My mother Siti Awa Jaman, when she was very young.Hello!
I was attracted to an article in the NST about a group of Malaysians who are of a Dutch descent and proud of it. Well, I have Dutch blood on my mother side but we seldom talk about the subject, not because we are ashamed or proud, but for us there is nothing to be both. We are just a normal Malay of a Minangkabau family where freckles, brunette and fair skin run in my family.
My late sister, in her primary school time, had freckles on her face and her hair was brunette and one day her ustazah told her to get rid of the freckles and she was distraught for the longest time, but my wise Dutch-blood 87 year old mother, now, told her "do not worry that is how Minang is supposed to look like"!
When I met my cousins, and in our intimate conversation, will all agree that people considered us as a freak of nature.
There was this story of a group in Lebanon who claimed to be the descendants of the French crusaders who got left behind. One day they had an audience with the French ambassador in Lebanon, the group wanted to be given a French citizens, at the end of the meeting the French ambassador said, and it goes something like this: "Well I am sorry but during the time of the Holy War and the Crusaders, there was no such thing as the French Republic today, so we cannot considered you French nor are we empowered to give to French passport."
It okay for Malaysians to admit that they may have Dutch, Portuguese, English, French or what ever European blood, but at the end of the day they all look like Mestizos in South America, or Metis in Canada. These are "half-breed" types are look upon with disdain and contempt in these two continents!
When we try to be different from the rest we will run a risk of creating a concept called "distinct society" as we do in this country. The sad part is, after 50 years of independence, when I look at Malaysians of "portuguese or dutch descent" they either look very Indian, Chinese or sometime Malay so why do we want to create more distinction between us Malaysian?
I am not trying to offend anyone but merely trying to bring to the attention that I am actually ready to be classified as a MALAYSIAN if everyone is agreeable to it.
But there must be A QUALIFIER! To be one Bangsa Malay-sia we must have Malay-sian names and not Chinese or Indian names, example is like Indonesian-Chinese shuttler Rudy Hartono, or Thai-Chinese like Thaksin Shinatwatra, Chuan Leekpai, or Filipinas-Chinese like Cory Aquino nee Cohuangco! These names are very Indonesian, Thais and Filipinas!
Malaysian names cannot be Chinese names like Lim Kit Siang, Tian Hua, Tan Boon Pin, or Indian names like Samy Vellu, Nadeswaran or like K.Baradan! the names must have totally Malay-sian names! Anyway let us discuss this!
Happy Merdeka Day!
5 comments:
Your preposition for a Malay name for Malaysian is not accurate. Even Malays are not actuaally using Malay names but Arab.
To be a Bangsa Malaysia, we have to be clear. Bangsa could mean Race or Nation. Which one?
I think lets get real - try to be a Malaysian Nation first. Think for the sake of Malaysia and not Singapoire first.
As for race, that is God given, live with it. Whatever race, it does not make you closer or higher in status to God. Its what is in your heart and how much you taqwa or literal meaning, fear (or a softer meaning, respect) that matters.
However, God made race associated with certain area and region. To claim "samarata" status for all race and religion is unnatural, especially when the natives are discriminted and denied their god given right in their natural habitat.
Equality must come with justice and fariness.
a voice!
You have that tendency to go off tangent! Of course we know it, that majority of Malay names derived from Arabs by virtue of the religion!
This is not what I am talking about, this "whats in your heart preposition" is a goner for majority of non-Malays in this country, this is why I said for those who want the concept Bangsa Malaysia to make amend with their frail psyche. The concept of Malaysian race that they proposed is nonsensical, can't have the cake and eat it, so they say. You are right about this "samarata" concept at the expense of the indigeneous is preposterous, no can do. I cannot remember when the non-Malays in this country have been mistreated, cannot count May 13th, this was an anomaly manipulated by irresponsible politicians that will never be allowed to happen again at all cost.
Now then, the first bloody war that broke out on Lebanon in 1948 was when the Palestinian refugees thought that there were enough of them to take over Lebanon, until now the bloody mayhem still happening! Fiji Indians tired to "take over" this peaceful island at the expense of the indigenous now it is a mess, so lets maintain our precious status quo and things will be better!
Happy Merdeka!
I have lived in South America for a long time and can assure you that Mestizos are not " looked upon with disdain" in that part of the world at least.Au contraire, they celebrate it.
"Fiji Indians tired to "take over" this peaceful island at the expense of the indigenous now it is a mess, so lets maintain our precious status quo and things will be better!
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This is in reply to the idiot who comment how us "fijian indians" supposedly tried to take over "fiji" would you care to back this up with evidence and explain how we tried to take over the country?????????? Us fijian indians have been living in fiji for 130 years our forefather were brought as indentured labourer and slaves to that island to farm the sugar cane fields. We have never did oppressed or treated our fellow natives like shit but live harmoniously with them in peace. The situation in fiji is not about race you ignorant "idiot" as you like to claim. The problem is about politicians and corrupted businessmen who have used race as an "excuse" to fulfill their own means where the common people of fiji have innocently bore the brunt of. Where they have used the"divide and conquer strategy". Instead of making absurd claims likese I suggest you do your research on the actual matter before making a valid statement on this issues.
Regards
Iki
I read about it some days ago in another blog and the main things that you mention here are very similar
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