MAKE believe is crucial for children’s development. It allows them to explore different roles, experiment with emotions, and practise social interactions in a safe and imaginative space.
When children participate in pretend play, which may include role-play, object substitution and nonliteral behaviour, they are integrating and strengthening previously acquired knowledge.
When my granddaughter was at nursery school, she would often play teacher at home by standing next to a mini whiteboard, with her grandmother, aunt and I seated on the floor in front of her as students.
She would mimic her strict teacher by showing a stern face and giving instructions in a harsh tone. She would state “it is not funny” to reprimand us should we laugh or even smile.
Mercifully, her parents emigrated to Australia when she was six years old and the education she received over there in the past 11 years was poles apart from what we have here, especially the quality of teachers and tutoring.
If playing make-believe prepares kids for the real world, why are some adults also doing the same? Recently, a group gathered at Universiti Sains Malaysia to protest against a conference on ancient Kedah civilisations scheduled for May 19-20 at a Penang hotel.
One of them claimed that early civilisations in Kedah believed in one God and that local rulers in Kedah Tua had been converted by Arab traders long before Hindu or Buddhist influence. He threatened to make a police report if the conference was not cancelled.
Long after the Almighty created Adam and Eve, believed to be the first man and woman by those of Abrahamic faiths such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, these religions were non-existent for thousands of years.
If so, all of them today are descended from early humans with animistic beliefs.
Wanting to rewrite history starting from one’s religion was like questioning or ignoring the wisdom of the Almighty, who had allowed people of various faiths, religions, cultures and languages to come into being and flourish over the millennia.
Major religions spread globally because followers and missionaries of the past did not discriminate against others of a different worship, heritage and language. And Malay culture is one of the richest because it has incorporated many elements from various origins.
There is no need for anyone, including the protestors, to be overly proud or ashamed of one’s origins or ancient history. What happened within the past century is much more relevant, particularly in recent decades.
We should let academics, particularly historians, gather to discuss and learn from each other on topics they are passionate about and deepen their knowledge further. There are many great lessons that can be learned from history.
Unlike ordinary people who are fond of interweaving myths, legends, folklores and sagas into their fabricated histories, true historians based their narratives on written records and physical evidence, such as those found at archaeological sites in the Bujang Valley in Kedah.
In contrast, most common folks like to talk and gossip and enjoy heightened emotions more than sharing information. In 1963, my classmate Peter Francis pointed out to me that when two cyclists met each other, they often stopped and chatted by the roadside for a long time.
Over the past decades, I observed and noticed that the delusional would try to convince themselves and others by talking to create their own world. Instead of facing reality, they would reconstruct what actually happened to suit their liking or in their favour.
While those rational may make full use of their brains to discuss and exchange ideas, simpletons prefer to live in a make-believe world and resort to feeding their emotions by feeling superior or defending against imaginary threats created by themselves. – April 14, 2025
YS Chan is master trainer for Mesra Malaysia and Travel and Tours Enhancement Course and an Asean Tourism Master Trainer. He is also a tourism and transport business consultant.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image: CNA
