Actually, the Umno people were not the only ones who made Malaysia into what it is today. Many non-Umno people also contributed. In fact, they led the struggle for Merdeka. They were at the frontline of the fight for Merdeka.

I have a legitimate right to say my piece and comment on what is wrong with Malaysia. After all, my grandfather was one of the founding fathers of an independent Malaya. Malaysia would not be what it is today if not for my family as well. And if Malaysia has deviated from what the founding fathers had planned for the country, then it is my duty to speak up and oppose this deviation.


THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

PM: Don’t forget sacrifices of past leaders

Their sacrifices in freeing Malaysia from the colonialists must be remembered, says Najib.

(Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today reminded the people not to forget the sacrifices of past leaders in freeing Malaysia from the colonialists.

He said that while Muslims were celebrating Aidilfitri, which entered its second day today, they should never forget the achievements of leaders who won the nation its independence.

“In the joy of Aidilfitri, I hope we do not forget the struggles of our forefathers in fighting for the country’s independence. Happy 54th Merdeka Day,” he said in a Twitter feed.

This year’s National Day, carrying the slogan “1Malaysia: Successful Transformation, Prosperous People”, is slightly different in that it will be celebrated simultaneously with Malaysia Day on Sept 16.

Yesterday, at the Aidilfitri open house of the prime minister and cabinet ministers at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya, Najib cut a cake in a symbolic gesture to mark National Day.

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Najib Tun Razak and the Umno leaders always talk about how Umno ‘struggled’ and ‘sacrificed’ to gain independence for Malaysia. On this day, Merdeka Day, they want us to remember those people who sacrificed and struggled for their country.

Actually, the Umno people were not the only ones who made Malaysia into what it is today. Many non-Umno people also contributed. In fact, they led the struggle for Merdeka. They were at the frontline of the fight for Merdeka.

My grandfather, Raja Sir Tun Uda, was one such man of many.

I have a legitimate right to say my piece and comment on what is wrong with Malaysia. After all, my grandfather was one of the founding fathers of an independent Malaya. Malaysia would not be what it is today if not for my family as well. And if Malaysia has deviated from what the founding fathers had planned for the country, then it is my duty to speak up and oppose this deviation.

I am not a treasonous Malaysian, as what Umno accuses me to be. I am a loyal Malaysian, maybe even a patriot. I am just continuing the tradition established by my family in ensuring that Malaysia remains a just country that respects the equality and freedom of its citizens.

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This is what Wikipedia said about Raja Sir Tun Uda:

Raja Uda was a member of the Selangor royal family, being a distant cousin of Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah and a direct descendant of the first Sultan of Selangor. He married Sultan Hisamuddin's sister, Tengku Badariah binti Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah.

Raja Uda joined the colonial government service in 1910 at age 16. In 1939, he was appointed the Secretary to the British Resident of Selangor. He was Menteri Besar of Selangor twice, from 1949 to 1953, and again from 1954 to 1955. In between, Raja Uda served as Malayan High Commissioner in the United Kingdom.

Raja Uda was involved in negotiations with the British to establish the Member System (see note 1 below) in the 1950s.

In 1951, Raja Uda was appointed a CMG and appointed a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1953, entitling him to the style "Sir," since the Federation of Malaya was then a realm of the British Empire. Following the first ever general election in 1955, Raja Uda was appointed Speaker of the Federal Legislative Council (see note 2 below).

On August 31, 1957, the day of independence, Raja Uda was appointed the first Governor of the state of Penang and served for ten years.

The Federal Legislative Council (also known simply as the Legislative Council) was the legislative body of the Federation of Malaya and the predecessor of the Malaysian Parliament. It was formed in 1948 after the abolition of the Malayan Union and the formation of the Federation, as part of the United Kingdom's promise to grant self-rule to the Malayans. The council convened in Kuala Lumpur.

The council was composed of representatives from the Malay, the Chinese and the Indian communities. Initially, all representatives were appointed by the British High Commissioner for Malaya.

In 1955, a general election was held for the first time. 52 seats were contested, with the majority party earning the right to appoint seven more. In the election, the Alliance Party contested all 52 seats and won 51, while the Pan-Malayan Islamic Party won the remaining seat.

NOTES:

(1) The Member System, modeled on the cabinet system, was created by British authorities in Malaysia to provide self-governance. Like the Communities Liaison Committee, it drew on members of different communities, and was later described as setting a precedent for the power-sharing multiracial Malayan and Malaysian cabinets post-independence.

(2) The Federal Legislative Council passed the Malayan Constitution (later, the Malaysian Constitution) on August 15, 1957. Malaya gained independence on August 31, 1957.

Raja Sir Tun Uda was the Menteri Besar of Selangor from 1949 to 1953 and again from 1954 to 1955. In between that he was the Malayan High Commissioner to the UK. He was never an Umno member (or even a politician) and his appointment as MB was not a political appointment.

Raja Sir Tun Uda, the First Governor of Penang, and his family (my uncles and aunty).

Comments (15)..

written by Oscar Winner, September 01, 2011 00:50:13

As long as UMNO is still around to rule, they will sing praises about UMNO’s struggle for this, UMNO’s struggle for that, and to include all these in history books to mislead the rakyat and therefore hope the simpletons will vote UMNO till eternity. Let’s ensure PR win 13th GE, and then the new PR govt must take out all untruths in the history books, put back the truths for eg. about RPK’s forefathers' contributions and the true figures who fought for independence. There must be new facts to be included in history books, such as how corrupt Tun Mamak and UMNO scumbags have plundered, how Moohidin the lembu DPM identified himself as malay 1st, how racists Ibrahim Ali and perkasa tried to stir racial tension, how Krismuddin and Najis raised the kris, why Atlantuya was murdered, how the shameless Fat Mama created a title known as FLOM, and how the country was almost destroyed by all these goons, until PR changes everything to bring hope to all rakyat ...

written by bengali kunday, August 31, 2011 23:25:14

YM RPK, The moment you mentioned 'State Constitution of Selangor', you have answered my question.

Have a good day. ..

written by syd, August 31, 2011 23:14:44

i am waiting for rpk to initiate a post independence resurrection.

to free the country from umno colonialist.

to free the malays from narrow mindedness and to liberate them in terms of beliefs.

i cannot garner broad support from the population as rpk as my family has no track record to speak of, nor conferred any title by the british.

anwar is not qualified to rule the country. he is just another umno remnant.

what has happened to mclm? it has not come out to state its stand on many issues. ..

written by earthman, August 31, 2011 22:56:04

And don't forget those who prepares the meals and those who washes the dishes for those who negotiate for Merdeka. In Fact all have contributed to Malaysia's independence. When we can remember and care for all as important partners for a better Malaysia, we will have come a long way. If not its just all boasting and nothing more. ..

written by justice6, August 31, 2011 22:17:31

during the world war 2 Chin Peng and gang also contributed but our govt often tell what they did after world war not during they too help in other words not that we support their ideology. It's umno who wish to re write the actual history where were umno during Japanese occupation of Malaya when the Jap raped and killed many Malaysian maybe those who worked with the Jap are now umno people we should remember and appreciate those who fought and died during world war not only those who fought for Merdeka without them, many would not live to fight for Merdeka ..

written by Super Admin, August 31, 2011 21:18:41

Dear bengali kunday, first of all, your posting shows your lack of protocol. You should not address me as Mr RPK. If you DO wish to be formal, then drop the Mister. It should be YM.
Now, with regards to your question, Penang is maybe 40% or so Malay. But Penang has never had 40% Malay Chief Minister. Is this a problem? it is not a problem to me.
Finally, have you read the State Constitution of Selangor? If so, please quote me the section on the MB. If not, then go read it first then come back to discuss the matter.

RPK ...

written by educationist, August 31, 2011 21:18:01

"Prime Minister... today reminded the people not to forget the sacrifices of past leaders in freeing Malaysia from the colonialists." - another cakap tak sama bikin statement!!

He meant for the rakyat to remember only UMNOputra leaders!! ...

written by bengali kunday, August 31, 2011 20:33:10

This question is for RPK.

Mr RPK, if I remember correctly the Chinese and the Indian 'used to' (might still do) make up 50% of the Selangor population. On law of averages, in the long run, I expected 50% of mentri besar to be from these ethnic minorities.

Not from the list you published. Can you explain ? ...

written by albert zacharias, August 31, 2011 20:29:56

My family stayed in Kampong Raja Uda, Port Klang for over 100 years. God bless Raja Sir Tun Uda. Long live his anak cucu cicit and all his decendants. Amen .

written by Angela Ooi, August 31, 2011 20:22:50

It's good of RPK to speak up on behalf of his g'daddy's contributions. Current dUMNO Leaders will have those simple Mat/Minahs brainwashed into thinking dUMNO were the ONLY patriots who gained independence for Malaya. ...

written by Eskay345, August 31, 2011 20:16:43

It's been very confusing to the surviving older generation still living in this country as far as REAL history of Malaysia is concerned because it has been written and rewritten by Umnoputras to suit the Malay agenda.

I used to study and read about the famous heroes, Hang Tuah and his Hang brothers in the history of the early Malacca Sultanate. And then suddenly they disappeared as if they didn't existed.

written by malsia1206, August 31, 2011 19:52:00

Why do we still have to place so much emphasis on who or whom contributed what on the formation of Malaysia? Or what role we played in Merdeka in 1957?

What's all the point when, after 54 years (and 48 years for Sabah and Sarawak) there's still some radicals and extremeists out there who still question the role of the non-Malays on this aspect? Or that they are 'squatters' and their birth rights being questioned?

If these scrupulous politicians want to make themselves heroes in the eyes of their own community, that's fine with me. But do not try to do so at the expense of the other Malaysian communities.

When we can have a Deputy PM who can say he's Malay first than anything else, then all this talk about a Nation called Malaysia or being proud to be a Malaysian rings emptiness and make the topic meaningless. .

written by Up Yours!, August 31, 2011 19:48:12

and don't forget about those who fought against Japanese colonialism, but of course they have been re-classified as 'traitors'. .

written by Admiral Tojo, August 31, 2011 19:44:46

Si Najib ni tak tahu malu. In fact the fight for Independence started way even before UMNO was formed. Please read Hishamudin Rais's blog to find out.

YES I remember the fight for true independence, sadly to say UMNO is conspicously missing in my memory.

Shalom .

written by Beezee_Beezee, August 31, 2011 19:22:36

This is to say. UMNO merely "LEMBU PUNYA SUSU SAPI PUNYA NAMA".