KUALA LUMPUR, 9 September: – Her Royal Highness Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris, the Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) consented to launch the latest thought provoking and landmark book written by Tan Sri Professor Dr Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas entitled “Historical Fact and Fiction” at the UTM International Campus Kuala Lumpur today.
The book published by UTM Press revealed errors and fallacies in the history of Malay Archipelago especially from the 9th to 16th century written by Western colonial historians for their own interests.
Professor Syed Muhammad Naquib exposed the chronological framework and brought forth a method of analyzing and scrutinizing the problematic aspects of the interpretation of our history that have been taken for granted, left by the tainted assumptions of the European historians.
In contradiction to what has been documented by the west, Professor Syed Muhammad Naquib demonstrates his own explanation and interpretation of the major issues and casts new light on many basic matters that have hitherto eluded inquiry.
In arriving at many new and important discoveries and insightful suggestions he brought us to understand the various interconnecting and meaningful early relationships between what is called Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen and other regions such Iran, Pakistan, India, China, Philippines, Indo China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore.
He said Malacca’s name originated from the Arabic word which means trade center or the port and not taken from the name of the fruit trees of Malacca. He also explained about the origins of the name of real Sumatra and Parameswara.
The book, with 153 pages and costs RM180 per copy is interesting to read and will become an important reference on the actual facts of history that have been misrepresented by Western scholars.
The launching of the book was also attended by the Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Professor Dato’ Ir Dr Zaini Ujang said UTM Press is a leading publisher among higher education institutions in the country.
He said the move to publish the book is part of UTM’s effort in embracing knowledge culture and a sign of appreciation of the work of our learned scholar, philosopher and thinker, Professor Syed Naquib.