wide range of comments!
seems as if theres a mixed view of this. I post the large number of words that people answered to the post of the discriminations list, and this afternoon will write a new post.nick
Hi there. It seem like u are not satisfied with government. I’m Malay, and I know you Are talking about statistic. In fact, what is the major race in Malaysia? Who is the richest man in Malaysia? Is there anybody don’t have enough food in Malaysia? is there any bias judgment in Malaysia? Is there any Indian or Chinese killed by Malay because of race?
So let me answer that, the majority race in Malaysia is Malay, so, in most statistic, Malays will be the highest, but it doesn’t mean it is a bias. in fact the majority in pusat serenti is Malay too… the majority driver on the road now is Malay, majority people dead in percentage is Malay… yeah it simply because Malay is the majority. Majority is always right but it doesn’t mean the minority can’t speak… the minorities also get their own benefit. Your word smell of racism.. Please don’t provoke anything about race, as i ask before is there anyone get killed because of race in Malaysia? Past 14 may yes, now no. we live peacefully. Don’t kill the peace… there are none other government can handle multi race country like Malaysia. Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, they can’t be like Malaysia.
Yes Malays have their special right because they are majority. This is the way to keep the peace. If you are talking about fair and unfair, for your mention, when it is fair, it mean not fair and via versa. Confuse? let me explain it to you, let say you have two son, one in form one and the second one in university, monthly you just give 30 ringgit to your son in form one but you spend 300 ringgit a month for the one in university, is that fair??? Both suppose to get same amount of money. How come you give 10 times more for the one in the university??? Where is the justice???
You get it now I guess, both have their own needs. Same as race in Malaysia, Indian have their own need, Malay have their own too. So do Chinese. Malay people use to work in government sector, Indian as lawyer and doctor, Chinese in business, that how things work. For your mention, in medic, the majorities are Indian, is that racism? Government help Malays this kind of way, they help Indian in other way, and also they help Chinese. They always ask Malay to do that, do this, give that, give this, it simply because this majorities must work and do something in order to help the country. We can’t depend on the minority to support everything in the nation… both majority and minority must make move. in other word, government must do something to push the majority to work and contribute to the nation. Those majorities consist of lots of power and if they don’t do anything, government will face a major lost. That’s why its look likes only Malay that have the special threat. Actually everybody does. Have you ever go to school? If yes, government doesn’t leave you behind. everybody go to school, everybody eat rice, everybody have their religious places, everybody can vote, everybody can travel, everybody can get want they want, everybody can buy house, car, land, everything. what else you want dude? Have you ever thanks government that builds schools, hospitals, bus station for you. from before your first time come into this world, government already help you, until you big enough to go to school, until you go to secondary school until now…. why don’t we start thinking about ourselves, how much we have contribute to ourselves? Family? Religious? Race? Society? Nation?. I just giving my opinion, hope it benefit everybody, just care about the peace.
Comment by Azyzy — February 20, 2006 @ 10:08 am | Edit This
great, another bunch of stuff I didnt know, thanks for the comment. nick
Comment by Administrator — February 20, 2006 @ 7:03 pm | Edit This
great, another bunch of stuff I didnt know, thanks for the comment. nick
Comment by Administrator — February 20, 2006 @ 7:03 pm | Edit This
First of all, are we (the non-malays, that is) really to believe that the government will abolish or tone down the New Economic Policy in the near future? We must be realistic, if you have the right to buy a property at a discount and have scholarships for your children, would you let go of these rights?
With Chinese population dwindling in Malaysia, what needs to be done depends on the Chinese themselves.
There is nothing wrong with the brain drain. In fact, we should encourage our children to move to Singapore, Taiwan, China etc, if we disagree with Malaysian government policies that are based on race and religion.
When it comes to the matter of the dwindling number of Chinese Malaysians, we should talk about quality, not quantity.
We should resolve why the Chinese-Malaysian population is reducing. Official figures have more than one million Chinese Malaysians emigrating over the past 25 years. Why did they emigrate? I am sure the government knows.
Straight A students can’t get scholarships or university places. Nothing new, it is been that way for the past 35 years. Nowadays, even enlightened malay Malaysians are speaking up on this injustice. The MCA and Gerakan? Busy making money from private colleges.
What is so great about having TAR College or Utar which took more than 35 years of begging? Why should it be so difficult to set up an independent university when we have scores of public ones?
While we push young talented people away, other countries notably Singapore, the US and Australia welcome them with open arms.
Is it logical that we drive away our young talented ones and then invite retired Mat Sallehs to live here and exploit our low-cost of living?
Singapore’s success in particular owes much to these ex-Malaysians or their descendants including Hon Sui Sen, Goh Keng Swee, Goh Chok Tong, just to name a few.
About 30 percent of top management in both Singapore’s government and corporate sector are ex-Malaysians. We export them so that Singapore can compete with, and then whack us.
Korea and Taiwan, both way behind us in the 70s and 80s are now way ahead. Thailand is breathing down our necks.
Sadly, there is just no integrity in the nation’s leadership.
Comment by oversee — February 21, 2006 @ 3:50 am | Edit This
Chinese getting straight As are not allowed into universities. Not allowed civil service jobs. That is blatant discrimination.
Why do you support such discrimination?
Chinese Malaysians have built very successful businesses, hence they have the wealth that they have. This is not greed. They worked for what they now own.
Why do you envy what does not belong to you? Is this not greed?
It is quite untrue that business offers are conducted on the basis of race. Starting any business is very very hard work, but the malays did not have a hard working tradition to persevere. This is a cultural change the malays need in order to conduct businesses successfully.
Armed with this knowledge, do you still insist that Chinese Malaysians are greedy, and therefore it is right for malays to take what does not belong to them?
Your perception of business in Malaysia has got to be wrong.
Most goods and services can be conducted in open markets, and there is no particular reason to single out malays so that Chinese businessmen should swindle them. There are lots of swindlers in business so it is not just malays who get swindled.
Successful businessmen depend on providing real benefits to customers and partners so that it is worthwhile for them to do business again and again to both parties benefit. It is only when customers also get rich that businesses can grow.
The discrimination against Chinese, Indians and other peoples cannot be tolerated in the modern world. Countries that do this will face long-term decline.
Hard working people are not greedy as you accuse them. They are hard working because they have a mission in life to prosper, to give offspring a good chance in life to live to the full, to contribute their talents to the betterment of society……….
This is not greed.
Whereas, envy of others wealth and taking what they have not worked for is greed.
I would put is stronger. It is robbery and corruption. You talk like a Mafia extortionist when you said that worse could happen to the Chinese, so be thankful because there are more malays than Chinese, and therefore they can take even more from the Chinese if they want to.
You have to be joking to believe that your greed and prejudices are the wonderful things about Malaysia. Well, may be you do.
Malaysia as describe it is a country based on racism, lack of a conscience, and greed (taking from hard working foreigners).
Meritocracy is denounced. Robbing the wealthy is promoted.
How can there be a good future for such a country?
Looking from outside of Malaysia, it is easy to see that the malay-controlled government is enforcing a wealth-robbing programme from the Chinese who earned their wealth through hard work.
By barring bright well qualified Chinese Malaysians from entering Malaysian universities, Malaysia is pursuing a discriminatory policy based on race.
This is not tolerated in civilised countries. It is a policy that gives Malaysia a very bad reputation and deprives itself of its most talented.
It is a policy which tells the malays that robbing from the rich is not greed because being rich, being educated is the same as being greedy.
This is moral corruption and self contradiction which Malaysia will pay back a very heavy price.
Comment by hero — February 21, 2006 @ 5:49 am | Edit This
Imagine our prime minister lecturing on the real facts of peace and unity in Malaysia.
“We (government) do not practise meritocracy and social fairness. We practise discrimination and racism in our education system, housing allocation and discount, jobs, university entry. We blackmail and extort non-bumis through Approved Permits and shares equity. We dish out handouts to bumis, etc. That is how we achieve peace and unity in Malaysia.”
The only reason why there is peace and unity is because the non-bumis are tolerant, progressive, peace, moderate, magnanimous and loving, despite the racism, keris wielding and discriminatory policies.
If the future leader is bollocks then the future of this country is also bollocks.
The education system in this country from top to bottom is going from bad to worst, we are producing robots, incompetent, hapless, crony and brainwashed leaders.
Going by that, the track record of the Umno government is nothing less than embarrassing and shameful.
While the rich and famous in the Umno coalition is feasting off the richness of the land christened Malaysia, thousands more are languishing in poverty, sickness and adverse social circumstances.
I care for my fellow citizens regardless of race and religion and there is nothing more I wish to see that for them to be able to lead a decent life through diligence and honesty. But such values are of no worth in a corrupted and racist system like the Umno government’s.
The current debate is not about race, religion or political ideology. It is about good values or rather, the lack of them in the current Umno politicians.
One must not mistake hatred against racism with hatred against race. The former is admirable, and the latter is deplorable.
From the comments of you malay, I can conclude that he is either delirious and confused or he is simply a typical Umno politician - colored-vision, conceited and paranoid.
Your comments clearly show your insecurity as well as your inferiority complex. Unfortunately, your comments suggest that your views represent all the malays.
It also shows that you, as representing the malays, concede that you are not prepared and will never be prepared, even in the future, to meet with competition. You suggest that you need to be wrapped in cotton wool for all time.
You may be the ketuanan of Malaysia but what kind of Malaysia will that be by then if you continue with your tunnel vision and refuse to meet and compete with the rest of the world.
The world does not owe you a favour and will not wait for you. A big problem is that you expect the world and everyone to owe you a living. Get real the world owes you nothing!
You will be in a very small country and a small world of your own. You may be the ketuanan of such a country which may be weaker than a banana republic in time.
Under those circumstance, it may not be important whether you are the ketuanan of such a country which is not third rate but fourth rate, and which may be open to be taken by a stronger force. By then you will be too weak and friendless to defend yourself.
Please don’t think that Malaysia belongs to one particular race, you are insulting yourself, and your race, don’t ever forget that some key leaders in top government are with mixed blood, not pure malays……….please know your mission as a Malaysian, to live united with the other races and fight independently with the globalised world.
Don’t be narrow-minded anymore, do correct thing to make things right.
The “bumiputera” stole the land from Orang Asli. By right all of Malaysia should belong to them. If recall history as the current generation of malays came over from Sumatra, Jawa, and the island around.
If your thinking remains the same - please go back to Indonesia where you can proudly call yourself bumis there.
Comment by the model racist nation — February 21, 2006 @ 5:55 am | Edit This
Well, I worked in a few different countries and I have met some transplanted or former Malaysians (Chinese or Indian and even mixed blood). Almost all of them narrated the same treatment they received while they were in Malaysia, when I asked them why they wanted to leave the beautiful country Malaysia.
I have talked to an automotive engineer in Germany (ex-Malaysian married to a German); I met a mining engineer formerly from Ipoh who now lives in Canada; I met a petroleum engineer in Australia who is specialized in fracture stimulation (whatever that is);
I met a spacecraft engineer in Houston who has nothing good to say about Malaysia……….many more people with great talents and expertise who have given up Malaysian citizenships……….most interesting was a malay women who married to an American geologist……….she did not repay her RM90000 Mara loan and do not want to return to Malaysia.
So now I am in Malaysia for a year and I realized what those people told me about. Most of what they said I can now sympathies and understand the situation.
They never ever regret the choice make to give up Malaysian citizenships. Being a non-malay is a second or third class citizen in this country.
My job here is not to change the political situation……….I am just saying what I come across……….
Comment by expat — February 21, 2006 @ 6:07 am | Edit This
Migration and emigration of human beings is a pre-requisite of human progress and development. Without migration, human beings would be doomed to an existence worse than that of animals. Even animals migrate to seek a better habitat.
Patriotism is not a one-way thing, it is a two-way commitment. If one finds that one’s patriotism and loyalty is not reciprocated as having to live with a corrupt government, discriminatory policies, inhumane and repressive laws etc, one has a right to review one’s patriotism and commitment if one so chooses.
Why would people stay if their talents are not recognised in their own country and they do not have the opportunities to develop their potential? Why remain when they can have these opportunities in another country?
Indeed, it is very fortunate that we all live in this day and age of globalisation where we are free to live and work anywhere in the world as long as we have the skills and talent.
There is much less reason now to put up with bad governments, or corrupt, oppressive regimes and racist, anywhere in the world.
Of course the grass is never greener on the other side. You still need the same energy, enterprise and sometimes luck to make it. But there is no doubt in my mind and in those who have worked here and overseas - the playing field is more level abroad.
Whilst, I may add that most lower middle-class Malaysian citizens and professionals are the main bulk of immigrants to countries abroad. They need to get settled first and have a few contacts to start life anew.
To expect them to be millionaires in businesses will take a generation or more and we are beginning to see that now. If they had not emigrated, they would have been hard pressed to send their children abroad and everybody knows the quota system for universities, jobs, job promotions and opportunities back home.
In Canada, we experience the best there is in life. Every citizen has equal rights. They have done well in every aspect of life.
In the US, anyone whether black, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Mexican etc, has the right to run for president. There are no restrictions, one only needs to secure the votes.
Nobody should operate under the assumption that migration is a bed of sweet, smelling roses. Roses have thorns.
Certainly, migration is not a dirty word. In fact, migration is the reason for this multiethnic paradise I call home today. The question is, can Malaysia retain her talents?
We are simply losing good people to the more developed countries, and this problem is also faced by other countries such as India and China.
Singapore has been absorbing our talents regardless of the medium of instruction they have been taught in. Perhaps the biggest slap on our face is the fact that thousands and thousands of Malaysians have been recruited to bloom in the Lion City’s workforce, while our own industry leaders have done nothing to help the government keep these investments from going abroad.
Many people leave the country for a variety of reasons. Some leave for economic reasons, some for better education, some over concerns for the climate of democracy in their home country. There is no reason to deride any migrant for their choices in life. Every human being is entitled to the right of social, physical and geographical mobility - you seek your place on earth and call it home.
So leave if you must, go while you can, but don’t give up on the march.
That is a worthy sacrifice that requires courage.
Congratulations to those who have found a better future in life.
Comment by lion — February 21, 2006 @ 6:13 am | Edit This
Dude, not only could you have left the bleeding comments where they belong instead of saturating your front page, but all I have to do is glance at the first comment and think…
Wow. In the ‘List of Racial Discriminations’ I have failed to see a compensation for the fact that the “99%” of directors (whatever that means) are Malay may actually be accredited. In other words, quota positions are clearly not a part of the “director’s” companies.
Now, I have to come clean and say that I do not know of this issue, thus I will not make any further comments. All I want to draw attention to is the juvenile falacious character of the ‘List of Discriminations’. What is ‘99% of directors are malay’ meant to mean anyway?
Maybe it’s just a case of social resentment, as happens all over the world. If it isn’t, then I apologise for my ignorance.
But if it is:
STICK IT TO DA MAN.
Comment by Erich Honeker — February 23, 2006 @ 11:04 pm
Nothing is going to change and you can blame anyone - Malays because of their ’special rights’, the Chinese because of their discrimination against the Chinese and the Indians (painful but true), the Indians because they are weak and will not throw out Samy Vellu (again true). If any non-Malay has brains and guts, he/she will get out to a developed country for the sake of themselves, their families and their grandchildren. Are you aware the Malaysia has probably reached ‘peak oil’? Are you aware that with global warming, the countries that will suffer the most will be those along the equator? That there will be droughts, floods, possible desertification and inundation along the coastal regions? Then what? How will ’special rights’ seek rent?
If anyone is under 45, a clean record, is skilled (e.g. hairdresser,chef,welder) or is a professional (e.g. IT, graduate, nurse) or has business skills, they can migrate. Send an email about yourself,age, family, etc to: ‘easymigration@iprimus.com.au” for a free assessment if you are a Malaysian.
Comment by Peter — April 13, 2007 @ 10:39 am
It’s been interesting to read such free-flowing comments on an all “Malaysian” free for all. While we are on the subject, how many of you have read the book entitled “Contesting Malayness”? Written by a Professor of National University of Singapore. Cost S$32 (about). It reflects the Anthropologists views that there is no such race as the “Malays” to begin with. If we follow the original migration of the Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago, they moved into Taiwan, (now the Alisan), then into the Phillipines (now the Aeta) and moved into Borneo (4,500yrs ago) (Dayak). They also split into Sulawesi and progressed into Jawa, and Sumatera. The final migration was to the Malayan Peninsular 3,000yrs ago. A sub-group from Borneo also moved to Champa in Vietnam at 4,500yrs ago.
Interestingly, the Champa deviant group moved back to present day Kelantan. There are also traces of the Dong Song and HoaBinh migration from Vietnam and Cambodia. To confuse the issue, there was also the Southern Thai migration, from what we know as Pattani today. (see also “Early Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago and the Malay Peninsular”)
Of course, we also have the Minangkabau’s which come from the descendants of Alexander the Great and a West Indian Princess. (Sejarah Melayu page 1-3)
So the million Dollar Question… Is there really a race called the “Malays”? All anthropologists DO NOT SEEM TO THINK SO.
Neither do the “Malays” who live on the West Coast of Johor. They’d rather be called Javanese. What about the west coast Kedah inhabitants who prefer to be known as “Achenese”? or the Ibans who simply want to be known as IBANS. Try calling a Kelabit a “Malay” and see what response you get… you’ll be so glad that their Head-Hunting days are over.
In an article in the Star, dated: Dec 3rd 2006
available for on-line viewing at:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/12/3/focus/16212814&sec=focus
An excerp is reproduced here below:
“The Malays – taken as an aggregation of people of different ethnic backgrounds but who speak the same language or family of languages and share common cultural and traditional ties – are essentially a new race, compared to the Chinese, Indians and the Arabs with their long histories of quests and conquests.
The Malay nation, therefore, covers people of various ethnic stock, including Javanese, Bugis, Bawean, Achehnese, Thai, orang asli, the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak and descendants of Indian Muslims who had married local women.
Beneath these variations, however, there is a common steely core that is bent on changing the Malay persona from its perceived lethargic character to one that is brave, bold and ready to take on the world. ”
The definition of “Malay” is therefore simply a collection of people’s who speak a similar type language. With what is meant by a similar type language does not mean that the words are similar. Linguists call this the “Lego-type” language, where words are added on to the root word to make meaning and give tenses and such. Somehow, the Indonesians disagree with this classification and insist on being called “Indonesians” even though the majority of “Malays” have their roots in parts of Indonesia? They refuse to be called “Malay”…. Anyhow you may define it.
The writer failed to identify (probably didn’t know), that the “Malay” definition also includes, the Champa, Dong Song, HoabinHian, The Taiwanese Alisan and the Philippino Aetas. He also did not identify that the “Orang Asli” are (for lack of a better term) ex-Africans. If you try to call any one of our East Malaysian brothers an “Orang Asli”, they WILL BEAT YOU UP! I had to repeat this because almost all West Malaysians make the same mistake when we cross the South China Sea. Worse, somehow, they feel even more insulted when you call them “Malay”. Somehow, “kurang ajar” is uttered below their breath as if “Malay” was a really bad word for them. I’m still trying to figure this one out.
Watch “Malays in Africa”; a Museum Negara produced DVD. Also, the “Champa Malays” by the same.
With this classification, they MUST also include the Phillipinos, the Papua New Guineans, the Australian Aboroginies, as well as the Polynesian Aboroginies. These are of the Australo Melanesians who migrated out of Africa 60,000yrs ago.
Getting interesting? Read on…
“Malay” should also include the Taiwanese singer “Ah Mei” who is Alisan as her tribe are the anscestors of the “Malays”. And finally, you will need to define the Southern Chinese (Southern Province) as Malay also, since they are from the same stock 6,000yrs ago.
Try calling the Bugis a “Malay”. Interestingly, the Bugis, who predominantly live on Sulawesi are not even Indonesians. Neither do they fall into the same group as the migrating Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago nor the Australo Melanesian group from Africa.
Ready for this?
The Bugis are the cross-breed between the Chinese and the Arabs. (FYI, a runaway Ming Dynasty official whom Cheng Ho was sent to hunt down) Interestingly, the Bugis were career Pirates in the Johor-Riau Island areas. Now the nephew of Daeng Kemboja was appointed the First Sultan of Selangor. That makes the entire Selangor Sultanate part Arab, part Chinese! Try talking to the Bugis Museum curator near Kukup in Johor. Kukup is located near the most south-western tip of Johor. (Due south of Pontian Kechil)
Let’s not even get into the Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekiu, and Hang Lekir, who shared the same family last name as the other super famous “Hang” family member… Hang Li Poh. And who was she? the princess of a Ming Dynasty Emperor who was sent to marry the Sultan of Malacca. Won’t that make the entire Malacca Sultanate downline “Baba” ? Since the older son of the collapsed Malaccan Sultanate got killed in Johor, (the current Sultanate is the downline of the then, Bendahara) the only other son became the Sultan of Perak. Do we see any Chinese-ness in Raja Azlan? Is he the descendant of Hang Li Poh?
Next question. If the Baba’s are part Malay, why have they been marginalized by NOT BEING BUMIPUTERA? Which part of “Malay” are they not? Whatever the answer, why then are the Portugese of Malacca BUMIPUTERA? Did they not come 100yrs AFTER the arrival of the first Baba’s? Parameswara founded Malacca in 1411. The Portugese came in 1511, and the Dutch in the 1600’s. Strangely, the Baba’s were in fact once classified a Bumiputera, but a decided that they were strangely “declassified” in the 1960’s. WHY?
The Sultan of Kelantan had similar roots to the Pattani Kingdom making him of Thai origin. And what is this “coffee table book” by the Sultan of Perlis claiming to be the direct descendant of the prophet Muhammed? Somehow we see Prof Khoo Khay Khim’s signature name on the book. I’ll pay good money to own a copy of it myself. Anyone has a spare?
So, how many of you have met with orang Asli’s? the more northern you go, the more African they look. Why are they called Negrito’s? It is a Spanish word, from which directly transalates “mini Negros”. The more southern you go, the more “Indonesian” they look. And the ones who live at Cameron Highlands kinda look 50-50. You can see the Batek at Taman Negara, who really look like Eddie Murphy to a certain degree. Or the Negritos who live at the Thai border near Temenggor Lake (north Perak). The Mah Meri in Carrie Island look almost like the Jakuns in Endau Rompin. Half African, half Indonesian.
By definition, (this is super eye-opening) there was a Hindu Malay Empire in Kedah. Yes, I said right… The Malays were Hindu. It was, by the old name Langkasuka. Today known as Lembah Bujang. This Hindu Malay Empire was 2,000yrs old. Pre-dating Borrobudor AND Angkor Watt. Who came about around 500-600yrs later. Lembah Bujang was THE mighty trading empire, and its biggest influence was by the Indians who were here to help start it. By definition, this should make the Indians BUMIPUTERAS too since they were here 2,000yrs ago! Why are they marginalized?
Of the 3 books listed, “Contesting Malayness” (about S$32 for soft cover) is “banned” in Malaysia; you will need to “smuggle” it into Malaysia; for very obvious reasons….
or read it in Singapore if you don’t feel like breaking the law.
The other, “Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago, and the Malay Peninsular” (about RM84) are openly sold at all leading bookshops; Kinokuniya, MPH, Borders, Popular, Times, etc. You should be able to find a fair bit of what I’ve been quoting in this book too, but mind you, it is very heavy reading material, and you will struggle through the initial 200+ pages. It is extremely technical in nature. Maybe that’s why it wasn’t banned (yet)…coz our authorities couldn’t make head or tail of it? (FYI, if I wasn’t doing research for my film, I wouldn’t have read it in its entirety)
While the “Sejarah Melayu” (about RM 35) is available at the University Malaya bookshop. I have both the English and Royal Malay version published by MBRAS.
Incidentally, the Professor (Author) was invited to speak on this very subject about 2 yrs ago, in KL, invited by the MBRAS. You can imagine the “chaos” this seminar created……
There were actually many sources for these findings. Any older Philippino Museum Journal also carries these migration stories. This migration is also on display at the Philippines National Museum in Luzon. However, they end with the Aeta, and only briefly mention that the migration continued to Indonesia and Malaysia, but fully acknowledge that all Philippinos came from Taiwan. And before Taiwan, China. There is another book (part of a series) called the “Archipelago Series” endorsed by Tun Mahatir and Marina Mohammad, which states the very same thing right at the introduction on page one. “… that the Malays migrated out of Southern China some 6,000yrs ago…”. I believe it is called the “Pre-History of Malaysia” Hard Cover, about RM99 found in (mostly) MPH. They also carry “Pre-History of Indonesia” by the same authors for the same price.
It is most interesting to note that our Museum officials invented brand new unheard-of terms such as “Proto-Malay” and “Deutero-Malay”, to replace the accepted Scientific Term, Australo-Melanesians (African descent) and Austronesians (Chinese Descent, or Mongoloid to be precise) in keeping in line with creating this new “Malay” term.. They also created the new term called the Melayu-Polynesian. (Which Melayu exists in the Polynesian Islands?) Maybe they were just trying to be “Patriotic” and “Nationalistic”… who knows…? After all, we also invented the term, “Malaysian Time”. While the rest of the world calls it “Tardy” and “Late”. It’s quite an embarrassment actually…. Singaporeans crossing the border are asked to set their watches back by about 100yrs, to adjust to “Malaysian Time”…
In a nutshell, the British Colonial Masters, who, for lack of a better description, needed a “blanket” category for ease of classification, used the term “Malay”.
The only other logical explanation, which I have heard, was that “Malaya” came as a derivative of “Himalaya”, where at Langkasuka, or Lembah Bujang today was where the Indians were describing the locals as “Malai” which means “Hill People” in Tamil. This made perfect sense as the focal point at that time was at Gunung Jerai, and the entire Peninsular had a “Mountain Range” “Banjaran Titiwangsa”, as we call it.
The Mandarin and Cantonese accurately maintain the accurate pronunciation of “Malai Ren” and “Malai Yun” respectively till this very day. Where “ren” and “yun” both mean “peoples”.
Interestingly, “Kadar” and “Kidara”, Hindi and Sanskrit words accurately describe “Kedah” of today. They both mean “fertile Land for Rice cultivation. Again, a name given by the Indians 2,000yrs ago during the “Golden Hindu Era” for a duration of 1,500yrs.
It was during the “Golden Hindu Era” that the new term which the Hindu Malay leaders also adopted the titles, “Sultan” and “Raja”. The Malay Royalty were Hindu at that time, as all of Southeast Asia was under strong Indian influence, including Borrobudor, and Angkor Watt. Bali today still practices devout Hindu Beliefs. The snake amulet worn by the Sultans of today, The Royal Dias, and even the “Pelamin” for weddings are tell-tale signs of these strong Indian influences. So, it was NOT Parameswara who was the first Sultan in Malaya. Sultanage existed approximately 1,500years before he set foot on the Peninsular during the “Golden Hindu Era” of Malaysia. And they were all Hindu.
“PreHistory of Malaysia” also talks about the “Lost Kingdom” of the “Chi-Tu” where the local Malay Kingdom were Buddhists. The rest of the “Malays” were Animistic Pagans.
But you may say, “Sejarah Melayu” calls it “Melayu”? Yes, it does. Read it again; is it trying to describe the 200-odd population hamlet near Palembang by the name “Melayu”?(Google Earth will show this village).
By that same definition, then, the Achehnese should be considered a “race”. So should the Bugis and the Bataks, to be fair. Orang Acheh, Orang Bugis, Orang Laut, Orang Melayu now mean the same… descriptions of ethnic tribes, at best. And since the “Malays” of today are not all descendants of the “Melayu” kampung in Jambi (if I remember correctly), the term Melayu has been wrongly termed. From day one. Maybe this is why the Johoreans still call themselves either Bugis, or Javanese until today. So do the Achehnese on the West coast of Kedah & Perlis and the Kelantanese insist that they came from Champa, Vietnam.
Morover, the fact that the first 3 pages claiming that “Melayu” comes from Alexander the Great and the West Indian Princess doesn’t help. More importantly, it was written in 1623. By then, the Indians had been calling the locals “Malai” for 1,500 yrs already. So the name stuck….
And with the Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals in page 1-3) naming the grandson of Iskandar Zulkarnain, and the West Indian Princess forming the Minangkabau. Whenever a Malay is asked about it, he usually says it is “Karut” (bullshit), but all Malayan based historians insist on using Sejarah Melayu as THE main reference book for which “Malay” history is based upon. The only other books are “Misa Melayu”, “Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa”, and “Hikayat Hang Tuah” which is of another long and sometimes “heated” discussion.
I find this strange.
I also find, that it is strange that the “Chitti’s” (Indian+Malay) of Malacca are categorized as Bumiputera, while their Baba brothers are not. Why? Both existed during the Parameswara days. Which part of the “Malay” side of the Baba’s is not good enough for Bumiputera classification? Re-instate them. They used to be Bumiputera pre 1960’s anyway.
Instead of “Malay”, I believe that “Maphilindo” (circa 1963) would have been the closest in accurately trying to describe the Malays. However, going by that definition, it should most accurately be “MaphilindoThaiChinDiaVietWanGreekCamfrica”. And it is because of this; even our University Malaya Anthropology professors cannot look at you in the eye and truthfully say that the word “Malay” technically and accurately defines a race.
This is most unfortunate.
So, in a nutshell, the “Malays” (anthropologists will disagree with this “race” definition) are TRULY ASIA !!! For once the Tourism Ministry got it right….
We should stop calling this country “Tanah Melayu” instead call it, “Tanah Truly Asia”
You must understand now, why I was “tickled pink” when I found out that the Visit Malaysia slogan for 2007 was “Truly Asia”. They are so correct… (even though they missed out Greece and Africa)
BTW, the name UMNO should be changed to UTANO the new official acronym for “United Truly Asia National Organization” . After all, they started out as a Bugis club in Johor anyway….
I told you all that I hate race classifications…. This is so depressing. Even more depressing is that the “malays” are not even a race; not since day one.
“Truly Asia Boleh”
Comment by Michael Chick — June 19, 2007 @ 2:31 pm
Sad to say without the Chinese and other non Malay race in Malaysia and Indonesia, the region will be the backwater of southeast Asia. The Malays cannot stand on their own feet. Just compare the GDP contribution of non Malays past and present against the Malays. Sadly, the most middle eastern civilization are Islamic based on their God Allah and they are a failure compared to Western civilization based on Human ideology. This is partially why Malaysia tak boleh maju, as it’s policies are based on religion and race.
Comment by Thinker — July 31, 2007 @ 1:50 am
Oh wait, to that Malay who says ‘majority is always right’. Certainly, you still have a long way to go. You are not ’sons of the soil’. The orang Asli, not Malays, are the rightful owner of ‘Malay’sia. You guys stole the land from them, just like your Arab brothers who tried to force their religion on others by military conquest in hopes of dying for your God and copulate with the 72 virgins in muslim paradise!. Cheers.
Comment by Thinker — July 31, 2007 @ 1:57 am
This world does not belong to you or the country you live in, but remember you belong to the world, so why fight so much knowing your destiny. You got to face God and give a account of your life. Seek 1st God and for his mercy.
Comment by raj — December 12, 2007 @ 5:52 pm