UMNO strongman Khairy Jamaluddin challenges leading Malaysian opposition Lim Kit Siang to a debate in the Parliament on whether who actually is, or are the Father(s) of Independence of Malaysia/Malaya. It all started when Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew of DAP questions the legitimacy of accepting early UMNO leaders as freedom fighters. I found out about the challenge from an article by Utusan Malaysia. It's on the front page.

Lim Kit Siang, of whom maintains a blog, gives a prompt reply. My favorite point is:

Firstly, Khairy should not challenge anyone to a debate in Parliament until he has become a MP himself.

In chess, people call it check, Khairy.

The truth is, everybody back then fought for an independent Malaya. Well, almost. Whether they were communists or Malay nationalists, radicals or moderates, apologist or whatever, they all fought what they thought best for our country. With that's said, in many ways, the Malayan Communist Party and many others did contribute to an independent Malaya. They did fight the our independence, regardless of their political slant.

Still, I don't agree with Mr. Ronnie Liu when he says Tunku Abdul Rahman and UMNO aren't the real fighthers for Malaya independence. It's foolish to discredit Tunku Abdul Rahman and anybody else for that matter based on whether they worked with or against the British.

What really needs to be addressed here is Barisan Nasional's - and in particular UMNO - monopoly on Malaysian history. Instead of overlooking UMNO leaders, communist party or everybody elses' contributions, we should acknowledge all Malayans and Malaysians' contributions.

But, heh, thank god for the Malayan Emergency. It would suck to live under communist rule.

p/s - the shame is on me. I call myself a green but had never really gave a thought for the other victims of Katrina until now. Salutation to Primate Noise.