Malaysia Education Minister - Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein apologised in a
press conference for waving the keris (traditional Malay dagger) during his
speech at the Umno Youth annual general assembly for 3 consecutive years. This
act of Hishammuddin's, who is also the chairman for UMNO Youth wing, is cited as
one of the major factors for causing Barisan Nasional to perform poorly during
the just concluded 12th general election on 8th March.His action has created
great uneasiness and resentment among the non Malays and some Malays. Although
he offered his apology out of political considerations,Hishammuddin was
obviously not convinced that he had done any thing wrong.He insisted that the
keris is part of Malay culture and expressed his doubts why should anyone be
offended by it.He used the big "IF" to add some uncertainty in his apology. But
to the older generation,especially the Chinese,there were frightening and
painful memories connected to the keris.In the early days of Malaya Federation's
independence racial conflicts were common.There were rumours that gangs of
Malays formed what was then known as the "Big Knives Squads", members of which
worn white head bands and wielding huge knives patrolling the villages.The
leader of such a squad only held a keris in front of his face and chanting
continually. I heard such stories more than once at after-dinner gatherings as a
kid in the kampung.Imagine their shock when the older folks saw in the TV screen
someone waving a keris at them! Maybe Hishammuddin has heard such stories before
but he only remembers the part of being a leader waving a keris and forgets the
rest,which prompts him to do such a stunt and stirs the past memories buried
deeply in the minds of old folks. What a tragedy! Or,was it just a big hoax? If
not,why didn't somebody stop Hishammuddin for doinng it 3 years in a row? Now
that it back fires,and everybody starts pointing the finger at him,poor Hisham!
