When well-executed, political satire can be a thing of magnificence, memorable for both its message and its humour.

Just take that one scene from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. The idea of a mud-covered peasant arguing with the legendary King Arthur about politics is funny enough. But when the peasant starts pointing out that Arthur only is king because of a “farcical aquatic ceremony”, one realises it’s a biting critique of the concept of monarchy.

That scene is not exactly subtle with its message, and the same can be said for local author Murale Pillai’s debut novel, “Once Upon a Time in Malaysia”.

Despite its name, the setting of the story is most definitely not in modern-day Malaysia. Instead, it takes place in the 16th century.

As anyone who has studied Sejarah in school would know, the once-mighty Melaka sultanate fell in 1511 thanks to Portuguese conquest. The book does not go so much into the “what” and “when” as much as the “how” and “why”, which is a refreshing take.

There is not a singular main character in the story; rather, readers are given a third-person perspective at the lives of major players during this event.

These include ordinary citizens living in Melaka, as well as the ruling elites such as Sultan Mahmud Shah and his Bendahara, Tun Mutahir.

Surprisingly enough, the story is not told solely through the eyes of the Melakan people, but also the invading Portuguese forces. In fact, the tale begins in Lisbon, Portugal, before the second chapter opens up on the other side of the world in the historic Malayan state in question.

The first few chapters are also told from the perspective of Admiral de Sequeira, the Portuguese noble who saw the strategic worth of Melaka.

It may be strange that a Malaysian author is giving a voice to the Portuguese side, but one could argue it is actually a clever move. After all, history is beyond having “bad guys” or “good guys” – people back then are just like people today: complicated.

Sure, the Melakans were defending themselves against a foreign aggressor, but even early on in the novel, one could see the sultanate was ailing.

Being a political satire, “Once Upon a Time in Malaysia” draws parallels between the problems faced by 16th-century Melaka and 21st-century Malaysia. From matters like racial tension and religious intolerance to unfair policies and corrupt officials, one might be alarmed to see such problems still taking place in the present day.

It should be noted that, in addition to being a political satire, this novel also falls into the category of historical fiction. As such, while the settings and some of the characters may be historically accurate, it is obvious Murale takes liberties in how he interprets some of the characters.

This results in situations where personalities speak to the reader rather than to the other characters. One scene where this is particularly obvious is when de Sequeria goes on a long lecture about how religious extremism can weaken and ruin people.

Given that not too much is known about this historical figure’s personal beliefs, it’s likely he is a stand-in for the author himself. This could be perceived as being rather heavy-handed, true – but given that these issues have been going on for so long, perhaps subtlety is overrated at this point.

There is definitely some humour to be had in how modern-day Malaysian issues are reimagined in the context of olden-day Melaka. One particular instance lampoons the misuse of government funds, with Sultan Mahmud visiting the Royal Foundry to inspect the cannons made there.

Despite much money having been invested into the project, the supposedly state-of-the-art cannons are revealed to be completely useless, calling into question if everything was just for show.

Another scene comments on how Melakans seem lackadaisical when it comes to their sultanate’s pressing issues – a nod at Malaysians’ famed “tidak-apa” attitude.

So, is “Once Upon a Time in Malaysia” worth your while? It certainly is, if you are concerned that Malaysia may be going the way of the fallen Melaka.

As de Sequeira so eloquently puts it: “Then history may repeat itself and at a great cost to our country and all that we hold dear!”

‘Once Upon a Time in Malaysia’ can be ordered from Gerakbudaya by clicking here. Alternatively, visit its outlet to pick up a copy.

Gerakbudaya
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