Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Following earlier demands by KIMMA for bumiputera status, now something called GEPIMA wants to be known as Malays. Hmmm…first they have to abolish their GEPIMA movement and join some Malay youth movement. KIMMA threatened the government by saying they have 600,000 over members. I wonder how many members GEPIMA has. Also 600,000 or maybe slightly less at 300,000?
But what the guy says is true:
Federal Constitution states that an Indian [or any other person] is a Malay “if he professes the Muslim religion [islam], habitually speaks Malay and conforms to Malay custom“.
Damn, if not for the “profess Islam” clause, I can be a Malay too 🙂
Call us Malays, say Indian Muslim youth
KUALA LUMPUR: Members of the Malaysian Indian Muslim Youth Movement (Gepima) want to be known as Malays and not Indians.
And they do not think this is an outrageous request since the Federal Constitution states that an Indian is a Malay “if he professes the Muslim religion, habitually speaks Malay and conforms to Malay custom”.
These traits are practised by Muslims of Indian origin today, claimed Gepima president Mohamed Kader Ali.
“I am a second generation Malaysian and I can safely say that from wedding rituals to the food we eat and the language we speak, we conform to Malay customs all the way.
“As such, Gepima is appealing to the government to streamline the laws and recognise Muslims born after independence as Malays in their birth certificate.
“We have been facing this problem for the past 50 years.
“We have written several letters to the National Registration Department but it keeps saying that it can’t do anything about this.”
Kader’s son, 24-year-old Syed Osman Mohamed, cited an incident last August when he went to the Registrar of Companies to apply for a business permit. “In the forms that I filled up, I stated Malay as my race and Islam as my religion. But the officer called me up and asked me to change it to Indian, based on how I looked. “He only had my MyKad and it does not state there whether I am Indian or not,” Syed Osman said. “We feel uncomfortable to be known as Indians, because people automatically think we are Hindus when we are actually Muslim.”
Kader added that Muslims of Indian origin suffered an inferiority complex by being regarded as Indians. “Our children do not even know how to speak Tamil. “They only converse in Malay and our wives wear baju kurung or kebaya nowadays, no more the saree.”
Ask how Tun Mahathir became a Malay. Then confront Khir Toyo to find out how an Indonesian could become a Malay and the Menteri Besar of Selangor.
Who knows you guys might get an insight into becoming a Malay if that is what matters in life!
As people of Indian origin are you ready to give up your ancestral identity, customs & traditions for the handouts and special positions and declare to the other communities that you too are mediocre, lazy and in need of crutches to survive?
Religion should not divest you of your origin. Even if you acquire the Malay satus, you will still be known as ‘mamak’.
No harm in trying!!
Hi,
Nice comment. I purely agree with you since I’m proud of myself and my race. But could you please explain from where you get the so called MAMAK phrase? And perhaps the meaning?
Thank you.
Regards.
just wait see what kerajaan will GEPIMA….
“NO”!!!!!!!
The ‘mamas’ or Indians of the Muslim fauith have One LEG in Malaysia and One LEG in India. They marry with girls from India. The marry Malay girls for purely political purposes.
One who disowns his RACE is in fact a “pariah.” Because, he or she then has no race at all.
Hence the mamas should be called by that name instead of spoiling the good image of the race known as Malays.
We are still dabbling in Malaysia to identify who is a Malay because most have mixed blood lines. Just saying that you profess the faith and speak the language cannot make you a Malay. The World laughs when you give such an explanation.
Such explanations are good only for our erstwhile Politicians without any bones in their body who want to get into politics and UMNO to loot and plunder the wealth of the Citizens by all means foul and fair.
Are the mamas planning to do this too by becoming ‘Malays’ and then siphoning the loot to India and maybe Dubai or Doha or Malabar.
We have to be very very careful when we deal with Mamas as they always speak with a forked tongue.
I am a Malay and will always be proud to be one. Why do you Indians want to become Malays. I have Indian Muslim friends who try so hard to act like Malays. Why follow Malay culture when you have a rich culture of your own? You being Indian and follow Islam will not create a gap between us…So why act like Malay? I do agree that a person who forgets their culture and roots are lost people..
The mamaks are the Janus-faced community in malaysia…they will hide inside the house to watch tamil movie, ouside ….if an Indian asking them in tamil they would reply in Bahasa….
goodness u know all these ! Yes…. very true as far as i’ve seen in northen states .
No further comment other than what many have said about non Malays trying to prove themselves to be Malays – all for the purpose of enjoying the ‘loot’ and the perks that the ‘one legged race ‘ now enjoys purely because of its own folly of not wanting to walk the extra step and become more equal than the other races. If you continue spoon feeding them with fiddled markings at schols and colleges and teach them history that has been twisted to hide reality, they will never find good job opportunities where they can excell and all of which would be good to keep the BN safe for all times – BUT then would it also not be a disgrace and an insult for the Indian, Malabari, Ethiopian or Arab and every other ilk of these tribes to want to become Malays. But there are thick sins who will claim to be ‘Malays’ here but claim true Indian when they land in Nagapattinam or Chennai.
Now that we have the DNA Law coming into force, the scientists can once and for all state who are truly the Malays. You may find out that it is really the Negritos, Sakais and jungle tribes who would be indigenous to this land whilst all others are parasites and pure and simply immigrants and “mixed bloods” who got mixed here or came mixed from all over during the past few centuries having migrated to the Peninsula for better pastures exactly what the Banglas, the Burmese, the Cambodians, the South Indians, etc are all doing right now.
Nothing has changed since the dawn of history. Everyone in this country is an immmigrant from one time or another. There was never a MALAY race. Let the DNAs prove or disprove that. It is not something for some lowly politician to tell us that.
You may find the DNA of the so called ketuanaan Malay even far north in Vietnam and China and far East in the Polynesian Islands too.
So, where do we stand when Indians unwanted in their own countries try to emulate the so called Malays and claim that within one generation that their wives have dropped their saries and that they have forgotten Tamil; Malabari or Gujerati and now have only Malay customs in their homes.
But sad to say , GOD did not change their colour or genetics and they are still the wily old ‘mamaks’ trying to fleece the common villager.
Until we find out who genetically is a Malay through DNA profiling, we are wasting our time tring to hear the clickety clack of the Politicians who are waiting and watching the scenes enfold from the outside until the time is ripe for another looting to hold on to their political power.
No politician is interested in the masses. If not, we will not see nearly 60 % of the population living under miserable conditions whilst those others build mansions and castles and drive around in 2 Digit luxury cars without a hint of shame.
“MALAY” CULTURE IS A MELTING POT OF MANY OTHER CULTURES
To those who still live in a world not far from Nagapattinam in South India and have wives who have dropped their saries and children who have forgotten Tamil – the following information may probably be of some intelligent use.
It is tue that Islam is a large component of Malay culture – but Malay culture is a richmelting pot of many other cultures – Indian, Chinese, Thai, Javanese,Minangkabau, Portuguese, even a pagan past when we were most closest to our roots in nature.
Historians tell us much about the political greatness and fame of theHindunized Malay Empires of Sri Vijaya and Majapahit. These two empirescontrolled the destiny of the greater part of Malaysia. But how deep andwidespread was `Indian’ influence in Malaysia?
To begin with, Hindu influence was synonymous with Indian trade. Thistrade was maritime and riverine, that is, confined to the coastal andriverine areas of malaysia. The centres of Indian trade were places such
as Pasai, Indragiri, Melayu and Jambi in Sumatra; Malacca; Kuala Muda inKedah; and Surabaya in Java. The bulk of the people living inland ofthese areas remained untouched by the religious by the religious,
economic and political influence of India.
The Jakuns, Semangs and Sakais of the Peninsular Malaysia, most of the original inhabitants of the Borneo territories, of the Celebes, of Sumatra and the other bigger islands of the Malay Archipelago were never converted to Hinduism.
Itwas only later, when communications inland were improved, that they wereconverted to either Islam or Christianity. Smaller islands with centralzones never too far away from the coast were more thoroughly covered byIndian traders. One such island was Bali, which has retained its Hinduheritage up to the present day, despite the later onslaughts of Islam
and the West.
Then there was the next stage in the spread of Hinduism. Initially, itcame from traders from India, particularly South India. Later, thecentres of trade became powerful centres of political influence and
expansion.
First, there was the great Empire of Srivijaya in Sumatra, followed inthe 14th century A.D. by its conqueror and successor, the Empire of Majapahit in Java. The political expansion of these two Empires meant also the theological expansion of Hinduism in Malaysia but even then,Hinduism did not spread to all parts of Malaysia.
Sri Vijaya andMajapahit were essentially maritime powers, and their sphere ofpolitical, military and social influence was generally limited to the coastal and riverine areas.
The Hindu influence was limited more or less rigidly to the upper classof old Malay society – the royalty. Malay royalty was essentially Hinduroyalty descended, according to the Malay Annals, “Sejarah Melayu”, from
a legendary half-Indian and half-Greek monarch, Raja Suran, whose sonsall bearing Indian proper names, Sang Nila Utama, Krishna Pandita, NilaPahlawan, then descended on Bukit Siguntang in Sumatra from whence Malay royalty spread.
Malay royalty was essentially Hindu royalty because thespread of Hinduism was not the result of anyorganised missionarymovement. Indian merchants by virtue merely of their financial and
cultural superiority drew converts from the ruling and trading classesof the races with which they traded. If Hinduism was accepted, it was because of a desire for a better standard of living rather than because
of an understanding and appreciation of a superior religious system.
Hinduism spread also through marriage. The petty princes of the Malaysian coastal trading centres were glad to marry off their sons and daughters to the financially superior Indian merchants or their children. As for those who lived on the outskirts of the trading centre: as money was not the basis of their economy, there was no incentive to accepts Hinduism.
Among them, the Hindu influence was to come much later and in gradual stages. It is true that the common
people followed the religious faith of their rulers, for they were used in such matters to take directions from above. But there was always an undercurrent of fear, lest they should evoke the wrath of their animistic deities. So, at best among the common people Hinduism was assimilated only with a lot of local theological “spice” retained (the same happened with the later adoption of Islam).
If such was the case, how do we explain the fact that old Malay literature is almost completely derived from Hindu epics, from the Ramayana and the Mahabaratha; and the fact that at least 30% of Malay
vocabulary is made up of Sanskrit words? Does not this prove that Hindu influence was very much more intensive than I have suggested?
But it is often misleading to draw evidence solely from old Malay literature to assess the relative position of Hinduism in the religious beliefs and practices of the people at large. Old Malay literature, it
must be remembered, was exclusively Court literature. This literature was made up of stories and legends of kings and princes, queens and princesses, and of people connected with royalty. As Malay royalty was basically Hindu royalty, Malay court literature had to be Hindu literature.
It is plain, then, that the Hindu element in old Malay literature cannot be taken to represent the general pattern of life of the common Malay people.
But the influence of India has been marked on the Malay language and also in the sphere of religion.
Today, when a Malay speaks a sentence of ten words, at least three or four of them will be Sanskrit words, three Arabic and the remaining either of English, Chinese, Persian or of some other origin. One expert
has even suggested that there are only four words in the Malay vocabulary which are genuinely Malay. The are “api” or fire, “besi” or iron. “padi” or rice, and “nasi” or cooked rice. This is rather a
sweeping claim, but no one will deny that AT LEAST a third of Malay vocabulary has originated from Indian tongues.
Words such as putera, puteri, asmara, samudra, belantra, kenchana,sukma, and literally thousands of other words are all Sanscrit words,either in original or in modified form.
What of the influence of India on the religious developments of theMalaysian peoples? Malay folk-lore and Malay literature show thatduring the period before the coming of Islam, about the 14th century
A.D., the greater gods of the Malay pantheon were really borrowed Hindu divinities.
They were, in some respect, modified by Malay ideas, butonly the lesser gods and spirits were actually native to the Malay religious system.
It is true these native gods and spirits can be
identified with the great powers of nature, such as the spirit of the Wind (Mambang Angin), the spirit of the Waters (Hantu Ayer) and the spirit of the Sun (Mambang Kuning). But none of them appears to have
the status of the chief gods of the Hindu system. Both by land and water, the terrible Shiva and Batara Guru or Kala, are supreme.
In Malay folk-lore we find Vishnu, the preserver, Brahma the creator, Batara Guru (Kala) and S’ri all invoked by Malays, especially by Malay magicians. Of all the greater deities of the Hindu system, Batara Guru is unquestionably the greatest. In Hikayat Sang Sembah , Batara Guru appears as a supreme god with Brahma and Vishnu and some subordinate deities. It is Batara Guru who alone has the “water of life”, the
elixir of life, which can restore life to dead humans and animals.
To the Malays of old, then, and to the Malay bomohs even of the present day in whom are preserved these notions, “tok Batara Guru” or any one of the corruptions which his name now bears, was the all-powerful god who held the place of Allah before the advent of Islam, and was a spirit sopowerful that he could restore the dead to life. All prayers were addressed to him.
Of the lesser deities of Hinduism, the most notable who have remained in Malay superstition and folklore are the “gergasi”, half-human forest spirits of Hindu mythology represented in Malay folk-lore as tusked
orgres that feed on human flesh. Then there is the raksaksa, a race of cannibal giants ruled, according to the Indian Puranas, by Ravana. A tribe of raksaksa is mentioned in the Kedah annals, HIKAYAT MARONG MAHAWANGSA, which tell of a giant king, Maroung Maha Wangsa, who led a tribe of giants and founded the present state of Kedah which they called
LANGKASUKA (as I had mentioned in an earlier posting, the real Langasuka was more probably in Pattani, Thailand)
All in all, that a form of Hinduism was the accepted religion of the Malays prior to the advent of Islam is certain, and it is a fact amply proved by Malay folk-lore and superstition, Malay literature, Malay
customs and various archaeological inscriptions.
Muslim religious teachers in Malaysia today still preach the Islamic concept of heaven in a terminology which is neither Malay nor Arabic,
but Hindu. The sanskrit word “syurga” is always used in connection with the Islamic concept of paradise. The proper Arabic word for this is actually “al-jannah”. In the same way, the Hindu religious term “neraka” or hell is used by Muslim Malays to explain the Islamic concept of hell. The Arabic word for hell is “al-nar: or the place of fire. Then the Muslim fast, the annual religious abstention from food and drink, isknown by the Sanskrit term “puasa”. A Muslim religious teacher is oftencalled “guru, another Hindu religious term , in fact the name of a Hindu
deity, Batara Guru.
The Muslim prayer is among the Malays, called
“sembahyang”. “Sembah” in Sanskrit means to pray, and “yang” is a Sanskrit term meaning divinity or conjuring respect, as in Sang Yang Tunggal”, the most divine one, and “Yang Dipertuan “. There are many other Hindu religious terms that have lost their original meaning and are being freely and unconsciously used by Muslim Malays in connection
with the religion of Islam.
This shows that Hinduism exerted a profound
influence on Malay culture before the coming of Islam to Malaysia. And this influence has survived, despite the strict monotheistic restrictions of the Islamic faith, to the present day. So, in religion as well as in other aspects of Malaysian culture, we cannot treat the
influence of India as something belonging to the past.
The political influence of old India which was climaxed by the great Empires of “Sri Vijaya” and “Majapahit” is today at an end, but the
cultural influence of India which began at the beginning of the Christian era is still very much alive, and it will be alive for many, many centuries to come because it has become part of the life of the Nation.
So what are the Indian Muslims crying out for? More ‘crutches’ to be given to them vis-a-vis the other races and which the TSUNAMI wave is trying to overcome.
Dear Diaspora,
I’m in a dire need of information regarding the origins of the cultural activities as stated below. How these cultural activities did ever became a Malay tradition. No offence to the Malay society. Please share if you have any knowledge of such. To my understanding, all of those had originated from Indian roots
The congkak game- pallangkulli(Tamil)
Catur- Chaturangga(Hindi) Caturanggam(Tamil)
The wayang kulit / Shadow puppet – Ancient Tolpava Koothu (Malayalam)
usually the depiction of the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics
Adat ‘meminang’ wedding ceremonies- pinang,arrangement of hantaran
Adat mencukur for new born babies..
The ‘Inai’ – mehendhi/ maruthani art..
Athirrasam and Atchimurukku…
Adat merenjis air mawar…
hi,
i guess most of it were bought during the indian civilizations’ travels in south east asia in pre-parameswara’s time (perhaps in 10/11th century). games like congkak are found in other SE countries as well, but in different names. over the time, it became part of local culture. after 15th century, indian civilization travelled less, and more preoccupied with internal problems – because invasion from moghul, british, french, spanish, etc. so, left with small groups of indians in peninsular – notably in penang and malacca. Then, when the second wave of indians came in the 1800s and early 1900s, we can identify with the similar culture of malays. this is my understanding only. have to research history books for the exact dates and more data.
@poobalan,
very interesting discussion indeed on Malay culture and how Hinduism exerted such an influence. as a malay, i cannot deny the rich infusion of Indian cultural and religious input but who can actually make a claim of being an original? the current heated debate with Indonesia on their Bali pendet dance can also be attributed to India/Hindu roots, so hw can Indonesia get angry when India is silent? as a Muslim, I hv this to say: Islam allows assimilation and borrowing from any cultural source as long as the faith or akidah is not compromised. Muslims who are not comfortable will prefer to say solat and saum rather than sembahyang or puasa but using these words in themselves will not affect the faith. Tracing words back to their roots or cultural artifacts will not yield anything positive as the global world is now a village where everyone shares: Malays love tose as much as Indians do, and will patronise any Indian nasi daun pisang. So long as it’s halal. This is what being cosmopolitan is all about. Look at New York: one can walk amongst its 10m population and not feel out of place with the Hispanics and non-whites. Once someone wants to copyright, that’s when the trouble begins.
BTW, to get an idea what a Malay really is, read Millennium Malay by D. Ruse. Available at Kinokuniya KLCC and some MPH stores.
Cheers,
idrus
Noted idrus, will try to get the book.
I think its not about sharing, since being globalised allows for exactly that. its only when claiming something it for one’s own its a problem, like the case where someone wanted to patent dhal curry in UK! tracing the roots of things like food, words, culture is important from historical point. it provides important facts from anthropological/social history. so, its good to know the history of things – to see identify the evolution and changes of way of life. Many people do love thosai and banana leaf, but that doesn’t mean it becomes a Chinese or Australian cuisine right? Wherever we go, its still “indian food”. Even for raya we can find muruku, athirasam, and achimuruku as part of the snacks, but its still “indian snacks”, no?
The article was intended to highlight the point that some groups wanted to change their status from being indian muslim to malay. constitutionally, their claim is valid. while they may have their own reasons to make such a claim, can anyone say its legally wrong? or maybe the constitution need to be repaired?
Its highly impossible for tamil muslims to do this…maybe gepima represent “indian muslims” rather than “tamil muslims”
People like peer mohammad,asan ghani,mydin sultan haji tasmim and other tamil muslims must speak on this issue and prove that even though we are separated by religion hindu,muslims and christians are still tamil brothers.
I know many tamil christian and muslims who will even die for the tamil language….
Must do a background check on Gepima
I am also india muslim, i really shame with someone who want to become Malays. Why you want to become Malay????, I am proud with my race ‘Indian’
and my religion ‘Muslim’.
I guess what people want is not changing their race to Malay, but want all the privileges given to Malay. By just having Malay on your birth cert’s race column, you will be treated better than others, you shall get into universiti easier, you will get many things as well……… that is the only reason that I can think of what is underlying term of Malay.
I read with interest on this topic.Let’s examine the term “Indian” itself it is controvesial.Before the Post independance era of india,before the conquest of the British colonislist,they were separted different kingdoms.Muslim and hindu kingdom’s.Later,on the struggle for independance,against british different community’s united to form as “indians”.After independance,came the separation of Pakistan (they,were once classified as indians for around 15 years,during the struggle against british).Coming to Malaysia,the majority of indian population are tamil’s,who are ethincally related to tamils in tamil nadu,who form around just 6% of the india’s population.The are muslims who are of northen orgins,cental,southern (Hydrbad) who don’t assosiate with the local indians.There is no simlarity between cultures and traditions.It is quite normal for this community’s to try to par with their malay-muslim brethren.I also like to note the tamil muslims,have indeed close ethnic,cultural ties with tamil community’s.But there are in a small minority.The majority of tamil speaking population have different DNA composition compare to ethinc tamils.There is difference between ethnic tamils and tamil speaking people.Even,in sri lanka,there are tamil speaking people,who are called moors,their ancestors derive from arab and african (moors).Last,but not least I also know of many tamil muslims who are actually proud of their lauguage.End,of the day u must take pride in using your laugauge.let’s say,this tamil muslim he look’s like a tamil.But,he is married to a malay and does not know how to speak the language,does not have no interest in it…It’s quite classify this indivuals as indians…
THE ORIGINS OF THE KELANTANESE
by Michael Chick
Posted by Dreadnought
Malaysia-Today; Sunday, 26 October 2008 19:59
Following the search for the origins of the Malaysian constitutional ‘malays’, my journey brings me to Vietnam. There, I meet up with the Cham people. After all, every Kelantanese I’ve met claim to be descendants of the Mighty Champa Kingdom.
Just who are the Cham? I met up with Dr. Hang, an Anthropologist at Saigon University, Ho Chi Minh City. According to him, the Champa Kingdom is a 2nd Century Kingdom in Central Vietnam. From 1487, they were continously driven by the Kinh (read as Mongoloid Vietnamese) from Hanoi till Phan Thiet today. Proof of this lies in the fact that there were hundreds of Cham Towers from Hanoi till Phan Thiet (near Mui Ne Beach).
If you’d observe very carefully, you might notice how similar the Cham are to the Kelantanese. The Austronesian Cham of Vietnam look extremely similar, and wear identical headgear to almost everyone in Kelantan. Both male as well as female. Not surprising. The Champa Kingdom had long established trading ties with both the present-day Malaya, Pattani, Aceh as well as Java since the 4th Century. Multiple wars also broke out between the Kingdom of Champa with Java. Migration was simply inevitable.
The Chams were Hindus. They still are today. In fact, all the towers of the Champa Kingdom are of Hindu Origin. One may visit any Museum, from Saigon to Danang till Hanoi. They all have on display, hundreds, if not thousands of Artefacts of this mighty Ancient Hindu Kingdom. It is however, so sad to see the Chams today, getting the short-end of the stick. Since they were driven by the Kinhs (Hanoi) down south, they live in the most hostile parts of the country. Barely getting rain, the land is almost Savannah-like in nature. Large cacti live in abundance on non-cultivated land.
Visiting the Cham produced mixed feelings. On the one hand, one comes face-to-face with the remnants of a mighty empire. On the other hand, one wonders why the Vietnamese government does little to improve the living conditions of these ‘bumiputras’. I proposed new theories; that the Cham were in fact the actual people of the Dong Song, Hoabinhian and Sa Hyunh Culture, much to the surprise, but delight of these Saigon Anthropologists. Previously, they only assumed that those cultures belonged to ‘someone else’, and that Cham History only started in the 2nd Century. Proof being the Temples and Towers. I also highlighted that the Champa Kingdom would have been the second Kingdom of the Hindunization of South East Asia. The first, being Malaya, in the site near Penang called Lembah Bujang, of the 2nd Century.
Upon further scrutiny, there seems to be a lot more than just distant historical similarities between the Cham people, and the Kelantanese. My translator informed me that there were twin towers located in Qui Nhon. ‘Much like that in Malaysia’. I was dumbfounded !! I immediately made the 300km journey. In total, I travelled over 2,000 km by road, boat, and every other imaginable transport available, visiting over 30 major Cham Tower sites along the entire coast of Vietnam.
Furiously making notes, I also found that the similarities did not stop at the fact that there were just twin towers. Cross-examining schematic diagrams of the Cham Towers and KLCC was astounding! For example, the top and side view schematics, when overlayed, was an identical match.
The similarities did not end there, even a side profile view of the Cham towers and KLCC was a match. I could barely contain my excitement when I made these cross-comparisons. Even the Saigon Anthropologist Professors were dumbstruck. No one had ever imagined that there was any correlation between an apparently ‘Muslim-built Design’ with that of an Ancient Hindu one. Add to that, it was located in isolated Vietnam. For those who have visited these sites before, pull out your private photo boxes, and confirm for yourself that the pictures I have displayed here have not been doctored in any way.
Considering that Mahathir was of Indian Origin, it does not completely surprise one that he took inspiration from his ancestry in Kerala. However, one might think that it is strange that he took inspiration from 2 apparently incompatible religions to build his monumental icon. It is even stranger that despite using a Hindu-derived icon to symbolize Malaysia, the Hindraf are swept aside and marginalized. Of course, it is even stranger that Najib takes the trouble to fly in from India, Hindu Priests into his home and office to perform covert rites, as per ascertained by the Driver’s Sworn Affidavits.
Can seemingly incompatible religions be jointly practised? No? Read on. This might change your mind. Think for a moment of Sai Baba’s concept of ‘All religions lead to God’ Concept. The clue lies in Vietnam. There is a Religion called CaoDai-ism. It is very widely practised. CaoDai is a merger of Confusianism, Taosim, Buddhism, Catholism, and Islam. This is a unifying and endemic religion. So is the Cham-Bani religion, which is a merger of Hinduism & Islam. Then, there are The Balinese, practising a merger religion of Animism & Hinduism. Of course, most of Java practices Kejawen which is a combination religion of Animism & Islam. So in reality, Najib’s merger of Hinduism & Islam would be merely a copycat version of the Cham-Bani-type of religion of Vietnam. To add to it, he is Bugis, which makes him part Mongolian, part Arab. (No reference intended of his involvement with Altantuya). Hence his pale Mongoloid-type appearance! .
Surprisingly, UMNO today has turned to worshipping a Chinese God. And that God, is called the God of Money. So, the combination religion which unites worshiping Corruption and Allah, is called BN (Blatant Narcisism). Since inter-faith combination-worship is now a known Asian trait, is it not strange that UMNO was so quick to dispense with The Sky Kingdom in Terengganu? Perhaps Sky Kingdom Worshippers were not into worshipping Corruption as UMNO fervently does. I wonder what went on in UMNO’s minds. I also wonder what Hadhari actually is. (or not…)
Take heart, my Hindraf friends. You now have an World Famous Icon, built by an Indian, who took direct inspiration from Hinduism. Not just one building, but a pair of twins, financed with Malaysian Petroleum money. Be proud. This is the best Hindu Representation of Malaysia, the world has ever seen; something which even ‘Semi Value’ did not anticipate. Hence, his Political Demise. (or should I have said Allaryahum Semi Value??) I can imagine him going ‘Aiyo yoyoyo..’ while smacking his forehead.
I’ll part, leaving you with a composite picture. Two World-Famous icons ‘photoshoped’ together to illustrate my point. Please do not let the Khmers see this, or they would sue the pants off Malaysia like the Indonesian Parliament almost did with Rasa Sayang. Maybe the Khmer Rouge did discuss this blatant copyright infringement, maybe they did not. But I doubt Pol Pot lost any sleep over this. I’ll keep Malaysia posted at the end of my research in Cambodia.
Happy Deepavali
– Michael Chick
THE AFHGANS WERE AT ONE TIME HINDUS OR BUDDHISTS .
It is hard to believe that the capital city of the Hellenistic Greek empire of Bactria was located in what is now Afghanistan. It is also difficult to believe that Afghans at one time were either Hindus or Buddhists — peaceful people.
But Islam advanced from the west and with it came a wave of destruction even worse than that which had vanquished much of Christendom. While Islam allows “people of the book” to pay protection money to their Muslim masters that is not true for idolators and polytheists who must, according to the Koran, be slain one and all.
The Voice of Dharma ( a Web Site) offers a number of free online books, pamphlets and monographs on India affairs. Amongst them you will find The Story of Islamic Imperialism in India by Sita Ram Goel. It does a good job of providing a chronological history of the rape, murder, enslavement, pillage, plunder, desecration and despoliation Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists suffered at the hands of barbarous Muslim invaders.
Satyameva Jayate, an Indian site, also does a superb job of documenting the Hindu Holocaust in a somewhat more digestable format.
Francois Gautier sums it up this way, “In other parts of Asia and Europe, the conquered nations quickly opted for conversion to Islam rather than death.
But in India, because of the staunch resistance of the 4000 year old Hindu faith, the Muslim conquests were for the Hindus a pure struggle between life and death.â€
Entire cities were burnt down and their populations massacred. Each successive campaign brought hundreds of thousands of victims and similar numbers were deported as slaves. Every new invader made often literally his hill of Hindu skulls.
Thus the conquest of Afghanistan in the year 1000, was followed by the annihilation of the entire Hindu population there; indeed, the region is still called Hindu Kush, ‘Hindu slaughter’. The Bahmani sultans in central India, made it a rule to kill 100.000 Hindus a year.
In 1399, Teimur killed 100.000 Hindus IN A SINGLE DAY, and many more on other occasions.
Koenraad Elst quotes Professor K.S. Lal’s “Growth of Muslim population in India”, who writes that according to his calculations, the Hindu population decreased by 😯 MILLION between the year 1000 and 1525.
INDEED PROBABLY THE BIGGEST HOLOCAUST IN THE WHOLE WORLD HISTORY.
But the “pagans” were far too numerous to kill them all; and Hinduism too well entrenched in her people’s soul, never really gave up, but quietly retreated in the hearts of the pious and was preserved by the Brahmins’ amazing oral powers. Thus, realising that they would never be able to annihilate the entire Indian population and that they could not convert all the people, the Muslims rulers, particularly under the Hanifite law, allowed the pagans to become “zimmis” (protected ones) under 20 humiliating conditions, with the heavy “jizya”, the toleration tax, collected from them.”
You may read all of Gautier’s article here.
Historian Will Durant wrote in his book The Story of Civilization:
“The Mohammadan conquest of India is probably the bloodiest story in history. It is a discouraging tale, for its evident moral is that civilization is a precarious thing, whose delicate complex of order and liberty, culture and peace may at any time be overthrown by barbarians invading from without or multiplying within.”
If we follow the original migration of the Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago, they moved into Taiwan, (now the Alisan), then into the Phillipines (now the Aeta) and moved into Borneo (4,500yrs ago) (Dayak).
They also split into Sulawesi and progressed into Jawa, and Sumatera.
The final migration was to the Malayan Peninsular 3,000yrs ago.
A sub-group from Borneo also moved to Champa in Vietnam at 4,500yrs ago.
Interestingly, the Champa deviant group moved back to present day Kelantan.
There are also traces of the Dong Song and HoaBinh migration from Vietnam and Cambodia.
To confuse the issue, there was also the Southern Thai migration, from what we know as Pattani today. (see also “Early Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago and the Malay Peninsular”)
Of course, we also have the Minangkabau’s which come from the descendants of Alexander the Great and a West Indian Princess. (Sejarah Melayu page 1-3)
So the million Dollar Question… Is there really a race called the “Malays”?
All anthropologists DO NOT SEEM TO THINK SO. – (strangely, this includes all Malay Malaysian Anthropologists who are of the same opinion.)
Neither do the “Malays” who live on the West Coast of Johor. They’d rather be called Javanese.
What about the west coast Kedah inhabitants who prefer to be known as “Achenese”? or the Ibans who simply want to be known as IBANS.
Try calling a Kelabit a “Malay” and see what response you get… you’ll be so glad that their Head-Hunting days are over.
The Malays – taken as an aggregation of people of different ethnic backgrounds but who speak the same language or family of languages and share common cultural and traditional ties
– are essentially a new race,
– compared to the Chinese, Indians and the Arabs with their long histories of quests and conquests.
The Malay nation, therefore, covers people of various ethnic stock, including Javanese, Bugis, Bawean, Achehnese, Thai, Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak and descendants of Indian Muslims who had married local women.
Beneath these variations, however, there is a common steely core that is bent on changing the Malay persona from its perceived lethargic character to one that is brave, bold and ready to take on the world. ”
The definition of “Malay” is therefore simply a collection of people’s who speak a similar type language.
With what is meant by a similar type language does not mean that the words are similar.
(A native Kelantanese native speaker has no clue whatsoever what his Iban native brother is talking about; if both speak their own dialect)
Linguists however, call this the “Lego-Type” language, where words are added on to the root word to make meaning and give tenses and such.
Somehow, the Indonesians disagree with this “Malay” classification and insist instead on being called “Indonesians” even though the majority of “Malays” have their roots in parts of Indonesia. They refuse to be called “Malay”…. Anyhow you may define it.
The writer failed to identify (probably didn’t know), that the “Malay” definition also includes, the Champa, Dong Song, HoabinHian, The Taiwanese Alisan and the Philippino Aetas.
He also did not identify that the “Orang Asli” are (for lack of a better term) ex-Africans. If you try to call any one of our East Malaysian brothers an “Orang Asli”, they WILL BEAT YOU UP!
I had to repeat this because almost all West Malaysians make the same mistake when we cross the South China Sea. Worse, somehow, they feel even more insulted when you call them “Malay”.
Somehow, “kurang ajar” is uttered below their breath as if “Malay” was a really bad word for them. I’m still trying to figure this one out.
Watch “Malays in Africa”; a Museum Negara produced DVD. Also, the “Champa Malays” by the same.
With this classification, they MUST also include the Phillipinos, the Papua New Guineans, the Australian Aboroginies, as well as the Polynesian Aboroginies. These are of the Australo Melanesians who migrated out of Africa 60,000yrs ago.
“Malay” should also include the Taiwanese singer “Ah Mei” who is Alisan as her tribe are the anscestors of the “Malays”. And finally, you will need to define the Southern Chinese (Southern Province) as Malay also, since they are from the same stock 6,000yrs ago.
Try calling the Bugis a “Malay”. Interestingly, the Bugis, who predominantly live on Sulawesi are not even Indonesians.
Neither do they fall into the same group as the migrating Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago nor the Australo Melanesian group from Africa.
The Bugis are the cross-breed between the Mongolian Chinese and the marauding Arab Pirates. Interestingly, the Bugis, (just like their Arabic ancestors) were career Pirates in the Johor-Riau Island areas. Now the nephew of Daeng Kemboja was appointed as the First Sultan of Selangor. That makes the entire Selangor Sultanate part Arab, part Chinese!
Try talking to the Bugis Museum curator near Kukup in Johor. Kukup is located near the most south-western tip of Johor. (Due south of Pontian Kechil) He is more than willing to expound on the Bugis heritage. Buy him lunch and he can talk for days on end.
Let’s not even get into the Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekiu, and Hang Lekir, who shared the same family last name as the other super famous “Hang” family member… Hang Li Poh. And who was she? Legend tells us that she is the Princess of a Ming Dynasty Emperor who was sent to marry the Sultan of Malacca. Won’t that make the entire Malacca Sultanate downline “Baba”?
Since the older son of the collapsed Malaccan Sultanate got killed in Johor, (the current Sultanate is the downline of the then, Bendahara) the only other son became the Sultan of Perak.
Do we see any Chinese-ness in Raja Azlan? Is he the descendant of Hang Li Poh? But wait a minute….
That’s what legend says. Let’s look at the proof. The solid evidence. There is a well next to the Zheng He Temple in Malacca which is supposed to be the well built by the Sultan of Malacca for Hang Li Poh.
According to legend, anyone who drinks of it shall re-visit Malacca before they die. Hmmm smells like a romantic fairy tale already. But let’s look at who Hang Li Poh actually is. Which Ming Emperor was she a daughter to? So I got into researching the entire list of Ming Emperors. Guess what? Not a single Ming Emperor’s last name begins with Hang.
In fact, all their last names begin with Tzu (pronounced Choo). So who is Hang Li Poh? An Extra Concubine? A Spare Handmaiden? Who knows? But one thing for certain, is that she was no daughter of any of the Ming Emperors.
Gone is the romantic notion of the Sultan of Malacca marrying an exotic Chinese Princess. Sorry guys, the Sultan married an unidentified Chinese commoner.
Next question. If the Baba’s are part Malay, why have they been marginalized by NOT BEING BUMIPUTERA?
Which part of “Malay” are they not? Whatever the answer, why then are the Portugese of Malacca BUMIPUTERA? Did they not come 100yrs AFTER the arrival of the first Baba’s?
Parameswara founded Malacca in 1411. The Portugese came in 1511, and the Dutch in the 1600’s. Strangely, the Baba’s were in fact once classified a Bumiputera, but some Prime Minister decreed that they were to be strangely “declassified” in the 1960’s. WHY?
How can a “native son of the soil” degenerate into an “un-son”? The new classification is “pendatang” meaning a migrant to describe the Baba’s and Nyonyas.
Wait a minute, isn’t EVERYONE on the Peninsular a migrant to begin with? How can the government discriminate? Does the Malaysian Government have amnesia?
The Sultan of Kelantan had similar roots to the Pattani Kingdom making him of Thai origin.
And what is this “coffee table book” by the Sultan of Perlis claiming to be the direct descendant of the prophet Muhammed?
In pursuing this thread, and having looked at the history of Prophet Muhammed (BTW, real name Ahmad) we couldn’t figure out which descendant line The Sultan of Perlis was.
Perhaps it was by the name Syed, which transcended. Then we tried to locate which downline did the Sultan descend from of the 13 Official Wives of Prophet Muhammad named in the Holy Koran?
Or was the Sultan of Perlis a descendant from the other 23 non-wives? Of the 13 Official Wives were (at least known) 3 Israeli women. Then you should come to this instant revelation, isn’t Prophet Muhammad an Israeli himself? Yes, the answer is clear.
All descendants of Moses are Israeli. In fact, the Holy Koran teaches that Moses was the First Muslim. Thus confirming all the descendants of Moses to be Israeli, including Jesus and Prophet Muhammad. But since this is not a Religious or a Theological discussion, let’s move on to a more anthropological approach.
So, how many of you have met with the Orang Asli’s (Malaysian Natives)? The more northern you go, the more African they look. Why are they called Negrito’s?
It is a Spanish word, from which directly transalates “mini Negros”. The more southern you go, the more “Indonesian” they look. And the ones who live at Cameron Highlands kinda look 50-50.
You can see the Batek at Taman Negara, who really look like Eddie Murphy to a certain degree. Or the Negritos who live at the Thai border near Temenggor Lake (north Perak).
The Mah Meri in Carrie Island look almost like the Jakuns in Endau Rompin. Half African, half Indonesian.
Strangely the natives in Borneo all look rather Chinese in terms of features and facial characteristics especially the Kelabits in Bario.
By definition, (this is super eye-opening) there was a Hindu-Malay Empire in Kedah. Yes, I said right… The Malays were Hindu (just like the gentle Balinese of today). It was known by its’ old name, Langkasuka.
Today known as Lembah Bujang.
This Hindu-Malay Empire was 2,000yrs old. Pre-dating Borrobudor AND Angkor Watt.
Who came about around 500-600yrs later.
Lembah Bujang was THE mighty trading Empire, and its biggest influence was by the Indians who were here to help start it.
By definition, this should make the Indians BUMIPUTERAS too since they were here 2,000yrs ago! Why are they marginalized?
The Malaysian Government now has a serious case of Alzheimer’s. Why? Simply because, they would accord the next Indonesian who tomorrow swims across the Straits of Malacca and bestow upon him with the apparently “prestigious title” of the Bumiputra status alongside others who imply have inhabited this land for hundreds of centuries. (prestigious, at least perceived by Malays) They also have a strange saying called “Ketuanan Melayu” which literally transalates into “The Lordship of Malays”
The Malays still cannot identify till this day “who” or “what” the Malays have “Lordship” over.
And they celebrate it gallantly and triumphantly by waving the Keris (wavy knife which has Hindu origins in Borrobudor. LORD Ganesan is seen brandishing the Keris in a bass-relief sculpture.) during public meetings over National TV much like a Pagan Wicca Ceremony on Steroids.
Let’s all wait for that official press release to see who the “Malays” have Lordship over, shall we?
Of the 3 books listed, “Contesting Malayness” (about S$32 for soft cover) is “banned” in Malaysia; you will need to “smuggle” it into Malaysia; for very obvious reasons…. 🙁 or read it in Singapore if you don’t feel like breaking the law. Incidentally, the Professor (Author) was invited to speak on this very subject circa 2 yrs ago, in KL, invited by the MBRAS. You can imagine the “chaos” this seminar created… 🙁 Fortunately the FRU was not called in.)
The other, “Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago, and the Malay Peninsular” (about RM84) are openly sold at all leading bookshops; Kinokuniya, MPH, Borders, Popular, Times, etc.
You should be able to find a fair bit of what I’ve been quoting in this book too, but mind you, it is extremely heavy reading material, and you will find yourself struggling through the initial 200+ pages. It is extremely technical in nature.
Maybe that’s why it hasn’t been banned (yet)…coz our authorities couldn’t make head or tail of it? (FYI, if I weren’t doing research for my film, I wouldn’t have read it in its entirety)
The “Sejarah Melayu” (about RM 50) however, is freely available at the University Malaya bookshop. I have both the English and Royal Malay version published by MBRAS. Alternatively, you could try reading the Jawi (Arabic Script) version if you are truly a sucker for unimaginable pain…… (may feel like circumcision)
There are actually many sources for these Origins of Malays findings. Any older Philippino Museum Journal also carries these migration stories. This migration is also on display at the Philippines National Museum in Luzon.
However, they end with the Aeta, and only briefly mention that the migration continued to Indonesia and Malaysia, but fully acknowledge that all Philippinos came from Taiwan. And before Taiwan, China.
There is another book (part of a series) called the “Archipelago Series” endorsed by Tun Mahatir and Marina Mohammad, which states the very same thing right at the introduction on page one. “… that the Malays migrated out of Southern China some 6,000yrs ago…”. I believe it is called the “Pre-History of Malaysia” Hard Cover, about RM99 found in (mostly) MPH. They also carry “Pre-History of Indonesia” by the same authors for the same price.
It is most interesting to note that the Malaysian Museum officials gallantly invented brand new unheard-of terms such as “Proto-Malay” and “Deutero-Malay”, to replace the accepted Scientific Term, Australo-Melanesians (African descent) and Austronesians (Chinese Descent, or Mongoloid to be precise) in keeping in line with creating this new “Malay” term..
They also created the new term called the Melayu-Polynesian. (Which Melayu exists in the Polynesian Islands?)
Maybe they were just trying to be “Patriotic” and “Nationalistic”… who knows…? After all, we also invented the term, “Malaysian Time”.
While the rest of the world calls it “Tardy” and “Late”. It’s quite an embarrassment actually…. Singaporeans crossing the border are asked to set their watches back by about a 100yrs, to adjust to “Malaysian Time”…
In a nutshell, the British Colonial Masters, who, for lack of a better description, needed a “blanket” category for ease of classification, used the term “Malay”.
The only other logical explanation, which I have heard, was that “Malaya” came as a derivative of “Himalaya”, where at Langkasuka, or Lembah Bujang today was where the Indians were describing the locals as “Malai” which means “Hill People” in Tamil.
This made perfect sense as the focal point at that time was at Gunung Jerai, and the entire Peninsular had a “Mountain Range” “Banjaran Titiwangsa”, as we call it.
The Mandarin and Cantonese accurately maintain the accurate pronunciation of “Malai Ren” and “Malai Yun” respectively till this very day. Where “ren” and “yun” both mean “peoples”.
Interestingly, “Kadar” and “Kidara”, Hindi and Sanskrit words accurately describe “Kedah” of today. They both mean “fertile Land for Rice cultivation. Again, a name given by the Indians 2,000yrs ago during the “Golden Hindu Era” for a duration of 1,500yrs.
It was during this “Golden Hindu Era” that the new term which the Hindu Malay leaders also adopted the titles, “Sultan” and “Raja”.
The Malay Royalty were Hindu at that time, as all of Southeast Asia was under strong Indian influence, including Borrobudor, and Angkor Watt. Bali today still practices devout Hindu Beliefs.
The snake amulet worn by the Sultans of today, The Royal Dias, and even the “Pelamin” for weddings are tell-tale signs of these strong Indian influences.
So, it was NOT Parameswara who was the first Sultan in Malaya.
Sultanage existed approximately 1,500yrs in Kedah before he set foot on the Peninsular during the “Golden Hindu Era” of Malaysia. And they were all Hindu.
“PreHistory of Malaysia” also talks about the “Lost Kingdom” of the “Chi-Tu” where the local Malay Kingdom were Buddhists. The rest of the “Malays” were Animistic Pagans.
But you may say, “Sejarah Melayu” calls it “Melayu”? Yes, it does. Read it again; is it trying to describe the 200-odd population hamlet near Palembang by the name “Melayu”?(Google Earth will show this village).
By that same definition, then, the Achehnese should be considered a “race”. So should the Bugis and the Bataks, to be fair. Orang Acheh, Orang Bugis, Orang Laut, Orang Melayu now mean the same… descriptions of ethnic tribes, at best.
So some apparently Patriotic person decided to upgrade the Malays from Orang Melayu (Malay People) to Bangsa Melayu (Malay Race) Good job in helping perpetuate the confusion.
And since the “Malays” of today are not all descendants of the “Melayu” kampung in Jambi (if I remember correctly), the term Melayu has been wrongly termed.
From Day One. Maybe this is why the Johoreans still insist on calling themselves either Bugis, or Javanese til today (except when it comes to receiving Government Handouts).
So do the Achehnese on the West coast of Kedah & Perlis and the Kelantanese insist that they came from Champa, Vietnam.
Moreover, the fact that the first 3 pages of “Sejarah Melayu” claim that “Melayu” comes from Alexander the Great and the West Indian Princess doesn’t help. More importantly, it was written in 1623.
By then, the Indians had been calling the locals “Malai” for 1,500 yrs already. So the name stuck….
And with the Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals in page 1-3) naming the grandson of Iskandar Zulkarnain, and the West Indian Princess forming the Minangkabau.
Whenever a Malay is asked about it, he usually says it is “Karut” (bullshit), but all Malayan based historians insist on using Sejarah Melayu as THE main reference book for which “Malay” history is based upon.
The only other books are “Misa Melayu”, “Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa”, “Hikayat Pasai”, “Hikayat Raja-Raja Siak” and “Hikayat Hang Tuah” among others; which sometimes brings up long and “heated” discussions.
Interesting to note is one of the great “Malay” writers is called Munsyi Abdullah; who penned “Hikayat Abdullah” He was an Indian Muslim. Let’s re-read that little bit. He was an Indian Muslim.
How can an Indian change his race to be a Malay? He can change his shirt, his car, his religion and even his underwear, but how can anyone change his race?
This must be The New Trick of the Century, which even David Copperfield will pay lots of money to watch (and perhaps learn).
“Mysterious Race Changing Trick”- created by The Malaysian Government.
Still, Malaysians are still only second to the Jews (who by the way, are the only other people in the world who are defined by a religion)
So perhaps David Copperfield has yet to learn a few tricks on the mass deception skills of the Malaysian Government?
It is strange that the “Chitti’s” (Indian+Malay) of Malacca are categorized as Bumiputera, while their Baba brothers are not. Why? Both existed during the Parameswara days.
Which part of the “Malay” side of the Baba’s is not good enough for Bumiputera classification? Re-instate them. They used to be Bumiputera pre 1960’s anyway.
Instead of “Malay”, I believe that “Maphilindo” (circa 1963) would have been the closest in accurately trying to describe the Malays. However, going by that definition, it should most accurately be “MaphilindoThaiChinDiaVietWanGreekCamfrica”.
And it is because of this; even our University Malaya Anthropology professors cannot look at you in the eye and truthfully say that the word “Malay” technically and accurately defines a race.
This is most unfortunate.
So, in a nutshell, the “Malays” (anthropologists will disagree with this “race” definition) are TRULY ASIA !!! For once the Tourism Ministry got it right….
We should stop calling this country “Tanah Melayu” instead call it, “Tanah Truly Asia”
You must understand now, why I was “tickled pink” when I found out that the Visit Malaysia slogan for 2007 was “Truly Asia”. They are so correct… (even though they missed out Greece, and Africa)
BTW, the name UMNO should be changed to UTANO the new official acronym for “United Truly Asia National Organization” . After all, they started out as a Bugis club in Johor anyway….
@DIASPORA,
read MILLENNIUM MALAY (D.RUSE)PUBLISHER A.S. NOORDEEN (2009) to understand what a Malay is.
I’m a Singaporean Indian Muslim and sad to say, it seems the Indian Muslims do not know the value of race and culture. Nowadays being minority, we get easily carried away and intimadated. Why is that? Is it because these Indians see life as only Dollars and Cents? Does an easy life equate to blindly stripping ourselves of our dignity and join a beneficial (apparently) race which no matter in what century will never see you as part of them? Lets face the reality, that no matter how hard we try to “mimic”, heritage and culture doesn’t leave us. One thing God allowed is if people renounced their religion but never their race. Its written in our faces (literally). Speaking about the other comments left by Malays about how “SUPERIOR” their race is, name calling seems to be a pastime of theirs maybe because theirs was a ‘founded’ race ironically by the Indian Muslims of the past. Early traces of so called “darah keturunan melayu” were traced back to the Majapahit kingdom (if you don’t believe me, go to Wikipedia and check), who were NEVER Muslims to begin with, and I can bet as hell, never heard the word ALLAH before, neither knew what the hell TAJWID was. It was the South Indian Muslims whom you are calling MAMAK and KELING who taught you what is “tangan cebok”… So who is calling who a HINDU?
Hi DIASPORA,
Your comments are amazing & is the truth. For years, our History lesson in school didn’t go in depth in all of this findings. Chapter 1 & 2 is so little. If they did, we would be a nation rich in history & culture.
Tourism could be boosted with history!! Whatever happened to the lost ancient Hindu temple that was found in Johor? So hyped up in the news & then it goes missing??
Strange!!!
GEPIMA is just one of the many organisations representing the Indian Muslims in Malaysia. Now that they are wanting the government to classify them (GEPIMA members) as Malays, it will mean they no longer represent Indian Muslims. What they are advocating is a matter of convenience only. It is true the Malaysian Constitution has given a definition for Malay by virtue of which Indian Muslims can be classified as Malays. But race is not defined. It is God given. Indian Muslims are Indians as determined by their parentage. If God had wanted anybody to be a Malay, he would have made him or her to be born to Malay parents. We cannot be smarter or wiser than God. The Indian Muslims should therefore be thankful to God to have made them to be what they are. I am an Indian Muslim and proud of being one. As a Malaysian Citizen I have as much right as every other Malaysian. How can I fight for my right if I am not sure what I am, constitutionally or otherwise? In my opinion it is better to fight for our rights as an Indian Muslim rather than fight as a Malay. Malays, being larger in number, have their own problems to tackle and are fighting for it. Why should we add on to that and complicate our lives further?
Any privilege given is only a privilege and not a birth right. If the Government can give Bumiputra status based on certain criteria to certain communities it is a privilege to that community. If it uses that privilege wisely then it will help the community to progress. It is not a right to be given and then abused. Bumiputra status does not affect the ethinicity of a people. Therefore it is perfectly alright to ask the government to consider conferring that privilege on any community. But to ask for Malay status? If one is not proud of his or her own roots, what honour can he or she have in the eyes of the world and God? How can we justify dishonourable living?
Anyway not all Indian Muslims share GEPIMA’s views. Most of them don’t even look to the government for any aid as none will come their way. Majority do not like to be looked upon as Malays. Cultural influences will always be there whether in Malaysia, India or elsewhere. Does that mean we also change our race? Malaysia is a potpourri of various races and cultures. It is rich in its diversity. Do not let that be spoilt by bigotry and short sightedness.
to all those at each others’ throats, here is one food for thought:
The Holy Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. had Christian and Jewish wives; Maimonides the Jew was physician to Salahuddin al Ayyubi (Saladin) who himself was a friend of Richard the Lionhearted; one of the greatest Islamic scholars of the 20th century was Maulana Maududi, an Indian; the greatest mariner to sail the seas, Admiral Zheng He or Cheng Ho, was a Muslim; a Melaka Sultan even married Hang Li Po from China.
so what’s the issue?
So a group of indian muslim want to be identified as malays,
So what, so why is the fuss around here,
I think since 600 years ago, malay have always accept other muslims with open heart, weather, subcontinent muslims or arab muslims, as other malay subethnics who come from across malay archipilego, (javanese, smutera, bugis or whatever ethnic in indonesia). theres no one talk about it, only now, the non muslims of malaysia, especially chinese and indian hindus now make noise, including this man call diasporra, talk in great legth about malays being hindus, before Islam come to southeast asia,
so what, if my forefathers 700 hundred years ago are hindus, but since 14th century the light of Islam had arrived here and all of my fore fathers simply discard of all idols, spirit worship and declare the oneness of Allah SWT the only one God and become faithfull follower of Islam.
forgive me to say thisd, but i think we malays dont neeed someone from oher ccommunity to teach us about history of Islam and malalay community.
I read with great interest with all the comments.My forefather’s came from maharastra, northen part of india and settled down in malaysia and intermarried with the locals.We no longer speak the marathi lauguage or follow the marathi culture.The term “indian” is itself subjective.Our ancestor’s arrived here,from separate kingdom’s,Islamic sultantes or even dutch or british colonies.At that time,there was no india.The term “india” was only coined during the independant struggle againt bristish colonist.Our ancestor’s,who had migrated before the creation of India do not have any bond or afillation with the nation of India.Even the term “Indian” is closely associate with the predominately the tamil community in Malaysia and Singapore.After,generation’s of Intermarrying,it’s highly impossible to be called as Indian.Even,in singapore,if u have intermarried with other community,the race of the child can be selected by the parent.Many tamil’s,who have taken chinese wife’s,are stating the chindian children (mixture of indian and chinese) as chinese.They are enrolling their children in chinese classes,does not use the tamil lauguage.
First,of all Indian is never a race,it’s fusion of many various ethinic,lingustic communities.Even,in Tamil Nadu,Superstar rajnikanth does not associate himself with karnataka,even though he’s from the karnataka state.he associate himself,with the tamil population.Even,in the USA,children born of black and white parent’s,tend not to associate themselves with black community.
End,of the day,it’s envoriment that count’s.I have seen children born of Tamil parent’s of hindu faith,in western nations,do not indentify themselve’s with parent’s lingustic or cultural influence.When they intermarry with caucasians,they accept the western culture.
There is no end to this debate.I am sorry to say,that I can’t associate myself with the Indian community (even though I do enjoy watching rajnkanth,Amita baccan movies)