Can I, a Malay, survive in the 21st Century Malaysia.
I am a Malay (net defined) by birth, and by the terms in Malaysia today I am also a Malay (old defined) with all the Malay culture, privileges and rights. By virtue I was born in one of the Sultanate States I am also the subject of one of the Sultans in Malaysia .
I was born when the Japanese invaded Malaya but somehow we still owed allegiance to the British, so I may say that I was born during the Japanese/British era. I was a mere baby to remember what happened during the Japanese occupation, but my parents (I was told) had to run away into the nearby jungle to escape the Japanese invaders. But we were then living in the rural area so we did not have much contact with the Japanese. And after the Japanese left, the British came back; I remember the era well. The era when the British opened many Malay schools and I went to one of them, the era when the Communist Party of Malaya became the "Terrorists" who murdered people and wherever they went burning houses and shooting at the village headman houses at night. (These village headmen were British appointed) The British then was in full control so they organised Home Guards to guard the villages and Special Constabularies to guard the rubber estates, the tin mines and the new villages, and in some cases the towns as well. The Police Force was expanded and the Malay Regiment were made into more Battalions. There was an undeclared war. I grew up in the mids of these trouble.
Honestly, except for shooting incidents in my village when the so called "Terrorists" came at night to shoot at the village headman house I did see any major trouble. The funny thing was that none of the villagers got killed. Maybe seeing the British troops and the Gurkhas carrying dead bodies of the "Terrorists" slung over wooden poles a couple of times when I visited the towns where the British and Gurkhas troops made their presence.
And then I went into a fully residential school in another state and there I only heard about some Australian troops being ambushed and killed. I never saw any untowards incidents, thank God for that. Then I went overseas for further studies, and there life was very different from what I left behind in Malaya. Then Malaysia was formed, the Confrontation by Indonesia came into being but I was away from home then to witness it. When I came back to Malaysia, everything was almost at peace, except for some remnants of the Communist Party of Malaya at the Malaysian/Thai border and in Sabah and Sarawak. Nothing really threatening though the situation was quite tense. The worst period as far as I can remember was the incident of racial clashes on May 13th 1969 . (or try this site for more detail on 13th May 69). There are not many books written on the incident, but there is a Government official report on that.
I had a good career in my profession until I retired at the beginning of the 21st Century. By then Malaysia has progressed, tallest building in the world , with its own ‘underground’ trains, and locally manufactured (supposedly) Proton cars. And I had taken part in making the progress, though not directly but enough to say that I contributed unseeingly.
Now imagine me living in the 21st Century Malaysia where it is a 3rd world country with a 3rd world mentality but having a 1st world progress (of Kuala Lumpur). And me feeling a misfit in all these. I have lived my life, have traveled half the world and have seen other civilisation, and here I am trying to adjust to a situation far different from those other world civilisation, unique in a sense that it is multi-racial, multi-religion, multi-language and yet living in a peaceful environment. At least on the surface its peaceful, and I hope what we see is what we get. And Malay forming the dominant race and Islam the State Religion. Its a dicey situation.
This is one of the best poem on the Malays. Penned by the late Malay poet, Usman Awang on 29 Nov. 1999 (I think, but some can correct me here). It was written in Malay - the bracket part is my translation (also open to correction).
Melayu itu orang yang bijaksana (The Malays are wise beings)
Nakalnya bersulam jenaka(They are mischievous and jovial)
Budi bahasanya tidak terkira (They are very polite)
Kurang ajarnya tetap santun (But they are also crude)
Jika menipu pun masih bersopan (When cheating they are still polite*) *smiling
Bila mengampu bijak beralas tangan. (When giving support, they do so with both hands) Melayu itu berani jika bersalah (Malays are brave even when wrong)
Kecut takut kerana benar, (Will not be scared in truth)
Janji simpan di perut (Promises kept inside self)
Selalu pecah di mulut, (But broken by oral)
Biar mati adat (Let tradition dies)
Jangan mati anak. (Not the children)
Melayu di tanah Semenanjung luas maknanya: (In the Peninsular, the definition of Malays is very wide)
Jawa itu Melayu, Bugis itu Melayu (The Javanese is Malay, Bugis is Malay)
Banjar juga disebut Melayu, Minangkabau (Banjar is called Malay, Minangkabau)
memang Melayu,(are Malays)
Keturunan Acheh adalah Melayu,(From Aceh is a Malay)
Jakun dan Sakai asli Melayu,(Jakun and Sakai* original Malay) *the Aborigines
Arab dan Pakistani, semua Melayu (Arab and Pakistani, all Malays)
Mamak dan Malbari serap ke Melayu (Mamak and Malbari absorb as Malays)
Malah mua'alaf bertakrif Melayu (Even converts are called Malays)
Dalam sejarahnya (In history)
Melayu itu pengembara lautan (Malays are seafarers)
Melorongkan jalur sejarah zaman (Giving ways in ancient history)
Begitu luas daerah sempadan (So wide is the bordered area)
Sayangnya kini segala kehilangan (But now all is lost)
Melayu itu kaya falsafahnya (Malays are rich in philosophy)
Kias kata bidal pusaka (Figure of speech is inherited contained)
Akar budi bersulamkan daya (The root of gratitude is laced with initiative)
Gedung akal laut bicara (Treasure of thoughts is sea wide)
Malangnya Melayu itu kuat bersorak (Unfortunately the Malays likes to boast*) *shout/rowdy
Terlalu ghairah pesta temasya (Likes celebrations a lot)
Sedangkan kampung telah tergadai (Even when the village is mortgaged)
Sawah sejalur tinggal sejengkal (Padi field wide left a palm width)
tanah sebidang mudah terjual (land owned easily sold)
Meski telah memiliki telaga (Even if he has a water-fulled well)
Tangan masih memegang tali (The hand is still holding the bucket rope)
Sedang orang mencapai timba. (While others has already got to the bucket)
Berbuahlah pisang tiga kali (Even if all the while the bananas trees has fruited three times over)
Melayu itu masih bermimpi (The Malays still be dreaming)
Walaupun sudah mengenal universiti (Even if have been through the university)
Masih berdagang di rumah sendiri. (Still a foreigner is his own land)
Berkelahi cara Melayu (Fighting the ways of the Malay)
Menikam dengan pantun (Dueling by speeches in ‘pantun’ form)
Menyanggah dengan senyum (Visiting with a smile)
Marahnya dengan diam (Anger in silence)
Merendah bukan menyembah (Body lowered without bowing)
Meninggi bukan melonjak. (Standing not too high)
Watak Melayu menolak permusuhan (The Malays avoid enmity)
Setia dan sabar tiada sempadan (Obedient and patient without end)
Tapi jika marah tak nampak telinga (But when angry cannot be traced)
Musuh dicari ke lubang cacing (The enemy will be followed to the worms hole)
Tak dapat tanduk telinga dijinjing (If not hold by the horn, pulled by the ears)
Maruah dan agama dihina jangan (Reputation and religion not be put down)
Hebat amuknya tak kenal lawan (Will amok whoever the enemy)
Berdamai cara Melayu indah sekali (Peace making the Malay ways is most beautiful)
Silaturrahim hati yang murni (Maintaining relationship is heartily concern)
Maaf diungkap senantiasa bersahut (Forgiveness is readily given)
Tangan diulur sentiasa bersambut (The hand when extended is always received *) *in good faith
Luka pun tidak lagi berparut (The wound even will not have scars)
Baiknya hati Melayu itu tak terbandingkan (The good heart of the Malays has no comparison)
Selagi yang ada sanggup diberikan (Whatever have is always to give)
Sehingga tercipta sebuah kiasan: (Thus compose a metaphor)
"Dagang lalu nasi ditanakkan ("Traders passing, rice is cooked*) *and served
Suami pulang lapar tak makan (The husband on returning will go hungry)
Kera di hutan disusu-susukan (The monkey in the jungle is given milk* ) *usually breast milk in those days.
Anak di pangkuan mati kebuluran" (A child in her arms dies of hunger")
Bagaimanakah Melayu abad dua puluh satu (What will the Malays be in the 21st Century)
Masihkan tunduk tersipu-sipu? (Still bent over and shy?)
Jangan takut melanggar pantang (Don’t be afraid against the forbidden)
Jika pantang menghalang kemajuan; (If the forbidden in the way of progress)
Jangan segan menentang larangan (Don’t be scared to go against off-limits)
Jika yakin kepada kebenaran; (If confident of the truth)
Jangan malu mengucapkan keyakinan (Don’t be shy to be of confident)
Jika percaya kepada keadilan (If confident of justice)
Jadilah bangsa yang bijaksana (Be a wise tribe)
Memegang tali memegang timba (Holding the rope and the bucket)
Memiliki ekonomi mencipta budaya (Owning economy and create culture)
Menjadi tuan di negara Merdeka (Be a master in the Independent State)
The last few lines are indications of what is expected of the Malays when living in the 21st Century. And I am going into that era. But I am not getting any younger, so the advice is probably good for the younger Malays.
But 21st Century may be strange to me, but to the younger Malays it will be a challenge of survival, a challenge of keeping their religion intact, their language not perished and their way of life suited the new era. And their country at peace.
Can I as a Malay survive if I were to live in the 21st Century Malaysia? I know that I would, and I know that I can adapt to meet the new challenges. But I also know that the traditional definition, culture and habits of the Malays as written by the late Usman Awang has to be changed to suit. And the shackle of the Malays has to be got rid, privileges reduced, political parties playing less influence on their daily lives, and be less greedy if the race is to survive. The argument (till the cows come home) is always in the chicken and egg situation - Malays depend on their strong political parties to survive. My question is for how long?
I was born when the Japanese invaded Malaya but somehow we still owed allegiance to the British, so I may say that I was born during the Japanese/British era. I was a mere baby to remember what happened during the Japanese occupation, but my parents (I was told) had to run away into the nearby jungle to escape the Japanese invaders. But we were then living in the rural area so we did not have much contact with the Japanese. And after the Japanese left, the British came back; I remember the era well. The era when the British opened many Malay schools and I went to one of them, the era when the Communist Party of Malaya became the "Terrorists" who murdered people and wherever they went burning houses and shooting at the village headman houses at night. (These village headmen were British appointed) The British then was in full control so they organised Home Guards to guard the villages and Special Constabularies to guard the rubber estates, the tin mines and the new villages, and in some cases the towns as well. The Police Force was expanded and the Malay Regiment were made into more Battalions. There was an undeclared war. I grew up in the mids of these trouble.
Honestly, except for shooting incidents in my village when the so called "Terrorists" came at night to shoot at the village headman house I did see any major trouble. The funny thing was that none of the villagers got killed. Maybe seeing the British troops and the Gurkhas carrying dead bodies of the "Terrorists" slung over wooden poles a couple of times when I visited the towns where the British and Gurkhas troops made their presence.
And then I went into a fully residential school in another state and there I only heard about some Australian troops being ambushed and killed. I never saw any untowards incidents, thank God for that. Then I went overseas for further studies, and there life was very different from what I left behind in Malaya. Then Malaysia was formed, the Confrontation by Indonesia came into being but I was away from home then to witness it. When I came back to Malaysia, everything was almost at peace, except for some remnants of the Communist Party of Malaya at the Malaysian/Thai border and in Sabah and Sarawak. Nothing really threatening though the situation was quite tense. The worst period as far as I can remember was the incident of racial clashes on May 13th 1969 . (or try this site for more detail on 13th May 69). There are not many books written on the incident, but there is a Government official report on that.
I had a good career in my profession until I retired at the beginning of the 21st Century. By then Malaysia has progressed, tallest building in the world , with its own ‘underground’ trains, and locally manufactured (supposedly) Proton cars. And I had taken part in making the progress, though not directly but enough to say that I contributed unseeingly.
Now imagine me living in the 21st Century Malaysia where it is a 3rd world country with a 3rd world mentality but having a 1st world progress (of Kuala Lumpur). And me feeling a misfit in all these. I have lived my life, have traveled half the world and have seen other civilisation, and here I am trying to adjust to a situation far different from those other world civilisation, unique in a sense that it is multi-racial, multi-religion, multi-language and yet living in a peaceful environment. At least on the surface its peaceful, and I hope what we see is what we get. And Malay forming the dominant race and Islam the State Religion. Its a dicey situation.
This is one of the best poem on the Malays. Penned by the late Malay poet, Usman Awang on 29 Nov. 1999 (I think, but some can correct me here). It was written in Malay - the bracket part is my translation (also open to correction).
Melayu itu orang yang bijaksana (The Malays are wise beings)
Nakalnya bersulam jenaka(They are mischievous and jovial)
Budi bahasanya tidak terkira (They are very polite)
Kurang ajarnya tetap santun (But they are also crude)
Jika menipu pun masih bersopan (When cheating they are still polite*) *smiling
Bila mengampu bijak beralas tangan. (When giving support, they do so with both hands) Melayu itu berani jika bersalah (Malays are brave even when wrong)
Kecut takut kerana benar, (Will not be scared in truth)
Janji simpan di perut (Promises kept inside self)
Selalu pecah di mulut, (But broken by oral)
Biar mati adat (Let tradition dies)
Jangan mati anak. (Not the children)
Melayu di tanah Semenanjung luas maknanya: (In the Peninsular, the definition of Malays is very wide)
Jawa itu Melayu, Bugis itu Melayu (The Javanese is Malay, Bugis is Malay)
Banjar juga disebut Melayu, Minangkabau (Banjar is called Malay, Minangkabau)
memang Melayu,(are Malays)
Keturunan Acheh adalah Melayu,(From Aceh is a Malay)
Jakun dan Sakai asli Melayu,(Jakun and Sakai* original Malay) *the Aborigines
Arab dan Pakistani, semua Melayu (Arab and Pakistani, all Malays)
Mamak dan Malbari serap ke Melayu (Mamak and Malbari absorb as Malays)
Malah mua'alaf bertakrif Melayu (Even converts are called Malays)
Dalam sejarahnya (In history)
Melayu itu pengembara lautan (Malays are seafarers)
Melorongkan jalur sejarah zaman (Giving ways in ancient history)
Begitu luas daerah sempadan (So wide is the bordered area)
Sayangnya kini segala kehilangan (But now all is lost)
Melayu itu kaya falsafahnya (Malays are rich in philosophy)
Kias kata bidal pusaka (Figure of speech is inherited contained)
Akar budi bersulamkan daya (The root of gratitude is laced with initiative)
Gedung akal laut bicara (Treasure of thoughts is sea wide)
Malangnya Melayu itu kuat bersorak (Unfortunately the Malays likes to boast*) *shout/rowdy
Terlalu ghairah pesta temasya (Likes celebrations a lot)
Sedangkan kampung telah tergadai (Even when the village is mortgaged)
Sawah sejalur tinggal sejengkal (Padi field wide left a palm width)
tanah sebidang mudah terjual (land owned easily sold)
Meski telah memiliki telaga (Even if he has a water-fulled well)
Tangan masih memegang tali (The hand is still holding the bucket rope)
Sedang orang mencapai timba. (While others has already got to the bucket)
Berbuahlah pisang tiga kali (Even if all the while the bananas trees has fruited three times over)
Melayu itu masih bermimpi (The Malays still be dreaming)
Walaupun sudah mengenal universiti (Even if have been through the university)
Masih berdagang di rumah sendiri. (Still a foreigner is his own land)
Berkelahi cara Melayu (Fighting the ways of the Malay)
Menikam dengan pantun (Dueling by speeches in ‘pantun’ form)
Menyanggah dengan senyum (Visiting with a smile)
Marahnya dengan diam (Anger in silence)
Merendah bukan menyembah (Body lowered without bowing)
Meninggi bukan melonjak. (Standing not too high)
Watak Melayu menolak permusuhan (The Malays avoid enmity)
Setia dan sabar tiada sempadan (Obedient and patient without end)
Tapi jika marah tak nampak telinga (But when angry cannot be traced)
Musuh dicari ke lubang cacing (The enemy will be followed to the worms hole)
Tak dapat tanduk telinga dijinjing (If not hold by the horn, pulled by the ears)
Maruah dan agama dihina jangan (Reputation and religion not be put down)
Hebat amuknya tak kenal lawan (Will amok whoever the enemy)
Berdamai cara Melayu indah sekali (Peace making the Malay ways is most beautiful)
Silaturrahim hati yang murni (Maintaining relationship is heartily concern)
Maaf diungkap senantiasa bersahut (Forgiveness is readily given)
Tangan diulur sentiasa bersambut (The hand when extended is always received *) *in good faith
Luka pun tidak lagi berparut (The wound even will not have scars)
Baiknya hati Melayu itu tak terbandingkan (The good heart of the Malays has no comparison)
Selagi yang ada sanggup diberikan (Whatever have is always to give)
Sehingga tercipta sebuah kiasan: (Thus compose a metaphor)
"Dagang lalu nasi ditanakkan ("Traders passing, rice is cooked*) *and served
Suami pulang lapar tak makan (The husband on returning will go hungry)
Kera di hutan disusu-susukan (The monkey in the jungle is given milk* ) *usually breast milk in those days.
Anak di pangkuan mati kebuluran" (A child in her arms dies of hunger")
Bagaimanakah Melayu abad dua puluh satu (What will the Malays be in the 21st Century)
Masihkan tunduk tersipu-sipu? (Still bent over and shy?)
Jangan takut melanggar pantang (Don’t be afraid against the forbidden)
Jika pantang menghalang kemajuan; (If the forbidden in the way of progress)
Jangan segan menentang larangan (Don’t be scared to go against off-limits)
Jika yakin kepada kebenaran; (If confident of the truth)
Jangan malu mengucapkan keyakinan (Don’t be shy to be of confident)
Jika percaya kepada keadilan (If confident of justice)
Jadilah bangsa yang bijaksana (Be a wise tribe)
Memegang tali memegang timba (Holding the rope and the bucket)
Memiliki ekonomi mencipta budaya (Owning economy and create culture)
Menjadi tuan di negara Merdeka (Be a master in the Independent State)
The last few lines are indications of what is expected of the Malays when living in the 21st Century. And I am going into that era. But I am not getting any younger, so the advice is probably good for the younger Malays.
But 21st Century may be strange to me, but to the younger Malays it will be a challenge of survival, a challenge of keeping their religion intact, their language not perished and their way of life suited the new era. And their country at peace.
Can I as a Malay survive if I were to live in the 21st Century Malaysia? I know that I would, and I know that I can adapt to meet the new challenges. But I also know that the traditional definition, culture and habits of the Malays as written by the late Usman Awang has to be changed to suit. And the shackle of the Malays has to be got rid, privileges reduced, political parties playing less influence on their daily lives, and be less greedy if the race is to survive. The argument (till the cows come home) is always in the chicken and egg situation - Malays depend on their strong political parties to survive. My question is for how long?
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