Friday, October 31, 2008

My Nostalgia and the Social Contract

A Kadir Jasin

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AS we get older, we tend to become philosophical. And we are prone to nostalgia. That’s because our brains remember things and events that occurred during our younger days better than what’s currently happening.

So as one gets older and becomes less interested and less involved with the present, he or she tends to think and recall the past. The past becomes nostalgia because it’s no longer exists.

That, sometimes, sets us apart from our children and the younger people in general. The younger people are concerned with the present – the job, the economy, the credit card payment and their children’s schooling.

The moms and dads with the past – the swaying palms, the catfish and the climbing perch (ikan puyu) riding the torrent to spawn in the freshly filled rice fields, the lesson in akhlak (manners) and frugal living.

I am getting nostalgic too. So pardon me for my rambling. When I read comments sent to this blog about race and other so-called “sensitive issues”, my memory rushes back to the past.

To my birthplace Tanah Merah. To towns like Pendang, Alor Star, Bukit Mertajan, Kulim and Selama. To the 1950s and 1960s when life was simpler despite its trials and tribulations.

Those were the days, when I was a budak Melayu, Quah Guan Oo was budak Cina and Susibalan was budak Keling. The time when Melayu, Cina, Keling, kafir, pork eater, toddy drinker and otak belacan were expressions that signify closeness and camaraderie.

A Chinese was a pork eater, an Indian was a toddy drinker and a Malay was supposed to have the brain of belacan.

When Malays got married, the wedding processions were accompanied by the “Gendang Keling” (the Indian drums). Today you risk getting a punch in the nose and charge with sedition if you call your good friend P Gandi or Balasupramanian “Keling” in public. Your “Keling” friends of the 1950s and 1960s may not mind, but the people around you may.

My late grandfather, Haji Hassan was a good cook, a good bird trapper and, above all, a good human being. He had no qualm about joining his pig-rearing, illegal Empat Nombor Ekor-operating Chinese friends in funeral processions.

They repaid his kindness and camaraderie with “Rough Rider” cigarettes, sugar, coffee and salted fish. He had no problems with their pigs occasionally straying into his homestead.

He went to Mecca by boat and moonlighted as unlicensed taxi operator using -- in rapid succession -- his beloved Austin A40, Morris Minor, Humber Hawk and Standard Vanguard.

Learning from him and from my father, Haji Jasin bin Tahir, I thought nothing of accepting invitations from my Chinese friends to have peanuts and lemonade when they feasted on suckling pigs. The sight of roasted pig’s head on the dining table hardly put us off.

Our Chinese neighbours harvested bamboo leaves from our garden to wrap rice and flour cakes and gave us “kueh bakul” during the Moon Cake Festival and bankrolled our wedding feasts on the “padi kunca” system.

To get to school, we had to walk or cycle through Chinese villages. Soon we learned the art of kicking the dogs while riding our Hercules or Raleigh bicycles, and occasionally stealing oranges the Chinese put out for their deities.

The occasional journey to Selama in Perak was perilous. No uncooked food could be carried. Only cooked food was allowed. If you were caught with uncooked food like rice or salted eggs at the one of the military or police roadblocks along the Sungai Ular road in Kulim, you had some tough explaining to do.

The 1948-1960 Emergency Rule mandated that only cooked food could be carried without permit. This was to avoid food being smuggled to the communist “terrorists” or being confiscated by them in their regular roadside ambushes.

The Malay soldiers of the Regimen Askar Melayu and the Malay policemen of the Auxiliary Constabulary Unit, better known as the AC, died defending the Chinese New Villages.

Chinese Special Branch officers disappeared from public view in order to infiltrate the banned Malayan Communist Party and Chinese policemen died fighting the Chinese secret societies.

We were Malays, Chinese and Indians. But we were also Malayans (and from 1963, Malaysians).

But independence in 1957 was both a boon and a bane for the new Malayans. The Constitution guarantees the special rights and privileges of the Malays and others natives, and gave the citizenship right to the immigrant Chinese and Indians.

It was unthinkable that the Malays, who then accounted for just under 50 per cent of the population, would accept the citizenship of the Chinese and Indians had their special rights and privileges not been enshrined in the Perlembagaan.

Eminent jurist, the late Professor Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Ibrahim, in his article “Prinsip-Prinsip Perlembagaan Islam dan Perlembagaan Malaysia” published by the Institute of Islamic Understanding in 1995, said:

“The Federal Constitution is the product of the agreement reached among the residents of Malaysia (Malaya) who were made up of the Malays, Chinese and Indians. The Malaysian Constitution is not only a legal document, but also a social contract and a peace agreement.”

So when I was invited to discuss social contract on the “Helo Malaysia” programme of Bernama TV on Oct. 28, I stated from the outset that “any discussion and debate on this subject must be founded on the sanctity of law, national unity, peace and security.

It’s indeed a workable peace agreement. Except for the May 13, 1969 incident and isolated skirmishes after that with the loss of a few lives, peace prevails.

But as the country grows older and the population becomes younger the knowledge and respect for the past becomes hazier. The older generation that is rooted in history becomes the minority and the new generation that is not schooled in the history of the country becomes the majority.

Without knowledge and wisdom, they become easy targets of hate campaign by unscrupulous and usually ignorant politicians and chauvinists of all shades and colours.

For that reason, I think all peace-loving Malaysians must heed the Sept. 16 warning by the Rulers’ Council not to question the social contract and the Oct. 22 call by Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak for the Constitution and the social contract to be taught in universities.

My own feeling is it should also be taught at all levels of schooling in line with the spirit of Rukun Negara.

Those who deny the existence of social contract or question its relevance should consider the fact that Malaysia would not be what it is today if the Malays, who form the majority, have not been willing to accommodate the aspirations and demands of the minority Chinese and Indians.

This is not a Merdeka thing. It existed long before 1957. During the 1949-1951 period, the Malay Rulers were pressured by the British to accept the Chinese and Tamil immigrants as state citizens under the 1951 State Nationality provision.

In return, the Rural Industry Development Authority (Rida) was formed to promote and develop rural education, economy and trade in order to benefit rural Malays. (Mustapa Mohamed, Kemelut Politik Melayu, Media Centre, 2001).

The blame is not so much with the people. I am fortunate enough to sit in a number of multi-racial and multi-disciplinary consultative bodies like the National Economic Consultative Council (Mapen), the Malaysian Business Council and the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysian Police.

Devoid of partisan politics and emotional ethnic bickering, we could agree and come out with some very good economic and social policies and programmes.

But when these reports reached the politicians, the bickering and the partisan interest inevitably put paid to all the goodwill and tolerance that formed the basis of the reports.

So, in my moment of nostalgia, I recall the good old days of attending the traveling Chinese Opera with my late grandmother and kicking the barking dogs while riding my rickety old bicycle.

Those were the days when “Keling” was a perfectly good word that referred to people who originated from the ancient Hindu Empire of Kalinga.

Kalinga (where the state of Orissa is now) was an empire whose people were patriotic. They were ready to fight and die in defense of their motherland.

The Wekipedia free online encyclopedia notes: “Colonists from Kalinga settled in Sri Lanka, Burma, and the Indonesian archipelago. Even today Indians are referred to as Keling in Malaysia because of this.”

But today they don’t call my favourite “Gendang Keling” --- an ensemble of a flute, two gendang keling and two hanging gongs – by that name anymore.

That’s because the people who banned the use of these so-called derogatory terms don’t really understand history or care to know history. So pardon me for my anger and nostalgia. Age is catching up with me.

93 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good one, Datuk.
Insightful.
It's definitely a Malaysia that I read in books, watch in movies, or hear from the "elders".
I agree that the social contract should be taught but history should also build a more united Malaysia.
I hope to read more of these "Tales Of Malaya".

Anonymous said...

Time has change, for good or bad, time will tell. That is life. We live today but it is for tomorrow. But Datuk, what happen if tomorrow never come.
Actually I am pondering after reading your scribe on a lecture given by a professor many years ago on the concept of MELAYU NUSANTARA. Still trying to figure out the purpose of that lecture///????dh9753

Anonymous said...

Datuk,
Good old you Datuk. My respect goes to you sir.
Salam

Anonymous said...

it's remind me to my early days,when my late father was estate manager(Dublin Estate),and the only malay estate manager with European Company,that was from 1969 till 1980,to my indian friends Thiaga and others and chinese friends Ah Thong and others who used to be my father caddy at Dublin Golf Club,may god bless you,to my malays friends remember this...semua pemimpin-pemimpin united malays national organisation adalah PENCURI BESAR,mereka telah mencuri hasil-hasil negara dan hak-hak kita sejak 51 tahun yang lalu... Hidup Sosialisma..!!

kekure said...

very well said Datuk
I grew up in a housing area full of Chinese and Indians.
Abah used to hang out with them at kedai kopi cina (there was no mamak shop at that time in the area).
I even had my breakfast there regularly.
It was great back then.
No one would label you as kafir if you eat kaya toast at kedai kopi cina.
Those were the days in 80's where people didn't really care about colour of your skin.
At least at where I grew up.

Anonymous said...

Terima kasih Dato'.

I too can identify with much of what you write as my grandfather is a 90+ year old retired policeman who move from Lenga, to Bukit Kepong, to Ipoh and to the estates in Kulim. I used to go to Kuil Hindu Badenoch Estates because that was the only place everyone in the 'kuchi' went to watch the Samurai movies...

We used to have fun watching Indian wedding ceremonies..

Every Chinese New Year my taxi driver dad would take us visiting his friends' families where we were treated to F&N orange!

sayangmalaysia

Anonymous said...

Apa yang nak marah-marah, Scribe.

Perlukah diadakan 'referendum' dalam hal ini?

Nepal dulunya sebuah negara beraja, bukan? Indonesia pun sama.

Boleh kita persoalkan apa peranan kepimpinan membina yang dibuat raja-raja Melayu? Kerana social contract itu berhubung kait rapat dengan persoalan raja-raja Melayu bukan? DEB itu pun baru.

Anonymous said...

A fantastic piece. Bravo.
I am I believe 20 years younger than you.
I lived in Penang.
I have my own business.
I am a Malay and I do employ Indians and Chinese.
Some of the people who came to the office were shock as there are chinese who are willing to work for me. Indians for them is acceptable.
They will whisper to me, "be careful".
I found this awkward.
Why do people have this feeling?
I believe in this principle. The best should be rewarded and the weak should be helped.
I do not care of whatever race you are, if you can work hard, honest and have a high a commitment, the person, again regardless whatever race he is, should be rewarded with the best job and the best pay.
If you are weak, you lend a helping hand. But if the person does not want to help themselves, it is useless if you want to go a step further.
People say, that I do not give enough opportunity to my own race.
It is not that actually. It is my race who fails to take the opportunity to go a step further.
Because of this I survive building my business in Penang. Not being pampered by illusion that as a Bumiputera I will be helped by UMNO or government and without their help I will be doomed.
It is tough for me, but I am happy with what God has given me but never stop in trying to get more.
I believe when we do mix around with other races, we would find that we want the same things in life.
We have our differences and because of the differences we are stronger.
Like in Jerry Mc Guire Tom Cruise said, we complete each other.
In the puasa month, my business could collapse if I rely only on Malay market.
Luckily we have a multi racial society, I still make a profit.
The problem with the new generation in politics and in the Malaysian society is that they start forgetting of what God has given them and simply complaining. God will be saying, things that you do not appreciate I will take back. Since you cannot appreciate what has been given, what is the point of giving what you are asking?

Anonymous said...

datuk, do you have any idea why the word keling was banned?

Anonymous said...

dato,
saya rasa generasi zaman sekarang dah tak peduli pasal social contract.

semua hanya peduli pasal perut masing-masing.

walaupun cerita dato seronok dibaca, tapi zaman sekarang dah berubah..

sedangkan melayu sama melayu pun dah tak ngam, apatah lagi melayu dengan bangsa lain.. yg masing-masing peduli ialah camner nak jadi kaya ajer..

serupala dengan saya. relationship saya dengan orang melayu malah bangsa lain sekalipun hanya berkisahkan mana yg dapat memberi benefit(pulangan bagus) kepada saya..

bak kata orang, sekarang zaman "man eat man, dog eat dog"..

yg benar
melayu KL

Anonymous said...

That's rather skewered view of history, Datuk!

Just because it happened fifty years ago, derogatory terms be it Keling or Nigger cannot be justified today just because it was used when people were insensitive to others then.

If your "Keling" term is justified, I would be most curious if you dare to use the term Nigger in US, or Europe or Africa. And if they dare correct you, maybe you can attempt to argue that it was once used as an affectionate term for people from Niger.

Just like women-folk are no longer just baby factories or considered inferior to men, your argument on those derogatory terms is not acceptable anymore.

300 years ago, women did not have the right to vote...perhaps you can argue from a historical point of view, they should be stripped of those rights now.

All this is the result of progress and if you believe in sticking to those terms...maybe it is better for you to go back to that era and stay there.

The social contract was crafted to give citizenship to China and India born immigrants for a Malay protection clause in the Fed Constitution.

Look around you, Datuk! Can you find any Kelings (from Kalinga) left or for that matter Chinese from China? (I am discounting the new immigrants from China, India, Indonesia etc)

What this country has (in abundance) is not Kelings and Cina-peks. What this land has is Malaysian Chinese, Malaysian Indians, Malaysians English and etc.

For you to argue that the social contract is unalterable or unchallengeable like the term Keling is pure hogwash.

Anyway, for your information Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has admitted today that the so-called social contract which Umno speaks of today is nothing more than a creation of its politicians in the 1980s.

Why don't you write a rebuttal to that?

In the meantime, I suggest that you don't visit Kalinga (now Orissa) or US or Niger because I don't think they will find you very affectionate.

Zahar said...

As salaamu alaikum,

Membaca tulisan blog ini juga membawa memori nostalgia kepada saya. Terima kasih Dato.

Satu cadangan yang saya sokong adalah pelajaran sejarah negara ini dijadikan matapelajaran yang terpenting. Disamping itu, penekanan harus dibuat supaya sejarah ini diajar di sekolah2 bahasa ibunda bukan Melayu kerana pada masa ini sekolah2 tersebut lebih memberatkan hal2 berkaitan negara luar dari negara Malaysia sendiri.

Kebanyakkan ide2 yang terpesong mulai dari zaman kanak2 dan kalau dibiarkan, mereka akan salah mengerti hingga ke dewasa. Ini dapat kita lihat efeknya sekarang dimana segolongan muda mudi yang diajar bahawa negara luar mempunyai sejarah beribu ribu tahun adalah lebih disanjung dari tanahair sendiri.

myrod88 said...

i remember those days whenever my bahasa melayu teacher asked us to write an essay about "malaysiaku tercinta" or "hujan emas di negara orang hujan batu di negara sendiri", we've never missed this following sentence:

"MALAYSIA MEMPUNYAI PENDUDUK BERBILANG KAUM YANG HIDUP DALAM SUASANA AMAN DAN DAMAI SERTA MUHIBBAH DAN BERTOLERANSI."

i wonder, if these topics are to be given to my younger brothers and sisters nowadays, what they would write in their essays...

Fadhil said...

Salam Dato' Scribe,

No need to be apologetic about nostalgia. It's what that keeps us sane sometimes.

Having grown up with many non-Malay friends in not quite a kampung area, I can relate to your story. I didn't think that a kampung boy like you would've close friendships with Chinese and Indian guys, but I'm mistaken.

It may just be a coincidence, but I just posted a piece about remembering a childhood best-friend who is Indian. As I said, it's good to be nostalgic once in a while... life was so much simpler then.

Anonymous said...

Dear Datuk,
I'm a Malaysian Chinese, I like this article and understand the message. How do we solve the problem? There's a lot of the government machinery are in control by chauvinistic, corrupt and of ill character politicians. Malays being majority have its fair share of these characters, so are the Indians and Chinese.

I believe the chinese understand the social contract and so do everyone at that time. But what is AFTER the social contract that means when the Malays Majority forms government which implement policy and have discriminatory practice which is "unforeseen" during the drafting of the social contract or constitution at that time. For example, the NEP.

You could say the chinese enter into the social contract without knowing of NEP consequences and its discriminatory practice within. This is not discuss during the forming of the constitution.

So, a larger scope and the root cause is still on 13th May which totally change this social contract spirit. So you can say the NEW MALAYSIA..and its psychological mindset is only SHAPE after the 13th May incident. For the younger Malaysian, their mind, spirit, manner can only reminisense after this date, but for your case Datuk, who live longer can think back far into Social Contract era.

In essence, the REAL problem is after 13th May and the NEP. So which we should tackle this honestly and openly. Why Hindraf protesting, why the other races feel discriminated & so on and HELP THEM, alleviate their fear and insecurity and assure them there's a place for them in Malaysia because they cannot like you Datuk....think so far back into social contract time.

Brgds,
Sad for Malaysia

Anonymous said...

So you are angry because you can't call us keling anymore?

Seronok jugak ye bila boleh gunakan sejarah untuk menghina sesuatu bangsa!

Azman said...

Y.Bhg Datuk AKJ

It is an awe-inspiring posting. Very nostalgic indeed. It does bring some reminiscence in me even though we are not in the same age band.

The funny thing is Datuk, the more I let myself reminiscing my own pasts, the lesser I found any events resembling inter-racial closeness like what you had. Perhaps, my up bringing in a surrounding of Malay kampong folks and boarding school presented me with no luxuries to blend with friends from other races. For that, I really envy your nostalgic events in life, and totally agree about what you said about our younger generation, me including.

Then, I switched to think about my father whom, in his mid-seventies now, can speak and write Mandarin and some other Chinese dialects, very well. He learned that from his Chinese kampong friends informally in exchange for teaching them Jawi. It didn’t make my father less Malay nor did it make those Chinese friends of his less Chinese.

According to my father, Utusan Melayu was so widely read in those times that it lured his Chinese friends to learn reading it. The paper was so looked up upon and somewhat became a uniting factor among communities back then. He always cynically relating stories that even Lee Kuan Yew can read those scripts, why are we Malays merangkak-rangkak?

Some years ago when Utusan Melayu stopped printing as dailies, it angered my father quite a bit. Although he can read Rumi as good as Jawi, the nostalgic and historic events the newspaper created for generation like him, made him babbling towards ‘newspaper people’. Kacang lupakan kulit katanya…

It is as if Jawi is more befitting religious subjects that ‘newspaper people’ found no commercial value to print it daily as before. What makes my father even sadder is when he sees pengantin lelaki mostly opt to read lafaz taqliq in Rumi.

I just can only wonder of what an awesome nostalgic story that could have been for my father and his Chinese friends, if my father can eloquently writes.

In today’s reality, we simply do not have that kind of scenario anymore. Our communities are diverging further apart and we do not share any historic events, what more proud ones. Nak harapkan sukan sebagai uniting factor….Pestabola Merdeka pun tak boleh menang!

I couldn’t agree with you more that we need to teach our younger generation about our country's historic events. If we don't have one, something is wrong somewhere...

Azman Mohd Isa
Shah Alam

casper c said...

Salam Dato'KJ

Pardon my ignorance but while you were generous with nostalgia, you seem to have glance over the entity, the members most responsible for inflaming present day race relation. And while I agree there is a need to revisit the Constitution and its teaching, again you have glance over recent threats posed by groups when organising street demonstrations in Penang when open debates were held to discuss the Constitution.

I'm hesistant to label them 'Islamist' but this group,perhaps the same affiliation, had also enmass at the Lady of Lourdes in protest because it was purpotedly held that Muslim children were to receive Communion !

It would be interesting to see how the Institution of Raja-raja Melayu come to terms when confronted with issues brought up by Islamist. On paper and in spirit, their protest against Lina Joy is against the best spirit of how the Constitution is worded.

Dato', I'm the 13th generation of 'kaum penumpang' residing in and around M'sia/S'pore. My brother's and I inherited the ancestral home in M'cca just last year and I caught a glimpse of the original title deed, browned and yellowed, worded in Dutch dated 1798.

My ancestors have left their mark on the annals of Malayan history. One, Great grand mother Mdm Chua Wan Neo and her forebears had an illustrious history in M'cca. Her achievemnets (contributing too much taxes to the coffers of Empire) gained her a MBE from the King George V. Her wealth allowed her to leave the Boys Scout movemnet a plot of land in Pantai Kundor, M'cca.

Sad to inform, political interest managed to hijacked this sea front piece of land to have built condominiums - a project that subsequently 'gantung' - funds lost or contractor 'lari' my best guess. Another incident of much regret, a private piece of burial ground perched on a hill where grandfather, his brothers and cousins lay at rest was forcefully acquired by State on the pretext of building a road. No such road exist today but instead some houses have sprung up.

What is a 'kaum penumpang' to do while we watch present day tuan's rape and plunder this land of plenty ? What does the future hold Dato'KJ ?

Salam dengan hormat

sawit futures trader said...

Salam Dato',

Such good old days. Yeah.

I was born in the 60's. My songs of nostalgic past may not be of the same lyrics to you but we do sing the same tune.

Forgive me for my directness in the following question, Dato'. I fail to come up with a better way asking.

Wasn't UMNO rejecting Dato' Onn Jaafar for a multi-racial party contradicting to the spirit of this "social contract" and close relationship between races of that time?

I am tempted to ask more but best to hold myself back. At least for now.

Anonymous said...

Salam Dato' AKJ,
Thanks for sharing your nostalgia... definitely a useful reminder to the younger generations of how things "ought to be for a win-win situation" as far as Malaysiana is concerned, dahulu, sekarang dan selamanya...

A KADIR JASIN said...

Dear Sdr Casper C,

Let us stick to the sosial contract and its spirit.

I am not defending the misdeeds of the officialdom. Their wrongdoings can be acted upon. The law can provides for redress.

And I dont think the immigrant races referred to in this article applied to your ancestors.

Similarly the same constitution and social contract protect religious freedom and freedom of assembly.

Those who disturb the meeting and place you referred to are not Islamists. They are just prostestors but they happened to be Muslims or claimed to represent the interest of Muslims.

That your late great grandmother was such a wealthy and generous person should prove to us that this land is kind to all and sundry.

Let us all try and do our part to keep it that way.

Thank you.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Dear Sdr Sawit Futures Trader,

From my reading, the Umno masses rejected Dato Onn's proposal to open membership of Umno to all races.

That was well before the present constitution and social contract were entered into.

Therefore, I dont think the opposition amounted to the Malays rejecting the constitution and the social contract.

Thank you.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr Jibam,

Sorry accidentally pressed reject.

Please resend your comment.

Anyway, you are right. Tun Mahathir's forefathers came from India.

But the way I know it, they came not from the state of Orissa which was the site of the old Kalinga Empire.

Just as a reminder, when people like me called our friends "Budak Cina" or "Budak Keling", we did not mean any disrespect.

To me, it doesn't matter. If people want to be disrespectful or racist, they can call a Chinese, a Malay or an Indian by any acceptable term, they are still racists.

Sdr Sad of Malaysia,

The NEP was an element of the social contract.

It was a product of the deliberation of the multiracial consultative council set up after the May 13 incident.

Its two main objectives namely eradicating poverty and restructuring society are colour blind.

It must be remebered that when the social contract was entered into, the Malays were preoccupied with their political power while the Chinese with the protection of their economic position.

It is also part of the social contract and the tolak ansur that despite an earlier policy, Chinese and Tamil schools were allowed to exist after the implementation of the national education policy in 1967.

Sdr Azman,

Orang Melayu-Islam Malaysia ramai tidak boleh lagi menulis dan membaca Jawi kerana orang Melayu sendiri mengabaikan kontrak sosial.

Kalau Dasar Pendidikan Kebangsaan dan pentadbiran agama Islam berjaya, bagaimana pula ramai orang Melayu-Islam tidak boleh baca dan tulis Jawi sedangkan banyak ilmu-ilmu Islam ditulis dalam tulisan Jawi.

Cuba sdr tanya, berapa kerat pemimpin muda Umno, Pas dan PKR yang boleh menulis dan membaca Jawi.

Terima kasih.

Anonymous said...

Long Life Dato,

I am very curious about one thing, My great grandpareants migrated from India and we are Hindus, so I am a citizen of Malaysia, but not a Bumiputra.

At the same time an Indian Muslim friend who his grandparants migrated after my greatgrandparents has obtained a Bumiputera status, and many friends from Indonesia and Phillipines who had migrated after 1960s have also obtained the bumiputera status. The similiritiy between all of them is they are muslims.

Please clarify how Bumiputa is defined,

Sembian

A KADIR JASIN said...

Dear Sdr Penangumnoboy,

Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

I can relate to you. Back in 1969, I worked in Penang. I stayed in Petani Rd and had my sahur at Caravan A Restaurant at Simpang Enam.

Like you I run my own business now. I have about 70 staff and nearly 30% of them are non Malays. It was never a problem to me.

But this year the Finance Ministry rejected my second application for Bumi status because one of the three cheque signatories is a chinese. I'm appealing.

I'm very proud that I'm not only able to employ non Malays but more so because they are willing to work for a Bumiputra-owned company. Thats what Malaysia should be.

But I have Chinese and Indians friends who own much larger businesses but employ Malays only as drivers, clerks, security personnel and dispatch riders... not even fulfilling the 30% Bumi quota.

But these same friends of mine are very close to Umno and BN leaders and are regularly awarded government contracts and concessions.

I wish you all the best in your business during the difficult time. I'm too struggling. But insya-Allah, God has been kind.

Thank you.

Mika Angel-0 said...

Sdr Penangboyumno,

so we should help ourself when we are very strong 'militarily'?

flan said...

Dato',
I just love your musings. As a 30sthg, I must say that I too enjoyed my schoolgoing childhood days, where at every recess time, we would rush to the football field, have a kickabout with Choon Hong, Tai Liang, Khairul, Venu.. and Jeet who wasn't much of a sportsman would sit by the wayside. If we were losing, Daniel would stand up and say, "we may be losing the battle, but we havent lost the war!!"

Good friends all, and though not yet as wise and philosophical as you ;-) insyaAllah, I do wonder why our current politicians keep on coming up with all these uneducated, inane and misguided comments not aimed at promoting this diversity we have in Malaysia (and I disagree when you said this is a bane) and focus on their own narrow communal interests instead.

For what's it worth, if all this stems from an ideological worldview, then we need to agree values and tenets of common agreement bound in justice and equality, and politicians should desist from making personal remarks before getting agreement on a 'new social contract'.

Bung Karno said...

Datuk,

If the Social Contract is not understood or is made ignorant by the younger generation, it must be the undoing of the education system in not contributing enough to nation building.

If it had been consistently stressed and promoted, 60's - old political Johnnys-come-lately like Khalid Ibrahim would remember the role of then RIDA, later MARA as part of this Social Contract and would look for other less controversial issues.

Ahhh... and getting nostalgic.

Those of us who share the good old life of your's and Lat's world couldn't agree more.

But the camaraderie of sharing life in the neighbourhood and riding to town together is long gone and replaced by new realities.

It was simpler then and life's demand are fewer.

The Malays now are more educated, better off, more competitive and still more politically savvy. But just as they are about to enjoy a better life,they found that the stakes have been raised higher.

As for the others, especially the Chinese, starting from an already higher plane, they are even more educated, more dominant economically and demand more resources to sustain their dominance.

Dissatisfaction is well hidden despite the harmonious settings. And with the mix of new ideas and expectations we are moving into opposite poles faster than we wished for.

We wanted to believe that restraints, and level-headedness can rule. We are even experimenting with new political settings. But recent rumblings, demand and threats make us trust less. We have more gated and guarded communities now, as much as more clouded racial agendas

How we wish Datuk's nostalgia knock the senses.

dan kajang said...

As'kum Dato'

It's good you bring back the nostalgia.Frankly I agree with you, people of our age may not be able to remember much of the recent happenings,but the good things happened during our younger days will stick fresh in our mind.For simple reason the happenings in the past during our younger days,especially the school days, were so simple and straight forward.Compare to the present world,especially in Malaysia which are more complicated and confusing.

Now days we tend to hear all sort of new things and happenings which we had never heard during our younger days.Be it in politic,social, economic etc.All were being mess up.Of course only few people,like you who normally keeps record of what's happening now days because people like you are the thinkers and normally will make comments on issues for puplic reading.Unlike people like me who just be following the news of what's happening without much participation.

I am also quite touch on your comment on friendship amongst various races during your younger days.Just like you,I too had a very intimate relationships amongst my friends of different races.We visited each others almost everyday without having a thought of whether they are a Chinese or Indian.My parent too shared the same way of thinking.They considered my Chinese and Indian friends only as my "friends" and not as a Chinese or Indian friends.Of course there're some limitations in term of religions and makan that we strictly adhered.For example during the fasting months they they will not eat infront of me.They too know my 5 prayers time well and will never bother me during such times.And in fact they sometimes will remind me on the prayer times.We know and repect each other cultures well.Even in school,the teachers never dicuss much on racial politic (Of course I wouldn't know the topics of discussions in school during the 1969 because I left school in 1967) with their pupils.During that time more emphasis were given to motivate the pupils on exams and on career path.The TV too during the late 60's mostly screened not on violent sceens.The societies and community then were simple and straight forward.That make us remember of the beautiful happenings until today.

Can we reinvent these scenes to benefit our new generations?I guess it will not be easy. I remembered during one of my trips back to Alor Star by train with my family.When the train passed through a steel railway bridge at Sungai Kedah toward the Alor Star railway station near our SAHC,I tried to bring back the nostlgia of my hardship during my school days to my children.I told them during my school days I had to walk or cycle through this small lane bridge to go to school everyday.It was dangerous and risky especially when the train passed the bridge the same time while I was on the bridge.My intension was to make them realised my hardship during my school days.To my surprise,their respond were "wow! very interesting for Dad to go to school through this small bridge with beautiful surrounding..".I realised they didn't get my massage and never appreciate my hardship then.To them that situation will never happen to them now.The moral of the story is that the situation then and now are vast difference.

Quantum Metal Consultant said...

Kita telah mewarisi kontrak sosial yagn semakin panjang usianya tetapi kita masih berkonflik dan mudah tercetus dengan api api perkauman.

Apakah kontrak sosial tersebut tidak adil dan lengkap sehinggakan ia tidak mampu menjadi satu titik perpaduan kita.

Anonymous said...

pooran tulis:So you are angry because you can't call us keling anymore?- tidak ada apa yg hendak kami marahkan, bahkan kami merasa hairan akan apakah yg menyebabkan perkataan keling itu menjadi sesuatu yg menjelikkan bagi masyarakat kaum india. kalau boleh, tolong pooran terangkan tentang apakah makna keling itu bagi masyarakat kaum india.(sedangkan diindonesia masih digunakan)

Azman said...

Y.Bhg Datuk AKJ

Saya ada sedikit mushkil -- apa kaitannya antara orang Melayu tidak ramai yang boleh membaca dan menulis Jawi dengan pengabaian mereka terhadap kontrak sosial? Jenuh saya pikir tapi tidak dapat hendak mengaitkannya.

Sedangkan elemen yang terkandung di dalam Perlembagaan juga hanya menekankan tentang Bahasa Kebangsaan. Tiada penekanan langsung mengenai aspek Jawi ini.

Jika Datuk sudi elaborate sikit maksud Datuk itu, saya ucap terima kasih.

Apa yang saya nampak hanyalah pengabaian orang-orang Melayu terhadap skrip tradisi nenek moyang kita sendiri. Kita tidak memegang teguh tradisi kita dan lebih berbangga membaca akhbar-akhbar Rumi dan Inggeris.

Sebab itulah ‘demand’ terhadap Utusan Melayu pupus dan memaksa syarikat tersebut beralih fokus kepada akhbar yang lebih komersil.

Amat malanglah sekali tulisan Jawi yang begitu masyhur suatu ketika dahulu seakan memasuki zaman senja pula sekarang ini. Akhbar Utusan Melayu yang merupakan salah satu ‘flagship’ warisan Melayu sudah menjadi kertas bungkusan nasi lemak saja…

Memang benar kebanyakan kitab-kitab agama ditulis di dalam Jawi. Tetapi, ejaannya adalah ejaan Melayu klasik bercampur dengan terma-terma Arab -- orang Melayu yang boleh baca Jawi pun terkial-kial dibuatnya Datuk. Apatah lagi untuk anak-anak muda yang baru mengenal Jawi.

Wajarkah kita mempersoalkan Dasar Pendidikan Kebangsaan dan pentadbiran agama Islam jika tiada inisiatif daripada syarikat-syarikat percetakan untuk mengkomersilkan percetakan kitab-kitab tersebut ke dalam ejaan Jawi semasa?

Jika syarikat-syarikat percetakan tersebut tidak berupaya bertindak secara pro-aktif mencipta permintaan (creating demand), akan berterusanlah rantaian ‘ayam dan telur’ dijadikan alasan.

Di zaman akhbar-akhbar utama sedang kencang dicemuh sekarang ini, tidakkah aspek percetakan semula kitab-kitab agama Jawi klasik ke dalam Jawi ‘moden’ merupakan ‘niche’ baru di dalam perniagaan?

Azman Mohd Isa
Shah Alam

Mika Angel-0 said...

Scribe,

I don't know if reading Tan Sri Basir's book would help, and i wonder what Sdr Penangumnoboy means by "It is my race who fails to take the opportunity to go a step further."

But now Penang is more blessed with another non-Malay Chief Minister with his greater understanding of amar makruf nahi mungkar. I think Basir could relate to that.

Anonymous said...

Dear \dato \kadir.


Sekarang zaman internate.Dunia dah jadi kechil.

Melayu yang menjadi pribumi di Malaya dan malaysia bukan dari sini.mereka datang dari Sumatera,Riau ,Sulawesi,Thailand.Social contract itu di buat atas dasar apa.Orang \cina danIndia yang juga migrate ka sini untok cari makan saja.Oleh kerana mereka berasa yang orang Melayu pun bukan dari sini,mereka hairan kenapa Orang melayu perlu mendapat hak istimiwa.

Kalau tak silap saya,Pada tahun 60 an Mr Lee Kuan Yew memperjuangkan dasar yang sama.Ia kata melayu di sini datang dari Indonesia,kenapa harus mendapat hak yang istiiwa.Silap kita pada masa iyu kita keluarkan dia dari malaysia.

Sekarang orang Cina dan India dah nampak bagaimana singapura dapat maju sekali kerana ia tidak ada discremanasi kaum.Malaysia Malaysian.Ini lah yang di perjuangkan oleh Pakatan Raayat sekarang.

Bagaimana UMNO nak menagkis semua ini.Mereka tahu UMNO tampa bantuan kawan kita dari sabah dan Serawak tak boleh memerentah Malaysia.Dalam keadaan UMNO yang bagitu lemah kerana pemimpinnya yang rasuan dan tak berkelibar,saya tak yakin mereka akan dapan mengatasi wave perubahan yang melanda malaysia.

Orang Cina dan India dah nampak semua ini.saya rasa pilehan raya akan datang amat menarek.

saya hanya nampak hanya satu jalan sahaja purak peranda ini dapat di Pulehkan.Kita istihar dharurat dan gantung perlembagaan.Kita pinda perlembagaan.Dalam Pilehan raya akan datang orang melayu pileh hanya mengundi untok memileh pemimpin Melayu sahaja.bagitu juga dengan Orang Cina,India,Bengali dll.Wakil Raayat yang di Pileh ini akan buat Coalation Govertment.Oleh kerana melayu maseh majority maka mereka akan mempunyai wakil Raayat yang lebeh.Yang jadi P Menteri pasti melayu.wakil Cina ,India,dayak ,kadazan jadi Deputi.

Dengan cara ini kita dapat elak sensitivy kaum.Tak payah lagi bagi UMNO bimbang dan perlu menjaga hati orang lain.Tak payal lagi takut blackmail kaum lain.Masing2 jaga dan pelihara nasib kaum nya sendiri.

Orang Cina hanya nak pelihara soal perniagaannya sahaja.bagitu juga orang India nak jaga kaum nya supaya tidak krtingalan dalam arus pembangunan.

Kensep ini sama sahaja dengan apa yang di buat di Singapura apabila Lee memperkenalkan GRC dalam pilehan rayanya.

Anonymous said...

Dato',

i am not against the % quota for the bumis. i am a bumi myself. but i have dilemma once when my non-bumi boss asked me "how do i employ more malays for this position when they are not competent enough ?"

perhaps that answers your despatch, drivers position for the bumis in the non-bumis company..

that left me ponders. how do u answer the question if u were in my position dato'?

p/s: do they really call us belacan? haha.. thats refreshing..

-belacan

ken said...

Hi Dato

For me social contract is a patronage for certain Malay politicians to protect their benefit. Privilege doesn't help Malay community much in modernized social. USM and UM dropped out from top 100. Albeit gov keep loosen the undergraduate or postgraduate intake from your race but their honor is not recognized, do u realized the private seldom take Malay undergraduates? Even some of genius Malay politician proposed to set rules for private to take Malay undergraduate compulsively. To be realistic, to solve the problem is not on how to set more rules and regulations to force the people follows. This is about culture and believe, Chinese doing good because we known no one helps us but our own self, we have any quota and rules to limit us in many areas. Thanks to M'sia government, else our race will be rotten. Besides, do u think the ppl really makes use of so call social contract in right way?

I don't mind with so call DEB or social contract etc, one day if our economy collapse i not sure Gov able to keep the systems in shape.

Anonymous said...

I have no problem with the NEP. I have no problem if the poor Malays are being help and assisted all the time and I will fight for these poor Malays and the under privelaged to be assisted with no time frame. In fact all poor and under privelage regardless of races should be helped and assisted.

But we know that the implementation of NEP has been skewed. NEP has been twisted and abused that not only the non Malays were neglected, a large portion of the poor Malays has been ignored too.

So when the non Malays voiced their disastifaction on how the NEP has been abused, we were accused of questioning the special rights of the Malays, we were told to go back to our ancestor's motherland by the politicians. The NEP is not a vehicle for the people in power to use it for enrichment of their own selected friends and cronies. It is meant to reduce and eliminate hard core poverty among all races and not solely for the UMNOputras.

Does the special rights or should it be the special position of Malays allow for rich Malays to enjoy the benefits of the NEP in expense of their poor non Malays?

wak segen said...

Salam Datuk AKJ.
My Abah came from a Kampung Parit..something.. in Batu Pahat. Obviusoly we are all 'keturunan Jawa 'as stated in my old Malaysian blue ic.
Recalling one of our trips back to the kampung during my younger days, had always reminded me how close racial harmony was.
As we stopped at the only grocery shop in the kampung,I noticed it was owned by a Chinese from seeing the family dog sleeping in front and the altar placed on the shop wall.
A man as old as my Abah apparently the shop towkay appeared.Came the big suprise that amused all of us.
Abah broke out in Javanese to greet the towkay .."Hock..kabare "..and the towkay replied 'kabare waras'..and went on in bahasa Jowo to ask Abah where had he been all these years. They continued their conversation in Javanese until we parted.
I always relate this story especially to my children to tell them how we Malaysians had always been.

Anonymous said...

Just a few points: 1. The privileges to the Malays need to be specified clearly to avoid abuse 2. Why should "new" or recently designated Malays e.g. migrants from Indonesia etc. be entitled to these privileges over the non-Malays who have been here for generations? 3. the British agreement with the Malay Rulers then was for the non-Malays in the rulers' states, not those from the Starits Settlements and Borneo states.

Anonymous said...

"It is my race who fails to take the opportunity to go a step further"

Most of the time betullah. saya cakap pasal saya. Bila saya kena sakit mental, saya fikir macam gini "ala Melayukan otak belacan, suka fobia tak tentu fasal, terutama dengan pesakit mental, tak de can le aku nak beranak-pinak, tak payahlah nak sibuk-sibuk hal dunia?" Lebih suka mengaji dan kerja sikit lebih kurang aje.

Bila balik kampung lihat adik-adik sepupu, bila bloggin, jumpa dengan pelbagai ragam manusia, timbul kesedaran yang saya perlu "go-out" dan berkongsi pengalaman.

Saya mau cakap dan beritahu kalau kita Melayu terlalu konfident dengan Perkara 153 dan ambil bina tak bina saja akan kewujudannya, akan lebih banyak lagi nostalgia yang akan tinggal dalam lipatan sejarah.

azlishukri said...

kontrak sosial ni kena diajar dari sekolah rendah lagi.

Anonymous said...


mika angel-0 said...
Scribe,

I don't know if reading Tan Sri Basir's book would help, and i wonder what Sdr Penangumnoboy means by "It is my race who fails to take the opportunity to go a step further."

But now Penang is more blessed with another non-Malay Chief Minister with his greater understanding of amar makruf nahi mungkar. I think Basir could relate to that.

11:47 AM



I wonder whether this fella and guan eng understands what it means by 'amal makruh nahi mungkar'

guan eng has been nothing more than just an opportunist, i hope the muslims realized that they're a being duped by this new 'sheikh'

Anonymous said...

Salam Dato' AKJ,

I am curious and hope you will answer the question posted by Sembian - How is a bumiputera defined.

Also who has the right to determine or "grade" a person a Malay. A malay, female or male when married to a non-malay muslim convert, the child is automatically termed a Malay?

Since you are feeling nostalgic, would appreciate if you could go further back and explain this. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Scribe,

Mangikut fahaman Sdr Mardiah, jadi kita orang itu egolah bila katakan my race bilamana sebenarnya dia maksudkan dirinya sendiri sahaja tetapi kerana egonya dia tak mau katakan begitu. Bangsa mardiah sendiri-sendirian.

Bab melangkah ke mana pula yang nak tahu - tetapi kalau penangumnoboy itu mardiah, tak payahlah. dah mengaku gila dan sakit mental.

Anonymous said...

Dato Kadir.

Singapura dan Malaysia mempunyai persamaan yang banyak.Singapura mempunyai pendudok cina yang ramai dan Malaysia mempunyai pendudok Maleyu yang ramai.

Singapura Maju dan Kaya dari Malaysia kerana pemimpinnya tidak Rasuah dan Malaysia maseh mundok kerana Korupsi yang berluasa.

Singapura telah mencuba bermacam cara untok menjadi Maju,Kita boleh berlajar darinya.

Saya ingat di malaysia,oleh kerana Melayu ramai,maka Melayu lah perlu menerajui kerajaan.Tapi bangsa lain Cina dan India jangan diketepikan.

Kita lantek hanya pemimpin yang berseh dan berkelibar dan kita guna cadre system ia iru pemimpin di cari ,diuji dan di pileh oleh Ketua Kerajaan dan bukan cara mengundi,kononnya mengikut demokrasi.Kalau pemimpin di pileh hany yang ada duit sahaja yang menang.

Hari ini Mustafa Muhamad ,Menteri pretanian membuat satu kenyataan yang benar.Ia tak berupaya nak bertandinh jawatan atasan kerana dia tiada wang.Najib,Mahayiddin perlu ambil perhatian.

sawit futures trader said...

Salam Dato',

Thanks for clearing up the facts.

Still I find it odd (and contradicting) to have the major ruling parties practicing racial politics in one hand and having the social contracts on the other.

Dear Niger Loh and Pooran,

Did you really understand what you are reading?

When two people are merely acquaintance, they behave in polite and civil manner to address each other.

When two people are bonded with true friendship, they can really open up with each other.

For close friends, name calling is a form of friendly comments with regards to each unic individuality.

In America, a white calling a black "nigger" deserved a beating. Yes I do agree.

In America, a black calling a black "nigger" may be regard as very rude.

Did you know that in certain part of younger american black society, they call each other as "dog"? This term is used only recently. If a black call another black "dog" in the sixties, that guy will get a beating.

What may be acceptable in one society may not in other society. Same goes to a particular society of diferrent times (or generations).

What Dato' AKJ refers to on "keling" was a word that was acceptable in those day. And he did mentioned (not in the same words - please do read between the lines as well), that "keling" is no more an acceptable name calling these days.

Back in those days, Tanah Melayu was truely a melting pot.

Nowadays, despite all the talks of politics and "Malaysian, truly Asian" slogan, Malaysia is not a melting pot anymore, at least not in the true sense.

We had "Social Contracts" during that time. The problem is that these "Social Contracts" are verbal.

As there are no written "social contracts", studying it requires understanding of the bonds that all races had in those days.

Using the terms Malay Malaysian, Chinese Malaysian and Indian Malaysian doesn't help. Using such terms just conforms to the contradictory of racial politics vs social contracts (that I mention earlier) even more.

If you do not understand why a malay calling an indian "keling" (or an indian calling a malay "otak belacan" for that matter) is not considered offensive DURING THAT TIME, I assure you, that TODAY, you will have a hard time understanding why Malays, Chineses and Indians in those day agreed to the "social contracts".

For all races in Malaysia, me included, please go back and ask our parents and grandparents, why did each race of Malay, Chinese Indian, Portugese etc. did accept the terms of that "social contracts".

The "social contracts" was not only agreed by one race, you know. I'm sure of that.

Indigo kata, "Boleh kita persoalkan apa peranan kepimpinan membina yang dibuat raja-raja Melayu? Kerana social contract itu berhubung kait rapat dengan persoalan raja-raja Melayu bukan? DEB itu pun baru."

Apa cerita ni? Boleh bagi terang sikit?

Akmal Hisham Abdul Rahim said...

Sejarah.....amat penting dalam kehidupan seharian kita. Supaya kita kenal siapa diri dan asal usul kita.

Orang yang tidak mengetahui sejarah akan melakukan kesilapan yang sama pada masa hadapan dan akan tersesat jalan.

Nostalgia Datuk ceritakan itu amat menarik. Siapa lagi yang nak mempertahankan negara kita kalau bukan kita. Siapa lagi yang nak mempertahankan bangsa kita sendiri kalau bukan diri kita.

Apatah lagi bahasa Kebangsaan Malaysia iaitu Bahasa Melayu...

Terima kasih kerana berkongsi nostalgia dengan kami.

Anonymous said...

There were proposal to change the name of Tanjung Kling as well...!

ab said...

Salam Dato',

Saya sangat sedih bila ramai orang cakap tentang tak bagus `social contract' ni...

Kalau dah terlalu ramai dah tak mahu, kenapa gomen ni bersusah payah nak mempertahankan `social contract' itu?.

Adakan satu referendum. KALAU TAK MAHU..BATALKAN saja.

Lepas tu kalau yang lagi tak suka, boleh lah dinasihatkan supaya mereka meninggalkan surat beranak,mykad dan pasport kat balai polis yang terdekat dan pindahlah kamu kemana-mana negara yang kamu semua fikirkan `bagus' untuk kamu...DIPERSILAKAN.

Lagi satu hal 30 peratus untuk hak `equity' bumiputra ni. Kalau ramai sangat tak suka,BATALKAN 30% dan jadikan 66%...

Kalau tak suka,bolih lah buat `company' dan perniagaan di negara lain. SILAKAN....kalau benar-benar taiko.

Orang melayu ni sabar,tapi sabar pun ada hadnya.


Abu Bakar Ab Rahman

Unknown said...

Assalamualaikum and greetings,

After a hiatus from making public comments, I have decided that it's the appropriate time for me to humbly state my opinion.

The Council of Rulers have strongly stated the need for absolute regard of the social contract in order to maintain peace and mutual respect amongst the Malaysian populace which will further strengthen good governance and a clean and healthy democracy in the country which will eradicate all negative elements in all strata of the Malaysian society. The concern of their Royal Highnesses for their subjects must be taken in good faith and be wholly supported and respected by all Malaysians.

His Royal Highness Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah in his keynote speech at the recent LawAsia conference upheld the need for "inclusive principles" in any decision-making process.

Pertaining to the above, it should be noted that the last UMNO Supreme Council meeting had heeded the regal advice and firmly and democratically decided that Pak Lah, prior to his impending retirement, fulfills his much-awaited positive actions for the greater good of the country and established mechanisms for the eradication of conflict of interest, corruption, abuse of power and money politics in UMNO as the backbone of the Federal Government. Positive acts done or to be done by Pak Lah for the greater good of the nation must be supported wholeheartedly and I am going on the record for stating this. Accordingly, Pak Lah does deserve the deserve the title of "Bapa Demokrasi". Although I am a mere observer, I sincerely hope and pray for Pak Lah's and the council's fortitude in ensuring that healthy, clean and democratic processes be prevalent. I am above board by not favouring anyone. It is the decision of UMNO members. Personally, Pak Lah is forgiven for any mistakes/errors. Time for Pak Lah to shake hands and join forces with Dr. Mahathir and I sincerely hope and further pray that Dr. Mahathir be gracious and magnanimous in ensuring total unity.

It is also hoped that world leaders (EAST and WEST) warmly embrace and ensure the "process of inclusivity" as it will further strengthen and provide newer ideas for the continuation and improvement towards 'a common sustainable development' of this everchanging world. The time for enmity is over as was spooky Halloween. It is time to forge new global alliances and formulate new resolutions for concise and subtle endeavours. This new millenium needs new strategies and methods. Hence, new strategists!

Hopefully, Uncle "Dubya", Gramps "George", Granny "Lillibet", Uncle "Charlie" and Messrs. Kissinger & Greenspan will realise that it was a simplistic chess game and players must never injure friends on the other side. There is something totally wrong with the global chessboard, financial systems or otherwise.

We are all friends, Muslims and Non-Muslims.

Good game! Bravo!

Wassalam and peace ya'all!

Hang Jebat said...

Datuk,

A masterpiece Datuk. Really. Your words are marvelous. I too remember the good old days when I used to go to my Chinese and Indians friends' houses for lunch and dinner during weekends when the food in our school hostel were usually terrible. No problem.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Tarings


Sdra/I Tarings, a superb comment. But I can’t publish it. If you say Hang Tuah spent his time making love, cavorting or even “bermukah” to (with) the gundeks, I have no problem. But the “s” word is a bit too much. Sorry.

Sdr Ikmal Hisham Abdul Rahim, antara lain, berkata: “Siapa lagi yang nak mempertahankan negara kita kalau bukan kita. Siapa lagi yang nak mempertahankan bangsa kita sendiri kalau bukan diri kita.………………”

Allahyarham Dato’ Onn Jaafar, pengasas Umno yang mahu Umno dibuka kepada semua kaum, dalam ucapannya di Istana Besar Johor Baru pada 12 Mei 1946, berkata:

“Alangkah malangnya, ada beberapa orang Melayu yang tidak mengikut (memperjuangkan hak-hak Melayu) kerana kononnya segan kepada bangsa asing tetapi mereka tidak segan kepada bangsanya sendiri.”

The late Tun Tan Siew Sin, dalam ucapannya di Perhimpunan Agung MCA pada tahun 1971, antara lain, berkata:

“Lets us first look at our rights and privileges. Among other things, we have the right to citizenship, the right to use Chinese (other than for official purposes), to teach and learn it, the right to profess and practise and religion, apart from other basic rights and fundamental liberties normally associated with the modern democracy.”

THE MCA was formed in 1949. The MIC in 1946. The MCA leaderships, inevitably, comprised anti-communist Guomindang (KMT) leaders and wealthy Chinese businessmen, whose principal reason for political involvement was the protection of their economic interests (Heng 1988:57).

The Malayan India Congress (MIC) was formed on the advise of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, to represent the interests of the Indian community. The MIC was originally led by middle-class leftists, who supported and worked with multi-racial organizations such as the All-Malayan Council for Joint Action (AMCJA) and the Independence of Malaya Party (IMP) led by Onn Jaafar when he left Umno after failing to open Umno membership to the Chinese and Indians.

The Sun newspaper on Aug. 24 editorialised:

"There had been fear and apprehension in the past that any discussion would lead to chaos and misunderstanding. While many have decreed that the social contract should not be touched, it is pertinent to draw a thick line between "teaching" and "challenging" or "disputing".

"Therefore, the advice of His Royal Highness should be heeded, and perhaps, a government department or agency should be tasked to carry out this project. Educational institutions – both public and private – will only be too willing to accommodate such a lesson on the social contract.

"However, it must be emphasised that such "education" must be devoid of any interpretation of any individual or group, save for the official view of the government. This reminder is timely because groups with vested interests have always presented biased arguments and theories, depending on which side of the divide they are on."

Terima kasih.

anakbuah said...

Salam Dato',

Dato' bercampur dgn pelbagai bangsa di kampung tetapi saya di kampung setinggan di tengah2 KL.

Pengalaman saya hampir sama. Saya bermain bola dgn kaum India dan Cina. Dan bila kaum India merayakan Thaipusam, kami sama2 melihat perarakan kavadi dr dekat hampir setiap tahun. Sama juga bila kaum Cina berarak dgn Tarian Naga mereka. Anjing mereka juga pernah mengejar saya tetapi saya tidak kisah.

Kalau saya berjumpa dgn kawan2 India, saya masih boleh panggil mereka keling tanpa mereka terasa hati tetapi mungkin berbeza dgn generasi skrg. Saya hairan kenapa perkataan keling seperti menghina mereka pula. Kenapa mereka begitu sensitif skrg? Pada saya, ianya kesan kegagalan toleransi antara kaum di negara ini.

Mengenai kontrak sosial pula, ianya tersirat dlm Pelembagaan negara. Jika semua kaum tidak bersetuju pada pasa itu, tentu Pelembagaan kita tidak seperti ianya skrg. Saya ingin bertanya, siapa yg telah betul2 membaca Perlembagaan dan menghayatinya? Mengetahui Rukun Negara sahaja tidak cukup.

Banyak boleh kita perkatakan mengenai subjek ini tetapi cukuplahlah kalau boleh dikatakan, zaman kita bercampur dan sefahaman seperti dahulu telah berlalu. Kita mungkin ada kawan India atau Cina skrg tetapi pengertiannya telah berubah. Kita lebih mementingkan diri dan kaum sendiri skrg. Masing2 berasa unsecure dan ini bukan sesuatu yg baik.

-WADAH- said...

Social contract contracted

Assalamualaikum and a very good day/evening to all

The author seems to have difficulty on to rationalize why is social contract become an issue nowadays. Part of it must be related to the outcome of the general election on March, ’08. But, if we think carefully, these whole issues of social contract, racial rights, privileges for the Malay and the bumi were gradually brought up after the administration changed hand to Pak Lah – not because I hate or love Pak Lah, but well, that’s the fact. Added up, with the “emerge” of Mr. “Yet to be a PM” that usually try to cater the peoples mind with his issue of justice, new Malaysia, and how the government today is worst then ever (or actually what he really mean is how if he were to be a PM, Malaysia will become a better place; ah, but then....)

Yes, the whole issue never settled down even before the independence of Tanah Melayu but we as a Malaysian never change our mindset to accept the difference of Malaysian society either. We tend to compare all of our “weakness” with the “strength” of other nations but come on, are we the same as the other country? Do our template of society similar to the other?

The author do agree that others also have multi-racial society but do their “majority” and “minority” comprise the same as us where the majority are not so-called the majority at certain place and the minority is the majority at the other place? Do the cluster of socioeconomic background happened if compare to others? Do the so-called minority can even have their own schools of their own mother tongue? In some country, the peoples also isolate the so-called minority if the minority could not cope with the society.

We may or we may not agree with how Malaysia is better but we also need to realize that not all of the foreign ways suit better to our country. Yes, may be the state of “democracy” are the best in Sweden (well, this is according to our “beloved” RPK?!) but do the Swedish society is the same with Malaysia? They even have a different weather if compare to us, for God sake!

But, these uncomfortable situations of peoples who cried out for their racial right or the peoples who questions the “social contract” were because the now government is too weak to satisfied the racial problems. Like Dr. Mahathir said, it is not due to the forte of the PR, but the BN is weak. The worst part is, now, BN leader also tend to follow the trend of PR to satisfied the demand that been brought by PR (like Najib’s point that the DEB should “gradually” be abolish.) Quoting Dr. Mahathir, “it is not the policy that create the problems but it is because the people that had been given chances that had made the problems” (or something like that). Another reason is that the people do not appreciate the history. They do not understand the history of Malaysia that makes them want to questions all the policy that had been made by the government. What we have today is the effort of our ancestors and we need to appreciate each and every inch of it. Feel free to read the author point of view of history at http://lappanblablabla.blogspot.com(in Malay). With that, the author thanks the reader.

Wassalam.

Anonymous said...

Dato Kadir.

I saw the HSBC advt. on Strait Settlement currency.On it it was written in jawi,chinese,Indian and Romanise Malay.No body complain or take offence with Jawi written in the currency back in 1800.Why now the chinese and malay take offence when Penang Govertment wart to write the road sign in 4 laugauge.

I also saw the Haw Par product like tiger balm jawi was written in the advt.OCBC Bank in Singapora in the early day use Jawi in written their logo.The Chinese coffe shop in the early day also use Jawi in their signige and no boby make noise.

A superb story.Thank Kadir.

Anonymous said...

apakah sebenarnya yg menyebabkan perkataan keling itu menjadi sesuatu yg menjelikkan bagi masyarakat kaum india - apakah masih tidak ada sesiapa yg boleh memberikan jawapan?adalah lebih baik sekiranya yg berbangsa india yg memberikan jawapan, kerana yg merasa terhina oleh perkataan tersebut adalah bangsa india. apakah golongan india muslim juga merasa terhina dgn perkataan tersebut?

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdra/i Free,

Saya sendiri kurang pasti bagaimana, bila dan siapa yang mengharamkan atau tidak menggalakkan penggunaan istilah "Keling" atau "Kling” bagi merujuk kepada orang keturunan India.

Yang saya dengar ini berlaku selepas peristiwa 13 Mei 1969 apabila Akta Hasutan dipinda dan perkara-perkara sensitif, termasuk istilah dan ungkapan yang kononnya menghina, menyindir atau melabel sesuatu kaum atau agama "diharamkan" penggunaan rasminya.

Tetapi daripada aspek sejarah dan mungkin juga perundangan adalah mustahil mengharamkan istilah Keling/Kling dan seumpamanya. Kalau ini diterima dan diamalkan, maka apa akan jadi dengan tempat atau bangunan yang menggunakan istilah itu seperti Masjid Kapitan Kling dan Tanjung Kling.

Masjid Kapitan Keling di Pulau Pinang itu dibina dan didedikasikan kepada ketua orang Keling di Negeri Selat itu. Dalam sejarah Tanah Melayu dan orang Melayu, kaum pendatang yang dipanggil Keling itu sangat dihormati. Dalam sejarah dan hikayat Melayu memang mereka dipanggil orang Keling sebab Empayar Melayu wujud sebelum wujud wilayah yang dipanggil India menjadi popular.

Pada waktu itu orang yang datang dari Benua Kecil India lebih dikenali dengan wilayah asal mereka seperti orang Bengali dari Teluk Bengala, orang Punjabi dari Punjab (kadang-kadang dikelirukan dengan orang Bengali), orang Pathan, orang Malabari, orang Tamil dan sebagainya.

Boleh jadi ada pembesar politik India Malaysia yang bukan beragama Islam atau yang buta sejarah tidak sukakan istilah Keling kerana ia umumnya merujuk kepada orang dari India yang beragama Islam.

Lagipun, bukan semua pendatang India sejak turun temurun dari Empayar Kalinga (Orissa sekarang).

Terima kasih.

Anonymous said...

hi: mengenai definisi 'melayu'. menurut ibu saya, seorang ahli penggubalan undang2, dalam perlembagaan, 'melayu' itu diertikan sebagai memenuhi kriteria berikut:

1. mengamalkan adat orang melayu
2. bahasa harian bahasa melayu
3. beragama islam

dalam erti kata lain, ciri-ciri umum yang menggambarkan kaum 'melayu' sejak beberapa ratus tahun di kepulauan ini, dan yang wujud pada masa perlembagaan digubal - saya rasa supaya negara ini akan sentiasa ada teras kebudayaan melayu walaupun di tempat lain dalam kepulauan ini identiti itu lenyap.

let's face it - di luar nusantara ini, di mana lagi terdapat budaya melayu? tempat ini sajalah (malaysia, indonesia, brunei) yang tinggal untuk orang melayu buat negara di mana budayanya terjamin. saya rasa golongan bukan melayu sukar membayangkan perkara ini. tetapi pada saya ianya tidak berbeza dengan orang perancis atau jerman yang mahukan budaya mereka kekal menjadi teras imej negara mereka dan mahukan warganegara2 bukan asalnya keturunan eropah-perancis menghormati kehendak itu.

ini juga bermaksud secara teknikalnya, seseorang itu tidak perlu berketurunan melayu untuk apply sebagai 'melayu' di bawah perlembagaan. oleh itu, ada india-muslim yang telah menyesuaikan adat mereka kepada adat nusantara/melayu yang dianggap 'melayu'. satu contoh lagi, jika seseorang daripada golongan baba nyonya melaka memeluk islam, saya rasa dia menjadi layak dianggap sebagai 'melayu' di negara ini.

lagipun, selain daripada DEB, hak2 asas dalam perlembagaan untuk orang melayu bukanlah banyak sangat. saya sendiri berpendapat DEB itu mungkin boleh dilihat semula, tetapi kontrak sosial yang menjadi asasnya tidak patut dilihat semula kerana ianya asas negara ini, lagipun kontrak itu telahpun terlaksana, i.e. warganegara telahpun diberikan. jadi apa2 yang dijanjikan sebagai imbalannya juga tidak boleh ditarik balik selama warganegara itu diakui.

jika pihak2 yang ingin membahaskan kuota DEB dan sebagainya semuanya sekurang-kurangnya memberikan komitmen secara terang-terangan bahawa mereka 100% bersama2 setuju dengan kontrak sosial malaysia, saya percaya kita akan ada kepercayaan yang cukup antara kita untuk membincangkan penyelesaian. tetapi suara2 yang mengungkit apa yang telah dipersetujui dan telah pun terlaksana - mereka inilah yang merosakkan kepercayaan antara kita sehinggakan kita ada syak wasangka yang menyukarkan perbincangan dilaksanakan.

Kirana

Anonymous said...

(dgn izin)

Menyanyi kerana gembira
Menyanyi kerana sedih
Menyanyi kerana rindu
Aduh siapa dapat membaca...
Hatiku saat ini
...


mark of zorro j-bond said...


(scribe)

No Title La
(sheeehsh - tak payah tegur-tegur)

"My Nostalgia and the Social
Contract" and Snippets - Comments
:

3. Clearly the quality of these carping commentors leaves much to be desired.



(nota:

commenting incognito
with a hythm
and a voice
mnasir-ish)

Menyanyi kerana gembira
Menyanyi kerana sedih
Menyanyi kerana rindu
Aduh siapa dapat membaca...
Hatiku saat ini

Menari kerana melayan
Menari kerana sunyi
Menari kerana kasih
Ada di depan masih juga tak mengerti

*Gerangan apa buat ku kemari
Dalam temasya ku memencil diri
Darilah jauh asyik memandangnya
Sekalipun dia masih tak perasan...ku disini
Oh.....
Lagu jiwa
Bukan lagu mengadu nasibku
Lagu cinta
Bukan lagu meratap hidupku

Hanya nak menyatakan
Tuah dan untung badan
Diuji hebat cinta sehebat begini...hebat begini…



(kalau red84
walter mitty-ish?
game on - tun!
you ain't seen nothing yet
a senior minister?)

(terima kasih)


Menari kerana melayan
Menari kerana sunyi
Menari kerana kasih
Ada di depan masih juga tak mengerti...

anakbuah said...

Sdra/i blogger,

Saya tertarik dgn beberapa perenggan dlm rencana Bahaya Politik Perkauman dlm Mingguan Malaysia hari ini, antaranya yg pernah diucapkan oleh Tun Tan Siew Sin, bekas Presiden MCA dan Tun Sambanthan, bekas Presiden MIC:

-------

Sebelum pergi lebih jauh, cuba kita renungi kata-kata Siew Sin pada 30 April 1969 yang dipetik dalam buku Khalid Awang Osman yang berbunyi, "Orang Melayu menerusi UMNO bermurah hati melonggarkan syarat- syarat dalam undang-undang negara ini sehinggakan dalam masa 12 bulan selepas kemerdekaan, 90 peratus penduduk bukan Melayu menjadi warganegara. Ini berbeza dengan keadaan sebelum merdeka di mana 90 peratus daripada mereka masih tidak diiktiraf sebagai rakyat Tanah Melayu walaupun hampir 100 tahun hidup di bawah pemerintahan penjajah. Sebagai membalas kemurahan hati orang Melayu, MCA dan MIC bersetuju meneruskan dasar memelihara dan menghormati kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu dan dalam masa yang sama mempertahankan kepentingan-kepentingan sah kaum lain".

Pilihan raya

Sebelum itu, Sambanthan pada 1 Jun 1965 pernah berkata: "Pada tahun 1955 kita telah memenangi pilihan raya dengan majoriti yang tinggi, selanjutnya mendapat kemerdekaan dalam masa dua tahun kemudian. Dalam jangka masa itu, kita terpaksa berbincang dan menangani pelbagai perkara termasuk soal kewarganegaraan. Persoalannya di sini, apakah yang dilakukan oleh orang Melayu memandangkan kita bercakap menyentuh perkauman? Apakah yang dilakukan oleh pemimpin-pemimpin Melayu? Mereka mempunyai 88 peratus daripada pengundi menyokong mereka. Apakah yang mereka putuskan mengenai isu kewarganegaraan?"

"Jika kita lihat di serata negara Asia dan Asia Timur, kita akan mendapati kaum India tidak akan diterima di Ceylon dan juga tidak diterima di Burma. Sama halnya dengan kaum Cina, mereka tidak diterima di Thailand, Vietnam, Kemboja dan di negara-negara lain. Apakah bantuan berhubung kewarganegaraan yang mereka peroleh di semua wilayah tersebut?"

"Di Burma, seperti yang kita semua sedia maklum, kaum India telah diusir keluar, di Ceylon mereka tidak diberikan taraf warganegara seperti juga di Burma. Saya tahu dan anda juga tahu. Apa yang sedang berlaku di Malaya? Di sini kita mendapati pemimpin Melayu berkata, "Kita akan menerima mereka sebagai saudara, kita akan berikan mereka sepenuh peluang untuk meneruskan kehidupan di negara ini, kita akan beri mereka peluang untuk menjadi warganegara". Seterusnya pada tahun 1957, dengan tidak mengambil kira kebolehan berbahasa (Melayu) ribuan orang India, Cina dan Ceylon menjadi warganegara. Seperti yang saya nyatakan, saya amat bernasib baik kerana dilahirkan di negara ini. Di manakah anda boleh berjumpa bangsa yang lebih prihatin, bersopan-santun dan tertib selain daripada bangsa Melayu. Di manakah anda boleh mendapat layanan politik yang baik untuk kaum pendatang? Di manakah dalam sejarah dunia? Saya bertanya kepada anda. Ini adalah fakta. Siapakah anda untuk menjaga keselamatan kami? Saya adalah kalangan 10 peratus kaum minoriti di sini. Tetapi saya amat gembira di sini."


--------

Bagi saya, kaum India dan Cina perlu berfikir dan menilai sedlm2nya kata2 kedua2 tokoh ini. Bukan meminta kedua2 kaum ini terus berasa terhutang budi tetapi mengingatkan supaya tidak terlalu tamak dan mementingkan diri sendiri - kiasu seperti istilah dlm Mingguan Malaysia.

Saya bersetuju jika direvolusikan sistem pendidikan dgn mengurangkan seterusnya dihapuskan sekolah2 berasaskan kaum jenis Cina dan India. Selagi sekolah kebangsaan tidak diutamakan, selagi itulah perpaduan antara kaum yg cuba diterapkan di usia muda sukar dicapai.

Anonymous said...

mengenai gelaran 'keling'. ibu bapa saya juga selalu bercerita bahawa semasa mereka muda dahulu ianya bukanlah suatu panggilan yang buruk atau menghina. di universiti kawan india dan melayu biasa memanggil 'ei, keling' dijawab dengan 'ei, melayu' tetapi ini tidak membawa maksud menghina. tetapi saya sebagai generasi muda sekarang memang sukar mempercayainya kerana saya membesar dengan suasana di mana panggilan begitu dianggap kasar dan menghina.

encik hairan bila masanya perkataan 'keling' itu menjadi sesuatu yang tidak baik. izinkan saya memberi pendapat saya. semasa zaman ibu bapa saya, mereka berdua tinggal di kawasan yang ada orang cina dan india, dan mereka bersekolah bersama dan nampak orang cina dan india, dan bergaul dengan mereka. jadi pada mereka semua panggilan2 itu tidak ada maksud tersirat.

tetapi mereka generasi pertama yang masuk universiti dan menjadi tunggak kepimpinan dan ekonomi negara ini. selepas itu program membasmi kemiskinan membawa golongan lain pula menerusi sekolah dan universiti, golongan yang tinggal di kawasan2 yang kurang atau tidak langsung berinteraksi dengan kaum lain. semasa saya di universiti, sangat jelas bahawa rakan2 kelas saya tidak pernah bergaul langsung dengan kaum lain. rakan melayu pelik bila saya 'friendly' sangat dengan bukan melayu. dan yang cina pula hairan mengapa saya nak bercakap dengan mereka dan berbincang tentang tugasan dengan mereka. hanya setelah 3-4 tahun barulah mereka mahu berkongsi/bertukar2 nota dan maklumat dengan rakan kelas melayu dan india. itu hanya kelas saya - kelas2 lain, tahap ini tidak tersampai langsung.

anyway, saya berpendapat golongan yang membesar bergaul dengan kaumnya sendiri sahaja ini, ada di kalangan mereka yang memandang rendah terhadap kaum lain, khususnya kaum india. jadi bila mereka dengar panggilan 'keling' itu, mungkin mereka assume panggilan itu dimaksudkan untuk menghina, dan mereka gunakan sebegitu. memang bila sampai ke generasi saya, panggilan itu sudah menjadi kurang sopan, dan saya pernah mendengar ianya disebut dengan tujuan yang tidak elok. oleh sebab itu saya rasa orang india tidak lagi suka dipanggil begitu. kerana maksudnya tidak lagi sama seperti di zaman ibu bapa mereka (bukan lagi tanda camaraderie).

itu pendapat saya - wallahuaklam.

Kirana

amoker said...

Good old time. i had good times with my diverse group of friends too. During university in UPM, it was so obvious that my idealism face to the reality on racism. My Malay Sarawakian friends were warned not to mix too much. I was approached a few times if i am interested to convert to Islam as Islamic based activity increases.

My friends during those time were called the United nations. I was the first chinese to lead my class of 400, but i let Fuad to take over as i noticed people are not comfortable having a chinese up there. YEt, we still worked together to bring change to this segregation. I think it only lasted one year .. but at least we tried.

sawit futures trader said...

Salam Dato',

Saya tidak pasti samada cerita saya ini ada kena mengena dengan isu perkataan "keling" yang sebenar.

Di Kelantan, jarang-jarang kedapatan kaum India pada awal 70an. Secara kebetulan, dari pemerhatian saya sendiri di beberapa tempat yang saya pergi di negeri itu, kaum India (saya tidak pasti India muslim atau India Hindu) memonopoli perniagaan roti, dan ais krim dari basikal.

Mereka semua menggunakan loceng ladung bagi memanggil pelanggan dan bunyi loceng ini diajuk dengan bunyi "kling". Justeru budak-budak pada masa itu, jika mahu membeli roti atau aiskrim dari mereka akan melaung samada perkataan roti, aiskrim atau kling.

Pada lewat 70an, budak-budak tadi yang membesar menjadi remaja mula menggunakan perkataan kling bagi merujuk kepada mana-mana orang dari kaum india.

Akhir sekali, mengikut trend lawak bodoh semasa itu (dulu juga dipanggil sebagai lawak badul), apabila sekumpulan remaja berkumpul, mereka akan menyebut perkataan kling secara berulang-ulang apabila kelihatan mana-mana orang dari kaum india.

Secara pemerhatian mudah saya, dari situlah perkataan kling telah diubah gunanya dari perkataan untuk pengenalan kepada penggunaan untuk ejekan.

Saya juga perhatikan bagaimana bermula pada lewat 70an itu, ibubapa melayu juga mula melarang anak-anak kecil menggunakan perkataan kling bagi merujuk kepada kaum india.

p/s zaman trend lawak bodoh adalah masa dimana ujudnya lawak seperti "kenapa Anita Sarawak menangis?" dan lawak dimana sikap tak apa secara ekslusif dikaitkan dengan bangsa melayu (oleh kaum cina, india dan melayu sendiri). Hanya yang hidup dizaman itu sahaja faham apa yang saya maksudkan.

Kepada Wadah,

Dari cerita saya ini, saya pasti masalah antara kaum itu bukan satu masalah yang baru bermula dalam beberapa tahun ini. Ianya, saya percaya, satu masalah yang memakan hati setiap kaum sedikit demi sedikit dalam suatu tempoh yang lama.

DEB pada awal fasanya juga (kalau saya tidak silap) amat minima sekali penentangannya dari kaum bukan melayu.

Malang sekali, bertentangan dengan apsirasi DEB, DEB telah dilaksanakan dengan mengkelaskan kaum dan sub pengkelasan dari sudut sokongan politik sekaligus menjurangkan jarak antara yang kaya dengan yang miskin di dalam SEMUA kaum utama di Malaysia.

Seperti biasa, masalah di Malaysia bukan berkaitan polisi tetapi lebih menjurus kepada aspek perlaksanaan. Ayat ini mudah dan sekali pandang nampak klise. Tapi ini hakikatnya yang sering dipandang mudah.

Anonymous said...

Dato'...
Pasal sebutan keling ni simple saja....
Zaman dulu orang panggil keling sebab dia memang pendatang dari Kalinga atau India...atau bapanya atau atuknya...Mereka menerima seadanya..
Zaman sekarang, orang2 muda panggil 'keling' untuk mengejek2 seseorang yang berbangsa India...Walaupun dia lahir di Malaysia, berbahasa Melayu fasih atau kadangkala lebih baik daripada anak Melayu, bersekolah kebangsaan dan berkawan bersama anak2 Melayu yang lain, tidak menahu siapa great2 grandfathernya dari Kalinga,menganggap Malaysia ini tanah tumpah darahnya, ....mengapa hendak dipanngil Keling...kan lebih baik dipanggil orang India atau lebih baik orang Malaysia sahaja....

Saya rasa budak setahun jagung pun lebih tahu menghormati orang lain..

Premkumar

eddy said...

Salam Dato, thank you for sharing your nostalgia story and the way you relate it to the social contract is just brilliant.

The Social Contract which forms the basis of our Constitution was agreed upon when the Malays make up 45% of the population in 1957. In 2007 the Malays/Bumiputra make up 65% and by 2020 it would be about 70% and by 2030 we will be roughly 75%-80% of the population. The reality of the demography of Malaysia strongly suggest that the Social Contract in 1957 must be respected and remain intact to ensure the economic and political stability of this multi racial country is maintained.

The Majlis Raja-Raja has spoken about the Social Contract which has been embedded in the Constitution and it was rightly pointed out the Constitution have served us well since Merdeka, 51 years ago. I think politicians especially should take heed and stop talking about the need to change or renew the social contract. It does make them seemed ignorant about the History of Malaysia and they will inevitably find themselves increasingly alien from the general population.

I note that there is a serious knowledge gap among the young (15-30 yrs age group) about the history of the formation of Malaysia, the Social Contract and the Constitution. What is needed right now is for the Government to implement an education policy to teach our young from primary, secondary to University level about the historical background to the Social Contract and how it have been embedded in our Constitution etc.etc.

Consequently, taking into account of the racial composition in the future, the NEP must also be explained academically on how it has benefited Malaysians of ALL races and not just the elites of UMNO which is the usual complaint of the minorities.

The statements by Government Leaders that the NEP shall be abolished in stages is not good enough, merely side stepping future issues.

I say if the NEP is good enough to ensure the economic and political stability of this country then it should be continued, maybe the implementation needs to be further scrutinised and the delivery system be enhanced so that ALL deserving Malaysian will be able to benefit.

Lastly, but maybe I am off tangent a bit, also taking into account the increasing racial composition of the Malays/Bumiputas the 30% equity target is obsolete and needed to be studied,renewed and increased at least once in 3 years. This is because the 30% being bandied about is becoming one of the major psychological barriers which is preventing the Malay/Bumiputras from moving forward with the rest of the population.

Bung Karno said...

Datuk,

From the few comments that we have here, it is clear that MANY are ignorant of the existence of this Social Contract. Some thought that it can be changed over time or at the fancy of politicians. Others just could not care less.

If only this blog is visited by more ignorant-Social Contract blokes...

This is ONE of the reasons why the younger generation or the young voters could not understand what UMNO and the BN are doing within the framework of this Social Contract. And they believe that PR can deliver the heavens if these special arrangements and compromises are torn-up

20 years from now this country will be torn apart if this Social Contract is still not understood and adhered to.

Anonymous said...

Datuk,

Saya paling minat bila Datuk menulis perihal kisah dulu2, kisah Malaysia di awal 60an dan 70an. Amat menarik dan banyak tauladan yg boleh diambil.

Kalau orang bangsa lain yang mempertikaikan kontrak sosial ni, saya boleh faham la. Tapi kalau orang Melayu itu sendiri yg mempertikaikannya, saya jadi pelik sikit.

Zaid Ibrahim pertikaikan konsep ketuanan Melayu. Tapi dia ni pun dulu belajar "Law" di ITM Shah Alam. Bila dapat diploma dari ITM, baru dia mampu buat ijazah di London. Kenapa Zaid Ibrahim tak buat "Law" di UM? Mohon tapi tak dapat ke? Tak dapat sebab apa? Tak pandai sangat kot?

Pelik betul. Ada juga manusia tak sedar diri macam ni.


-sinbad-

Anonymous said...

Dato’, picking from your comment Quoting Heng: THE MCA was formed in 1949. The MIC in 1946. The MCA leaderships, inevitably, comprised anti-communist Guomindang (KMT) leaders and wealthy Chinese businessmen, whose principal reason for political involvement was the protection of their economic interests (Heng 1988:57), I would like to make the following observations:-

1. The NEP as the manifestation of the Social Contract succeeded in strengthening the Malay (Bumi) political right with Malay controlling politics, the civil service, the army and the police;

2. It failed to uplift the economy of the Malays (Bumis) to be on par with the Chinese and Indians;

3. The NEP strengthened the economy of the Chinese and the “Brahmin” Indians;

4. Now that their economy is made stronger by the NEP and its successor policies, the Chinese and Indians want more political power;

5. The Malays who are not dreaming feel threatened and want the NEP policies to be continued and the Chinese and Indian demands checked;

6. The NEP type policies helped all Malaysians, but they helped politically-connected Bumiputeras or Umnoputras, rich Chinese and rich Indian more;

7. I came from rural Perak where until this day ordinary Malays, Chinese and Indians live in peace and benefiting from one another’s economic specializations;

8. The way I see it, the education system has failed us. I studied at Clifford School where there were then Malays, Chinese and Indian boys. Today Malays go to Malay-type schools in the rural areas, Chinese go to Chinese schools funded by Chinese tauke and guilds and Indians go to small estate-type schools with very poor amenities;

9. Our politicians keep these system and schools because they benefit from it. Malay school teachers support Umno (but now they also support Pas and PKR), the Chinese school teachers support the MCA and become Chinese pressure groups and Tamil school teachers all supported Samy Vellu and headed the local MIC branches. Now more supported PKR and the banned Hindraf.

10. As an older person, I am very sad to leave this country to my children and grandchildren. Malaysia that I knew used to be better, more tolerant and like Dato’ said we called each other names without worrying about offending anybody.

Wallah-hu-alam.

Ex-Banker

ChengHo said...

Only those to the romantic and nostalgic remember the good old day but for today generation they are more concerned if their chidren can go to the chinese or tamil school . day by day the socitey is secregated from kindergarden stage .
Just go to IPTA or IPTS you can see the grouping ,Malay students will go to one corner ,Chinese students another corner and Indian student to another corners . they do not even play sport together again.

Anonymous said...

Dato.

Saya bagitu hairan kenapa sekarang ini masaalah hubongan kaum maseh menjadi isu.Hubomgam ini hanya menjadi issue bagi orang2 di bandar sahaja,yang pandai2 dan membaca surat khabar.

Di kampong dan luar bandar hubongan antara kaum ini amat baik dan ikrab.Tepat sekali apa yang dato gambarkan suasana di Pendang.

Waktu zaman Kesultanan melaka,Laksamana Heng Li Pah yang mengembara dari Cina,amat baik hati sekali.Ia meninggalkan lima orang Laksamana nya untok menjaga Sultan Melaka,ia itu Heng Tuah,Heng Lee Bat(Jebat0),Heng Lee keat(lEKIR),dan Heng Lee kiew(lEKIU)

Sultan melaka pula asalnya orang India(Paramiswara)>Orang Melayu pada waktu itu tidak pernah mempersoalkan "kenapa Raja kita orang India"

Saya ingat jikalau kita nak mengajar anak2 kita di sekolah berhubong dengan sosial kontrek,lebeh baik lah kita mula kan lesson itu di Parliment kita.Mereka ini lah yang tak faham dan tak mahu faham pasal social kontrak ini.Kemudian kita minta Semua Peguam2 yang berdaftar termasok lah Bar Council dan NGO2 menghadiri kelas ini.

Soal keling pula yang menjadi amat sensitive ini saya tak paham.Apa bezanya Keling dengan Mamak.Malaysia sejak tahun 1981 di Perentah oleh keling dan mamak.Bermula dari Tun mahathir,EPU head dan gabenor bank Negara Ali Abu Hasan ,Petronas Chief Hasan Marican,Menteri Kewangan kedua Noor Muhamad,S.Usaha Sulit pak Lah ,Tajuddin dan Setia Usaha Politiknya Hassan Marican, Semuanya Keling.Tak ketingalan juga Anwar Ibrahim.Tak Usahlah kita nak sensitive tak tentu pasal.

Raison D'etre said...

Datuk,

Dulu - dulu arwah nenek saya akan gempaq kami adik beradik daripada bermain lewat petang dengan cerita keling potong kepala untuk bubuh di kepala jambatan.

Takut jugak kami masa kecik - kecik tapi bila dah besar, terus lupa.

Kami jarang guna perkataan Keling dalam keluarga walaupun ramai orang India di kampung saya tinggal dulu di Alor Setar.

Selalunya kami akan address dengan nama depa masing - masing; cuma ada sorang tu lekat nama Goondoo sebab dia bodoh - bodoh alang. Orang India di kampung saya pun panggil dia dengan panggilan yang sama.

Satu - satunya penggunaan perkataan Keling cuma untuk recycle man (ada istilah bahasa melayu ke perkataan ni?): keling botol.

Tak kiralah yang mengambil botol kaca untuk recycle to orang India ke, Cina ke (tak penah ada orang Melayu yang buat bisnes ni masa tu..), kami adil beradik akan panggil dia sebagai Keling Botol.

Sampai sekarang, saya tak biasa dengan penggunaan perkatan Keling dalam merujuk kepada sesuatu bangsa.

Sawit Traders:
Pekataan Nigger: Kalau dalam filem - filem Barat, cuma ornag Negro yang akan panggil orang Negro dengan perkataan Nigger.

Masa saya di UK dulu, Negro tidak ada. Yang ada bangsa Afrika yang menggelar diri mereka Afrikans.

Wasalam.

Anonymous said...

premkumar tulis:Zaman sekarang, orang2 muda panggil 'keling' untuk mengejek2 seseorang yang berbangsa India :- utk mengatakan panggilan keling sbg satu ejekan kpd seseorang yg berbangsa india hendaknya kita menyatakan apakah yg dimaksudkan sbg ejekan sedangkan makna perkataan keling itu sendiri tidak merupakan satu perkataan yg mempunyai makna yg berunsur ejekan spt bodohke, gilake, binatangke,hambake atau lain2 pengertian yg buruk. yg saya hendak ketahui apakah erti sebenar perkataan keling itu!mungkinkah ianya hanya merupakan gelaran bagi yg berkulit hitam(tanpa mempunyai unsur2 yg menjengkelkan)?seperti terdapatnya sesetengah individu melayu yg berkulit gelap digelar dgn si anu keling(eg. rahman keling dll).bahkan terdpt juga bangsa melayu yg bernama keling!jadi bolehkah en. premkumar menerangkan makna perkataan keling itu yg dikatakan berunsur ejekan.

Anonymous said...

Salam Dato'

I think the people of Pendang used the term "Keling" in a way a bit different from how you described it in this article. Even to this very day, we use the word "Kelin" (no "g") to describe muslim Indians. An Indian (non-muslim) has always been referred to as "Hindu". I wonder if Dato' can relate to what I am saying here. Back in the 70's there was a "kedai kelin" in Pendang town, a few meters away from Balai Polis Pendang and "Kedai Makan Lebai Mat". I can still remember the smell of the "kedai kelin". He he.. My mom used to buy her embroidery and whatnot items from the shop.

I like your posting this time very the very much. How nostalgic... hmm.. And I have the pleasure of reading the comments from so many patrons of your blog this time, insightful or otherwise he he..

Have a good day Dato'

Hanez

azahar said...

I agree with you on the issue of we tend to become more philosphical and nostalgic as we get older. That is why many old people like to write their own bibliography, like me. But only the vvip's bibliography gets published, that too after they were gone!

On the word keling, there was this story that I think worth telling. It happened when I first joined the governemnet service 26 years ago.

It was in Terengganu. We were visiting a dairy farmer. A farmer offered us boiled ubi kemili. The officer, most probably from the city, asked us what was it. We all found it very difficult to name it.
As the word might hurt someone's feeling.

Then Dr Murugesen quickly said - katalah ubi keling, apa masalahnya!

We Terengganu folks called ubi kemili ubi keling!

affendi hussain said...

anak Malaysia,

Mana fakta awak cedok ni?

Hang Li Po bukan perempuan ke? Bila masa jadi laksamana? Laksmana yg dtg ke Melaka adalah Cheng Ho..

Kalo Hang Tuah, Jebat etc tu mungkin ada sedikit keraguan..mana tau mereka tu hanya bodyguard Puteri Hang Li Po untuk dikahwin dgn sultan Melaka.. Hang, Heng ke Han? Han tu bukan etnik yg majoriti China skrg ke?

Pernah fikir tak kalau China terlampau hebat masa itu kenapa hantar seorang puteri utk dikahwinkan dgn seorg raja negara lain ?(mcm barter trade bisnes pulak). Kenapa tak hantar gabenor saja?

Nama Hindu semestinya org India ke? Tak pernah pergi ke Bali??
Org Melayu dulu memang beragama Hindu tetapi tiadalah bodoh sgt nak memperajakan kaum lain..

Keturunan Sultan Melaka yg masih tulen ada sehingga skrg adalah di Perak..yg negi lain mcm Johor & Pahang rasanya keturunan Bendahara & Temenggung ..ada baca sejarah ka? ada nampak rupa mamak ka kerabat Perak?

Cerita ni dah selalu dengar skrg ni..nak percaya pun 5%, nak gelak pun 95%..ditokok tambah mcm org mabuk marijuana...nak cerita pun tengok jugalah tinggalan2 sosio-budaya di Nusantara yg masih ada smp ke hari ini...Baru cerita..ok?
("/)

Anonymous said...

Dato,

blame it on the greedy businessmen, oppositions and BN parties for using racial issues to champion for their own individual gain.

PS we use to untie the small turban of our sikh classmate just to see him becoming like 70's rock band members and yet the next day he still turn up smiling as usual - minus his parent came along to complaint.

karepu said...

Salam bahagia Datuk.... satu nostalgia yang menarik untuk pembaca merenung kembali perpaduan sesama rakyat. Saya membesar di Jalan Langgar, Alor Setar dalam suasana kampung. Selama belajar di Sek.Iskandar Alor Setar, rakan-rakan saya lebih ramai dari kaum sendiri dan rakan saya yang paling rapat adalah Zainal and Ah Seng. Kami memang rapat dan sering kami usik sesama sendiri, macam belacan, keling, cina.... tapi tak pernah kami gaduh kerana perkataan-perkataan tersebut. Malah saya dan Ah Seng belajar dalam kelas jawi untuk baca dan menulis yang lebih menguntungkan apabila ustazah menjelaskan, jawi adalah satu bahasa yang tidak akan mencacatkan pegangan agama masing-masing hanya kerana mempelajarinya. Malah Zainal sering ke sekolah pada hari sabtu untuk belajar bahasa tamil. Itulah kekuatan kami bersahabat walaupun kami masih disekolah rendah. Tetapi itu adalah satu nostalgia yang tidak mungkin kembali berulang pada generasi muda hari ini.

Tetapi hari ini semuanya telah berubah. Mungkin boleh perang kalau saya panggil belacan, cina atau keling. Perjalanan politik negara yang rakus untuk terus berkuasa telah menyumbang daripada sebuah masyarakat yang terbuka kepada sebuah masyarakat yang tertutup. Kerakusan untuk berkuasa sebenarnya telah menyebabkan kita membina tembok sesama sendiri, tembok perkauman yang amat tebal dan kukuh lebih kukuh dari tembok konkrit.

Perkembangan ini adalah tidak sihat dan kita harus keluar dari kepompong yang disaluti oleh bom nuklear. Negara perlu bergerak ke depan demi untuk survival dan masa depan anak bangsa.

Malangnya demi untuk terus berkuasa, anak muda terus disuapkan dengan pelbagai agenda perkauman. Marilah kita berdepan dengan realiti. Kalau Malaysia musnah, penghuninya juga akan turut musnah tanpa mengira warna kulit mahupun agama anutan.

sawit futures trader said...

Salam Dato',

Terima kasih kepada My Raison D'etre atas input sdr.

Kawan saya guna cerita "nigger" jadi saya kupas pun guna perkataan "nigger".

Saya tidak pasti di UK. Di US, walaupun dikalangan kulit hitam, "nigger" adalah bahasa pasar. Dan ia merupakan satu perkataan yang kasar.

Dalam bahasa resmi, perkataan African American atau Negro digunakan bagi merujuk kepada kaum kulit hitam khusus bagi kelompok yang dibawa masuk ke US secara paksa beberapa kurun yang lalu.

Manakala bagi imigran baru dari benua Afrika pula, mereka dirujuk berdasarkan negara asal masing-masing.

Terdapat juga kelompok kulit hitam (yang dari kumpulan buruh paksa pada kurun ke 17 dan 18 yang berusaha mencari identiti asal mereka di benua Afrika.

Sebab itu ada yang namanya seperti nama orang islam tetapi bukan islam. Budaya ini ujud sejak Malcolm X menggunakan huruf "X" sebagai surname beliau kerana tidak dapat mengesan identiti leluhurnya.

Cak Kun Cak said...

Datuk,

You described what we Malaysians truly are - peace loving people.

Secondly, we are a stable nation because we were blessed with great leaders in those years until 2004.Despite turbulent times then, we pulled it off and came out stronger as a nation.

The year 2004 was the turning point.

In my opinion, Tun M should not have retired - I knew it then that if he did, it will be hard to get a credible successor ( looking at the candidates at the time)

I have always maintain my personal observation as a layman that Dato Seri Abdullah is a weak leader.

With due respect to his vast experience in the Government, I felt then that he is a man who does not have courage or the much needed leadership quality about him. In my mind then, he was more like a seasoned administrator kind of leader. Not the visionary, wise and courageous kind of leader.

Nevertheless, I trusted Tun M enough to have faith in his choice.

Unfortunately, in this case, my feelings were right and Tun M did make the wrong choice. The moment Dato Seri Abdullah cancelled the Second Bridge project, I knew he will be a liability to the nation instead of being the inspiration.

Despite all the current racial misunderstanding are caused by many internal, external, historical and present factors; in my opinion Dato Seri Abdullah weaknesses and mistakes was the main reason all of these surfaced.

I wanted to understand why Tun M chose him and if indeed we can say Tun M is responsible for his often silly mistakes? , but I find that all his mistakes and weaknesses are his own doing.

The projects cancellation, the clear undermining and sidelining of Tun M, the refusal to listen to the rakyat, the involvement of his son in law, son and families...ALL were his own doing.

He maybe Mr Nice Guy, but we do not need a Mr Nice Guy. We the nation need someone who are strong and have the integrity to lead us further on the platform that Tun M have laid out(though not perfect, but it is still something to build on).

Dato Seri Abdullah,out of a motivation that still mystifies me and many more like me, decided to ruin that platform and expected the people to swallow it just because he is a so called Mr Nice Guy.

He was wrong. The people cannot swallow it anymore. They were choking and so they protested in the 2008 GE.

The positive side is, we now know how ignorant he is to the feelings against him, and though many say that Tun M is stubborn, Dato Seri Abdullah demonstrated that he is stubborn plus he does not listen.

Now, the damage have been done. UMNO is ruined and power craze is infecting most of them inside there probably with no vaccine that can help them survive.

The people of Malaysia are peace loving people who wants to see their nation progress in harmony and peace.

Dato Seri Abdullah out of his arrogance and abuse of the power given to him (how else to define acts of bringing your family in Cabinet meetings? - He never denied this specifically which can only mean it is a fact) have created this crack allowing selfish racist idealist to use it to their advantage.

Despite the media, analyst or bloggers saying otherwise - I believe DSAB singlehandedly have been the main reason for the hostile engagement of social and racial issues in the country.

I love your nostalgic recollection Datuk, but let us not forget who is responsible just because he decided to handover (I wont bet my motorbike on that decision just yet ) so that we will not repeat the same mistakes again. InsyaAllah.

usoPkuChai said...

wanna hear another version of "why indian doesn't like to be called keling?"

maka ketika makan tengahari semalam, diperjelaskan semula mengapa hindu2 nih marah bila dipanggil keling.. asal sebutan keling nih ialah india muslim.. sebab tuh pada zaman kegemilangan kesultanan Islam di india benua tuh dikenali sebagai benua keling.. kerna itu juga di tanah melayu ada kampung keling dan tanjung keling.. keling nih bukan satu hinaan tapi satu pujian dan kebanggaan.. hindu2 nih marah dipanggil keling kerna mereka bukan Islam.. maka bila dipanggil keling mereka terasa umpama melayu dipanggil kafir.. dan panggilan keling nih merupakan penghinaan bila seorg hindu mengkelingkan hindu yg lain.. untuk org Islam, kalo kita nak menghina mereka kita panggil mereka pariah.. sebab pariah tuh kasta paling rendah dalam sistem kasta hindu.. waima yg mmg pariah pun malu dan marah bila dipanggil pariah, umpama babi dipanggil babi..

melayu lemau at boonchert.blogspot.com

it does sound racist and rude.. but it was not meant like that during the writing.. so i guess, its really depends on how you read it.. it is racist if your head is full of racisme..

Anonymous said...

ni UMNO la punya salah. depa yang dok memerintah selama ni patutnya letak kontrak sosila tu sebagai salah satu tajuk penting dalam syllabus pelajaran di peringkat menengah dan universiti.

kena ada la study pasai menda2 yang berkaitan dengan sejarah malaysia. tu blom lagi nak sembang pasai pejuang haluan kiri mcm API, AWAS, INSAF, PMCJA dll. Tokoh2 haluan kiri pun kena la jugak diiktiraf sebagai pendorong dan pendesak untuk capai kemerdekaan. Berapa keratla yang kenai ahmad boestamam, pak sako, burhanuddin helmy dll. Tu pun kena la jugak masukkan alkisah HARTAL dll.

Barulah nampak sejarah tu murni dan anak muda barulah tau panjang sebenarnya perjuangan untuk sampai ke tahap kita pada hari ni.

Jangan la asyik2 dok cerita pasai UMNO dan sekutu2nya saja yang berjuang untuk merdeka. Salah tu!

Tak salah nak down memory lane, tok. Tapi biaq bagi faedah dan ilmu untuk dikongsi bersama.

Buat yang berkuasa, sudah-sudahlah sorokkan sejarah.

Aku rasa Tok lebih arif pasai2 menda macam ni.

Ka gumana?

Anonymous said...

Datuk,
Kami sekeluarga selalu mengaitkan orang India sebagai satu bangsa yang suka berjenaka, dramatik dan riuh-rendah.
Jadi jika mengambil kira input saudara/i anak Malaysia yang negara kita diperintah oleh 'keling' secara direct or indirectly, mungkin sebab itulah politik kita penuh dengan warna-warni. Sabar jelah...(pendapat kami aje)
Salam

Anonymous said...

Salam YBhg Datuk

A bit late. Just return from the sea.

AS we get older, we tend to become philosophical. And we are prone to nostalgia. That’s because our brains remember things and events that occurred during our younger days better than what’s currently happening.


Haiya..... vely gud line la datuk. And vely tlu.

Anonymous said...

Two points:

1. The term 'keling' has been used in a highly derogatory way towards Indians (iaitu, ianya digunakan untuk memaki orang India). And because of that (oleh kerana itu), perkataan itu sudah tercemar and the Indians take it very badly.

Although I understand bahawa masa dulu maksud dia lain dan takde problem, tapi kini perkataan itu digunakan untuk mencaci dan menghina.

Maka saya cadangkan panggil saja kawan-kawan India kita sebagai "India".

Senang, bukan?

Anonymous said...

Saya rasa kontrak sosial ini tidak jelas dan tidak termaktub secara tentu di Perlembagaan pun.

Kalau Perlembagaan di teliti, hanya ada jaminan bagi kaum Melayu dan bangsa-bangsa lain.

Kontrak sosial seperti mana yang di-interpretasi oleh pelbagai orang politik (terutamanya orang UMNO) adalah satu alat untuk kawal rakyat.

Saya rasa baik kita panggil diri kita "Orang Malaysia", walaupun masing-masing ada kaum tertentu.

Harus kita sisihkan pembelah-bahagian yang ditimbulkan 'sosial kontrak' yang diwar-warkan golongan tertentu untuk kepentingan mereka (orang politik atau aristokrasi) dan harus kita, rakyat Malaysia, hormat antara satu sama lain tidak kira bangsa, dan terima bahawa kita semua manusia juga, tiada yang lebih berpangkat tinggi atau 'tuan'. Kita sama-sama perlu berganding bahu majukan tanahair bersama.

Ini yang penting, bukan 'kontrak sosial'.

Sekian.

affendi hussain said...

The "insulting" term called "keling" is probably due to the fact that..

The original Keling is from Kalinga which is now Orissa in India. These people were great ancient merchant & traders with good historical relationship with the ancient Malays kingdoms & empires. Majority Keling are Muslims & they even built centuries old mosques here..They were even causing trouble to the British in India..great rebellion warriors.

The later majority were from what is now Tamil Nadhu in India & practiced Hinduism, a religion with a built-in society caste system that have names for each classes. They were brought here by the British as estates labourers..

To refer to them as "Keling" is indeed 'derogatory' since both are totally different entity..

Historically, the British is the master of 'derogatory' terminology, name calling & insulting depiction to those races who dare to go against them..the Keling & Malay were not spared..

The Malay were made to believe that they were the decendent of a stupid & lazy race, althought their ancestor built one of the greatest & richest entraport empire in the world, envy by the Portuguese in Europe that control european trading via port Lisbon..(At that time they were 3 main trading port in the world namely Lisbon (Portugal), Goa(India) & Melaka(Tanah Melayu).

The two port were dominated by Muslims..with the help (subsidized) of European kingdoms to further continue the holy crusade & domination of the world, the Portugese managed to toppled Goa & Melaka..thus eliminating rival plus the pipeline for the Arabs dominating spices trades..

history do have a sense of touch with flavour.. with blood & spices..

Ancient time globalization perhaps..

Anonymous said...

Thanks Dato,

Cuma saya ada sedikit pendapat, kita org melayu semua beragama Islam. Kenapa kita rasa tercabar bila ada org menyentuh ttg bangsa kita, tapi kenapa kita tak tercabar bila org menyetuh agama kita?? Sesuatu bangsa akan membangun, dihormati dan akan berjaya jika dia berpegang kuat pada agama. Kita lihatlah pada sejarah,adakah Bangsa arab jadi berjaya dan terkenal satu ketika dulu kerana bangsa mereka kuat? tidak, mereka membangun dan berjaya adalah kerana agama Islam.. kita ketepikan sekejap soal bangsa, cuba kita berbincang pula soal agama. Agama kita seolah2dihina, tapi kenapa tida org yg tercabar dan membelanya?????? hanya agama shj yg boleh menyatukan pelbagai kaum dan bangsa didunia...

Ibrahim bin Said said...

Dato' Yang DirahmaatiNya,
Saya nak respon pada sahabat kita HANEZAM;
Kedai MAMAK di jalan nak ke Belakang Pendang saya masih ingat. Orang Pendang panggil Kedai Mat Isa. Dia tu kuat makan sirih. Kalau nak minta ubat boleh beli set sirih pinang pada dia. Dulu kalau sebut Penghulu Wahab (Pakcik), Tok Ayah Hj Azit dan Hj Dak semua warga Pendang kenal. Mereka jadi 'public figure' tempatan. Setelah Pendang membangun dengan pesat sekarang, siapalah 'public figure' Pendang agaknya.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdra Ibrahim bin Said dan Sdra/i HANEZAM,

Ada lagi alamat dan nama ikonik di Pendang pada waktu itu.

Selain Kedai Kopi Mat Isa, kita juga ada Kedai Gunting (guntin) Rambut Saad Janggut.

Pengulu Wahab sapa tak kenai. Syed Brahim -- orang kampung yang jadi YB.

Pak Su Manap dari Carok Kudung pun YB juga. Kaki silat. Tahun 1988 dia keluar Umno dan masuk Semangat 46 pasai dia geng Ku Li.

Panggung wayang lama Pendang tak ada bumbung. Kalau hujan basah brop atau kena pakai payung.

Panggung wayang baru dalam kebun getah dan bumbung zinc. Kalau hujang hingar tak dengar satu apa.

Bila wayang nak start, lagu tema "Bridge Over River Kuai" dimainkan. Kita pun kayuh gerek laju-laju takut miss trailer, kartun dan iklan.

La ni Pendang dah berubah. Dah tak kenai.

Dulu stesen bas UTC di depan Balai Polis. Pokok Sena (angsana) depan balai tu ada lagi. Di bawah pokok itulah saya simpan gerek (basikal) saya. Ada sebuah kedai guntin rambut kecik di situ.

Dalam Balai Polis (atau rumah pasung) ada sebuah kandang untuk penjenayah "kaki empat." Kerbau dan lembu yang ditangkap makan padi dikurung di situ sehingga dijamin oleh tuannya setelah ganti rugi dibayar.

Sg Pendang waktu tu masih hidup. Masih dipengaruhi air pasang dan surut. Titi untuk jalan kaki dan gerek saya. Kereta kena menyeberang dengan meredah sungai. Jadi tunggu air surut baru menyeberang.

Ramai kawan-kawan saya dari Sekolah Melayu Pendang mati lemas "ditarik" hantu air.

Sekarang hantu air pun dah cabut atau dah mati kerana pencemaran.

Itulah cerita zaman dulu-dulu. Saya pun sangat gembira bila baca cerita budak-budak pendang yang berjaya, macam Hanezam yang tulek oghang putih macam ayax.

Jeff Ooi MP DAP tu pun mengaji di Pendang. Dia budak Kobah.

Jadi geng Pendang ni tak la teruk sangat. Kalau sekali sekala mengamuk tu perkara biasa la.

Terima kasih.

affendi hussain said...

Salam Dato'..
x perasan lak..mohon nk jejak kasih skit..

Salam sdr Kerepu,
saya dulu pun mengaji sekolah Iskandar (gelaran sek nasik kandaq)gak..UPSR thn 1991.

Masih teringat lg nostalgia semasa zaman dulu, kenapa bapak saya sanggup tidur kat sek nasik kandar tu semata-mata utk daftar anak dia masuk situ..best rupanya mengaji disitu..masa UPSR satu kelas sume dpt 4A..cikgu kami nama Mr.Ong

Di situ saya belajar apa itu meritokrasi.. kwn baik saya duduk meja sebelah nama Benny Koo..kami melawak melampau2 & sentiasa bersaing silih berganti no. 2,1 dlm kelas merangkap seluruh aliran..50%kelas kami bukan Melayu..Selalulah dpt ambil hadiah dgn Almarhum Sultanah Kedah dulu..

Tetapi semuanya berubah taktakala saya masuk SBP (Sek Berasrama Penuh) di ting.1, dikumpulkan & hanya bersaing sesama Melayu ..performance jadi tepu..start tingkatan 2 asyik dpt no.1..lupa diri & bila result SPM sebenar best student org lain yg sapu..baru padan muka ku..

Itulah pengajaran hidup yg paling bermakna dlm hidup saya smp skrg..buat muhasabah diri, kenal identiti sendiri & sedar hakikat bahawa besi kalo tak di 'heat-treatment' secukupnya takkan jd keras..mcm mana nak ajak lawan pukul dgn besi lain yg dan di'hardened'?

Kesimpulannya..jagalah hak warisan kita baik2 (jgn jd bahlul pi gadai) & bersainglah secara adil & sihat...itulah ubat kuat.

..Allah takkan ubah nasib sesuatu kaum, melainkan kaum iu sendiri berusaha mengubahnya..refer Ar-Raad:11

Wslm
(",)

anakbuah said...

Salam Dato',

Saya tersentuh sikit bila Presiden MCA Ong Tee Keat berbunyi pasal perlantikan Low Siew Moi kat PKNS, siap kaitkan dgn kemenangan Obama lagi:

"Yesterday, the United States elected its first African-American president. "Ironically, the very people who cheer for Obama do not think a Chinese woman is fit to lead PKNS."

Cuba kita tanya apa peluang yg konglomerat dan syarikat yg dikuasai Cina beri kpd org Melayu atau India selama ini? Sleeping partner? Ali baba? Berapa ramai org Melayu diberi peluang mengetuai syarikat2 tersebut? Persoalannya bukan tidak mampu (ramai Melayu yg hebat2) tetapi adakah diberi peluang?

W/pun saya setuju perlantikan tersebut, paling kurang utk mengajar Melayu di PKNS, saya sedikit tersentuh bila ia dimainkan sebagai isu perkauman - tidak kira oleh org Melayu maupun Cina. Elok kita pandang dr sudut yg positif. Mungkin Low Siew Moi betul2 boleh membantu PKNS memandangkan beliau bukanlah org asing dlm PKNS.

JoDiane said...

sejak mengenal racisme, everything is racist to them... ;)

Anonymous said...

salam.. datuk,

your very good old days remembering me to my early days in 60's when my father was a govt servant in old airport subang. we live in a govt quarters where are malays , indian and very few chinese live around just like in a small kampung.we got sungai to jump in during cuti sekolah..and the wayang pacak too.

at school,(primary) before the class begin, we play guli, football or galah panjang
together...malays, chinese or indian and in a classroom, we sit just aside by side together and i still remember my old that friend's names... such andrew and derek alan water melon. (that's what we call him)...hi derek.

those things are a value of social elementary of community that could not may in these days.
and its always starts from early beginning.

i'm very much agree to the call of Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak that the constitution and the social contract must be thought at universities.

About Me

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I was born in 1947 in Kedah. I came from a rice farming family. I have been a journalist since 1969. I am the Editor-in-Chief of magazine publishing company, Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd. I was Group Editor NST Sdn Bhd and Group Editor-in-Chief of NSTP Bhd between 1988 and 2000. I write fortnightly column “Other Thots” in the Malaysian Business magazine, Kunta Kinte Original in Berita Harian and A Kadir Jasin Bercerita in Dewan Masyarakat. Books: Biar Putih Tulang (1998), Other Thots – Opinions & Observations 1992-2001 (2001), The Wings of an Eagle (2003), Mencari Dugalia Huso (2006), Damned That Thots (2006), Blogger (2006), PRU 2008-Rakyat Sahut Cabaran (2008), Komedi & Tragedi-Latest in Contemporary Malaysian Politics (2009) and Membangun Bangsa dengan Pena (2009).