Kuala Lampur, April 25 -- Recent suggestions to change the name Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) because it is supposedly "obsolete" have triggered a lot of discussion. The claim is that the name no longer fits with the image of a modern and inclusive Malaysia. But this kind of proposal brings up a bigger question - if KTM, a name in our national language and one that carries deep historical significance, is considered outdated, what about the many towns and places in Malaysia that still carry the names of colonial officers and British royalty?

Keretapi Tanah Melayu is not a colonial name. It is rooted in our own history, unlike George Town-named after King George III-or Port Dickson, Fraser's Hill, Cameron Highlands, and Butterworth, which w...