Behind the politics
The memorials dedicated to the nation’s former prime ministers shed light on their personal lives.
I DON’T know where we went wrong,” G. Savunthararaj says with a sigh and a look of resignation on his otherwise cheery face.
The National Archives deputy director general is referring to an incident at a fair held in Langkawi earlier this year, where a few 12- year- old school students shook their heads in ignorance when asked who Tunku Abdul Rahman was.
Savunthararaj – who’s in charged of the National Archives’ research and outdoor sector – is very worried, and he has every reason to be. After all, Malaysia hasn’t even passed the century- old mark and yet, some have forgotten its founding father.
“Maybe the new generation lacks interest in the nation’s history and are more invested in technology,” he offers, before adding, “which is why we want people to visit the memorials in the country.”
We are at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial, a vast three- building complex tucked away in a quieter part of bustling Kuala Lumpur, on Jalan Dato Onn. The venue is the first stop on a two- day itinerary that includes visits to sites dedicated to the achievements of Malaysia’s former premiers as well as the P. Ramlee Memorial Library.
Established in the early 1990s, the Tunku Abdul Rahman Memorial houses an extensive personal and official collection of items accumulated during the lifetime of Malaysia’s Father of Independence. Navigating the grounds is rather easy, with the items displayed across various wings that follow distinct themes.
One room features items that depict Tunku’s passion for sports and filmmaking whereas another shows, in great detail, the painstaking journey taken to liberate then Malaya from the grip of colonialism. The place could be a fantastic one- stop learning centre on all things Tunku, if not for some barely visible text on description panels and several defunct interactive displays.
But one has to applaud the individuals involved in the sourcing process of the historical objects. It wasn’t easy, according to Mahani Muhammad, the National Archives’ management section head.
“In principle, his immediate family members wanted to give away the items, but there were some mixed feelings, which is understandable because they are parting with some of Tunku’s possessions,” Mahani says, her brows furrowing as she recalls the reservations from the late leader’s kin.
She remembers Tunku’s wife Tun Sharifah Rodziah being very ill when officials from the National Archives arrived at Tunku’s family home in Penang to look through his personal effects. But Mahani stresses that everything was done in good faith and for the greater good. She adds that when Tunku’s family finally saw the items on display at the memorial, they were pleased.
“Under the National Archives’ care and supervision, we can ensure that future generations will get to see a piece of Tunku’s life and feel closer to him,” says Mahani.
Walking through the quiet hallways of the over- a- century- old Residential building, with its period furnishings and worn walls, one gets a better sense of Tunku’s life away from the headlines and back- biting of politics.
a little more personal
That same feeling of intimacy extends to the Tun Abdul Razak Memorial. Located in Jalan Perdana in KL, the monument’s Exhibition Hall 1 is actually Sri Taman, the official residence of the country’s second prime minister from 1962 until his death in 1976. Take a tour of the house with one of the guides on duty, and you’re bound to hear an array of fascinating stories about the family man.
“There’s a tale to this staircase,” the guide says, as he points to a flight of steps behind the kitchen. “He never entered through the main entrance after a late night at the office. Instead, he used the back entrance at the kitchen to head up this way so that he didn’t wake up his sleeping wife.”
The master bedroom was also designed in such a way that the busy politician’s unpredictable work schedule wouldn’t interfere with his spouse’s rest. An interesting feature here is a wall partition and a door used by Abdul Razak to enter the room when he returned late at night.