From: eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg (Othman Ahmad)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: MY: Think Malaysian, not Malay, Chinese, Indian.
Date: 6 Nov 92 08:50:32 GMT
Organization: Nanyang Technological University - Singapore
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

ANAND (subraman@andy.bgsu.edu) wrote:
: new students in this university, when a Chinese introduce himself/herself
: as a Malaysian and then when an Indian introduce himself/herself as a
: Malaysian, for a moment they get confuse because of the skin color 
: differences. So, quite often I have to explain to them little bit about
: our country's nature and who lives there. So my point is, how can you just
: introduce yourself as a Malaysian and not specifically say who you are?
: 
: When we fill up any forms, we always state our nationality as a Malaysian.
: Some of you might say that, what Raja Ariffin trying to say is, not to 
: introduce yourself just as a Malay, Chinese or Indian. I know that but

That was what PAP and DAP campaigned in the 60s but now Singapore government
 promotes the return to Chinese culture. There is now the terms, 
Singaporean Chinese, Singaporean Malays and Singaporean Indians.
	There is no more singaporean Singapore term in Singapore, but the older
students may be more confused by now.
	Maybe those who campaign for Malaysian malaysia should study 
Singapore well.
	In fact there was an advertisement on TV which requires a 
"publicity officer" at SBC to be fluent in English and Chinese. There is no
requirement to be fluent in Malay or Tamil. It is strange because I thought
the publicity officer should be for all singaporeans.
	If this goes on, it is matter of time before all govenment departments
officers must be fluent in Mandarin.
	Remember that the fluency in Malay requirement in Malaysia meant that
you should get credit in BAhasa Malaysia. All my younger brothers do not
get credit for Bahasa Malaysia, even though we speak Malay every day.

: I think it is the uniqueness of our country being as a multiracial country
: and we should introduce ourselves as Malaysian Malays, Malaysian Chinese
: or as a Malaysian  Indian and still keeping the identity as an Malaysian
: and work towards the "Satu Bangsa" way.
: 
: Here I would like to express my dissatisfaction against our government who
: is trying to show to rest of the world how peaceful we are and how integrated
: we are living as a Malaysia. For Chinese and Indians there is so much to go
: through in order to achieve anything in Malaysia. For example, my parents are

Anywhere you are, you must work hard to get rich, and this includes bumis as
well. The fact is, the chinese and indians are the richer groups of people in
Malaysia.
	There are poor chinese and indians, but there are also poor whites
in USA. There are rich malays but there are also rich blacks in USA.
	What matters is the proportion of people in a certain category.
	exceptional should not be taken as the norm or used to put forward 
an argument. In this case, anything goes, we cannot even make any decision.
: born in Malaysia. I'm the second generation who was born in Malaysia. But,
: we are still not considered as the first clas citizen. This applies to any
: Chinese too. Maybe this explains why a lot of Chinese migrates to different

There are also a lot of Mexicans in USA. By your explanation these mexicans
must have been second class citizens in their country.

: country as well as Indians. If you take America, once you become a citizen
: of this country, there is a chance for you to be a President. I know is not
: that easy but atleast there is no law or constitution saying that you can't.
: What about Malaysia? There is so much that we as an Indian and Chinese can't
: achieve eventhough we are the citizen of Malaysia. Maily because of the 

	Strange, there is none in the constitution of Malaysia which states
that a non-bumi cannot be the prime minister. They may not be the agong,
but the agong is only ceremonial.
	You claim to be a Malaysian and yet you do not know Malaysian 
constitution. To become a US citizen you must satisfy the US government that
you respect its constitution.
	Maybe Malaysia should have asked those who got their citizenship
by being in Malaysia in 1963 to take tests on the Malaysian constitution.

: special priveledges for the bumis. Well, how many our you think that we don't
: work hard for our country's growth and don't deserve the same priveledges?
: Is this situation will be carried on forever?
	Just because you work so hard does not mean that you automatically
deserve to get special help such as scholarship. In fact, the more successful
you are the less chance for you to get much privileges. In fact you have to
pay more taxes.
	This naieve stance which you honestly point out is the reason why
there is still no real racial harmony in Malaysia.

By your reasoning:

i)work hard, must deserve special privileges(help),
ii) no special privileges, mean second class citizens

By your explanation, the blacks and red indians in USA are the first class
citizens by virtue of getting special privileges and help.
	The whites, by having no special privileges are the 2nd class citizens,
even though they are much richer than the other races.

--
Othman bin Ahmad, School of EEE,
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 2263.
Internet Email: eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg
Bitnet Email: eoahmad@ntuvax.bitnet
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean