Exploring other sides of Merdeka history ...

On Thursday night, I (right) spoke at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall on the alternative history of Merdeka to a multiethnic audience of about 70. On the same panel with me were veteran social scientist and well-known Malay-language writer Rustam A. Sani (left), PAS's think-tank chief Dr. Dzulkifri Ahmad (second from left) and DAP's Ronnie Liu (second from right).

The public forum, organised by NGO Youth For Change (Y4C), was inspired by a Malay-language commentary written by my kawan lama Dr. Dzulkifri recently in Harakah Online calling for recognition for hitherto non-official Merdeka struggles and fighters, including the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) as well as Chin Peng and his comrades such as Rashid Maidin, in official history.

PAS: Communist party helped secure Merdeka
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56016

Said Zahari: read Chin Peng’s memoirs with open mind
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/22390

Sybil Kathigasu – new stories, same legend
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/53246

The charming 'firebrand'
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/52845

History of the Malay Left
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/48827

Merdeka history in new light
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/42665

Alternative accounts of Malaya's independence
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/40390

A tale of two Malay communist memoirs
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/33401

The fairer side of Malayan communism
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/29792

Merdeka - a multi-faceted account
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/29563

Komunis warisan Bahaman
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/12781

Foreign troops on our soil: the true history
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21851

Tunku Abdul Rahman — the pro-West 'nationalist'
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21854

Opposition to Tunku's pro-West foreign policies
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21862