What Am I? Malaysian Or Malaysian Chinese?

1. 
   

   Carsten Ehlert

   on August 10th, 2009
   1

   Congratulations, .. dear chinese in 3rd generation.
   I love Malaysia as well, .. although I am still german, ..but may be will marry soon a Kadhazan.
   I have been to Malaysia for several times between 2005 and 2006.
   For me .. it’s also very important .. to speak about keeping the natural resources in your country .. as there are the most beautiful as well as important “lungs” of our world-wide planet: The rainforrests, which are sadly killed more and more.
   It also must (!) belong to the malaysian culture, to keep more care about this world-wide oeco-system, which makes air for the world .. and isn’t only a resource for industrial interests.
   As I have been in Malaysia in 2007, .. I was shocked about the smoke in that time (october).
   I hope, that will getting better to my future’s 2nd home.
   I hope, I will be a careful and respecting malaysian inhabbitant. At least .. I love Malaysia as a multicultural country only .. and not as a racist’s edge of the world.
   Malaysia could grow to a very great symbol of peace for all the world – especially for chinese and indians, who must keep peace in the future ..
   Gods blessing to you .. here .. and my deepest respect and friendship .. whenever we will meet.

   Carsten Ehlert .. still from Germany

2. 
   

   Kee

   on August 30th, 2009
   2

   Thank you, it reflects about what i thought about my country too. When i was young, i tell people I’m a Chinese Malaysian.
   Now i just tell them I’m a Malaysian.

   Now if the government stop messing up our identity as a multicultural secular country, my classmate at my overseas university will stop the funny look when i introduce myself. (They thought I’m from South Korea, and Malaysia is only for Malay).

   Thanks for messing up the country, Dear Government.

   Nicky from Thailand (studying in a multicultural institute)

3. 
   

   tengku_a

   on September 9th, 2009
   3

   This may provide you an answer:

   http://deminegara.blogspot.com/2008/11/racial-polarisation-and-forging-of.html

4. 
   

   nads

   on October 5th, 2009
   4

   yep, all the stuff u wrote up there is so damn true.
   I’m half Chinese and half Malay so that basically made me an official bumiputra.
   when i was in malaysia for summer holiday, i went to a malay souvenir market in Kuantan. A businessmen thought i was chinese so i got treated rudely. but when he found out i was a muslim, (which in their mind they thought muslim=malay)he suddenly changed his attitude! he treated me nicely and even gave me big discount!
   Isn’t this is unfair for chinese malaysian?

   nadia from Manchester (still doing A-levels)

5. 
   

   phoenixchoco

   on November 3rd, 2009
   5

   Bangsa Malaysia should speak Bahasa Malaysia locally or when meeting Malaysians and speak English internationally or to foreigners.
   If every Malaysian does this, then there will be no more prejudice.
   Malaysian Hakka, Hokien, Canton, Teo Chew, Foo Chow and etc and Malaysian Tamil, Ceylon, Punjab, Telugu, Malayalam and etc should also speak Bahasa Malaysia among themselves because that language is OUR language and is the National Language.
   Why referring yourselves as Chinese and Indians? You are not born there? And neither you are the citizen of those countries.
   In People Republic of China, to unite people of different dialects, they use Mandarin, their national language. (although Mandarin comes from northern part of China)
   So, to unite people of different dialects in Malaysia, we use the national language of Malaysia, that is Bahasa Malaysia.
   Why so ‘susah’ to understand?
   Mother-tongue languages should still be used but it should not outdo our national language…the language to unite the people of MALAYSIA.
   When everybody understands each other from the common language they speak, the prejudice towards Malaysia’s non-natives community will be a lot lesser and will be accepted by all means..I also love my country.

6. 
   

   admin

   on November 4th, 2009
   6

   @phoenixchoco

   So, the Iban, Kadazan, Penan, Dayak and all the other natives must speak BM among each other? Why don’t we speak THEIR native language instead? You’re prejudice, don’t bully the REAL bumiputra!

7. 
   

   phoenixchoco

   on November 5th, 2009
   7

   you are really missing the point…that’s why we never get to anywhere coz’ your (not all chinese or indians, but people like you, yes you) understanding is all over the place..
   I was saying is to use the National Language, read me…
   N A T I O N A L L A N G U A G E..WHY??? because you are this country’s NATIONAL.
   I already mentioned about the mother-tongue languages in my previous comment….please go and read again..
   As constituted, they are the bumiputra of Sabah and Sarawak and no one can dispute the fact and I do respect them…
   I have also heard them speaking the national language among themselves if someone of a different community background is present among them…at least one would not feel left out..and it is a good start…
   What about you, mate? because of your self-centered-ness, you will always have a conflict of identity forever you live in BUMI MALAYSIA…..

8. 
   

   frank

   on November 16th, 2009
   8

   phoenixchocco

   Speaking the national language do not unite the people as long as discrimination exists and people feel they are being unfairly sidelined. Infact every Malaysian now can speak the national language and would you say that there is no more prejudism against ‘non bumiputras’? Who is responsible for wanting us to regard ourselves as ‘Malay’,'Chinese’,'Indians’,etc?

   Yes, Bangsa Malaysia should speak Bahasa Malaysia and they in turn should be given equal opportunities.

   Many bumiputras are non Malays and many non bumiputras are descendants of Malays like the Peranakans of Malacca and Babas and Nonyas of Penang. Many of them used to speak the National Language among themselves and dressed and ate like the Malays and despite all these, they are still being discriminated against.

   Now what good start would you consider this to be? They may probably have been here longer than you if you care to trace your own roots.You would be surprised, your descendants may have their roots in China or India which makes you the same as many of the non bumiputras and why are you being treated as though you are the son of this land but not us? This is the stumbling block to creating a Bangsa Malaysia. If the Government were to give everyone the bumiputra title and give everyone equal opportunities, which Malaysian would not feel like a Bangsa Malaysia.

   Remove the partition ie bumiputras and non bumiputras and see what happens. I am God knows which generation here for half my ancestors are all born here, I speak Bahasa Malaysia and behave like a Malaysian but I am being reminded daily that I am a non bumiputra.I do not consider China to be my country and have never entered China but I have to state that I am a Chinese in many application forms. Now, who is causing this conflict of identity among us? Who is self centred and non God fearing? I live here because one of my Malay ancestors happened to live here hundreds of years ago. I am now well over 70years of age and I know that my mother and grandmother and greatmother are born here. This is my bumi but I am still not a bumi because of your selfishness.

   You feel left out just because you cannot understand when the people around you do not speak Bahasa Malaysia . How do we feel, when we could not get into our local universities or could not get licences or have to pay more to purchase houses etc. Do we not feel more left out than you? Correct this wrong and we will not feel left out and we shall all feel like Bangsa Malaysia.

   Go trace your roots and you will be surprised at your findings. You may have fewer rights than me to claim this land as yours and yours only.

   Be less self centred and learn to speak other languages as well. The English are speaking Mandarin and the Chinese from China are speaking English, what about you? Still being self centred and refused to speak Mandarin and Tamil? If you can speak Mandarin and Tamil you will be able to understand what the people around you are speaking and will therefore not feel left out! Mix with and visit the people of the other communities and this will help you to accept them as one of your brothers and will not cause other communities to have a conflict of identity. If the dead could speak, I shall ask my Malay ancestors to tell you that I am a bumiputra and I must be given equal opportunities and be made to feel like a bangsa Malaysia!

9. 
   

   phoenixchoco

   on November 18th, 2009
   9

   Frank

   First of all never in my postings did I mention about my race…because that is not important to me. What I care more is how to unite the Malaysians.
   You will be surprised IF my Mandarin is far better than yours ..I don’t know……..
   Confused? You shouldn’t. Nowadays when people speak it should transcend racial barriers…I fight for what is right constitutionally..

   I am from the new generation of Malaysia and when we say one would feel left out by not understanding the foreign language (i.e mandarin) doesn’t mean the person has to be me. I am speaking on behalf of the majority of people of Malaysia who feel like one…that’s all..

   Why would you like to generalize and assume stuffs?….Go also tell the whites in the US, Australia and others that they are also not the natives and why bother speaking ‘their’ language that happens to be the national language of the country and see what happens..

   I know my background very well. Roots? Well I do not need you to tell me about that.
   Old mentality would easily associate things that happen with one’s race.
   When we argue over something the race of the person shouldn’t be in the picture at all.

   Discrimination happens everywhere and it is just that they never told us about it or specified it or put it in writing.
   Why do you think they ask for your race whether you are White, Black, Asian, Oriental or Others when you apply for jobs in the UK, Australia, UAE or others? Think Frank. Think.

10. 
    

    frank

    on November 24th, 2009
    10

    phoenixchoco

    Firstly why would I want to ask the whites in the West or Down Under why they bother speaking their own language for that is none of my business. The bumiputras here are also speaking their own language, arent they and it is also not the native language, right? I do not ask them why they bother to speak their language which happens to be the national language of this country but which is not the native language.

    Your reasoning was that, as long as all of us speak the national language, our countrymen will be united. Look at Indonesia, everybody not only speaks the national language but have Indonesian names and don’t the minorities feel left out?

    In the old days, we spoke our own language among ourselves and yet people of the different races were united, thus, leading to independence from the British. Why were we more united then than now? Now let me tell you, for a fact we were not made to feel like outsiders while our brothers were insiders. We also mingled and visited each other with no religious barriers or restrictions.

    “Bangsa Malaysia should speak Bahasa Malaysia locally…..If every Malaysian does this then there will be no prejudice”….

    Really? How?

    “When everybody understands each other from the common language they speak, the prejudice towards Malaysia’s non native community will be a lot lesser and will be accepted by all means”.

    I understand that you meant Bahasa Malaysia as your common language mentioned above. Prejudice towards Malaysia’s non natives? You are confused. Bahasa Malaysia is from the non natives. They are the ones speaking it. The Bahasa Malaysia speaking non natives are the bumiputras and what prejudice is there towards them when they are the priviledged?

    I also love my country and would like everyone to love each and enjoy the same rights , natives or non natives as long as we hold the Mykad.

11. 
    

    phoenixchoco

    on December 3rd, 2009
    11

    Frank,

    Bahasa Malaysia is constituted as Malaysia’s official and national language. Period.

    Without the non-Malays, the Malays alone would still fight for the Independence. You want to know why? It is their great grandparents who suffered during the Portuguese and British colonization for hundreds, hundreds, hundreds of donkey’s years! They were oppressed, they were not given the education and etc. And they Malays retaliated and fought back. That’s what heppened.

    Yes there were handful of Chinese, Indians and Arabs, but they were merchants or whatnot who came here for trading and etc and mind you they came here by themselves.

    So you tell me, do you think the Malays bothered to unite with the Chinese and Indians for the sake of this Independence purpose after all these immigrants just set foot on this shore circa 1895 and worst still brought in by the British?
    The immigrants on the other hand wanted to have a better, safer, cleaner, more stabilized country/place to live in, so of course they chipped in!

    One of the key factors that lead to Independence as required by the British administration was, how to deal with the immigrants that they had brought in which they refused to ship them back. The Malay leaders then had no choice but to accept them with close arms and began imposing some conditions. The conditions remain until today.

12. 
    

    admin

    on December 4th, 2009
    12

    Quoted from phoenixchoco – “…Without the non-Malays, the Malays alone would still fight for the Independence…”

    yeah, like how they welcomed the Japanese with open arms, replacing one colonial master with another. You talked as if only the Malays suffer from these colonization and oppression, so does China and especially the Chinese during the Japanese occupation where almost 30% of the Chinese immigrant died fighting the Japanese in Malaya.

13. 
    

    frank

    on December 7th, 2009
    13

    phoenixchoco

    No one is denying the fact that Bahasa Malaysia is the national language of this country. You said that if every Malaysian speaks it, then there will be no prejudice. I said that it is not going to be so, like in Indonesia.

    Hey, it does not matter whether “they” came by themselves or were brought in, “they” were still immigrants except for the Orang Asli people. “they knew how to come by themselves, so they should also know how to go back by themselves unlike the other later immigrants who were brought here by the British and whom the British did not want to ship back. To get back to China or Saudi or India, one must have the money for the ship ticket and not every immigrant earned and saved enough. “They” who came before the Chinese, Indians and Arabs, came from Indonesia and it is very near and they can get back easier than those from far off places.

    The Orang Asli also were pushed back further into the jungle by “them” and they had to accept “them” with open arms and unlike the Malays imposing conditions on immigrants who arrived later than them, the Orang Asli did not know to impose conditions on “them”.

    By the way, more and more Malays are speaking in English on a daily basis. I have come across a few children speaking to their fathers in British English, yes with their British twang and they are Malays. Leave language out, this is not the uniting factor.

14. 
    

    phoenixchoco

    on December 14th, 2009
    14

    Frank,
    Your species are forever with your Orang Asli’s theories. The Government may have not done enough for them, at least we know they are doing something about it.

    Malaysia has its Orang Asli and so does Japan, Australia, Taiwan and other countries. Let’s not talk about other countries, we shall now focus on Taiwan. Now, from the link,
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwanese_aborigines

    The Hans are also immigrants in some parts of China and Taiwan that they have pushed its Orang Asli deep into the jungle and mountains, so what’s the fuss over the Orang Asli here in Malaysia? What more they have doubled the title by migrating to other countries that not only they are not native in their own country but also try to become a native champion in the foreign land they are residing. That makes some of ‘them’ here as “double immigrant”

    It all drills down to how the civilization started. Where and when did it start. They Malays started the civilization with a full fledged administration here in Malaya, then it got conquered, invaded, colonized. It was not the Orang Asli who started it. If this land had nothing, no opportunities, nobody would want to come; no colonization and resulted in no immigrants.

    Ever heard of old Hindu Malay kingdom of Langkasuka? and other old Malay kingdoms, Patani, Narathiwat, Songkhla, Yala etc before they were annexed by Siam? What about Proto Malays? Never? Then you should get your facts right before telling your grandchildren that all Malays are from Indonesia.

    Bear also in mind that before the Dutch and British colonization, there was no Indonesia or Malaya so the inhabitants were free to go from one piece of land to another as they shared a lot in common.

    What’s more important to me now is that, those so called immigrants whether they are from Indonesia, China, India, Arab countries or etc should not be having the immigrant mentality anymore like some of them do. Everybody should just blend together. No more demanding for “schools for immigrant” because this only comes in if people have the immigrant mentality. The “immigrants” from Indonesia have successfully thrown out their immigrant mentality and blended in. When will others?

15. 
    

    admin

    on December 15th, 2009
    15

    @phoenixchoco

    spot on phoenixchoco, everyone should BLEND in. Why don’t we start by celebrating and recognizing the Iban, Penan, Kadahzan, Orang Asli and the other culture and heritage. Lets start by printing their symbols/culture/images on the ringgit note.

16. 
    

    frank

    on December 18th, 2009
    16

    phoenixchoco

    Right, there should be no “school for immigrant” and we should all blend in. “When will others” wrote you.

    Let us start by having the English medium school back so that no one particular immigrant’s school is preferred. We should all blend in by celebrating Christmas next week,me, descendant of an Indonsian , would start by attending Christmas service to celebrate the birth of Jesus and would you be able to get all your friends and relatives of ALL the races to sing the carols and pray in Church? Quote “When will others”

    In Feb, I shall join the Chinese in their temple to pray on Chinese New Year Eve and also eat at the same table with them and eat their food. I also do not mind praying together with my Muslim brothers if they will allow me to blend in with them by allowing me to pray together with them and in their place of worship.

    Come Easter and Cheng Beng, I will gladly partake in the celebration for the former and prayer for the latter. Deepavali and Thaipusam are two other important days and events that I will gladly join in. You name any religious event I do not mind blending in. Quoting you “When will others”

    tuk tuk, do you really believe that the Indonsian migrants have thrown out their immigrant mentallity and blended in? Nah, none of us have thrown out our immigrant mentallity and blended in with the aborigines or blended in with one another. It was better in my younger days, more blending but we have drifted apart.

17. 
    

    phoenixchoco

    on December 18th, 2009
    17

    You are good at twisting my points.
    You never commented on the civilization and the Orang Asli in Taiwan as I have mentioned, you chose to hook onto the religion instead. The core culture there is all based on the culture of the majority which is the Han, no doubt they are immigrants there as well. Why I needed to mention the country above? It is because the same theory or rules apply here.
    You quoted “No one is denying the fact that Bahasa Malaysia is the national language of this country” and yet you argued why schools in Malaysia use Bahasa Malaysia for the medium of instruction. Very contradicting statements I find here.
    To Admin, since Chinese and Indians are not even mentioned even once in Malaysia’s Constitution, they are just referred to as the minorities, then I think there shouldn’t be any reason why we can’t have other indigenous people’s symbols or cultures be printed or promoted anywhere in Malaysia. By right, constitutionally there shouldn’t be anymore cultures or symbols of other races that are not even mentioned in Malaysia’s Constitution be promoted anywhere in Malaysia, but only within or among the communities themselves. How’s that? Your argument should be based by the constitution and not to your whims and fancies. I am wasting my time here, Sayonara.

18. 
    

    admin

    on December 18th, 2009
    18

    @Phoenixchoco – Quote “By right, constitutionally there shouldn’t be anymore cultures or symbols of other races that are not even mentioned in Malaysia’s Constitution be promoted anywhere in Malaysia,”

    So, the orang Asli like the Iban, Penan, Kadahzan, Dayak don’t have rights in their own ancestor’s land? Why are they forced to wear the ‘songkok’ into parliament? why are they forced to pass the BM language? GOD is watching, what goes around comes around.

19. 
    

    frank

    on December 20th, 2009
    19

    phoenixchoco

    Bahasa Malaysia is the national language like English is in Australia cos one particular immigrant group who is the majority decides so like in Australia.My ancestor belong to that particular group. The English Language does not belong to any of our major immigrant races here and if you want the schools for immigrants to be removed, so we have to be fair and remove all the schools for all the immigrants like the Chinese schools, the Indian schools and the Malay schools but not just the Chinese and the Indian schools. You said that we should all blend in and I agree with you. Now how are we to blend in if one particular immigrant group assert superiority over the others and do not blend in himself. It takes two to tango. The minorities and the majority must blend in together.

    How are we to blend in if the minorities are willing to celebrate each other’s festivities and pray at each other’s places of worship and visit each other and eat each other’s food except for some particular people.

    Say for example, I am ready to pray together with you, eat together with you in your house, break fast together, but if you are not willing or not allowed to do the same back, there will never be any blending.

    None of us are twisting your points, you are wasting our time for your are arguing according to your own whims and fancies.

    Merry Xmas, I am going to join my christian friends singing the carols! I am not a Chritian! I used to break the coconuts during Thaipusam and applied the holy ash over my forehead and I am not a Hindu! See, this is blending in.

    We are one and we are all God’s creation and God loves us all equally and He will not tolerate sinful acts.

    Goodbye

20. 
    

    admin

    on December 20th, 2009
    20

    @frank

    Indians can visit a chinese coffeeshop, Chinese can visit an Indian restaurant, every single race can pretty much blend in with one another except for the M race.

21. 
    

    A Friend

    on December 27th, 2009
    21

    Speaking as a Malay I think the problem with us is the supposingly ‘UMNO religion’ that separate us deeply from every race.

    Islam teaches tolerance and honesty but all I see in my fellow muslims in Malaysia is self superiority and self importance and mere selfishness. Although this does not apply to everyone but most people has been brainwashed in some way or other by a this manifesto. Between BTN and other programme that I’ve participated in while growing up I myself was brought up to think this way. Not to mentioned some Chinese people were racist towards me too when I was younger that build the hatred stronger.

    Now at 30 I’m beginning to see how foolish we are as we are all Malaysian. Malaysia does not belong to any race or religion but to our nation, all Malaysian nationality. UMNO has manipulated us with the ‘divide and conquer’ strategy, as long as we are afraid of each other they will always have power on us.

    Also we should not be so divided by religion, all religion teaches us to be good. Where is our sense of respect for each other? Just because we’re Muslims does not make us superior than other race, please do not follow the examples of the Arabs – they’ve never been of examplinary behaviour. Just because we wear hijab, eat only slaughtered meat or doesn’t eat pork does not make us a good Muslim either. What should make a Muslim is tolerance, honesty and goodness in the heart.

    Malaysians can change but first we need to stop UMNO!

22. 
    

    admin

    on December 30th, 2009
    22

    @A Friend

    All religion are the same, the only difference is the route/approach/ways towards enlightenment. The end goal is the same – do good and enter heaven.

    Only the Malays can change this country, no other, for every change the Chinese or Indians demanded, it will be drummed up by Utusan as a racist agenda.

23. 
    

    A Friend

    on January 1st, 2010
    23

    Utusan is another one of their instruments to stupidify the nation. I don’t know what is the solution to this and I sympathised to your causes but even I am afraid to speak out in fear of being accused a traitor or worst being sent to jail. There is no freedom of speech as you’ve mentioned, my dad spoke his mind at the cost of his promotions then his job. Raja Petra is being hunted as we speak.

    Like businessmens, a lot of us appear to be with them but are actually rooting againts them in hope of a better party and a better Malaysia. I wil never vote for these liars/ robbers/ murderers but they raid the elections anyway. God forbid there are a few of us who can think for ourselves – an anomaly of our education system.

    All the best my friend, the winds of change will come!

24. 
    

    chinese bulship

    on January 22nd, 2010
    24

    chinese in malaysian is full of shit, they say they want integration, or asking why people don’t love them! Shut the fuck off, you the one who separate you self, you the one who insist to speak in language that people don’t understand, separating yourself in cocoon vernacular school, separating them self by working only among them self, chinese speaking/chinese only job advertisement, etc, etc, then blame others… full of crap!

25. 
    

    admin

    on January 23rd, 2010
    25

    @chinese bulship

    Mind your language. About the ‘Chinese speaking/chinese only job advertisement’ you mentioned, it is meant for those who speaks Mandarin regardless of race. Maybe the company has subsidiary in China, do you expect the Chinese in China to speak Malay? Grow a brain, I bet Petronas/Sime Darby and all the government link companies do hire ‘Mandarin Speaking’ Malaysians regardless of race if they happened to have interest in Chine/Taiwan/Hong Kong.

    40 years of NEP turns you into a brainless zombie. Seriously, don’t look at everything from a racial point of view.

26. 
    

    vt62

    on April 30th, 2010
    26

    Well just look at the MCA, lots of in-fighting and internal politicking. For what one may ask ? To promote and serve the interests of their own community ? A big joke right !? They are merely jostling for power coz once they are in power, they can advance their own wealth and interests. If the Chinese have been more united, they wouldn’t be bashed around like that all the time. What’s more, and very sadly, some of these Chinese even joined their Malay ‘fellow citizens’ in bashing S’pore whenever there’s a spate between M’sia and S’pore. So, no need to sympathize with them. Let them continue to live under the illusion that the Malays really look upon them as ‘fellow citizens’. If ever a war breaks out between the 2 countries, there’s bound to be ‘ethnic cleansing’ in M’sia and u know, I know who the targets and victims are going to be. The Malaysian soldiers will go into an orgy of plundering, looting, burning, destroying what the Chinese own,and raping, killing and torturing the Chinese. When Singapore Armed Forces goes into M’sia, they are not going to distinguish Malay or Chinese, it’s S’poreans against Malaysians. So next time when your racist government or authorities try to stir shit with S’pore again, do consider carefully before deciding which side to take !

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