Sultan Nazrin said Shaharil’s teachings and writings contributed enormously to Malaysians’ understanding of life in colonial Malaya.

He said Shaharil, who died in 2018, had influenced and encouraged him to establish his own research project that became known as the “Economic History of Malaya”.

“Shaharil’s empathy and ability to connect with the person on the street profoundly influenced my own thinking and historical writings,” he said in a speech at UM’s Asia-Europe Institute here.

Sultan Nazrin, who is the university’s chancellor, was launching the book “Contesting Malaysia’s Integration into The World Economy”, dedicated to Shaharil’s memory and his works.

He said the late historian understood that history tended to focus on what a writer chose to remember, often excluding topics and events they felt might cause unease.

However, Shaharil always contended that the views of different communities must not be neglected, by fully investigating the experiences of those often excluded from the dominant narrative.

“The important role of historians, as Shaharil saw it, is to ensure that the truth is told,” he said.

“Contesting Malaysia’s Integration into The World Economy”, comprising a collection of essays, was edited by UM academics Rajah Rasiah, Azirah Hashim and S Jatswan.

Rajah, who is the executive director of the Asia-Europe Institute, said the book was to celebrate Shaharil’s contributions.

Shaharil, whom he described as a rare academic with a “bundle of intellectual energy”, was the founding executive director of the institute.

He also started new postgraduate social science courses, inspired a generation of students, and launched a successful international student exchange programme.