INDEPENDENCE or VICTORY
Reclaiming the Narrative of Nations
By DR SHAYA'A OTHMAN
Chapter 1: The Narrative of Independence – How Stories Are Written and Inherited
The official narrative tells us that Malaysia “was granted independence” in 1957. Yet the truth is far deeper: the colonial powers did not grant freedom – they surrendered after centuries of resistance. Independence was not a gift; it was a victory. This chapter explores how the “gifted independence” story was constructed, why it continues to dominate textbooks and public memory, and why it must be replaced with the narrative of victory. More importantly, it highlights that the struggle for true freedom is not finished – because mental, cultural, and economic colonisation still linger long after the flags were lowered.
1.1 The Official Narrative: Independence as a Gift
In schools, history
books often describe 1957 as the moment when the British “granted” Malaya
independence after peaceful negotiations. Media and official speeches
reinforced this view, creating an image of the colonisers as benevolent and
civilised.
1.2 A Longer Story: Four Centuries of Struggle
Independence cannot be
understood only through the lens of 1957. For over four centuries, from the
fall of Melaka in 1511 to the Japanese occupation in the 1940s, local rulers,
ulama, and ordinary people fought against the Portuguese, Dutch, British, and
Japanese.
Heroes like Tok
Janggut, Mat Kilau, Dato’ Bahaman, and countless unnamed villagers resisted
occupation in every way possible – through diplomacy, teaching, writing, and
warfare. Yet official history often reduces these struggles to “minor revolts,”
as though they were mere footnotes. In truth, they were the heartbeat of
resistance that eventually forced the colonisers to surrender.
1.3 Who Writes History?
The question we rarely
ask is: who wrote our history? For much of the colonial period, history books
were written by colonial administrators and Western scholars who framed the
story from their own perspective. Their aim was not only to justify colonialism,
but also to weaken the spirit of the colonised.
Thus, we were told we
were “lazy natives,” incapable of self-rule (Alatas, 1977). We were
taught that progress only came through Western intervention. And so, when
independence arrived, it was presented as a “gift” from the civilised to the
uncivilised.
This is not just about
Malaysia. The same colonial narrative is found in Africa, the Middle East,
Latin America, and Asia, where the coloniser is painted as the hero, and the
colonised as the grateful recipient.
1.4 From Independence to Victory
Reframing 1957 as a victory
rather than independence changes everything.
- Independence as a gift → the people are passive, weak, and
dependent.
- Independence as victory → the people are active, resilient, and
triumphant.
This reframing is not
just semantics. It is about reclaiming dignity. Because if we accept the
coloniser’s version, we continue to see ourselves as lesser, even decades
later. But if we reclaim the narrative as victory, we see ourselves as a people
of courage who won against all odds.
Conclusion
This chapter
challenges the official story of independence. The colonisers did not “give”
freedom – they lost, and we won. The struggle was long, bloody, and filled with
sacrifice. And yet, that victory is still incomplete. The colonisation of
minds, systems, and culture continues in more subtle forms.
Rewriting independence
as victory is the first step to breaking the psychological chains of
colonialism. For Malaysia – and for every nation that was once colonised – the
story of victory must be told, retold, and celebrated. Only then can we inspire
future generations to continue the unfinished struggle for true freedom.
References
- Alatas, Syed Hussein (1977). The Myth
of the Lazy Native. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
- Fanon, Frantz (1961). The Wretched of
the Earth. New York: Grove Press.
- Roff, William R. (1967). The Origins
of Malay Nationalism. Yale University Press.
- Anderson, Benedict (1983). Imagined
Communities. London: Verso.
- Al-Attas, Syed Muhammad Naquib (1978). Islam
and Secularism. Kuala Lumpur: ABIM.
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