Garakan warlord. Chairman Mo overthron the warlord of china, his action has make China a very powerful nation of today.
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written by billyong, June 11, 2008 06:15:05
Sorry to say this, but the history AAB is referring to is local history [or whatever is left of it]. Those happenings cited in the above article were the ones I read in secondary school. Try asking any secondary school students today to relate the French Revolution, the Roman Empire, the causes leading to the first and second world war to you and you would draw a blank. I am happy I came from an era where education was extremely global in its outlook, even in history. Recently I was in the States for a certification programme and in the first evening participants [especially the Americans] were requested to step forward and deliver a 10-minute speech highlighting certain high points in American history so to make the evening interesting especially for the foreign participants. After the Americans have spoken which I find extremely stinulating, the foreign participants were asked whether we would like to contribute anything. I took the floor and spoke of the American Civil War and Texas fight for independence from Mexico which saw 189 Texicans fighting it off with 7,000 highly trained and armed Mexican soldiers and militias. I could even name those who fought at the Alamo and died and the battle cry that followed. I read all these during my secondary days. The Americans were amazed at the indepth knowledge we have on them and that made me proud as a Malaysian, indirectly telling them our education system was even at par with the Americans. But sad to say, it is no longer so.

Quite frankly, I doubt AAB knows his history too even his own party. The party he is heading is 22 years old and not 62 as often claimed. Remember it was deregistered and they have the cheek to claim that it is the old UMNO. So the first President was Mahathir and not Jaafar Onn. smilies/sad.gif
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written by cheekhiaw, June 11, 2008 10:59:45
SEPARATING DETAILS FROM LESSONS OF HISTORY

Billyong,

So much details about those American battles.

But did you tell the world there with you the real lessons people can learn from those US history?

Did you say how greed for more land and control of others for their own benefit drove those wars and based on notions like their Manifest Destiny, Monroe Doctrine, Free World, Global Terrorism etc.

They would have been more impressed.

I am sure you can give more details about their Custer and Little Big Horn than many.

But try teaching yourself and then others the real lessons of history, and not minutae of American propaganda.

xxx
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written by Frankie,BSD, June 11, 2008 11:41:16
We can learn from history but to effect changes is not an enviable task, the heart might be willing but the obstacles to do so can sometimes be overwhelming.
We are so fast in criticizing the slowness of Pak Lah to implement changes, the answer we want to know is "is he trying hard enough?" rather than blindly condemning him.
Dr.M has left us a legacy - a dictatorship that he is the only LAW, Not to be questioned in any way - do so, you are a 'DEAD' man. So he surrounded himself with "people" who will go to any length for the Master, and in the process, our whole system collapsed, no checks and balances. To-day with the rot already so deeply ingrained, can anyone seriously think he/she effect changes within the next 5 years.No, I don't think so, therefore if anyone feel he/she has the capacity to do so, we should allow him/her to do so.
Hopefully we have an UNTAINTED leader who can command our respect and carry out the burden of making Malaysia - a Country we are proud to belong to, a transparent system of government, a Judiciary we could trust, and a King who is revered ( our present King is such) and can check the excesses of the ruling government.
Such a leader is found in Ms.Marina Mahathir.She should be supported by Zaid Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng, Koh Tsu Koon,Ramon Navaratnam, Rodziah Ismail, Onn Hamzah, Teresa Kok, Shahrir Samad, liew ( Ex-DCM,Sabah) and a credible leader from Sarawak, Tony Pua and our current Perak MB and other credible and committed leaders from various groupings.They should form the core of our next Government.
Is it to much to hope for?
I too can dream.
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written by Angela Ooi, June 11, 2008 16:20:56
Unfortuantely for us, Malaysia has leaders who are 'degil' and 'otak udang'; so mana boleh learn anything
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written by A MI, June 11, 2008 23:32:19
Learn from History? What History? History in Malaysia is continually being re-written...just compare history textbooks used in the 60s and those of now.....
AAB Please lah stop giving us citizens advice....BTW..as for history...you will go down as one of the most insulted PMs
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written by wood, June 12, 2008 00:18:11
WHEN WE ARE UPSET , WE THINK THAT PERSON LOOK STUPID AND PERHAPS IS STUPID !
I have now come to a conclusion that it is not so ! smilies/wink.gif smilies/wink.gif smilies/wink.gif smilies/wink.gif smilies/wink.gif
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