'To publicise the rest of the incognito independence fighters would really dilute the Umno independence 'curry' to just to a mere thin 'sup ayam'.'

Mat Sabu: Umno fears the facts of history

Gerard Samuel Vijayan: After the shocking, skewed and inaccurate interpretation of post-1946 history in Malaya and the fight for independence by the Umno-inspired and sympathetic Council of Professors (MPN), of which a large number are either members of Umno or Perkasa and other right-wing Malay NGOs and all are aligned to Umno/BN, we can safely conclude that:

a) Malaya was never colonised so the fight for independence was but a figment of Umno's imagination; and

b) that Umno colluded and conspired with the British to exterminate and eliminate all political parties, associations, trades unions and groups on the left simply to serve the imperialist agenda of the West and retain Western hegemony in the Far East through proxy governments like the Alliance post-1955.

So who are the heroes and the traitors here? Those who fought the British even through an armed struggle for ideological reasons? Or the British-sponsored and protected Umno? Isn't Umno guilty of neo-colonialism then?

Cala: To me, at the extreme, the time for a proper appraisal of the "true history" of Malaya leading to its independence can only be done after all actors- agents have moved to another world.

When they are still around, it is in their interests to imagine, write and interpret history in any manner they so please simply because they hold the power to do so.

As an example, every party cadre sang praises of Mao Zedong when he was in their midst. The tune changed when he kicked the bucket.

Much as I like Mat Sabu's candidness, he is on soft ground to debate with the powers-that-be in the current scenario.

Keturunan Malaysia: Were we really colonised at one time? Was Merdeka for real? If the answer is yes, then from whom did we gain our independence? From the communists? Or from the British?

Is Mat Sabu wrong? Or are the professors right?

Anonymous_408b: Let us, once and for all, shoot a huge cannon, blow them up with this issue and then get back to our priorities - the Bersih 2.0 demands and mounting corruption. Umno and its media are trying to deviate our focus and mind from their plans.

Yes, thanks to Mat Sabu for the valuable history lesson, but we will fix them when Pakatan has won the 13th general election.

Faz: Everyone can see how Utusan Malaysia , Berita Harian and New Straits Times are spinning the issue by circumventing the main issue of who actually fought for independence (not only those in Umno, MCA and MIC) and rousing the emotions of those family members who lost loved ones in the communist insurgency.

This diversion is really cheap, but then, what else do they have on hand to show? For sure, to publicise the rest of the incognito independence fighters would really dilute the Umno independence ‘curry' to just to a mere thin ‘sup ayam'.

Up2U: We are talking of 1950, and at that time the freedom fighters were those who fought against the colonial rulers, the British. Those who fought under the communist banner were also freedom fighters albeit with a different political ideology.

Many freedom fighters who fought under the communist banner later came out of the jungle and were offered citizenship and even posts in the newly-formed police force. They were no longer deemed communists but till the day they die, they were constantly visited by the Special Branch (SB).

Some communists like Chin Peng continue to oppose the government and they were chased out of the country. These are facts but then will Professor Khoo Kay Kim be interested in these facts.

Anonimous Z: Last night my family was invited to an open house of an ex-serviceman who is like a brother to me.

I mingled around with his former colleagues, mostly retired senior officers. They were chatting and disclosing to the crowd that since Hari Raya, they have been harassed many times by SB officers instigating them to lodge police report against Mat Sabu over the Bukit Kepong issue, which they rejected outright. They also know that many of their colleagues faced the same harassment.

According to them, everyone in the service knew about the truth of Bukit Kepong but had no guts to speak out. They applauded Mat Sabu for being the first real patriot among all political leaders who dared speak the truth on the matter.

They said the truth shall eventually prevail in time. They praised not only Mat Indera as a hero; Mat Sabu too is a hero.

Anonymous: Whether Mat Sabu was right or wrong, the right thing to do is to debate the issue. Sending the police to his doorstep is really not right and is a form of harassment. Nowadays everything involves the police. Democratic country, you call this?

Seriously, this has nothing to do with race or religion. Everyone has the right to form their opinion of the past - that's why Mat Sabu and Karpal Singh may have different opinions.

Hanyayangbenar: That is what I like with Pakatan Rakyat now. Leaders of coalition parties can disagree with one another on many issues but at same time trigger healthy discussions and debates among the public in the search for truth.

In BN, other components parties have to kowtow to whatever Umno said, and do not dare to challenge it if something was wrong.

Black Mamba: Mat Sabu has set the record straight and the truth has set him free.

Many roads in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), KL are named under left-wing nationalist Burhanuddin Helmi. If he didn't contribute to the Malaysian independence, why are the authorities commemorating him till this day?

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