AainaA

We met up again a few days ago. He reads my blog regularly. He forewarned that I shouldn’t meddle with Malaysia’s politics. He said I could get into a lot of trouble for writing what I write about Malaysia.

I met Ahmad {*} a few years ago, when he tried to convert me to his new ‘religion’ that of Ketuanan Melayu, or rather UMNO. He promised that things would go very well, had I joined UMNO, and that I wouldn’t be out of a job.

Sometime back in the late 80s when I was still living in Section 14, Petaling Jaya before my father sold his house, I received a brown enveloppe marked “Urusan Seri Paduka Baginda” {literally translated as “On The King’s Command / Affairs” or something to that tune}. I have never received anything similar before, so I was quite surprised. Until of course, I opened the enveloppe.

Well, I literally tore the bloody thing opened!

In it was a small reddish, pickish measly papercard, with my name incorrectly spelt {is it really that difficult to print my name correctly?} and on it was printed a membership number, and a short cyclostyled letter, something similar to seriously sparingly “couldn’t-care-any-less” welcome message in Malay with a very neat motto at the closing that when translated meant that whomever was sending that to you, was doing so as a ‘service to the country’. It was a card sent to all members of UMNO.

Of course I almost had a heart attack. Bila masa aku jadi orrrang {with thick French accent bien sur!} UMNO?

I called my only ‘Malay’ friend and asked him if he had enrolled me in such a party. He answered in the negative. I was flabbergasted, primarily because all my life, I have never been associated as a ‘Melayu’, since my National ID Card and Passport clearly states my race as “Others”.

You know the one who is neither, Chinese, Indian nor… Klingon!

Anyway, to cut the story short, I was gobsmacked. These days, I like to smile a lot, not because I’m dense, but because humans are quite clueless when it comes to keeping to their words especially when it comes from Politicians’ mouths, and since my blog is rarely read by Malaysians except for those in Government, Bukit Aman {Malaysia’s Special Branch} and the Military {Ministry of Defense}, there’s literally nothing I can write more that has not yet been covered by mainstream media. Besides I rarely write about Malaysian Politics. I’m not a politician!

“True, I could be working with one of the few Malay conglomerates” I added, cynically, but I’ve been rejected too often than not, that these days, I even accept whatever little gratefulness that is being presented to me. Unlike the many Malays or Malaysians I know, I live by the moment, not by the month, or years in the future. Ahmad warned me that what I’ve written the past couple of months about Malaysia, and the most recent would get me into heaps of trouble. Will it at least pay for my dinner or my little project for Children, and Women? In my heart, I didn’t feel like arguing with Ahmad. He truly seemed like a ‘nice’ guy, but nice guys do not make the country — a little dream & planning, and a lot of hard work does.

“Do you know what you have written about dissolving UMNO could get you into trouble?” he asked, pointing to my most recent blog. He had brought his HP Mini, and fumbled to open it, until I insisted to open it. “How so?” I asked. “Prinsipnya awak sudah melanggar undang-undang Negara” {transliterated as “primarily you have broken the law of the country”.} I have been having heart-burn lately, but I swore that insidious statement almost made me fart out all the gas I’ve been absorbing lately from these Malaysians.

“Awak suka memperdebatkan soal-soal bangsa Melayu? Kenapa awak tidak pergi ketaklimat dan menerangkan bagaimana kita boleh membina semangat orang-orang Melayu?” {Transliterated, as “you like to debate the Malay issue? Why didn’t you go to the meet-up, and explain how we can motivate the Malays ” he said, clearly insulted because to him, my recent blog was a blow to his ego, and his frailing party. Not to mention those colleagues of his, who have been reading my blog.

Opps! I did it again, and had I the figure of Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, I bet I could rave the Malay nation and motivate them to euphoria!

“Ginilah Encik Ahmad, saya sebenarnya… perihal blog saya yang dua-tiga hari lalu, bukannya untuk menghangatkan isu-isu Melayu dinegara” {transliterated as “Mr. Ahmad, it is not my intention to heat up the Malay issue”}, I said. “Saya cuma nak memberi semangat kepada bangsa Melayu sebenarnya” {transliterated “I just wanted to ‘motivate’ the Malays”}, I continued.

“Semangat apa tu! Awak tulis kata UMNO seharusnya dibubar!!” {Transliterated as “You said that UMNO should be dissovled”} he said, his voice raised a pitch higher than his height. “Kalau awak nak membina semangat, awak tak buat begitu!” {Transliterated as “If you wanted to motivate, you wouldn’t have done it like that!”}, he shouted. Obviously I had stepped on his tail, and I seriously thought he was gutless. Mr. Ahmad went on about how the Malays built the nation, and how the Chinese reaped everything. I just listened to his BS for a while, and when he paused…

“Sebenarnya Encik Ahmad, orang Melayu tak akan mati. Mereka cuma pengsan sekejap aje” {Roughly transliterated as “Actually the Malays will never die – they will just faint for a while”}, I added contemptuously, saying that the Malays need not have UMNO as a political body. It should just be like the rest of the other opposition party – besides, to me, it didn’t make sense as it is as the Malays are in all government sectors, and agencies; as you would find the Chinese governing Singapore in all government sectors with only a few Indians in less favourable positions, much less to find a Malay in any government agency in Singapore. He agreed and said that the other races shouldn’t be granted any position, and then that was when I intervened, obviously escalating his pressure to a point.

Your mind is empty, your sight is empty and your heart is empty; then, what is that PRIDE for?

I pressured and went on, and I didn’t give him a chance to intervene my thoughts, and the words that came out of my mouth. I also said that their tapping my mobile number was uncalled for. And although I had not printed it in my previous rant, I had a point to make and I was expecting some reactions from him or his circle – I wanted this fiasco to end, as it is I’m quite tired with the racial & religious issues in this country that never seemed to end like their board meetings, and how Malaysia is governing it as if the country is still a village on stilts with nineteen nought nought mentality.

“But you cannot compare Malaysia with Euuurope,” he said with a tinge of thick Malay accent. How can we better ourselves if we do not compare our nation against a greater civilization irrespective how they’ve made themselves? If our way of doing things do not surpass the commonality then when will we be ever out of the rut?

I then went on saying that the Malays could easily take over the country {as it is they are governing it and this BS about them being any less fortunate is incomprehensible!} and be privileged if they had walked their talks, and had helped both the unfortunate Malays, and Malaysians had they the verve to do so, as future leaders. That’s what leaders do I added. Talking about integrity does not show the world, least the opposition parties that one has matured and suddenly is caring about society. Policies, and plans need to be undertaken, undertaken well and reported. Meaning that whatever projects granted should be undertaken excellently, maintained, and with long-term results. I also said that I know quite a number of Malays who are frustrated and have left the country because they cannot comprehend why their government who is supposed to be on their ‘side’ is not doing anything to grant them the facility to shape, work and bridge the country into the new millennia.

Can you blame these ‘Malays’ who have left the country for greener pastures?

I didn’t give Mr. Ahmad a chance to explain, because in an age where the mind is being made used of, one can tell the difference, and in Malaysia that difference is vast between “Can do, and cannot do!”; Between “Yes! We will undertake the tasks” instead of “Malaysia Boleh!”

To date we have many edifices in the country that command “oohs, and aahs” from visitors coming to the country seeing the ‘cosmetic’ surgery first and foremost, but not experiencing how ‘shallow’ the workings of the country is until they decide to come and live, and work here. And then they rant, and rave — a little less than me of course because I have lived here for more than fifteen years.

I’ve also read so much about how things are in the country; I have met brilliant minds literally ‘giving-up’ because those in ‘office’ are looking at how much they can make instead of implementing projects for the betterment of the nation, and the people; and I myself have experienced rejection after rejection proposing projects that could literally build the ‘Malay’ race and put Malaysia back on its track, on the global map.

Jangan katakan warganegara Malaysia {bukan ‘bangsa’} tidak mahu membina Negara! {Roughly transliterated as ‘Do not say that Malaysians {race-less} do not want to build the Nation!}. Some even went to the extent of saying to me, “AainaA, don’t ask what the government has given you – in return you should ask what you have given or done for the country!” such candour from small minds who perceive in not turning the country into global hubs for this or that, or even reason with the fact that the ‘Malays’ can do something excellently! And some others went to the point that with all the complaints that I write about Malaysia, I should have just left the country and build my life elsewhere.

Not every Malaysian is capable of doing it. Had I the resources {financially!}, I would have done it years ago. But wouldn’t that be giving up on a country with potentials to be world CLASS?

Everytime I meet up with the many Dato’ and some Members of Parliament {MsP}, the response was its either not too big in scope {{as in monetary returns for them} or am I barking at the wrong durian tree in the orchard?}, not ‘Malaysia’ enough or not ‘Malay’ thinking. If you want to make it, it has to be Malaysian – What then is Malaysian? Has it got to be proposed and fed with under-the-table bribe through a one hundred percent Malay company? Has it got to be proposed by Malays? Has it got to do with the Malay mindset? Or do I have to propose projects that are mediocre, and serve the common people only in the short term? — That after a few years, the very same project under a different name is being re-proposed with slight adjustments and then re-built?, Isn’t that a waste of national resources? Cutting corners so that there will be more in the coffers for those who grant the facilities to build things?

No wonder many Malays left the country! — No wonder ‘The Malay Dilemma’ was penned!

“Sebenarnya Encik Ahmad, orang Melayu, boleh bertakhta kiranya mereka benar-benar takut kepada tuhan-tuhan mereka. Tak usah hendak berikhtiar pagi petang rukun negara kirannya, orang Melayu tak ingin kepada kerja keras. Manusia lazimnya suka dengan yang senang, dan benci sangat kepada yang susah – malah, susah itu membina watak-watak orang tak kiralah dia tu Melayu, China ataupun India” {roughly transliterated as ‘Actually Mr. Ahmad, the Malays can govern if they’re really fearful of their Gods. There is of no use to read the laws of the country, daily in the mornings and evenings [as if to drum in their ‘system of belief’ that those mini-laws encompass everything permissible for the ones living herein Malaysia] if the Malays refuse to work diligently to build the nation. Quandaries make us better people irrespective our birthright}. But should quandaries be created for the people in order for them to want to live a common secured life here? Has Human rights been breached here? Should we as Malaysians just accept whatever is being thrown to us, like meat to dogs in a cage, when things go haywire?

Unfortunately, Malaysians {irrespective their ethnic background – hey do away with the race already will you on National ID Cards, and Passports?} rather work less than more, maybe it’s reflective of how some ‘leaders’ take to tasks at what’s important for the nation? I personally have met many Malays who are more ‘Chinese’, ‘Indian’, ‘Kadazan’, ‘Iban’, ‘Dayak’, ‘Bastards’ who behave as if the land is their birthright and command it from others who are not of the race, overlooking moral principles; whilst some ‘non-bumiputra {the non-Malays as it is coined} are more attuned to the quandaries herein than the Malays themselves, who would build the nation without thinking of themselves foremost. And 1/16 of them that I have had the priviledge to meet, and know first-hand have left the country because those in power are less concerned about them as they are less important to the future of the Nation?

Ahmad looked at me, and squirmed in his seat. I was really upset over how things are being managed especially when people like him have the nerve at saying I’m ungrateful for what the nation has done for me. What has Malaysia done for me? Really? What has it given me since I came back from Europe? Let me not start with the corruption from top to the bottom hierachy when proposing work when I was attached to non-government companies, or the very thing that could make their lives less miserable.

I am not the enemy here! Neither was Tun Mahathir when he authored ‘The Malay Dilemma’ nor the many who were thrust into the ISA for trying to right the wrongs in the country. Mr. Ahmad tells me not to rant and rave just because I’m dis-satisfied? And that I should accept whatever is being served on my plate? If what is being served are just spits, should I lick it? Truly I say, as a Malaysian, that if we want to see a One Malaysia as in Malaysians for Malaysia instead of Malaysia for the ‘Malays’, or ‘Chinese origin’, ‘Indian origin’, ‘Lain-lain origin’, the country needs to rectify many things, but is it willing to sacrifice all the labels for everyone? Or would it settle for one particular race?

Dunia sentiasa berubah, tetapi bangsa Melayu engkar kepada perubahan. Tidak ingin kepada perubahan, tidak ingin kepada kemajuan, tidak ingin kepada bersatu-paduan. Walhal didalam pengajaran RasulAllaah Tabaraka wa Ta`Ala `AalaihisSalaam, menunjuk kepada kita bahawa Islaam, menghala dan mengajak kepada perpaduan dan kemajuan ummah tidak mengira bangsa Melayu, Cina, India, ataupun yang lain-lain. Kiranya kita mengikut Sunnatulaah Tabaraka wa Ta`Ala, sebagaimana RasulAllaah Tabaraka wa Ta`Ala `AalaihisSalaam telah mengajar kita, kenapa kita harus juga memegang kepada perpecahan ummah? Yang suka berpecah belah ini bukan pengajaran Islaam AdDeen!

{Roughly transliterated as ‘the world changes, but the ‘Malays’ dislike changes – they do not want change, nor success or unity [well, they may talk about it from yonder to yonder but have you seen how its being raved and rant in our local life?]. Whereas Muhammad RasulAllaah Tabaraka wa Ta`Ala `AalahisSalaam showed us that Islaam invites to changes, and the success of the community irrespective the ethicity of anyone Muslim. If we are to follow the Allaah Tabaraka wa Ta`Ala’s Deen as guided by Muhammad RasulAllaah Tabaraka wa Ta`Ala `AalahisSalaam why then do we conform to this dis-unity? There is no dis-unity in Islaam AdDeen!}

Mr Ahmad, looked at me, and said that I should preach ‘religion’ instead, and put what is right in Malaysia. I looked at him, and said that the relationship between Deen, and man, is between the fearful and his Creator. I added that the relationship between Allaah Tabaraka wa Ta`Ala and man would be annulled if the fearful is more concerned about his self, than the community he is supposed to serve. In Islaam AdDeen, there is such a thing as HabluminAllaah, and Habluminanaas {Relationship between him, and his Lord, and relationship with him, and with humanity}.

With all our ‘limited’ knowledge the nation makes life more and more complicated, and so the strife becomes greater and greater. For every person old or young, rich or poor, life becomes a difficult struggle, for the nation favours a ‘race’ over another just because one is priviledge by colour, religion and what? Food preference? and in turn we go further and further from the “impulse”, which comes direct from the Source from whence every impulse comes.

Melayu boleh sebenarnya — kalau hendak semua boleh, kalau tidak hendak, berjuta daleh. Tepuk dada, tanyalah selera, tetapi kalau nak masak gulai pun malas, jangan berangan sangat lah! Disisi Allaah Tabaraka wa Ta`Ala, tidak ada jannaah khas untuk bangsa Melayu! {Transliterated as ‘the Malays can have it all! If you want you can, if you do not want, there will be a million excuses. Ask yourself (what it is that you want, and it will be served) but if one refuses to cook, then refrain from dreaming too much! At the Lord’s Sight, there isn’t a heaven especially reserved just for the Malays!}

The moral today is that as Malaysians we can build the nation together, but if one is better than the other, then let him not destroy Malaysia and insist that Malaysia is only meant for the Malays. I have a right to this country as much as any Indonesian has a right to Indonesia, or a French to France. Let us not waste time in bickerings like small-minded women with nothing better to do than to gossip about their daily lives complaining about their husbands, and their children but instead make use of the time we have for our progenies, and theirs’, in an unknown future that is rushing by, and towards us at full speed! Can we for once just drop the labels, and work towards a common ground for the future of Malaysia?

It is a mark of the common {people} to learn from previous generations to pass on to the next, without any contributions of their own.

{*} A pseudonym is being used instead of citing his real name, in respect that he is Malaysian, of 0% Malay but 80% Sumatran and 20% Chinese origin.