Malaysian, forget Malaysia truely Asia! are we truely Malaysian?

"Kamu semua tahu tak, Cina tak mandi pagi sebelum pergi sekolah, sebab tu mata dia sepet"
“You all know? Chinese don’t take a morning shower before they go to school, that’s why their eyes like that”

I heard that phrase when I was teaching at a tuition center this evening. It’s not from a student, instead its from a teacher in the next class beside mine, who is easily classified in the male's prime age (supposed to be mature enough). I cant understand why he had to speak like that in front of his all Malay student. Its immature (even though I know his intention is to uplift the spirit of the PMR candidate, to study hard - among other issue that arises). Furthermore it is not appropriate especially in Kelantan context, where it is literally hard to find Chinese around, therefore its harder for these students to mix with others. I don’t want them to get a wrong impression about other Malaysian. And its not fair to the Kelantanese Chinese since they are generally and relatively nicer compared to their kin in other states (blend in well and speak very good Malay).

I bet, that teacher’s political ideology differs than the ruling state’s, based on his ideas of nationalism which I frequently overheard when he teaches next my class. He is supposed to be the role model, not advocating racism. I later shut off the sliding door partitioning the two classes, indicating my objection.

Even though we are proud to say that we are all Malaysian, we live in peace and harmony despite the differences in culture and belief, we branded our nation as the Truly Asia! Yet I found that most of us are hypocrites.

Take a look at the pics below.

What came up on yr mind? Yr feeling?

I knew this from my university’s alumni online group. The pics and some more got into the group from several similar FORWARD post by fellow Malays who got pissed by the way she hold the pig and ‘proudly’ (quote from what they say) take pics with the animal. The group was flooded with similar post, one after another but with different title.

An example:
Anak sapa la ni…kerja ladang babi…
Whose daughter is this? Work in the pigs’ barn

What is the purpose of forwarding this email? The clear intention is to demonize this girl, which in my opinion hasn’t done anything wrong. Its not that she had choped off the pig’s head or slaughtered it, roasted it’s meat, and eat it.

It is even sadder when later, many of the group member (yup, the so called educated people of Malaysia) start leavin their comment about the pic, and demanding explanation from this poor girl. Which later replied by a university’s lecturer, explaining that she is in the Vet program of the uni. But still people cannot accept the way she posed in front of the cam and accused her on putting Islamic law behind. Its ridiculious. I learned that Muslim is just not allowed to eat its meat, we can still touch with a precondition that we clean it later as described by the scholars.

This chaos can give Islam a bad impression. Thanks to these Muslim chaotic maker.

We all tend to mix things up. I think it is the stigma. We are banned to eat its meat. That’s it. Why we have to ‘jump’, and make a big mountain over not even a molehill. Be sensitive, we live in a country, where there are others that appreciate its meat.

That’s why I said we are hypocrite. When we have the opportunity to speak up anonymously, we put aside the borders and say all the insensitive things about others without deep thinking and analysis and this clearly potrays our shallow stands in the issues . This also apply to other races, I often found racist comments by the Chinese in the internet media (the blog and its comments) and even in my blog as well like in this, this and this posts' comment section. Some are insensitive remark on Islam, which was a direct results of Muslims failed to portray the true teaching of the religion. So its not their fault either, it is also ours, that carry the Islamic image in Malaysia.

Its not that I want to stir a racial tension, but it is what we all face, really.

Take a look at the ruling party, they themselves portrayed the similar issue. When one of the subparty declared that we are an Islamic nation, but then the other sub denied it. See, their understanding of our constitution is also clearly apart. It is not a surprise that the peoples they rule, themselves have the common misunderstanding, hypocritical stand in few issue.

The recent popular arguments, Bahasa Malaysia or Bahasa Melayu. My views? I don’t care! Even after we had changed our school’s name frm Sekolah Melayu to Sekolah Kebangsaan, still some despise these schools and choose vernacular instead. It is not about the branding! Not that I blame this to only nonMalay, we shouldn’t just look at things superficially, try to understand, why there are such reluctance. Is it the way the school being handle? Is it their teachers? (I’m sure the example at the top can influence in someway). We need more than, just accusing people being unpatriotic because they don’t want to follow 'the national custom'. Why don’t we all embrace all custom, don’t limit us just to the so called national Identity.

Luckily we all are very nice people, rarely causes any real problem, despite the issues and disagreement hidden beneath our friendly faces.

50 years had past…

I think we are lucky, living in a 'dream nation', but we all have to stop day dreaming and face the reality somehow. There are still lots of issues that need to be straighten up, esp. when the scenario still permit such discussion, fix where possible, before its too late!

Selamat Menyambut Ulang tahun yang ke-50, its time to bring it to the next level, Mutual-understanding is no longer enough…

p.s. I sometimes sense that we are seriously being attacked and poked by non-Malaysians esp. some of our ‘neighbors’, which have their own agenda. I think there are peoples that loath Malaysian peace and will do whatever it takes (thx to the www anonymity) to destroy the current state of serenity. So beware fellow Malaysians!