Dear friends,

How to raise RM 5,000 for Penang Heritage Trust and get PHT in the national news.

I was nominated for the Malaysian Women's Weekly Great Women of Our Time (GWOT) Awards in the Arts & Media Category.
18 women in 6 categories that means 3 per category.

If I win in my category, the RM 5,000 award goes to Penang Heritage Trust, the charity of my choice.

Polling is by SMS. Each SMS will be charged RM 1. Vote as many times as you wish. Closing date: 2 Nov 2011.

Please refer to instructions on how to vote via SMS.

http://www.wewantmww.blogspot.com/

You can forward to your friends.

Oooh, I got all glammed up for the photo shoot, so vote for me and PHT! -- Salma



Nominees of Great Women of Our Time 2011
CATEGORY: ARTS & MEDIA

Khoo Salma Nasution, 48, Social historian


Fifth generation peranakan Khoo Salma Nasution’s journey as a social historian began in earnest when she was completing her art degree in Duke University. Influenced by other Malaysians who shared her passion for the arts, she began to see a city as an accumulation of past events, traditions and achievements.

Returning to her home state Penang after graduation, she looked at George Town with new eyes. Back in the 90s when Penang was known only as a beach destination and the term 'cultural tourism' was virtually unknown here, George Town was mired in a state of neglect and disrepair, but Salma saw its potential. “This was once a magnificent city, full of untold stories that could ignite its creative future.”

She walked around town taking photos to the bafflement of other skeptics who thought the young woman was being silly to venture into 'bad hat areas' to record oral histories from the residents.

Her efforts culminated in the wildly successful Streets of George Town, Penang, hailed as a bible for both laymen and academics for understanding the city's rich architectural heritage. She designed, edited and funded the publishing of the book with her own savings, like many projects she undertook, including the restoration of the shophouse at 120 Armenian Street, Sun Yat Sen's base for strategizing the 1911 Chinese Revolution. Her remarkable body of work on Malaysia's heritage includes More Than Merchants, A History of the German-speaking Community in Penang, 1800s-1940s; Penang Postcard Collection; Kinta Valley: Pioneering Malaysia's Modern Development, Sun Yat Sen in Penang and Heritage Houses of Penang.

She thinks children should learn history from heritage sites, not just textbooks. “Only when Malaysians – descendants of both indigenous people and migrants - can find stories that resonate for them, will their interest in documenting and preserving their rich architectural heritage be rekindled."

Her efforts have played a significant role in revitalizing much of George Town’s heritage, culminating in the city's listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008. When complimented on her achievements, she simply says, “If only people knew what collective wealth we have in heritage, they would be as passionate as I am.”

Between being president of the Penang Heritage Trust, managing a publishing company Areca Books with her husband Abdur-Razzaq Lubis, running Dr Sun Yat Sen's Penang Base and endless heritage conferences, she has her hands full with three children. But she remains deeply committed to interpreting and documenting the heritage, history and values of Penang's landmarks, with particular emphasis to cultural diversity.

“Since the 1970s we have been suffering from a brain and talent drain. I wanted to give young Malaysians a reason to come back or at least remain connected to their heritage. Like Melaka, George Town has a long history as an international port city. Its multicultural heritage can provide an inspirational setting for a creative community that is locally rooted yet global in outlook. The possibilities are exciting.”

http://khoosalma.blogspot.com/
www.pht.org.my
www.arecabooks.com
http://www.facebook.com/khoo.salma

The Other Side of the Balik Pulau Newsletter

Egypt and their neighbours are going through a social revolution. But Malaysians are still stuck in the mental mud.

The Balik Pulau newsletter controversy just goes to show how easily history and heritage can be racialised and communalised in Malaysia. 'Only passionate heritage fools rush in where angels fear to tread.'

Through repeated intimidation by politicians, we Malaysians are always reminded that everyone should stay within their allotted 'racial' categories. Noone from any other ethnic group should dare take an interest, write about or discuss the history or heritage of any other ethnic group.

So Pulau Betong (Umno) rep YB Muhammad Farid Saad denounced the Balik Pulau booklet because he apparently thought it was sponsored by the Pakatan Rakyat Penang state government. In this way, he misled the public to think that there is something sinister about the Balik Pulau newsletter.

It is obvious that the Balik Pulau newsletter was not read for what it was - a wonderful community history effort by the arts education group ARTS-ED. If there is any omission of history, YB Farid should have approached the organisation for clarification. Instead he used it as an excuse to lash out at the state government. But it backfired. Why?

YB Farid chose the wrong organisation to pick on. Because everyone who knows Arts-Ed knows that they have done a wonderful job since they were founded in 1999 to encourage young people to take an interest in their history and heritage. Everyone knows that their Balik Pulau project has been a boon to the community of Balik Pulau. Everyone knows that, in their literature and performances over the years, celebrating Penang's history and heritage, they have been consistently inclusive of young people of all cultural and language backgrounds.

I trust even YB Farid knows that. I am sure he believes in 1 Malaysia. But possibly to ensure his political survival within UMNO he had to prove that he is a 'Malay champion' after all. Yes, it's the same old story, and Malaysians are tired of it.

As with all politically-motivated racial postures and statements, they tend to get out of control. YB Farid's statements has consequences. Did he know it would lead to burning books?

Amid the ensuing political cross-fire, Arts-Ed has to gently raise its hand. 'Permissions to speak, sirs.'

'This community newsletter – myBalikPulau was published with just one intention: to enable children, elders and local residents to engage with their communal space by sharing memories, legends and experiences.'

What could be so objectionable about that?

I will address one main point of YB Farid's statement, 'Bukankah Pulau Pinang dulu adalah sebahagian daripada Kedah. Perlukah mereka menjadi pelarian dinegeri sendiri? Beberapa orang Melayu marah apabila disebut sebagai "pelarian" kerana seolah-oleh mereka adalah keturunan pelarian.' (Wasn't Penang formerly part of Kedah? Do they need to become refugees in their own state? A few Malays were angry when the word "refugee"was used, as if they are descended from refugees.')

I wonder who are these Malays are so upset that some of the early settlers in Balik Pulau are called refugees.

Yes, there is oral history captured by Vaughan and published in 1858 which says that 'Tukong Ko of Purlis and Lebbi Tampak of Delhie, cleared Bali Pulo.' (see reference below) It was omitted, but not deliberately, and certainly not because of some sinister ploy to 'blur' the history of Balik Pulau.

However, it is also well known that Balik Pulau only became heavily populated after 1821, by Malays from the northern Malay States fleeing the Siamese invasion of Kedah. Where did these people go? They fled to 'balik pulau' (the other side of the island).

Why not have a community history workshop to explore this further?

Invite the people of Balik Pulau, as well as historians (including Kedah historians) to have a open, civilized and enlightening discussion.

Ensure us a democratic space so that our minds can grow free of this mental mud of stagnated communal politics. Where we are ignorant, let us be educated. But without intimidation, please.

Khoo Salma is president of Penang Heritage Trust, but all views contained in this blog are her own.

REFERENCE:

'Tukong Ko of Purlis and Lebbi Tampak of Delhie, cleared Bali Pulo'. Vaughan, 1858: 174- 175.

Vaughan, J.D. “Notes on the Malays of Pinang and Province Wellesley”. Journal of the Indian Archipelago & Eastern Asia, new series, 2, 1858: 115-175. (http://books.google.com.my)

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