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An old boy salutes his alma mater and the dedicated ‘brothers’ who taught and managed the school.

RECENTLY, there has been a flurry of news and comments on the former mission schools with the romantics fantasising about their traditions and ethos as though they are extant today.

And shockingly, there are those who persist in labelling them as mission schools when in reality there is not even a lingering wisp of their former flavour to speak about.

When mission schools were absorbed into the national education system after independence, the vital innards that gave them their unique character had already been eviscerated to comply with the practices of a normal national school.

In the heyday of mission school education, particularly at my alma mater — St Michael’s Institution in Ipoh, Perak — the day began with prayers led by the class teacher, irrespective of his beliefs.

The pupils, most of whom were non-Christian, recited the prayers with gusto and in unison as if they were devout followers of the faith themselves.

Scripture was a popular subject among the lower secondary students because it was easy to score high marks.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2013/3/3/education/12700047&sec=education

KUALA LUMPUR: Starting as a small tin mining town in the 1850’s, Kuala Lumpur has since bloomed into the fully developed city it is today.

Initially opened at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers by tin miners, Kuala Lumpur’s landscape has seen great changes over the years.

From small nipah-roofed houses to being the proud owner of one of the world’s tallest twin towers, the city has shifted from a township housing mostly labourers to becoming the heart of the Malaysian administration.

The rapid development started after Kuala Lumpur, then part of Selangor, was declared the state’s capital in 1880.

In 1896, it was chosen to be the capital of the Federated Malay States, and continued to be the country’s capital after Malaya achieved its independence in 1957.

Kuala Lumpur was conferred the city title on Feb 1, 1972, and declared as a Federal Territory two years later.

The city now houses hundreds of high-rise buildings and skyscrapers which cater to thousands of businesses, residential premises and administrative offices.

In conjunction with the 39th Federal Territory Day this Friday (Feb 1), the NST will publish pictures of Kuala Lumpur during its olden times from today to Friday to bring readers the nostalgia.

Read more @: Mining the birth of a great city – General – New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/mining-the-birth-of-a-great-city-1.209891?cache=03D163D03edding-pred-1.1176

ALOR STAR: The sekolah pondok (religious school) has been around for more than a century.

The word pondok originated from the Arabic word funduk, which means guesthouse or transit centre.

Since the 1850s, students at sekolah pondok have lived in huts (pondok) while studying subjects pertaining to the Islamic religion taught by mostly ustaz (Islamic religious teachers).

This perhaps best describes the concept of the school where the students live and study.

Most sekolah pondok in the country are based on religious schools in Pattani in southern Thailand.

States close to the Malaysia-Thailand border, such as Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, started to adopt the concept because of massive migration among Muslims scholars from Pattani into the country.

At present, there are more than 50 sekolah pondok in Kedah.

In the early years, most sekolah pondok in Kedah would be closed during the padi harvesting season.

This allowed students to help farmers harvest crops and earn money to pay their school fees.

The Kedah sultanate had also promoted the development of sekolah pondok in the state.

Read more @ http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/sekolah-pondok-s-long-history-1.168997

Universiti Sains Malaysia archaeology research team head Prof Dr Mokhtar Saidin (left) showing Sabah Museum director Joanna Kitingan some samples the research team had collected at the site in Kampung Lipasu, Keningau.

KOTA KINABALU: A PALAEOLITHIC site believed to be  200,000 years old has been discovered in Keningau, 138km from here.

Archaeologists claimed that the site in Kampung Lipasu in the sub-district of Bingkor could rival the Mansuli site in Lahad Datu, which is 235,000 years old.

Universiti Sains Malaysia archaeology research team head Prof Dr Mokhtar Saidin said researchers, however, had not revealed the exact age of the site said to be a location for making Palaeolithics stone tools.

Excavation began on May 9 and is expected to finish on May 29.

The team, comprising researchers from the USM Global Archeological Research Centre and the Sabah Museum Department, has discovered several artefacts, including an anvil, core stone, hammer stone, chopper and flake tools.

“We believe the Bingkor site could be older than the Mansuli site as there could be more layers beneath the present excavation site,” said Mokhtar.

He said this could be an interesting find because the archaeology community initially believed that human population began on the east coast of north Borneo.

“The notion was the human population here lived in the coastal area but with the new finding, we can see that early human population began from inland.”

Sabah Museum director Joanna Kitingan said the latest discovery would put Keningau on the international map as far as Palaeolithics findings were concerned.

She said the area could be turned into an archaeo-tourism site when it had been gazetted under the department.

by Kristy Inus.

Read more @ http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/prehistoric-site-discovered-1.87102

Daulat Tuanku.

We rejoice with all Malaysians on the installation of Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

HIS Royal Highness Al-Sultan Almu’tasimu Billahi Muhibbuddin Tuanku Alhaj Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, the Sultan of Kedah Darulaman, is being installed as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong today.

The installation ceremony, to be held at the new Istana Negara in Jalan Duta, is certain to be etched in the everlasting memory of Malaysians, particularly Kedahans.

The Ruler is the first monarch in the country to be installed as Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a second time.

At the age of 84, he will also set the record as the oldest Ruler to ascend the throne.

Accompanying Tuanku Abdul Halim on the throne as Raja Permaisuri Agong will be Sultanah Tuanku Hamidah Hamidun.

During Tuanku Abdul Halim’s initial reign as the fifth Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1970 to 1975, Almarhum Sultanah Bahiyah, the eldest daughter of Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman Tuanku Muhammad, was Raja Permaisuri Agong.

Tuanku Abdul Halim has a long regal connection with the nation’s sovereignty.

The first Yang di-Pertuan Agong for Persekutuan Tanah Melayu was Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman who reigned from 1957 to 1960.

The 10th King (1994 to 1999) was Almarhum Tuanku Jaafar Tuanku Abdul Rahman, who was Tuanku Abdul Halim’s brother-in-law.

Tuanku Abdul Halim’s royal connections do not end there.

During his stint as Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1965 to 1970, the then Prime Minister the late Yang Teramat Mulia Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj was his uncle.

Tuanku Abdul Halim is an affable and charismatic personality who carries himself with distinct majestic poise.

by Dasheer Noh.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/11/nation/11035237&sec=nation

Like Robin Hood and Sherlock Holmes in England, Hang Tuah could be cleverly promoted as a tourist attraction in Malacca.

THE current debate over whether the legendary warrior Hang Tuah actually existed or is merely a figment of imagination should be taken positively. At least there is a renewed interest in history, a subject many Malaysians regard as boring.

Our students have bad memories of studying History, which will be a compulsory subject in schools, because of unimaginative and uninspiring teachers who turned their classes into tedious note-taking exercises.

They did not inspire their students with stories of how we could learn from the past and how relevant history is to us. History is not about forcing students to just memorise dates and signing of treaties.

History is about his story, and teachers should respond with lively accounts, even personal trivia, of the personalities involved to spice up their classes.

With a short remark, Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim restarted a debate on the existence of Hang Tuah, who is said to have lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah in 15th century Malacca. Hang Tuah is believed to be the greatest of all of the sultan’s admirals and was described as a ferocious fighter.

Certainly, he has been and is still held in the highest regard in Malaysian Malay culture, and so when our eminent historian said he did not exist, many Malaysians felt let down, even cheated.

Many remember learning in school that Hang Tuah was a hero with a steadfast sense of loyalty who readily sacrificed his friendship with his best friend Hang Jebat after the latter rebelled against the Sultan.

Furthermore, we are also being told that Princess Hang Li Po, who was supposedly married to Sultan Mansur Shah, is probably fictitious as well.

But to be fair to Prof Khoo, he is not the first historian to dispute the existence of Hang Tuah or Hang Li Po. It has long been the subject of conjecture at university level. At school level, however, students seemed to be just happy to swallow what their teachers taught them.

The conventional method of teaching history could be the reason for this, but lack of critical thinking in our education system is another factor. Most students rely entirely on notes given to them and they don’t do their own research on the subject.

Teachers could address this shortcoming by, for example, stating specifically that Hang Tuah is a subject of myth and legend at the start of lessons. Students should also be informed that the location of his tomb, if it exists, remains in dispute.

by Wong Chun Wai.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=onthebeat&file=/2012/1/29/columnists/onthebeat/10546272&sec=On%20The%20Beat

Tan Sri Prof. Emeritus Khoo Kay Kim provoked a storm of controversy when he said that there was no evidence that legendary warrior Hang Tuah ever exixted. Malaysia Archaeologists Association Pesident Datuk Prof. Emeritus Dr. Nik Hassan Shuhaimi Nik Abdul Rahman has refuted this claim, saying the tomb of Hang Tuah in Malacca proves the legendary warrior’s existence. Literary figure Dr. Kassim Ahmad, who compiled the Hikayat Hang Tuah, also stressed that Hang Tuah was a real person. So did he exist or not? Arman Ahmad sits down with Khoo to find out.

MALACCA: The state government has expressed interest in the findings of a Universiti Sains Malaysia academic that the Malay Sultanate here existed 140 years before Parameswara’s reign in 1402.

However, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the findings of Assoc Prof Abdul Rahman Ismail needed to be examined further before history could be rewritten.

The USM academic contended that the Malacca Sultanate has existed for a longer period than previously thought and recorded in history books.

“There have been artefacts unearthed recently which support the theory that Malacca was founded circa 1262.

“We are in the midst of collecting facts and other evidence to back this,” Mohd Ali said at the World Karate Championships here yesterday.

Mohd Ali said the state government would invite academics to gather facts about the existence of a Malacca Sultanate long before the arrival of Parameswara.

“We will render assistance to conduct a thorough study on the Malacca Sultanate to authenticate the actual date of its establishment,” he said.

Mohd Ali added that there was also anecdotal evidence about the beginning of the sultanate, but this should be verified based on facts and archaeological findings.

“Currently, the only reference is Sulalatus Salatin (Sejarah Melayu).

by R.S. N. Murali.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/10/10/nation/9665226&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR:  An Universiti Sains Malaysia lecturer today claimed he was confident that 1262 was the actual year for the beginning of Malay sultanate in Melaka.

Associate professor Abdul Rahman Ismail, a lecturer of Humanities Study Centre, said based on his study on Sulalatus Salatin of Raja Bongsu version, a Malay historical book, which had evidence on the beginning of the Malay sultanate in the year 1262.

He said Sulalatus Salatin of Raja Bongsu version had a complete and clear record on the reign of each sultan of Singapore and Melaka.

“No record shows that there is any other government before them but however, this does not mean that no government existed before that. It is just that there is no reliable source that can be used,” he told reporters at the talk on the Foundation of Melaka Malay sultanate at Wisma Sejarah Saturday.

BERNAMA.

Read more @ http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=618751