Much earlier we had learnt of a school teacher shockingly deriding her Indian students for their ethnic origins.
Both were pathetic exhibitions of unmitigated racism, deformed states of mind, where the former suffered a theft of her personal belonging to bring to the surface her latent prejudices, whilst the later was raw hatred or/and scorn for another race poured out in arrogant surety that she would be, by virtue of her superior position, immune from punishment.
The former apologized, no doubt in fearful realization of the enormity of her shameful act, whilst the latter (I heard) was posted to a far superior position. Maybe the latter had been correct in her arrogant confidence?
I have personally witnessed the most shameful exhibitions of racism by people I know, Chinese, Malays, Indians and strangely Eurasians, whilst I have been the victim of overt racism which fortunately for me didn’t end in violence.
Oh racism, even the Indians practice racism among themselves as I posted in Malaysia's Economic Pariahs?
I am going to quote something that I once wrote to Malaysiakini, which we should be mindful of when discussing or judging anyone of racism:
I recall one of the characters in the Akira Kurosawa classic ‘Rashomon’, narrating his grievances according to his perception, and undoubtedly self interest.
Kurosawa's great tale had intended to show, a narration of either a crime, or a grievance would be seen differently by each individual party. We may confidently assume all would be generally unreliable, with a mixture of those dangerous half-truths.
How much spice each would have added on, no one knows. As Kurosawa's film had moralised, there is no such thing as an objective truth, which is also a timely reminder when we talk about racism.
On the other side of the coin, I also have among my closest friends blokes and lassies from the Malay, Indian (including Punjabi), Eurasian, Kadazan, Iban, Singhalese, Thai, Ang Mor communities.
We can be friends, in fact close friends ….. provided of course we learn to understand, appreciate, respect, tolerate and accept one another’s customs, cultures, mores, practices, beliefs, etc.
But the most insidious form of racism (bearing in mind of course that all forms of racism is evil) would be politically instigated or sanctioned racism. Take the example of the former South African Apartheid regime or the current Israeli State. Some countries are less obvious, nations like Japan where even Korean Japanese domiciled for several generations are still regarded as ‘lesser’ citizens.
Where does Malaysia stand in this regard?
Some say we are like the former SA Apartheid regime, but I disagree because those who said that have no idea of what the blacks in SA had undergone – yes sir, no idea at all of the degrading humiliating abuses the coloured people had suffered under the (Dutch Reformed) Church sanctioned Apartheid.
What about Israel? Now, that’s food for thoughts!
Related: Malaysian Racism & The 3 Baskets of Crabs
Xiean
ReplyDeletethese two websites should be interesting to you
a)www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/9950-jui-meng-mca-must-stand-up-to-umno
b)www.chuajuimeng.com/
Best regards am currently quite occupied and busy . Can only post short comments until it is over middle of the month ,pls stay in touch here .
Racism exists everywhere, and almost every country in the world denies certain rights, more or less, to non-citizen aliens. Many countries have very restrictive rules against anyone not born of citizen parents from gaining citizenship. The Japanese law you mentioned is probably racially motivated, but in strict legal terms, it is next to impossible to become a naturalised Japanese citizen. Since the offspring of such non-citizens do not qualify for citizenship, and so on, you end up with 5th generation residents who still don't qualify for citizenship.
ReplyDeleteJapan, rightly or wrongly, repeatedly pleaded that their restrictive law has not a single mention of "race".
Now to Malaysia's case. Even though casual racism exists everywhere, as it stands in the year 2008, there are relatively few nations where denial of certain rights to citizens on grounds of racial origin is built into policy. South Africa was one of the last of them, though the South African case was clearly a very nasty one.
Malaysia now has the disreputable status of one of the last few officially racist states in the World.
As South Africa, Malaysia is not comparable to Israel. The latter treatment of the Arabs Palestine is only comparable to Apartheid South Africa. After all, that's how Desmond Tutu describe the situation when he visited Occupied Palestine, like the kind of apartheid the blacks were put through.
ReplyDeleteYou are wrong KT. In many ways we are like apartheid SA. Perhaps being from Penang clouds your judgement. Go to other parts of Malaysia and see how Malay government servants treat non-Malays. Chinese and Indians are openly asked "bisu ke?" when they have trouble making themselves clear in Malay and Indians are asked "toddy tak cukup ah" NO attempts are made to understand that not everyone can speak Malay as well as a Malay.
ReplyDeleteChristians churches are denied permits to build SHEDS. That's right SHEDS not buildings. Do you know why? As it is practically impossible to obtain permits to build new Churches in most areas of Malaysia some Churches resort to moving items which are only used occasionally outdoors so as to create more space for the congregation indoors. These Churches out of desperation get the sheds built anyway and are immediately slapped with fines and sometimes even with threats to close the Church. If this is not apartheid tell me what is.
During an accident a Malay crowd will gather around a non-Malay to either ask for compensation or to refuse compensation. Violence is frequently employed to ensure that any non-Malay who stands his/her ground complies with the demands of the Malay mob.
There is much, much more proof of APARTHEID in Malaysia. The latest being the downgading of a malaysian citizen to that of a permanent resident. It is armchair critics like you who lead comfortable lives who make it even more miserable for those who suffer at the hands of these racist bastards.
Thank you A**hole kt for making our lives better.
KT, I read your other post racism within the Indian race. You're right, we tend to have factions and fight even within the race.
ReplyDeleteI wrote in my blog on 13 August 2008 about Malaysia and its similarities with Israel. IMO, there are frightening parallels. For one, in both countries (and in apartheid South Africa), we define race(s) in the constitution. Second, in both Israel and Malaysia there is a lack of a delianation between race and religion, for example with Malays and Islam and in Israel's case, between Jewish ancenstry and Jewish faith. As such, a Malay is automatically a muslim, while anyone can become a Jew by converting to judaism, in the sense that the new 'Jew' is a new entrant of a race, and immediately upon arriving in Israel, be granted rights over and above those of Arab-Israelis.
ReplyDeleteIn both countries there is state-sanctioned racism, whereby both states are seen as 'belonging' more to one group than to another. Israel and Malaysia has far more in common than the anti-jewish lobby in malaysia care to see. Their kindred spirit is Binyamin Netanyahu, not Yasser Arafat.
Anon,11.56 am,
ReplyDeleteYeap! you are so dammed right about those malay rasists.It is happening everywhere except Penang.Those penang blokes should try the outskirts of Selangor, and perhaps armchair critics like kt should experience taking a stroll through those malay populated slums.If he does'nt get the shivers then he has balls!
Penang chaps are lucky because with chinese majority they is fair play and the malays learnt to be tolerant.Down south you tread on tender grounds.
Anything minor can be blown into nasties within seconds .
This is a fact and umno enjoys this edge to bully the minorities into submission.Ask any indians or chinese if they dare challenge those government servant who gives them a rough time.
For years the malay has'nt been challenge because they have the backing of the police and army.
Therfore we are no better than South Africa during its apatied days.
You must understand that Ktemoc lives in AUSTRALIA.
ReplyDeleteThe only knowledge he has of what's happening on the ground in Malaysia is what he can link to in Star and Mkinini, plus his usual prejudices.
I disagree with those views that rural malays are so bad, I have travelled a lot throughout Malaysia, North, South, East, West, Central including Sabah and Sarawak, instead I find most rural malays friendly and helpfull and I do not encounter any slightest fear while I was there. Soon I will hit the road again when my son PMR is over.
ReplyDeleteAny races surely they are some bad apple. But mostly it depend on us, if we are friendly and smilingly in other people's territory, I do not see anyone getting into trouble. Of course if some visitors are nasty and boastful they are asking for it.
Hi chaptokam,
ReplyDeleteSure will keep in touch here. Meanwhile something for you to ponder.
Critics equated Penang WiFi project with the proposed RM25bil Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) project by the previous government. Lim Guan Eng to justify the Penang's WiFi project argue that “PGCC merely enriched one company and did not benefit the people. But the two companies undertaking this wireless effort will not be paid any money by the state or its people,”
I disagree with LGE argument, I think PGCC have to be revived but with revise scale, Penang have to survive and move on with balance developments which will benefits a lot of people with more job opportunities, such projects will filter down to the small contractors of various field. I think the the State Government is giving out the wrong signal to the business communities and investors by saying previously that the PGCC is dead. On the other hand they are fighting with the Federal Government to restore back the PORR which will be detrimental to the environment which the Penang people does not want. Why?, because some businessmen close to them have vast interest and lobbying for the project.
Regarding the the populist WiFi, it clearly a sale gimmick, I do not buy it, in business no free lunch lah. there must be a catch somewhere or Penang will be used guinea pig.
Hi xiean
ReplyDeletelet me dig and see whether I can come out with something ! Ok
So when will you will hit the road ?
Will be in KL from 16th till 19 th. If we make it might be longer .
To Xiean,
ReplyDeleteYes, there are nice and helpful Malays just as there were whites who were vehemently against apartheid in SA. However, try living in some of the Malay areas your travels bring you to. You will get a taste of the racist Malay civil servant and the wonderful Malay hospitality when you get into an accident in a Malay dominated area.
Try it please and then come back and tell me what you think.
Hi Vinnan,
ReplyDeleteAccident hostility is everywhere including Penang. Many years ago I encountered such incident whereby I was involve with an accident at Thean Teik Garden in Penang. Immediately I was surrounded by the local residences as the other car owner was a local and he demanded that I paid compensation and refuse to let me go to make the necessary police report. No choice have to pay and get out. I understand Perak road is also the same.
For the Malay civil servant hospitality, try out this the next time you approach them, wishes them good day or good morning etc, and you see the diferences. They are human and needs courtesy too.
Hi Chaptokam,
Still planning for the trip, going to North of Belum Temengor for three night camp and fishing. For our meeting, take your time.
To Xiean,
ReplyDeleteYou do not ask yourself why the Malay crowd dares to force you to pay compensation. The answer is simple. They know the police will NEVER go after them for what they do. Thus Malaysia in this sense can be said to practice the state-sponsored racism of SA. It is apartheid in one of its most naked and aggressive forms.
Moreover, what makes you think the people who were discriminated against by the racist civil servants did not greet them with the proper salutations. I find your assumption presumptive. What I am saying is what is so difficult about making an effort to understand the problems faced by non-Malays rather than spewing racial nonsense. Like I said try living in those Malay racist areas then come back and tell me what you think. I shit you not when I tell you that you will see a whole different world.
Vinnan,
ReplyDelete"
The answer is simple. They know the police will NEVER go after them for what they do"
"They" were the chinese of Thean Teik Garden.
Case Closed: Vinnan is surely one close-minded confirmed racist.
mentioning apartheid in africa, do you know in 1980s we had "god must be crazy" movie ? do you know before 1990, south africa though sanctioned but still doing quite well (unfortunately collapsed in 1990) ? and what happened in post apartheid! there is even a claim the situation worse of (http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=7c51746d342762e473444079fbcd2177)
ReplyDeletejust like you ppl complaining under british rule during pre merdeka is much better! and nelson mandela became president in post apartheid was tainted with corruption allegation! if you say apartheid is bad, that means you should happy with nep and status quo in malaysia, where the kaum native is "guaranteed" to be PM, no lks and karpal for that post! (it happened for MB, surely it happened to PM post as well!) and you shouldn't use south africa as comparison indeed.....
university of cape town, one of the respectable univ in south africa:
ReplyDeletenotable alumi with nobel laureates:
Max Theiler
Allan McLeod Cormack
Sir Aaron Klug
Professor Emeritus J. M. Coetzee
And as student proposition in 2005:
3,795 students (18%) were described as "Black", 2,758 (13%) were described as "Coloured", 1,440 (7%) were described as "Asian", and 9,185 (42%) were described as "White".
imagine they adopted quota system as in um and usm in post apartheid.......
To Xiean,
ReplyDeleteShame Shame on you for being not transparent but it matters not. The fact that a Chinese crowd will demand money only goes to show the logic of my assertions. Firstly, if you were a Chinese the Malay dominated police force will not give a damn about you being forced to pay compensation to a Chinese mob. Ever heard of "tu orang Cina punya hal". Again state-sponsored apartheid. Now if you were a Malay, the chances of a Chinese mob forcing you to pay compensation will be almost zero. Let's get real here. Why? Because the Chinese residents in that area know forcing a Malay to pay compensation to a Chinese will only result in harasment by the police against the Chinese residents of the area if that disgruntled Malay were to lodge a report on the incident. That is if they are lucky the Malay chap does not come back with a mob to teach the Chinese there a lesson. Like I said try living in a Malay dominated area and experience the thrill of the Malaysian version of apartheid. Then maybe you will be qualified to comment on this topic. That is if you are a non-Malay to start with.
One more thing cheap tricks does not a man/woman make.
Vinnan,
ReplyDeleteWhat rubbish you talking about, I am proving a point that accident hostility can occur anywhere not only in Malay dominate area which you are selling , but you take that to insult the Chinese. No wonder, your type of character, where ever you go, you encounter problems.
I rest my case.
vinnan, an apathetic Police Force doesn't mean there is a White Supremacist SA-style state of Apartheid in Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteThe attitude you described could be typical of kampong mentality, whether the kampong is dominated by Chinese, Malays, Indians or whoever.
A few many kampong people do have their own brand of quick vigilante corp justice ;-) which usually favours the locals wakakaka