How did we end up here?
I remember my schooldays back in the 1960s when we assembled in the town padang under the sun, waiting for the VIP guests to arrive. A few YBs would give their speeches and the ceremony always ended with shouts of 'Merdeka' and everyone pumping their fists in the air enthusiastically.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rakyat Post
9 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
Minister Wants To Change Name Of Rafflesia Flower, But It Already Has A Local Name
Subscribe to our FREE The Rafflesia, known as the world's largest flower, is a part of Malaysia's natural and geographical identity. It was named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the British colonial official and founder of the port city of Singapore. At a Dewan Rakyat session yesterday (19 August) on the topic of government allocations for the preservation of rainforests in Malaysia, Machang member of parliament Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal raised a suggestion to change the name of the Rafflesia flower in conjunction with Hari Merdeka, as a way to break away from the country's history of colonialism. 'Rafflesia is named after Stamford Raffles, someone who colonised us, someone who is unethical, and we gave our flower his name. 'Perhaps we can decide to name it something else? We can even name it Anwar Ibrahim,' Wan Fayhsal joked. A user on Threads commenting on the matter said that any normal person can 'change the name' but it must go through a process of studies, publications, and peer studies that are approved by the international botany community. 'The power to change or designate a scientific name of a plant falls in the hands of the international scientific community,' the user said. Rafflesia already has a name in Bahasa Melayu The Rafflesia already goes by many names even before the colonist Raffles set foot on Malaysian soil. Here, it is locally known as Pakma , Patma , and Ambai-ambai , but Pakma is more commonly used. Etymologically, the word pakma originates from the word padma , which is Sanskrit for 'lotus'. It is also referred to as Bunga Bangkai , which translates to 'corpse flower' due to its unique and pungent odour that is often described as resembling rotting flesh or decaying meat. The smell actually serves a The Rafflesia is a parasitic plant. It lacks typical plant structures like leaves, stems, and roots, and instead lives as a parasite on the Tetrastigma vine. Image: Terra Cultura The flower can grow to over one meter, and some individual flowers can weigh up to ten kilograms. From the perspective of traditional medicine, the Rafflesia plays an important role in the health practices of the Orang Asli community. Certain parts of the flower, including its roots, are believed to have The flower is categorised as critically endangered The Rafflesia flower remains poorly understood due to its elusive life cycle. In its bud stage, it potentially takes about nine months to bloom. Once the bud opens, the flower's lifespan is very short — typically five to seven days. After the blooming period, the flower rapidly decays. According to a University of Oxford report in 2023, a group of scientists established a coordinated global network to study the threats the Rafflesia is facing. The study found that that all 42 species of Rafflesia are under threat. Based on Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
The Star
10 hours ago
- The Star
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia unveils the deep claws of Tipu Sultan's history
At the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) in Kuala Lumpur, the new exhibition More Than A Day As A Tiger greets visitors with the glint of steel and the weight of history. Weapons, manuscripts, and remnants of a once-magnificent throne set the stage for the story of two rulers who, in 18th century India, dared to resist the rising tide of colonial empire- building. Between 1761 and 1799, Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan ruled Mysore in southern India, becoming the fiercest obstacle to British expansion. Tipu, remembered for declaring, 'it is better to live as a tiger for a day than as a sheep for a hundred years', fell in battle in 1799 – yet his legacy endures through the objects he left behind. A detail of a two-shot flintlock gun, made by Asad Khan Muhammad in 1793 in Srirangapatna, India. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin Running until Jan 15 next year, the exhibition (at IAMM's Special Gallery II) gathers 93 artefacts – rare survivors of war and looting – including tiger-striped swords and muskets, letters from British generals, and a rare glimpse of Tipu's throne, which was torn apart for its gold and jewels. 'This is the largest collection of Tipu Sultan's treasures outside Britain. After his kingdom fell, many of his relics were looted by the British. We felt it was our responsibility to preserve and showcase them here,' says Zulkifli Ishak, IAMM project manager and exhibition co-curator. A dynasty in three acts The More Than A Day As A Tiger exhibition unfolds in three parts: Mysore's rise under Haider Ali, its height under Tipu Sultan, and its fall in 1799. 'This dynasty lasted only 38 years, but its impact was huge, especially in the 18th century when European powers were competing in India. Haider Ali laid the foundation, and Tipu Sultan built on it with innovation and fierce resistance,' says Zulkifli. Steel armour of the Nizam of Hyderabad, reflects both battlefield strength and ruling power. Photo: The Star/Izzrafiq Alias Haider Ali, though less remembered today, was a master strategist. His son Tipu Sultan inherited both his army and his vision of modernisation. With French support, Mysore built advanced weapon factories, producing firearms and rocket technology that outpaced Europe – rockets the British would later copy for themselves. One striking feature of the exhibition is how swiftly Mysore's material culture changed under their rule, with Hindu motifs on weapons and coins replaced by Islamic calligraphy and the omnipresent tiger. 'There are no official portraits of Tipu Sultan. Instead, he made the tiger his persona – stripes and claws appear on everything from his swords and guns to his uniforms and even the feet of his throne,' says Zulkifli. Fallen's king's treasures After Tipu Sultan's death, his magnificent throne was dismantled, its jewel-studded gold finials scattered across Britain and beyond. One surviving piece now rests at IAMM, displayed with reverence under soft light. A visitor admires an 1788 portrait of Tipu's ambassador to France, Muhammad Dervish Khan, painted by Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin 'The throne had eight tiger-head finials; only four survive today – three in Britain and one here in Malaysia. Even its wooden feet, carved like tiger paws, were prized by the British. That shows the respect they had for him, even as they looted his palace,' says Zulkifli. A 2021 British government report valued the 18th-century Tipu Sultan throne finial at £1.5mil (RM8.6mil). Another highlight is Tipu Sultan's personal sword, taken from his chamber after his death. Unlike the ornate ceremonial blades, it is strikingly plain, with only a simple Arabic invocation on its hilt. 'I was surprised when I first saw it. It's not flashy, but it reflects his character – the sword he truly used. After his death, the British seized it and presented it as a trophy to one of their generals,' says Zulkifli. Tipu Sultan's magnificent throne was dismantled for its gold and jewels. The exhibition at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia features one of the few gem-studded finials that survived the looting - even the throne's wooden tiger-paw feet were taken by the British. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin Nearby stand two cannons, their bronze surfaces still marked with tiger motifs. For two centuries they stood outside a Welsh castle before reaching IAMM – proof that even the victors valued Mysore's craftsmanship. Both sides of the story What sets More Than A Day As A Tiger apart from other exhibitions is how it pairs Mysore artefacts with records from both enemies and allies. 'Most of Tipu Sultan's history was written by the British, who often painted him as a tyrant. The French, his allies, described him with more admiration. Here, we try to balance those views by letting the objects speak for themselves,' says Zulkifli. A scroll painting of the Battle of Pollilur captures one of Mysore's greatest victories over the East India Company. Alongside treasures, weapons, manuscripts, documents, and paintings, the exhibition also showcases royal garments from the era. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin Split into panels, it shows Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan charging into battle, defeating British generals and taking prisoners – a dramatic scene that once shook colonial confidence. Elsewhere, a portrait of Tipu's ambassador to France, Muhammad Dervish Khan, painted in 1788 by Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun (best known for her portraits of Marie Antoinette), highlights another side of his legacy: not just a warrior, but a statesman seeking alliances across the world. 'Napoleon of the East' The final section of the exhibition carries a sombre tone. Letters from British generals reveal both their fear of Tipu Sultan and their relief at his death. One from Lord Cornwallis – the same general who surrendered to George Washington – admits Tipu Sultan was 'a man of great ability' who had been underestimated. A large painting of the Battle of Condore (December 1758), showing East India Company troops under Colonel Forde fighting the French and their allies during the Third Carnatic War. Photo: The Star/Izzrafiq Alias A painting of Tipu Sultan's young sons being handed over as hostages in 1792 marks the beginning of the end. Dressed in fine silk, they surrendered to the British; just seven years later, their father would fall in battle and the dynasty would vanish. A final British engraving, The Death Of Tipu Sultan, shows his lifeless body discovered among the ruins of Seringapatam – triumphant yet tragic, a reminder that history is often written by the victors. The gallery reflects this duality. Gold and steel dazzle the eye, while the texts remind visitors of loss and looting. The show captures not only the pride of Mysore but also the shadows of its fall. Workshops, talks, and conservation sessions accompany the exhibition, inviting visitors to engage with both the objects and the challenges of preserving them. 'Tipu Sultan's story is still relevant today. Even his enemies admired him, calling him the 'Napoleon of the East'. Through these objects, we see how he shaped his identity, resisted colonial power, and left a legacy that endured beyond defeat,' concludes Zulkifli. More Than A Day As A Tiger exhibition is showing at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur until Jan 15, 2026.
The Star
17 hours ago
- The Star
Shared remembrance of a painful past
WHEN Yoshio Baba, 74, and his son Takao, 41, stood among locals and foreign guests at the Sandakan Day Memorial last Friday, they represented something rarely seen before – Japanese descendants of those who once commanded here, now returning to remember. Their great-grandfather, Masao Baba, commanded Japanese forces in Borneo during World War II and was executed in 1947 for war crimes. For the Baba family, however, the journey to Sabah has been less about defending him and more about confronting the silence that had lingered in their family for generations. The family believes Masao was a victim of political forces in Japan, sent to Sandakan to continue leading the death march – though they remain convinced he did not start it. For decades, their great-grandmother had kept the story hidden, considering it too painful to tell. It was only about 10 years ago, when Yoshio's cousin began digging into the past after seeing their family sword displayed at the Australian War Memorial, that the truth slowly resurfaced. Two years ago, Yoshio and Takao came to Sabah for the first time. The following year, they attended the Anzac Day ceremony in Sandakan – the first Japanese family to ever lay flowers at the memorial. At first, they were nervous. Would they be welcomed, or would their presence stir resentment? To their relief, they found nothing but warmth. Yoshio (left) and Takao speaking to the media after the memorial. 'We definitely feel welcome. We're not scared to come here anymore. No negatives at all,' Takao said. For Yoshio, the decision to come was more than symbolic. He felt a responsibility not only as a grandson of Masao, but also on behalf of his late cousin, who had long wanted to visit Sandakan but never managed to before his death. The Babas carry sorrow for all who suffered in the war – Malaysians, Australians, British and Japanese soldiers alike. 'Even Japanese soldiers didn't want to die here. Everyone wanted to live, but it was war,' Yoshio reflected through his son's translation. The Sandakan Death March remains one of World War II's most harrowing episodes in South-East Asia. In early 1945, as Allied forces advanced, more than 2,400 Australian and British prisoners of war were forced to march some 260km through Borneo's unforgiving jungles from Sandakan to Ranau. Starvation, disease and brutal treatment claimed almost every life. Only six Australians survived – all escaping with the help of locals. None survived by completing the march. The atrocity stands as the deadliest suffered by Australian servicemen during the war. Every year on Aug 15, the Sandakan Day Memorial pays tribute to those who lost their lives – both prisoners of war and local civilians who suffered under Japanese occupation. Sandakan, the seaside town in Sabah's east, was where thousands of PoWs were held in camps during the war. The memorial sits at the site of the former PoW camp, where prisoners endured years of hardship before being sent on the fatal march. For Sabahans, it is a day of reflection and remembrance, ensuring that the sacrifices of their parents and grandparents are not forgotten. For Yoshio and Takao, being present at the ceremony carried a special weight. Much of the global attention on the Sandakan Death March focused on the Australian and British prisoners of war, but Yoshio stressed that the tragedy also unfolded on Malaysian soil. That, he said, is why the Japanese need to learn more about Sabah's role in the war. 'We want to continue this, not just for ourselves but for Japan,' he added. 'I hope more Japanese will come here in the future.' Takao echoed him: 'Step by step, slowly, but progress is being made. By coming here, we hope to inspire other Japanese families to also face this history, together with Sabahans.' For the Babas, Sandakan is no longer just a site of inherited shame. It has become a place of connection – where the descendants of those once tied to war now stand as fellow mourners, welcomed and quietly encouraging others from Japan to follow in their footsteps.
