PAS is inviting Umno to an academic debate on Malaysia's the place of forgotten independence fighters such as Muhammad Indera in order to settle the issue conclusively.
This follows the hullabaloo by Umno over PAS deputy president Mohamed Sabu's speech on August 21 which among others touched on the communist insurgents siege on the Bukit Kepong police station in 1950.
Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia had accused Mohamed of claiming that the communists should be regarded as heroes. Mohamed had denied this claim.
In a statement this evening, PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man issued the friendly challenge on the topic 'Who deserves to be called the true independence freedom fighters?'. He said the best way to resolve the issue was to hold a public debate so that the people could assess for themselves.
“Out of respect of the rakyat's right to make up their own minds by weighing the merits of the arguments, PAS through its information bureau will send an invitation to Umno' information chief shortly, to hold a public academic debate...”
Tuan Ibrahim added that it was laughable that Umno through its media mouthpieces, in particular Utusan Malaysia, had tried to paint PAS as communist sympathiser because of Mohamad Sabu's comments on the Bukit Kepong incident.
“Umno makes PAS sound like they themselves, a party well-known for their hunger for power, and only power, where any principles whatsoever can be traded for it,” he sniped.
However, he said, Umno's repeated attacks on PAS over the past week has in fact opened the people's eyes and raised awareness for the need to reassess historical facts, that till now has been obscured by the ruling party.
He reminded his adversaries that many facts have been ignored in this smear campaign, such as the fact that the Johor government had during the 50s recognised the struggles of those freedom fighters, and had authorised Muhammed Indera, better known as Mat Indera, to teach religion in Johor.
Descendants given bad rap
Tuan Ibrahim also said it was sad that many of our freedom fighters such as Mat Indera had not been given due recognition in our history.
“PAS is sympathetic towards the deep impact felt by the descendants of Mat Indera and other figures who had risen against the colonial masters, for their forefathers having been dropped out of history without acknowledging their deeds, as a result of wild accusations by the Umno-version freedom fighters, without any chance to defend their stand,” he said.
He said many of the descendants of these freedom fighters who had perished in the struggle against the British colonialists are extremely disappointed when they are labelled as communists, when in fact they have no connection whatsoever with the movement.
“Heirs of Mat Indera whom we met are very disappointed with mainstream media reports that are disrespectful towards them by connecting their forefathers with the communists.
“They feel that only with the fall of the BN government can the real historical truths be reinstated,” said Tuan Ibrahim.
source:malaysiakini
Bukit Kepong, Umno's cheap trick: Distorting history to fool the less educated
Soalan untuk renungan anak pasca merdeka
cheers.
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