'Mat Sabu offered an alternative interpretation of the incident ... I was not even aware that the Bukit Kepong attack was led by a Malay.'

Pakatan backs Mat Sabu, blames BN 'spin-mongering'

Pemerhati: PAS deputy president Mat Sabu correctly observed that Umno had ignored the contributions of non-Umno elements who contributed to Independence.

He pointed out that in the 1950 incident, those who attacked Bukit Kepong were fighters for Independence. They were led by a Malay called Muhammad Indera but this is not in the history books.

At that time, the Malay and Chinese communists were fighting the British to rid Malaysia of the colonialists. The communists attacked anyone who helped the colonialists, such as the police at Bukit Kepong, who were paid by the British to help them to continue to subjugate the people of Malaya.

The Umnoputeras are angry with Mat Sabu for pointing out the distortion of this historical fact by Umno and using the communist bogey and the race of the dead police officers to unfairly attack him through their monopolised print and electronic media.

If all the dead were say, British police officers, Umno would not be airing the incident annually around Merdeka time.

One Brain Cell: Being branded ‘communist' in Malaysia is no different from being branded ‘sodomist' or ‘gay'.

How quaint that so many should fear a word that doesn't actually mean very much these day - in view of the fact that all communist regimes eventually embrace capitalism (look at China and Russia) and all capitalist regimes ultimately become communist in the sense that they have little choice but to redistribute wealth more equitably to prevent total destabilisation of their societies.

Anonymous_3ec6: Malaysian history has been distorted by the BN for last 54 years and it has now come back to haunt it.

When the Malays fighters fought against the British, they were fighting for Malaya's freedom. What was wrong with that? Aren't they freedom fighters? DAP leader Karpal Singh always thinks he is right but he is not perfect.

Loyal Malaysian: It is good that the Pakatan Rakyat has come out in support of what is right and true. Yes, it is time the history of our independence struggles takes into account those other fighters who are not Umnoputras, but who nonetheless had their own story to tell.

Tired: The Pakatan joint statement is a lame attempt to "cuba menegakkan benang yang basah".

It is true, Mat Sabu did not mention communists but it does not change the fact that the 200 armed men who attacked the Bukit Kepong police station were communists. It is clear from the video that he had praised the attackers. Even if they were not communists, they are still cowards - more than 200 against 25.

Even worse, they murdered children and women, and yet you want to glorify them as heroes. To the authors of the joint statement, it's okay to defend your comrades, but be reasonable la .

Democracy: When the Vietcong attacked security posts in South Vietnam manned by South Vietnamese soldiers under the payroll of the South Vietnamese government who were working with their American masters, were they nationalists or terrorists?

The present Vietnamese government considers them as nationalists. I consider all those fighting for a cause of the nation, irrespective of which ideology they are on, as nationalists since they are not thieves, rapists, robbers, criminals, etc, who fight for their own personal gain.

I believe the attackers at Bukit Kepong are all nationalists as I do not see any personal reason for such an attack. Whereas those defending the police station may be defending the nation, but were they fighting for a national cause or was it ‘makan gaji'?

They were employed to man the police station which was attacked and they have no choice but to defend their life, and of course, the state and their employer's cause too. I leave this to each and everyone to decide.

Michael Angelo: I have watched the Mat Sabu video , and I really didn't find anything wrong with what he said. He certainly did not say the communists were heroes.

He merely offered an alternative interpretation of the incident, which I find quite interesting as I was not even aware that the Bukit Kepong attack was led by a Malay called Mat Indera.

There is logic in what he said as the police at that time was colonial British police. Mat Sabu actually clarified the incident more succinctly than what the Umno-BN government has been doing all these years.

Nicholas Lim: I would like to voice my disapproval with the editorial direction taken by Malaysiakini . It seems to me that, like the mainstream media, Malaysiakini is employing spin to make Pakatan look good while portraying BN in a negative manner.

This is subtle but becoming all too apparent. Mat Sabu's remarks are indefensible, so is Pakatan's lame attempt to shift the blame to BN, as well as Malaysiakini's journalistic slant. There was no mention of the innocent women and children executed by the "heroes" attacking the Bukit Kepong police station.

And to read line after line of Pakatan's pathetic arguments about Bukit Kepong, which then veered off course to AMCJA (All-Malaya Council of Joint Action), Tok Janggut and all sorts of nonsense. Instead of an impartial news report, it became an official Pakatan Rakyat statement.

I expected so much more of Malaysiakini (and Pakatan too). I expect factual, unbiased reporting. I do not want to read the dark reflection of the News Straits Times . And the less said of the mindless BN bashing going on in the readers' comments, the better.

Not Convinced: I was like Nicholas Lim, believing in the Umno version of our history. But thanks to Mat Sabu, I now know better.

Ramachandran Muniandy: In India, immediately after Independence, all those who served under the British rule went into hiding. The freedom fighters were after their blood. In Indonesia, those who served the Dutch rule were burnt to dead.

Here, the Malay warriors who killed the British resident JWW Birch in Perak are hailed as national heroes. In Bukit Kepong, not only the Chinese communists attacked the police station, there were Malays and Indians too. Malaysia obtained its Independence with the help of the Chinese and Indians.

Ghkok: I totally agree with Pakatan that BN's 54 years of tyranny has distorted Malaysian history. It's time to unwrap the true history of our country. It's important for our country's sanity to get away from the Umno-centric view of history.

Perhaps this is what Umno is afraid of, so the Umno-owned media immediately launched attacks on Mat Sabu. Like I proposed many times before, all concerned people and groups in Malaysia should get together and form a media council to monitor the media on a real-time basis, and then immediately take countermeasures the moment they detect lies and slander.

Hann Wei Toh: I would support Karpal on this issue. Just retract and let the matter closed. There are more important things for the people, government and opposition to think about and do, instead of trying hard to interpret an ambiguous statement that does not benefit anyone.

I'm Joshua: I wonder whether Malaysians are really matured enough to handle different viewpoints and interpretations of historical events. If as a whole we are not ready, then leave it until after GE13.

Focus on the looming war and make a calculated risk to live so that we may fight another day. Don't get lost in the haze and maze.

Baiyuensheng: If they hated communists so much - then cut off bilateral relationships with China and Vietnam. Don't do business with them and cut off our imports/exports with them.

Talking about hypocrisy. The communists, regardless what BN said, did contribute to the fight for independence of Malaya. Google and you will find the truth.

Lakia: Pakatan leaders, just be careful when you make your speeches and statements. As we are heading towards the 13th general election, BN will be looking with eagle's eye for anything in your words and actions to be twisted and distorted for public consumption.

You must always bear in mind that Malaysians are very gullible and easy to manipulate through simple spin by the BN media. Pakatan leaders must show maturity as well when confronted with an issue.

Never fall into the trap of the BN by making contradictory statements or start attacking and criticising one another over whatever issue. If you have differing views, discuss and resolve it fast within the Pakatan Council.

Anonymous: History is often written by the victors.

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