Anthony Brookes Dies

As Salam..

As a person born barely 3 decades after independence, I admit that history surrounding how the nation got its Independence is still less understood by me. Not that I lack understanding in the road map on how the nation got its Independence, but the spirit, the emotion and energy by those people who were involved, wonders me. Those days, roads were lacking. Without roads, information will arrive late to the receiver. Today, information can reach the other side of the world in mere seconds through the cyber highway. Governments were brought down this way, and it is getting easier and more rampant.

Sometimes, I wonder, how would I be if I was born in those days.

One of the ways to really capture the energy of those rebellious days is to pick up a book. Real history books that narrates the true turn of events written by those who lived the time. History lessons in schools are the abridged version. Only essential materials are included just enough to make it understandable. History teachers are tied to finish up their lesson syllabus, thus making history which should be enjoyable as another feat of rot learning.

Pic by Alamy from The Telegraph.

What I would like to share in this post, is related to the history of Sarawak. Anthony Brooke, the heir to the throne of Rajah of Sarawak passed away on March 2nd at age 98. It is awkward that I am not well equipped on some of the facts about him and how he stands in the lineage of the Rajahs of Sarawak, as I read it in The Telegraph. To say the least, I am a bit embarrassed. I reckon, a person born in this land of the Hornbill should possess a good amount of knowledge on local history, particularly pertaining to the Rajahs of Sarawak till how the state formed Malaysia together with Sabah, Brunei, Singapore and Malaya. 

Some of the roads in Kuching were named after historical figures. For example, McDougall Road, Abell Road, Ellis Road, Crookshank Road, Deshon Road, Bampfylde Road, Ban Hock Road, Tun Ag Haji Openg and many others. Sad to say, I do not know most of these people. It must be something worthwhile to read up about them and their contributions to Sarawak that their names are etched in history as road names.

How do stand in history?