Ia adalah koleksi 50 artikel sebagai penghargaan terhadap 'Bapa Merdeka/Bapa Malaysia' oleh 'Who's Who of Malaysia'; bermula oleh Almarhum DYMM Tuanku Jaafar dan berakhir oleh Tunku Dato' Dr Hajjah Safiah Jewa.
Sedang rancak bersembang, terima panggilan daripada seorang kenalan dari Melaka. Menurutnya, beliau sedang menghadiri mesyuarat persatuan veteran dan topik Majlis Ceramah ini turut disentuh. Maka, timbullah harapan ahli persatuan agar ANM turut memberi peluang kepada mereka menceritakan pengalaman mereka. Tetamu saya mendengar apa yang kami bualkan dan beliau memaklumkan, Majlis ini adalah siri pertama dan banyak lagi siri yang akan dianjurkan. Mungkin siri akan datang akan melibatkan anggota persatuan tersebut.
Saya juga meluahkan perasaan terkilan kepada tetamu saya kerana hanya Dato' Kanang seorang sahaja yang mewakili ATM semasa Kolokium ini (ANM tidak terlibat terhadap pemilihan para ahli panel kolokium tersebut). Apalah salah menjemput dua-tiga orang daripada ATM...Macamlah ATM tak ada hero lagi!!! Ini membuatkan saya berfikir....Mengapa majlis pengkisahan ini tidak dibuat di peringkat negeri? Agensi-agensi seperti ANM dan Perpustakaan Negeri, boleh memainkan peranan bagi menganjurkan majlis tersebut.
Jadi, pagi 4 Mac, saya pun telefon ANM Kedah/Perlis dan Perpustakaan Negeri Kedah mencadangkan agensi kerajaan tersebut menganjur majlis pengkisahan seperti yang rancang oleh ANM KL. Jemput para veteran daripada TDM dan TUDM sebagai pengkisah. Objektif utama ialah untuk menyemarakkan semangat patriotisme di kalangan rakyat, terutama 'Generasi X &Y'. Apa maknanya...Wallahualam. By the way, ada ke generasi Z?
Saya ditanya sama ada boleh mengenalpasti mereka yang mungkin sedia menjayakan rancangan itu sekiranya ia menjadi kenyataan. Jawapan saya, tiada masalah, Insya-Allah. Seterusnya, saya menghubungi Mejar Mahammad Basri bin Din, PGB (B) memaklumkan cadangan saya ini. Syukur Alhamdulillah, beliau tiada halangan sekiranya dijemput. Malah, beliau sedia mengumpul ramai lagi veteran untuk menyertai projek ini sekiranya perlu.
Respons agensi-agensi tersebut agak menggalakkan. Sama ada ia akan menjadi kenyataan....Wallahualam. Tunggu dan lihat saja.
Kedah dan Perlis menjadi tumpuan saya kerana kos yang terpaksa ditanggung oleh pengkisah seperti saya adalah minima. Saya tidak mengharapkan sebarang imbuhan. Untuk lain-lain negeri, jika berminat, kenalah tanggung kos perjalanan atau pun jemput wira-wira di negeri berkenaan, wallahualam.
Ahli apa jua persatuan para veteran...Sekiranya mahukan pengalaman anda diketahui rakyat jelata dan diabadikan, saya cadangkan persatuan menghubungi agensi-agensi tertentu, seperti ANM, BTN. Kita mesti mengambil langkah pertama; jangan harapkan orang mencari kita. Semuanya terpulang kepada kita.
ANM...Terima kasih di atas jemputan tersebut.
Saudara Nor,
BalasPadamThere is something strange about history and historians, generally there is little if any thing good written about the achievements of great leaders when they are alive. A case in point is the achievements of YM.Tenku Abdul Rahaman. The following is a short para that I took of an article written by writer Bakri Musa addressed to then PM Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohammed.
"Tenku Abdul Rahman led the country peacefully to independence; despite that he was later hounded out of office and then ignominiously ignored. The old man later bitterly lamented that even the nation’s history books did not mention his name in recounting its path to freedom. It would be sad indeed were you to share Tunku’s destiny, a man you so mercilessly tormented 30 years ago. The irony would be providential."
I remember how he was humiliated when the party that he helped form and neutered did not even bother to invite him to the last genera assembly. Tenku died a broken man. To day history sings praise of him writes 2kg weight book on him and addresses him a a Prince among Men.
Why humiliate the man when he is alive and sing praises sky high when he has passed on?
Historians must answer this question.
However I feel proud that you have been invited to be a member or this archive body.
Salam
Sent from my iPad
Saudara Arunzab,
BalasPadamThank you. Very sad indeed. Remember the History Channel about our great artist, arwah P. Ramlee? I simply can't rationalize why he was not even allowed to watch his late wife, Solama, during a recording session in Angkasapuri's studio. Instead, he was asked to wait at the canteen. Why this degrading treatment??? And, he was penniless when he passed away. Fortunately for his wife, his friend, Dato' Shah of Shah Motel, paid for all the expenses.
Only after his demise, due recognition, namely 'Tan Sri', was conferred posthumously.
Well, that's not so bad. What about the heroes of 'Malayan Alamo' - heroes of Bukit Kepong? I still don't understand why the appropriate authority doesn't push the government to bestow upon them the gallantry awards - SP/PG/JPP/KPK? I suppose if they were senior officers, this issue would never arise. Wallahualam.
Salam Tuan Mejar Nor Ibrahim,
BalasPadamFirst and foremost, Bravo and congratulations for the invitation
by ANM.
Well Tuan, in our world of big names, our true heroes tend to be anonymous. Hence, in this life of illusion and quasi-illusion, the person of solid virtues who can be admired for something more substantial than his well-knowness often proves to be the unsung hero: the armed forces, the cops - these are - the hard worker at lonely, underpaid, unglamorous, unpublicized jobs. Hopefully, one fine day, the nation at large, would ponder and realise and look forward to "having u and other unsung heroes" - a moment of shared invaluable experiences and knowledge worth listening to.Thus, the legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.
May God bless all these unsung heroes!
Saudari nur_emyinda 12,
BalasPadamI Don't believe it's true that our true heroes tend to be anonymous (nameless or of unknown name) they all have names as we all know YM Tengku Abd Rahman, The Bukit Kepong Heros, P.Ramli and many others. The problem here as I see it is that we never give recognation to their work when they were alive but when they have passed on we heap praise and give all kinds of titles. As our humble Tengku said when he was alive his name was not even mentioned in the history books.
My bone of contention is that all those who have contributed outstanding service to the nation and have left behind a legacy of their deeds need to be recognized in their life time.