M’sian embassy signage: Why not Bahasa Malaysia too?
Tzuo Hann LawJun 5, 07 3:13pm
This letter is pertaining to the signage in front of the Malaysian Embassy in Washington DC, US.
In school, I learned Bahasa Malaysia was the national language and was told it would unify the country as a communication medium.
Therefore, I was very, very disappointed to see that even the national language is not used by the Malaysian Embassy and instead that another language that I was not taught back in school is being used. I wasn't aware that this language superceded our national language in importance. Arabic is a great language but its not the national language.
Why is it on the sign? What is going on? Dear Ambassador, please do something about it.
Well. He has got a point. This Embassy was paid using Tax payers money rite? It should then be a symbol of our pride rite? Why is ther Arabic language used? Are we not proud of our BAHASA MALAYSIA? are we glorifying Jawi here? (Mind you Jawi has nothing to do with Islam. Islam is religion and Jawi is a language. And using Jawi in this context really does not mean much )
I thought Bahasa Malaysia is given due respect and honour in our constitution as the national language. But why is it that we are using Jawi instead? Are we trying hard to show the world that we are a Muslim Nation? or that we are more Islamic then some other nations?
This phenomena is also very prevalent in many places in Malaysia. For one, i have seen roads in Shah Alam with their names in Jawi. One college in UPM has all the block names written in Jawi.Thats just to name a few.
So now we have a question of Which comes first. Nationalism vs Religion ism (dono if there is such a thing)
So the question now is ...IS The National language is so important........? Arent we proud that we have a national language? whts wrong with these people? No pride?
I say, Change the Signage. ....
Else, pls dont make it Compulsory for students to Pass in BM for them to get a cert in SPM. I know of so many people who had to resit their SPM just because they had not got a credit in BM even if all the rest were A1's.
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As a post-independence-born Malaysian, I would like to offer my thoughts on Article 153 of the federal constitution which mentions the special position of the malays. Please note that there is no mention of the words 'special privileges' or 'special rights' in the constitution.
For too long, there has been a lack of understanding of what our forefathers had in mind when they included this clause in our much talked about social contract. To gain a better understanding, let us take a trip back in time to 1957 to actually visualise the scene then.
In a scenario where the immigrant Chinese and Indians were seeking citizenship rights in Malaysia, it is reasonable to presume that they would have had to understand and acknowledge the difficulties faced by the majority malays.
And this is where the meaning of the words 'special position' comes into focus. What did our forefathers mean by the special position of the malays? Did they mean that the malays would enjoy a higher status than all the other races? Did they mean that the malays would have special rights and privileges in perpetuity?
If this is what our forefathers had intended, then our constitution would have mentioned this specifically. However, the constitution or social contract does not say so.
What then, could the words 'special position' mean? It is reasonable to infer that our forefathers were concerned first by the fact that the malays were left behind economically despite being the indigenous majority in the country.
Secondly, they were concerned by the fact that, despite being immigrants, the Chinese and a small segment of the Indian community were relatively much better off.
The clause was therefore more so of an acknowledgment by the non-malays of the disadvantageous economic situation of the malays. The consideration given by the former to the latter when entering into the social contract for citizenship rights was agree to provide some measure of support for the malays to improve their economic standing.
If our forefathers had meant for these preferences to last in perpetuity, then there would not have been a request for a review in 15 years.
When I see the compulsory requirement for non-malay companies to hand over a certain portion of their equity to the malays for no input at all, I am tempted to ask: Is this what our forefathers had in mind? I can go on listing the abuses forever because there are plenty of them.
It is intriguing to hear senior BN and Umno leaders repeatedly asking the people to adhere to the social contract. What contract they are referring to? It cannot be the federal constitution. It is most probably some contract that they have entered into unilaterally without the agreement of the non-malays.
So it seems to be incorrect to firstly equate the words 'special position' with 'special rights and privileges'. Secondly, it also seems incorrect to suggest that the malays have special rights and privileges in perpetuity and therefore, that they have a higher status than everyone else.
The non-malays only agreed to allow them preferences over the others for a finite period of time. It has now been almost 50 years since independent but has such a meaningful review of those preferences taken place at all? Absolutely not.
In fact what has happened is that successive BN governments, dominated by Umno, and especially after the 1969 tragedy, have taken the liberty to very liberally interpret Article 153. This has led to the wholesale abuse of the consideration provided by the non-malays in 1957 for their citizenship rights.
It seems to me that the real social contract of 1957 was torn up long ago by the BN government with the way in which the NEP was implemented from the 1970s onwards.
To me, the real social contract of 1957 has long been dead. I hope the day will come when the people of Malaysia in the true independent spirit will make it live again.
Then perhaps, we would not have to spend hundreds of millions ringgit on nonsensical projects like the National Service to inculcate unity amongst the races.
Malaysia is the only country in the world where the constitution itself (no less) says that a particular race has to belong a particular religion. No other country follows this ruling. Not even Arabia (birthplace of Islam) or Indonesia (largest Muslim population).
Fine, I can look past that, malays can have their special rights, but not to the point of causing plenty displeasure and plain unfairness to other races. It is like we are second rate citizens of this country. It is no wonder non-malays don't feel that patriotic about this country, who can blame them?
What we want here, we have to work our asses off, and we can't expect help from the government, only private and corporate companies. Hell even corporate companies have to stick to quota, that already limit our options already.
NEP my ass! It is making the poor malays poorer! It is not creating opportunity but a generation of subsidy addicts!
The five-years plan contains no paradigm shift. It is a continuation of many of the failed ideas of the past.
Something must be wrong when a policy fails to meet its target, not once but twice. More so, when in recent years, the share of bumi ownership in the corporate sector has not increased one iota. It was 18.9 percent in 2000. It was 18.9 percent in 2004.
Worse still, the share of equity ownership held by Indians has declined - from 1.5 percent to 1.2 percent - during this period. Until and unless we examined why we failed in meeting these targets, we may not achieve them at all.
What all of you have said is pure facts - from public transports to media, to licenses for business, to corruption of the top officials, Malaysia isn't democratic as what we initially thought or rather make to believe - Malaysia is of no hope.
Australia must be a lovely place to live, but then some of us haven't been to Europe. Learning a new language must be very difficult for most people let alone speak so many languages. So the world could be more open for you than for others.
With very good command in knowledge of laws as well as loads of courage, it is not impossible to find there - are us out there, that is brave enough to voice out our objection in topic like this.
This is the politics of finding blame for own weakness or laziness.
What I hate most is when those racist and jealous malays see a well developed township populated and owned by Chinese, and start rambling that the Chinese grabbed the wealth from the malays.
The NEP was abused to enrich only a small portion of the malay population. Now, the pie is shrinking due to global factors and the political elite is looking for scapegoats - and guess what - the Chinese are always blamed, as if working hard and saving is sinful.
As a matter of fact just like Mahathir once stated the government has been giving a lot of opportunities to the malays. The other races prosper because they constantly grab opportunities and create markets for their businesses "without depending on any extra incentives by any governmental sector".
I think this country is wasting a lot of time and energy on this racial thing - actually is an income disparity syndrome, the have and have-nots regardless of race.
Last time all first world. If Malaysia was a body, malay was the bone. Today very sadly, malay is the sick appendix, if remove it, Malaysia will be healthier.
It is a tiring affair to talk of the problems of malays. The problems are too many.
We talk and talk and give resolutions to government to do, i.e. we talk but we are not doing anything about it and rely on others.
The typical discussion would be to say malay is weak in this and that. And the immediate inference is to have what is missing. Too often we are fixing symptoms and not problems.
We have tried and pump money into so many programs but we have yet to create the malay industrial and commercial class.
In any corporate strategy implementation, the key aspect lies in leadership and corporate culture.
For a change, I believe let us have an action oriented discussion. Maybe let us start to think and act independently. With a realistic appreciation of the parameters, only then we act more realistically and prudently.
In the end, we the common people must not be fooled by the political elite. We are risking our very life.
I can personally relate to those who choose to leave for greener pastures. As a local undergraduate, I am seriously contemplating leaving the country to somewhere where I could be given the best opportunity to grow and succeed.
And why is that? Simply because time and time again I'd been denied my deserved and rightful places in either government scholarships or universities, whereas scores of 'privileged' people get offered courses because of the racial policies.
I honestly see no future in staying and trying to change things. Who knows, maybe the love of my motherland would keep me here, but my patience is wearing thin.
Maybe the Malaysia government should run a check on how many students in NUS and NTU now are Malaysians, rejected by local Malaysia education system. They were forbidden their opportunity even though they were the best of the best.
Frankly, time and time again, the politicians and those in power have embarrassed Malaysia and its citizens. We are so much more capable to achieve bigger successes in the eyes of the world, but yet we aim for the short-term ones.
Most of our Malaysia university courses are still in Bahasa Melayu and the embarrassing truth is that a large majority of our lecturers, including those with PhD and trained in English speaking countries, cannot speak and write proper English.
Don't believe me? Just go to UM and attend one of the professor inaugural lectures. Listen to the chairman introducing the speaker in English. Then you tell me whether it is fair to say, 'Why can't our local graduates speak and write proper English?' Just for our local graduates? How about their lecturers in our local universities?
Don't blame the poor academics, not their fault as they are the wonderful products of our government lame policy - we reap what we sowed. Amen!
Someday when 8 out of 10 Malaysians young adults shun our local universities - that is the heyday of Malaysians 2020 vision. Why? Disappointed students will leave our motherland to other countries for their higher education. And what Malaysia can offer? Better salary to woo them back? Yah RM1800 for local undergraduates?
It really breaks my heart to see how dimwitted and shortsighted these supposedly 'intellectual' academics can become. Woe is Malaysia education going down the drain.
Since NEP, the gap between Malaysia and Singapore deepen, and this clearly proves what Malaysia government has done so far. The main problem is the Umno warlords have abused the NEP to such an extent that the intended recipients, poor rural malays never reaped the benefits. Therefore they justified the retention of this policy.
Sometimes I wonder, do these political bigwigs actually take us people as idiots or what? I'd really like to see a government that is competent and fair for a change, but that is not going to be possible if everyone conveniently forgets about all these dumb things, the government did - when they go to the polls in the next election and give them another overwhelming majority win.
For the non-malays, who most of them were the best of their faculties in Cambridge, were not required to work off their bonds. They were told to just wait for six-months and they would be free. And now, they are i-bankers in London, New York and so on, without any real plan to come back Malaysia.
The brain drain problem will continue on and on until those Umno warlords acknowledge their role in perpetuating the NEP as their personal cash-cow.
If you want further brain drain of local talents, keep the way as it was now. I shall stand tall and look down on you.
Show me when do the malays consult or ever extend their hands in friendship. Do the malays really treat non-malays with equity and fairness?
Seriously, I think all races in Malaysia treat each others at arms length. The malays expect other races to kowtow to them and never the way around. For example, Chinese and Indians were made to learn and study malay culture but the malays are not made to learn and study Chinese and Indian culture.
Why do the malays have to be in a superior position (oppressive one at that) all the time? What is wrong for Malaysia to have, say a Chinese chief justice or an Indian chief of armed forces or even a prime minister!
How do we expect them to continue with their goodwill if we do not ever treat them with equity and fairness? I think the malays are paranoid and are projecting their own insecurity onto others.
That is my point and it is time that we begin to envision the land of ours from an inclusively point of view instead of exclusivity point of view. We have to begin this starting point somehow, somewhere and the time is now.
You are wasting your time by presenting the facts. Fact means nothing to them and you should know that by now. The Malaysian Muslims are seriously stupid and severely retarded. I am simply having fun. I work with them everyday and I cannot describe to you their inability to formulate simple logic.
As an adult trying to make it in the real world, I have developed a clear understanding of what goes on around me.
And this is what I believe the real situation in Malaysia. As long as the malays get their way in how things are done in Malaysia - there will never be any serious development in Malaysia.
This is the fundamental. Please avoid giving example of successful malays, because economically, the numbers are too darn low to mean anything. Negligible they call it.
Malays must realise that as humans - they are I suppose equal. But as peoples, they have attitude that is exactly like the aborigines of Africa. Completely hopeless, no matter what you give them.
The malays can never win - for as long as they chose to do things the way it is done now. Eventually, the other races would consume them economically, and they would be second class citizens. This is a matter of time.
My opinion is - the only way for them to succeed, is to take away all special rights and learn to get by on their own abilities. The stupid and weak malays would die - and only the bright ones would survive.
They are doing themselves a favour by taking away their special rights. Because look around you, the other races are getting stronger because our weak ones are dying.
We will continue to get stronger. And there will be a day, when we control all the financial means in the country. Then it is a matter of buying off each one of you puny malays - and then take over the country.
That is why malay is the most arrogant, corrupted, racist and terrorist race in the world. To the world population, malay is only a minority. And yet, still keep on talking about Islam, Muslim, Syariah law. Shame on you.
The subservient mentality of our youths (voters) has served our Malaysia government very well. It is irony that former PM Mahathir is crying foul now for not being able to voice his concerns for the country in the government-controlled media.
When he was in charge, dissenting views were not tolerated. The current PM is the product of that era and not surprising he has asked citizens not to question the government!
Whether by design or luck our Malaysia education system helps to produce subservient citizens unable to think critically and with "devious" religious teaching the control of citizens mind is complete.
The reform of Malaysia education system can never succeed so long as corrupt government is in power. The bottom line for most of Malaysia problem is lack of good governance.
Obviously the best solution is to get our government reform first, then, with righteous politicians we can hope a change for the better.
Wishful thinking! - Sorry for being so pessimistic but that is reality for at least 2 more generations.
In fact I am amused how often the "blame game" is used, be it racial or religion issues but in this case, youth generation for the first time.
After half a century of independence, we always have one party in power. It is not today's youth forefathers that shaped the education system but the politicians. You could argue that the politicians were elected democratically by the forefathers and hence they are equally to be blamed. That much I can agree if only corruption is discounted.
The older generation is less educated then today's youth and generally less educated than the ruling elite of their time. Education would have created a critical mass of thinking citizens to challenge the government of their action in nation-building.
Having a corrupt government, education is a powerful tool to manipulate the next generation of youth into subservient voters. My message is simple, "reform our corrupt government to have a better chance of reforming other policies (be it economy, education and judiciary etc) successfully".
The foundation of nation-building lies in good governance. A corrupt government can never be successful in nation-building.
We live in a ever-changing globalissed world.We have to adapt,or change; otherwise we will be changed.If you want to be a katak di bawah tempurung, stick to your own language.Dont need to learn English or other languages!
In Malaysia we have the Bahasa Melayu (now Bahasa Malaysia) and English as the second language. Therefore the signage that you mention has nothing wrong with it. Both Bahasa Malaysia and English is being used. And right below the emblem is the name of the Embassy in Bahasa Malaysia and followed by the name in English. As Islam is the official religion of the country what is wrong of using the Jawi script to spell out Kedutaan Besar Malaysia which is not Arabic. Bahasa Malaysia written in Romanise does not send the message to the world but in Jawi script does, especially to those from middle-east.
Zach, you are so missing the point. If Bahasa Malaysia is the first language and English the second then thats how they are taught in order in school. So someone who learns BM and not English can't read the sign for shit even if he is Malaysian and knows BM. Why don't we put it Chinese, Iban and Sign Language. After all, we are multicultural and respect the deaf. Dude... you are so missing the point. We have a natonal language in an alphabet we learn in school. Just use it instead of trying to tell the world how Islam we are. Even if we want to, which is fine so long its not imposed on those who are not Muslim, an embassy signage is not the place to do it... thats just plain stupid.
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