The Story of Five Friends...

The story of five friends, led by Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekiu, Hang Kasturi and Hang Lekir is one which has been etched into our minds, well at least in mine. At our National Museum a statue of Hang Tuah is supposed to stand proudly with the words "Tak Melayu Hilang Di Dunia" inscripted. I don't know whether it is still there cos I've not been there for ages.

As a kid I used to read and re-read the tales and adventures of Hang Tuah and his five friends, of how he single-handedly brought down a man who went amok in his village; and how that incident was a signal of greater things to come for him. Not that I understood that then. I was around 10 when I first read his story. What do you expect a 10 year old to think? Basically I was just mesmerized by the adventures. And because of the way Hang Tuah was portrayed, he became my young self's hero. But as I grew into my teenage years, I actually started to dislike Tuah because he could not see Jebat's loyalty. Teenager...again what do you expect? Friends are everything and Tuah did not see Jebat's loyalty to him. So, how could I like a person who did not appreciate his friend's loyalty? Then in my adult years... I saw both as people with personal vested interests. Tuah wanted to be the Sultan's man. Jebat basically was power hungry and arrogant. See how the perception changes with time and input????

Tuah became the Laksamana (Admiral) of the Malacca. He was a famed warrior. He and his friends were likened to the Knights of the Round Table of King Arthur to the Malacca Sultanate. But then he was framed and sentenced to death. His good friend Jebat tried to avenge him, so we are led to believe. Unknown to him, Hang Tuah had been spared by the Bendahara (Prime Minister). He was called out to fight Jebat as only he could overpower him. Jebat was killed.

Pantang Melayu derhaka kepada Sultan, the concepts of daulat, tulah, blind loyalty, greed, lust can be seen in the tale of Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat. That is until more theories surfaced recently....it seems Hang Tuah and his four friends may not be Malay after all. They may be the gifts from the Yellow Emperor to help protect Malacca from Siam. At one time, Malacca had to ask China to be big bro to keep Siam's ambitions at bay. Some speculate they were descendants of those who accompanied Hang Li Po to Malacca. Ever hear of Malays with the name 'Hang'? Unless if you are in Kedah where 'hang' basically is local dialect for 'you'.

Some still insist that they are Malays. But whatever it is, it shows one thing very glaringly....the study of history is very subjective, more so when there is not much evidence to fall back on. History is just that.....perceptions and subjected to biasness. One man's perception may differ from another. Another is intention... Is it to educate? For propaganda? A political tool? Reasons abound.

What may be right for one may not be so for another. If we are able to be objective about history writing, then maybe our nation will scale greater heights. Pride in a nation built on false perceptions is likened to building castles in the air.... it will not last because there is no substance to hold it up. In writing our history, we should be objective. The wrongs and falsehoods should not be tucked away, hoping that they'll be forgotten. They should be studied so that we can avoid making the same mistakes. Those lessons learned from our own mistakes tend to stick around longer.

And in writing history too, we should not twist or conveniently forget certain facts. An example.... history books usually states that the Chinese and Indians came to Malaya at the turn of the 20th century, omitting the fact that many Chinese and Indians have settled in Malaya for centuries by then. Many Chinese and Indians can trace their family lineage back many generations, some longer than some of the Malays. So, is it really important for us to be ethnically divided just so that power remains in the hands of a privileged group? Even our Home Minister (Syed Hamid Albar) is a first generation Malay, his father migrated to Malaya from Indonesia as a young man. My family has been here longer than his.... since my grandfather came to Malaya as a young boy. I'm second gen here. So, I find it illogical that I'm considered less Malaysian than him. And he is one of those flers with a loud and big mouth!

Footnote: The gahmen did commission a group of historians, scientists back at the end of the 20th century to look for the graves of Tuah's friends....to study the remains, etc., etc. It's been a decade...wonder whether they discovered anything interesting to back all these theories which have been flying around.

And by the way, would you idolize a person who kidnapped a princess the Sultan lusted after just because he wanted to gain his favour again? That was one of the things that Hang Tuah did.

The study of history is important. With a little wisdom, it goes a long way in shaping our minds and a good future. Of course to the fool, he'll twist it to his benefit....but things that are twisted eventually bring about our own destruction.