IMBASAN PERISTIWA-PERISTIWA SEBELUM KEMERDEKAAN MALAYA.
TITLE : IMBASAN PERISTIWA-PERISTIWA SEBELUM KEMERDEKAAN
MALAYA.
MATERIAL TYPE : BOOK
AQUISITION NO. : 14866
This book is neither an academic exercise nor a comprehensive account
of the country's political history. What it provides is an account of
events that academia will not and cannot capture, events of a period
that were never told nor recorded in print, events that only an
eyewitness could provide into events that laid the cornerstone for an
independent Malaya.
Foreword by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia I have
always believed in learning the lessons of history. It is the best way
to know what to do and what to avoid doing so as to achieve maximum
success. The tragedies and the failures of nations are invariably due
to repeating the mistakes of the past. Unfortunately human beings do
not learn easily. And so we see the same tragedies and turmoil today
as they happened in yesteryear. It is for this reason that I had urged
people to write down their experiences. Unfortunately not many do. And
so much of the history from which we can learn is lost. I am glad
Mohamed Abid has taken my advice to write down what he knows from his
own past experience regarding the early struggle of UMNO. Dato? Onn
Jaafar was a central figure in this glorious struggle. He was the
first Malay leader to be accepted by all the Malays of the Peninsular.
It was no mean achievement, for the Malays in those days felt greater
loyalty to their states and their rulers than to their race. But Dato?
Onn Jaafar succeeded in making them shed their narrow parochialism.
This is the greatest achievement of Dato? Onn apart of course from his
success in preventing the British from expropriating the land of the
Malays as they did the land of the Palestinians. Allah knows what
wars, what violent struggles, what ?terrorism? the Malays would have
to perpetrate in order to regain their land. Dato? Onn helped save
this country from the fate of Palestine. And so this book is important
reading for those wanting to know the man who at the darkest hour of
the Malays and this country, emerged to unite the Malays and galvanise
them to fight one of those thoughtless schemes of the European
colonialists, which could result in endless tragic wars and
sufferings. This book is written from the personal experiences of
someone who was intimately involved with Dato? Onn. Through him we can
learn who truly is this great man. What Nuraina A. Samad of the NEW
STRAITS TIMES (June 11, 2003) says: IT was Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Dr Mahathir Mohamad who encouraged Johor-bom Mohamed Abid to put in
writing his recollections of historical moments involving the nation's
founding fathers, in particular, Datuk Onn Jaafar Dr Mahathir had been
witness to Mohamed's narration of anecdotes of his childhood and life
with Datuk Onn ? a nationalist, Umno's first president and Johor's
most illustrious son. These were Mohamed's personal reminiscences and
intimate observations that held so much significance and which can
neither be found nor captured in history books. They were therefore,
priceless and had to be written so that history will not be lost.
Mohamed took Dr Mahathir's advice and "Reflections Of Pre-In
dependence Malaya" was written. In his foreword, Dr Mahathir paid
tribute to Onn, saying that he was a central figure in Umno's glorious
struggle and the first Malay to be accepted by all Malays of the
peninsula. "This is the greatest achievement of Datuk Onn, apart of
course, from his success in preventing the British from expropriating
the land of the Malays as they did the land of the Palestinians.
"Allah knows what wars, what violent struggles, 'terrorism' the Malays
would have to perpetrate in order to regain their land. Datuk Onn
helped save this country from the fate of Palestine." Dr Mahathir said
the book was important reading for those wanting to know the man who
in the darkest hour of the Malays and the country, emerged to unite
and galvanise them to fight one of "those thoughtless schemes of the
European colonialists which could result in endless tragic wars and
sufferings". The book, he added, was written from the personal
experiences of someone who was intimately involved with Onn and
through whom, the Malays and Malaysians could learn who truly was this
great man, Mohamed indeed knew his grand uncle Onn intimately
especially since he was like a father to him and in whose home Mohamed
grew up. He was, Dr Mahathir said, "a direct witness to much that was
going on in Datuk Onn's life" as he was part of the household until he
left for Kuala Lumpur to further his studies in August 1961. Even
then, he said he travelled frequently to Johor Baru to be with Onn who
was not well until his death in January 1962. The book, with a
photograph of Onn and his wife, Datin Halimah Hussein on the cover, is
written in a narrative style and contains photographs of immense
historical significance. Mohamed has also included 18 speeches of Onn
from 1946 to 1951. The book is about people Mohamed knew and
fittingly, the nine chapters depict personalities and events involving
them. From the first chapter on Onn, his family and friends, Mohamed
goes to the second on Halimah who is his grandmother. (Mohamed's
grandfather, Muhammad, was Datuk Onn's younger brother. When he died,
Datuk Onn married the widowed Halimah.) Mohamed reflects on moments
and meetings with former Prime Minister Tun Hussein Onn, Datuk Mohd
Seth Mohd Said, Prof Dr Syed Muhammad Naquib AJ-Attas, the country's
first Prime Minister Tengku Abdul Rahman, Governor-General Malcolm
Mac-Donald, British High Commissioner Sir Gerald Templer and Datin
Paduka Siti Saleha Mohamed Ali who is Datuk Seri Dr Siti Hasmah's
sister. "Reflection of Pre-In dependence Malaya" was conceived by
someone who may not have held any senior position in Umno but who had
the privilege of knowing intimately events during Umno's formative
years. In his foreword, Dr Mahathir paid tribute to Onn, saying that
he was a central figure in Umno's glorious struggle and the first
Malay to be accepted by all Malays of the peninsula. "This is the
greatest achievement of Datuk Onn, apart of course, from his success
in preventing the British from expropriating the land of the Malays as
they did the land of the Palestinians. "Allah knows what wars, what
violent struggles, 'terrorism' the Malays would have to perpetrate in
order to regain their land. Datuk Onn helped save this country from
the fate of Palestine." Dr Mahathir said the book was important
reading for those wanting to know the man who in the darkest hour of
the Malays and the country, emerged to unite and galvanise them to
fight one of "those thoughtless schemes of the European colonialists
which could result in endless tragic wars and sufferings". The book,
he added, was written from the personal experiences of someone who was
intimately involved with Onn and through whom, the Malays and
Malaysians could learn who truly was this great man, Mohamed indeed
knew his grand uncle Onn intimately especially since he was like a
father to him and in whose home Mohamed grew up. He was, Dr Mahathir
said, "a direct witness to much that was going on in Datuk Onn's life"
as he was part of the household until he left for Kuala Lumpur to
further his studies in August 1961. Even then, he said he travelled
frequently to Johor Baru to be with Onn who was not well until his
death in January 1962. The book, with a photograph of Onn and his
wife, Datin Halimah Hussein on the cover, is written in a narrative
style and contains photographs of immense historical significance.
Mohamed has also included 18 speeches of Onn from 1946 to 1951. The
book is about people Mohamed knew and fittingly, the nine chapters
depict personalities and events involving them. From the first chapter
on Onn, his family and friends, Mohamed goes to the second on Halimah
who is his grandmother. (Mohamed's grandfather, Muhammad, was Datuk
Onn's younger brother. When he died, Datuk Onn married the widowed
Halimah.) Mohamed reflects on moments and meetings with former Prime
Minister Tun Hussein Onn, Datuk Mohd Seth Mohd Said, Prof Dr Syed
Muhammad Naquib AJ-Attas, the country's first Prime Minister Tengku
Abdul Rahman, Governor-General Malcolm Mac-Donald, British High
Commissioner Sir Gerald Templer and Datin Paduka Siti Saleha Mohamed
Ali who is Datuk Seri Dr Siti Hasmah's sister. "Reflection of Pre-In
dependence Malaya" was conceived by someone who may not have held any
senior position in Umno but who had the privilege of knowing
intimately events during Umno's formative years
