I wish people would attempt to look into the history of their origins, culture and traditions. I say this because, for example, the Chinese and Indians have lived on this peninsula for hundreds of years but have become somewhat estranged from their origins.

The history written in the school textbooks repeats fairy tales and not historical facts. There has been no attempt over some 40-odd years to even check the facts.

A case in point is the story of the 'princess' Hang Li Po. Reliable texts - Sulalatus Salatin in Jawi and romanised Malay - record the name as Hang Liu and not Hang Li Po. However, according to the contemporary Chinese Ming records there is no such 'princess'.

The other earlier record by Tome Pires mentions that she is the daughter of the captain of the Chinese ship in which Sultan Mansur Shah travelled from China.

On another point, the early Chinese in Melaka were Hokkiens and they referred to their South Indian neighbours as ' Keling-nga lang ', literally Kalinga people. What is so derogatory about that?

Historians like K Narayanasamy have explained this very clearly. I don't see why Indians in Malaysia should be ashamed of having come from Kalinga. Anyway, when the term was first used, the Keling-nga lang comprised the early Indian community and were rich and upper class.

Dictionaries should carry correct explanation of words to avoid confusion.