Tuesday 27 April 2010
Just a Thought
Love doesn't happen because it's written in the stars. You make it happen. And love is of such beauty, that even if you fail to find it a thousand times, you just keep trying. To feel such beauty, the pain and heartbreak, great as it may be, is worth it.
Thursday 8 April 2010
On the Malays
The Malays
The Malay identity was one of greatness. For a thousand years, empires were built by them. Srivijaya was the father of Malay empires, Majapahit unified the areas known as Nusantara, or the Malay world, Malacca was the first empire that carried the Malay name and identity, Johore continued the legacy of Malacca, Acheh sealed the Malay's identity with Islam. The seed of the Malay spreads across the world, from Hawaii to Madagascar.
And the Malay was not proud of his greatness. He considered himself equal, friends with peoples of other empires, and yet humble. Malacca was vassal to the Chinese Ming Dynasty, but still consider it as friends on equal footing. Host to the various Indian states, but still welcomed them to trade and served in the Malacca court, like Mani Purindam and Tun Mutahir. The Achehnese welcomed the Turk and the discussion of Islamic theology and philosophy flourished, and history was developed as a proper discipline by Nuruddin al-Raniri, long before von Ranke's idea was used.
The Malays were open to new ideas and new views. The so-called feudal loyalty to the Crown was not to the extent of forgoing common sense and reason. Did not Hang Jebat challenge Mansur Syah for Tuah's death? Did not Hang Tuah's son challenge Mahmud Syah in the balairung for committing adultery with his wife? And did not Mahmud Syah lose the support of the young warriors for his cruelty in killing his own son? Was Acheh not founded on the idea of Islamic ideals, the people deposing cruel rulers like they did Raja Buyong the Drunkard?
But the British came. And mischief was set. The Malays, long involved in trade and mining, was limited to the scope of farming and fishing. Swettenham, Winstedt, Wilkinson-they preserved the idea of the quintessential Malay in their heads, in their books, and in their policies, and the stereotype of the Malays was shaped.
We see the seed of this view today. The Malays, reduced to the level of a joke of a stereotype. The Malays are lazy. The Malays are stupid. The Malays are involved in drugs. And incest. And rempit. The Malays are too dependent on government aid. The Malays are idle, only prone to mindless entertainment. The Malays are stuck in a feudalistic view of the world. The Malays are superstitious, close-minded, racist to an extent, yet hypocritical and have no understanding of their own faith. Despite the fact that negative traits and its link to race is merely pseudo-science nonsense.
But who made the Malays this way? Who brainwashed the Malays to accept the stereotype blindly? The British are long gone. They can be blamed no longer. The Chinese and Indians for perpetuating this view? The Aaronic scapegoat is useless. Why condemn a whole people for the views of some idiots? And mind you, idiocy is colour-blind.
Did not Mahathir tell the Malays to shed the stereotype in the Malay Dilemma? Did not Syed Hussein Alatas argue that the stereotype does not exist in The Myth of the Lazy Native? Did not Anwar say the Malays could stand on their own feet?
So who is to blame? The politicians? Is it UMNO, who allowed some bigots to hijack the Malay identity and create the view of the kris-wielding racist? Is it PAS, who created the view of the religio-fascist, close-minded Malays? Is it DAP, who have nothing positive to say about the Malays, perpetuating the myth? Is it RPK, who seem to perpetuate the view of the self-hating 'liberal' Malay in his blog? Is it the whole monarchy system itself?
The main question here now. Who took the Malay identity from the Malays?
The Malay identity was one of greatness. For a thousand years, empires were built by them. Srivijaya was the father of Malay empires, Majapahit unified the areas known as Nusantara, or the Malay world, Malacca was the first empire that carried the Malay name and identity, Johore continued the legacy of Malacca, Acheh sealed the Malay's identity with Islam. The seed of the Malay spreads across the world, from Hawaii to Madagascar.
And the Malay was not proud of his greatness. He considered himself equal, friends with peoples of other empires, and yet humble. Malacca was vassal to the Chinese Ming Dynasty, but still consider it as friends on equal footing. Host to the various Indian states, but still welcomed them to trade and served in the Malacca court, like Mani Purindam and Tun Mutahir. The Achehnese welcomed the Turk and the discussion of Islamic theology and philosophy flourished, and history was developed as a proper discipline by Nuruddin al-Raniri, long before von Ranke's idea was used.
The Malays were open to new ideas and new views. The so-called feudal loyalty to the Crown was not to the extent of forgoing common sense and reason. Did not Hang Jebat challenge Mansur Syah for Tuah's death? Did not Hang Tuah's son challenge Mahmud Syah in the balairung for committing adultery with his wife? And did not Mahmud Syah lose the support of the young warriors for his cruelty in killing his own son? Was Acheh not founded on the idea of Islamic ideals, the people deposing cruel rulers like they did Raja Buyong the Drunkard?
But the British came. And mischief was set. The Malays, long involved in trade and mining, was limited to the scope of farming and fishing. Swettenham, Winstedt, Wilkinson-they preserved the idea of the quintessential Malay in their heads, in their books, and in their policies, and the stereotype of the Malays was shaped.
We see the seed of this view today. The Malays, reduced to the level of a joke of a stereotype. The Malays are lazy. The Malays are stupid. The Malays are involved in drugs. And incest. And rempit. The Malays are too dependent on government aid. The Malays are idle, only prone to mindless entertainment. The Malays are stuck in a feudalistic view of the world. The Malays are superstitious, close-minded, racist to an extent, yet hypocritical and have no understanding of their own faith. Despite the fact that negative traits and its link to race is merely pseudo-science nonsense.
But who made the Malays this way? Who brainwashed the Malays to accept the stereotype blindly? The British are long gone. They can be blamed no longer. The Chinese and Indians for perpetuating this view? The Aaronic scapegoat is useless. Why condemn a whole people for the views of some idiots? And mind you, idiocy is colour-blind.
Did not Mahathir tell the Malays to shed the stereotype in the Malay Dilemma? Did not Syed Hussein Alatas argue that the stereotype does not exist in The Myth of the Lazy Native? Did not Anwar say the Malays could stand on their own feet?
So who is to blame? The politicians? Is it UMNO, who allowed some bigots to hijack the Malay identity and create the view of the kris-wielding racist? Is it PAS, who created the view of the religio-fascist, close-minded Malays? Is it DAP, who have nothing positive to say about the Malays, perpetuating the myth? Is it RPK, who seem to perpetuate the view of the self-hating 'liberal' Malay in his blog? Is it the whole monarchy system itself?
The main question here now. Who took the Malay identity from the Malays?
What My Mother Taught Me
Read this the other day. Really funny stuff.
1. My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION...
"Just wait until you father gets home!"
2. My Mother taught me about RECEIVING...
"You are going to get it when we get home!"
3. My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE...
"What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you...Don't talk back to me!"
4. My Mother taught me LOGIC...
"If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can't go to the store with me."
5. My Mother taught me MEDICINE...
"If you don't stop making funny faces, it's going to freeze that way."
6. My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD...
"If you don't pass your spelling tet, you'll never get a good job."
7. My Mother taught me about ESP...
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold."
8. My Mother taught me HUMOUR...
"When the lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."
9. My Mother taught me how to BECOME AND ADULT...
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."
10. My Mother taught me about SEX...
"How do you think you got here? Stork, izit?"
11. My Mother taught me about GENETICS...
"You're just like your father."
12. My Mother taught me about my ROOTS...
"Where do you think you were born? In a zoo, izit?"
13. My Mother taught me about JUSTICE...
"You just wait when you have kids. I hope they turn out just like you...then you'll see what it's like."
Seriously, I love my parents. This is just a bit of laugh here...I hope I don't get disinherited or something...
1. My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION...
"Just wait until you father gets home!"
2. My Mother taught me about RECEIVING...
"You are going to get it when we get home!"
3. My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE...
"What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you...Don't talk back to me!"
4. My Mother taught me LOGIC...
"If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can't go to the store with me."
5. My Mother taught me MEDICINE...
"If you don't stop making funny faces, it's going to freeze that way."
6. My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD...
"If you don't pass your spelling tet, you'll never get a good job."
7. My Mother taught me about ESP...
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold."
8. My Mother taught me HUMOUR...
"When the lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."
9. My Mother taught me how to BECOME AND ADULT...
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."
10. My Mother taught me about SEX...
"How do you think you got here? Stork, izit?"
11. My Mother taught me about GENETICS...
"You're just like your father."
12. My Mother taught me about my ROOTS...
"Where do you think you were born? In a zoo, izit?"
13. My Mother taught me about JUSTICE...
"You just wait when you have kids. I hope they turn out just like you...then you'll see what it's like."
Seriously, I love my parents. This is just a bit of laugh here...I hope I don't get disinherited or something...
Five Philosophies to Live By (since everyone else's compiling lists)
This is a personal list of philosophical rules of life that I compiled. Mainly because everyone else's doing it, and I think it's normal for people to jump into the bandwagon while it's still 'hipping and hopping'. :P
1. Always compliment yourself. Personally, I think masuk bakul angkat sendiri is an amazing philosophy. I mean, if you're not going to blow your own trumpet, who will, right? Of course, preemptively point out this fact to people before they point it out to you. This way, people will actually think you're humble.
2. Blame others before you blame yourself. Sure, sure, you can go through the whole 'muhasabah diri' thingy and it's ok, but seriously, it's not half as fun as blaming others when something bad happens. And then sue them. Hopefully the 5 UM law students I have as friends of Facebook can help me out here =D
3. Act as if you like intelligent books and films. Like Akira Kurosawa or Ingmar Bergman films, or Russian Nihilist books. Understanding this stuff is a different matter altogether, and is optional. Girls will think you're mysterious and attractive and fall for you. I have followed this 3rd philosophy for a while...oh, wait...now that I think about it, maybe I do need to revise following this one here. Hmmm...
4. Never, ever, EVER, invite preachers into your room. Not that I have anything against God or religion, but they will take too much of your time, telling you stuff you can read and then try to act as if they know more about your studies than you. And don't discriminate. Tablighs, PMIUM, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons...KEEP THEM ALL OUT!
5. When in doubt, recycle Garfield and Dilbert jokes in conversations to make people think you're smart. Unintended side effect: people may instead think you're a pompous twit and stay away from you. Unintended side effect 2: people may actually read Garfield and Dilbert as well, conclude you're unoriginal and stay away from you anyway...better stick to Baby Blues and Calvin and Hobbes then.
1. Always compliment yourself. Personally, I think masuk bakul angkat sendiri is an amazing philosophy. I mean, if you're not going to blow your own trumpet, who will, right? Of course, preemptively point out this fact to people before they point it out to you. This way, people will actually think you're humble.
2. Blame others before you blame yourself. Sure, sure, you can go through the whole 'muhasabah diri' thingy and it's ok, but seriously, it's not half as fun as blaming others when something bad happens. And then sue them. Hopefully the 5 UM law students I have as friends of Facebook can help me out here =D
3. Act as if you like intelligent books and films. Like Akira Kurosawa or Ingmar Bergman films, or Russian Nihilist books. Understanding this stuff is a different matter altogether, and is optional. Girls will think you're mysterious and attractive and fall for you. I have followed this 3rd philosophy for a while...oh, wait...now that I think about it, maybe I do need to revise following this one here. Hmmm...
4. Never, ever, EVER, invite preachers into your room. Not that I have anything against God or religion, but they will take too much of your time, telling you stuff you can read and then try to act as if they know more about your studies than you. And don't discriminate. Tablighs, PMIUM, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons...KEEP THEM ALL OUT!
5. When in doubt, recycle Garfield and Dilbert jokes in conversations to make people think you're smart. Unintended side effect: people may instead think you're a pompous twit and stay away from you. Unintended side effect 2: people may actually read Garfield and Dilbert as well, conclude you're unoriginal and stay away from you anyway...better stick to Baby Blues and Calvin and Hobbes then.
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