National heores: The first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Toh Muda Haji Abdul Wahab Abdul Aziz at Padang Bandar Hilir in Malacca where Tunku announced the date of the country’s independence after he returned from London. Many roads in Malaysia have been named after them.
University Malaya history department lecturer Dr Tan Miau Ing says road names are important as they show the history of an area.
“For the younger generation, road names may trigger their curiosity when they use navigation apps like Waze that direct them to go to certain roads.
“Names of streets are also more important now, with the popularity of food delivery services and online shopping where goods are delivered directly to our doorstep.
“In that sense, it is good if youths are intrigued and find out why roads are named after certain people or things, ” she says.
Among the requirements are for the person to have contributed to society and that he or she has died.
However, Dr Tan says there should be a larger representation of people when it comes to road names.
“For example, there are very few roads named after women who have contributed to the country, compared to men.
“Most names also belong to people in power, mainly related to the government and not other fields like sports, ” she illustrates.
Another lecturer from the same department, Dr Salina Zainol says it is important to honour historical figures and their contributions.
“Their struggle and experiences will motivate the young generation to continue striving to bring glory to the nation, ” she says.
Agreeing that there should be more variety in naming roads after people, Dr Salina says the chosen personalities should not be mainly among politicians.
“There are also important personalities who have contributed in other areas and should be considered for such an honour.
“This includes academicians, artists and so forth, ” she adds.
Aside from remembering personalities, road names also show examples of commendable deeds, says Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Murad Merican of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation.
“Such examples are what people can follow and emulate.
“When we know the history behind road names, we will understand the value behind the contributions of those individuals, ” says Dr Ahmad Murad, who is also Penang Malay Heritage and Historical Society president.
He says sometimes, road names are a reminder of the past.
“There is a story for every road name. Have you ever wondered why there is a Jalan Pahang in Kuala Lumpur?
“This is because those roads are used by people in the olden days to go to Pahang, as it was headed in that direction, ” he explains.
Dr Ahmad Murad says it is still important to name roads after people who have contributed to society.
“Keeping our local history is critical in remembering the life and colours of our society at one time.
“When you lose your heritage, it is akin to losing a part of your home or identity, ” he adds.
Prof Datuk Dr Teo Kok Seong, a Principal Fellow at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Institute of Ethnic Studies says road names help us understand the significance of past events and the people involved.
“We would not only know that these names exist, but also know their places in history, ” he says.
