Give respect where respect is due

THE letter of condolence by the late Queen Elizabeth II to the first Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Kurshiah upon the death of my great-grandfather on April 1, 1960 read: “I am deeply grieved to hear of the sad death of His Majesty, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of the Federation of Malaya, and send you my heartfelt sympathy in your bereavement. As Ruler of Negri Sembilan and Yang di-Pertuan Agong, he has long borne high office with dignity and served his country well.”

The rest of her reign was to see three more Rulers of Negri Sembilan – the current one was at Aberystwyth University with the new King Charles III – and 15 Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

On social media, photographs of past state visits involving these monarchs were posted as Malaysians paid tribute to a queen who epitomised duty and service within Britain’s system of constitutional government, while representing a nation with whom we have a chequered past.

Numerous Malaysians referenced that history in condemnation (often citing a recent movie about a Malay freedom fighter).

Clearly, instead of considering the qualities of the individual, some saw Queen Elizabeth II as representing the Empire she once headed, even if she was not personally responsible for its atrocities. Indeed, the crimes of the British, and the West more generally, seem to be taking a prominent place in our domestic discourse.

While some objected to the apparently unsympathetic tone of the phrase “The Queen is dead: God Save the King!” on Instagram, ignorant that this formula has been in use for over 700 years to ensure the throne is never empty, one commenter was saddened to see my tribute, since his ancestors fought the British in the Naning War.

Ironically, the main picture that I featured showed the Royal Malay Regiment performing a guard of honour for Queen Elizabeth II during the 1998 Commonwealth Games, alongside the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Ja’afar of Negri Sembilan.

Yet, no one complained when I posted my meeting with the Crown Prince – now Emperor – of Japan when he visited Malaysia in 2017, even though the Empire in his grandfather’s name invaded Malaya with torture and destruction (and despite the Look East Policy celebrating its 40th anniversary this year).

No one objected to my sitting with former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who presented the fifth Chancellor Tuanku Muhriz Lecture at UKM last month, even though he was still a serving soldier in the Indonesian military at a time when the republic was denying the right of Malaysia to exist! (Thankfully, the only “ganyang” that took place after his excellent lecture was from his volleyball team.)

Indeed, Konfrontasi saw a Victoria Cross being awarded to a Gurkha fighting for the Malaysian side, Rambahadur Limbu, who was featured for his tributes to Queen Elizabeth II, but the first Victoria Cross awarded in our present lands was in 1875 when Captain Channer took a stockade during the battle for Bukit Putus, fighting troops led by Yamtuan Antah.

I too am proud of my ancestor, the last Malay Ruler to personally lead his troops into battle. His “perjuangan” will never be forgotten. And he nearly won, if not for Gurkha reinforcements arriving in time.

But a generation after that conflict, his son Tuanku Muhammad worked within geopolitical realities for his people, together with other Rulers.

From this, the Royal Malay Regiment and Malay College – the model for subsequent military and educational institutions – was born.

Another generation saw the evolution of our constitutional system of government – in the case of Negri Sembilan, the traditional democracy of the adat system co-existing with the Westminster system of elected representatives – and ultimately, independence.

With the changing face of world geopolitics following war, decolonisation and the normalisation of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, we are now a sovereign nation, able to cooperate even with those who oppressed or opposed us in the past.

No one is forcing us to stay in the Commonwealth, or the Five Powers Defence Arrangements, or to send 15,000 students every year to British universities, or to be obsessed by the English Premier League. But we choose to do so, both despite and because of our history.

The death of Elizabeth II might invite us to explore that contradiction, but that is no reason to violate diplomatic protocol where condolences are due, and the state funeral in Westminster Abbey had numerous Muslim heads of state including our Yang di-Pertuan Agong in attendance.

“Rest in Peace” may be forbidden – but “God Save the King”, like “Berkatlah Yang di-Pertuan Besar”, or “Tuhan kurniakan: Raja kita selamat bertakhta” – surely are prayers too. As long as the crown upholds the constitution and protects the people, long may these be sung by citizens of all faiths.

Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin is founding president of Ideas. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.