Scholars who are engaged in the humanities will tell you that History happens to be one of the most politically-contested disciplines. It is well known by now that the writing of history is hardly ever an innocent process, and that any claim – no matter how laudable or couched in lofty prose – to objectivity [...]
Written by Rajen Panikkar
The running amok of the Malay: a mental ‘culture-bound’ syndrome or another myth of the ‘native races’?
Born and raised in Malaysia, and having lived there for much of my life, I am of course familiar with the Malay’s alleged tendency to unpredictable murderous frenzy, his ‘running amok’. The Malay’s tendency to run [...]
Written by Yasmine Merican
Last Eid, I finally visited the graves of my ancestor, Kapitan Keling, Caudeer Mohideen Merican, and his wives in Kampong Kolam, Penang. This is, after all, the man whose surname I have been using all my life. He left his family, people, and the island of Penang many legacies. With his own [...]
There is hate mail, and there is hate mail. This week I received one that was succinct and to the point: The writer, like many of his or her ilk, was hidden behind the cloak of a pseudonym as is often the case. But whoever the person may be, he or [...]
