The Denigrated Race

At the Projek Amanat Negara I attended some few weeks ago, an experienced somebody (I shall not name names) had this to say (in summary):

"That Malay has become the denigrated race. That their politicians are laughed at. That they are bashed at (even by Malay themselves). Malays, in effect, has become the minority."

As sad as it may be, this is indeed true. We are indeed now "The Denigrated Race". Why is that? Is that justified?

Well, this entry is not meant to be an intellectual piece about how the Malays need to improve themselves to be at par with the rest, yada yada yada, something that have been talked about in my circle for so much since I started law school (heck, actually since I was in TKC) that frankly, I'm bored of it already (that's the problem of having said so much and been so opinionated since an early age, by the time you get to this age of mine you feel so jaded already by all this topics. Been there, done that).

And this entry is not meant to be a racist propaganda either.

This entry is meant for me to vent this frustration of mine.

Why are we the denigrated race? I do not think that we deserve that. True, we are not a perfect race, we have weaknesses. But aren't you too? True, our politicians are mostly crap, but aren't yours too? (In fact aren't all politicians shit-spitting lowlifes, even here in the UK!)

We love this country. We would do anything for this country. We would stay here and fight for what it's worth no matter how bad the situation is, how bad the economy is, how bad the standard of living is. We would spill blood for this country. We would die for this country. Would YOU do that???

At least 80% of Non-Malays I've met here in the UK, when I asked them personally, have indicated that they do not intend to go back to Malaysia. At least not until "the situation improves". WHAT THE HELL. So you are going to stay here and hide, living in luxury (or what you perceived as luxury, after the astronomic tax) while the denigrated race fight and slave out at low salary in order to keep the country going. You just want to walk back in when everything is fine and dandy?? At official get-togethers kau cakap berdegar-degar, demanding a change in this, a change in that. You talk so much, but you are not even willing to come back home and make that change. Remember, YOU should be the change that you want to see happens. Not hide out here berlagak Westerner, eyeing for that PR.

I would respect you if you say (in all honesty) that you do not want to go straight back home because you want to get the experience that you cannot get back in Malaysia, so that when you come back you can contribute to a new kind of development.. But don't give me the impression that kau just tak nak bersusah di negara sendiri. So siapa sekarang yang kene bersusah untuk kau? Kerajaan hantar belajar tinggi2 so that kau balik and menyumbang pada negara. Bukan untuk menyumbang pada kekayaan dan kesenangan hidup kau sorang.

I know, and I truly understand (because I feel the same way too) that the government SHOULD do something in order to ensure that when we go back home there would be jobs that would fulfill our career needs in terms of job satisfaction as well as intellectual satisfaction, and of course at a salary that is befitting our education and qualification.

But it is while the going is rough that you can see who truly loves the country and who are just "parasites" wanting to feed-off the country (sorry for the strong words). Remember, you need the country more than the country needs you. Being in a place where you belong, even if you don't make as much wealth, is far better than being somewhere where you are just "the outsider". Apa kau ingat orang UK suka sangat kau ramai2 kat sini? Come on, you know the answer.

And don't say you don't feel like you truly belong in Malaysia because we are not tolerant enough. Tak cukup tolerant lagi ke? You want to go to your own school? Silakan. You want to speak your own language? Silakan. (In fact, some of us can't get a job at some places because we don't speak your language) You want to practice your faith? Silakan. In grandeur lagi (Let the gold-plated tallest statue of Dewa Murugan at Batu Caves be a Testament to that). Of course there are no absolute freedom. Freedom needs to come with limitation, especially in a multi-racial country like ours. In fact, can you name me one country that practices absolute freedom? Can you?

But you, you question our Bumiputera rights. Padahal apa sangat lah rights tu pun. You want us to respect your sensitivity. But have you ever respected ours? When you use Allah to denote your God, although you know how precious religiosity is to us (like how precious money is to you), you disparage us when we get insulted. Why is it that we always have to respect you, but you never respect us? Yes, it may be linguistically correct, and you can harp on Freedom of Expression, but how does that reflect on how "respectful" you are (something you claimed to be) and how does that reflect on your social conscience?

Now, coming back to the issue of the denigrated race. Why is that so? Why do you hate us so much? Why do you belittle us? Are we not friendly to you? Do we not welcome you with open arms when you come to our house? We want to talk to you, we want to hang out with you, we want to be your friends. But how can we do that when you just stick to yourself, and speak in a language that we cannot understand? Can't we speak in English (no matter how broken our English is, or yours). Come to think of it, why can't we speak in Malay? Because it's our language? And here i thought it's the National language. Well, that's what the Federal Constitution says anyway. And if you don't like what the Federal Constitution says, well blame your forefathers for agreeing to it when you once seek the protection of Malaya.
In any event, I'm sure you did pass your SPM Bahasa Melayu paper (and I'm sure in more probability you got an A1 for it).

Last thing about the denigrated race. How come there are Malays themselves who like to denigrate the Malays. Sebab kau malu jadi orang Melayu kan? Sebab kau ingat kau Western and modern kan? Bangsat lah kau. Itu nama nya tak sedar diri. Western, modern, kau makan sambal belacan jugak.
Please lah, I really hate Malays who feel the only way they can appear cool , open minded, and be accepted by the non-Malays are when they disparage and belittle their own race. If that's what you have to do to gain acceptance, THEN SHAME ON YOU.

Now the Malay in me has spoken. Let it be damned!

*(spoken like a true denigrated race)*