The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Excuse me, Datuk, one teh tarik please! Posted: 30 Jun 2011 04:25 PM PDT JULY 1 — There I was drinking my teh tarik and minding my own business at my friendly, neighbourhood mamak shop when the phone went off. I reached for my pocket and put the phone to my ear. There was silence. Then I heard a loud booming voice from behind. "Ha, Tok! How are you?" said the voice, almost shouting. Oh, so it wasn't my phone ringing. It was that guy's. The one with a weight problem wearing a beige long-sleeved shirt, obviously on his way back from work. No, I'm not writing about mamak shops. Neither am I writing about what a nuisance people on mobile phones are. So what has this got to do with my story, you wonder? Well, the fat guy's loud and proud voice really got to me. It was as if he wanted us to think, "Wow! That guy has friends in high places." This got me thinking that the "famous" saying is really true. Don't tell me you haven't heard of it. It goes a little something like this: "If you were to throw stones into a crowded room filled with Malaysians, not only will it hit a Datuk but it will ricochet off him and hit another Datuk". The latest statistics with regards to the number of titles given out by the Sultans and YDPs that I've managed to find happens to be a few years old (five years ago, in fact): 6,314 state honours were conferred and 531 of these carried the title Datuk. Let's break it down further. The states that gave out the most Datukships were Pahang (93), Malacca (79), Penang (56) and Perak (53). The state that dished out the least number was Johor (two). If so many of these titles are given out every year, it won't take long before there are more Datuks than there are Enciks. Then what happens to the prestige factor? Being a journalist for the people, I decided to take to the streets and see what they had to say about this. "You can sing and shake and you stand a chance of getting a Datukship, provided the Sultan likes your singing. You can sing and have moles (lots of it) and you stand a chance, provided the Sultan likes your singing. You can even sing and act and, best of all, die, and you stand a chance of being Datuk (sorry, Tan Sri), provided the Sultan likes your singing." — Shahrul Naim Rashid, 27, software engineer. "I've been swimming 10 laps a week at the sports centre for the past three years now. That would be like swimming across the Straits of Malacca 20 times. Yet, I haven't been summoned by the palace," — Chan Kok Tong, 32, mathematics lecturer. "Organise a big-time carnival that tours the country. Then you can get dual or even triple Datukships!" — Farid Rizal, media executive, 30. "It's good. You are always the first to be greeted when you arrive somewhere and have a kompang soundtrack to your life." — L. Krishnamoorthy, waiter, 24. "Did you know that you can actually buy Datukships? It's true. My company has special funds allocated for their top management staff." — Azma Kamil, 36, public relations executive. "Are you a Datuk? Hello Datuk! Come with me and I'll make you smile." — Kiki, 22, guest relations officer. "I'm a high maintenance woman and I need money. These old men have lots of it! They're willing and I'm willing. So what's the harm?" — Badariah, 35, freelance lady of leisure. So it's obvious from the reaction I got from the rakyat that this isn't really a problem. They couldn't care less. What's in a Datukship anyway? * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| Of songkoks, uniforms and managing expectations Posted: 30 Jun 2011 04:13 PM PDT JULY 1 — I must admit to feeling a tad slighted when I read the recent reports of my friends and fellow comrades turning up on the first day of the Sarawak State Assembly in lounge suits instead of the ceremonial "number one" dress with songkok that was worn by everyone else. Now, it must first and foremost be stated that no wrong was committed. The ceremonial uniform is not compulsory, and at no time did any breach of protocol occur. Neither is this issue a new one, having become a recurrent, though not persistent, occurrence at some of the legislative assemblies nationwide. What is new, however, is the political reality today and with it greater expectations that are now imposed upon the DAP as we venture pointedly into the mainstream of our nation's political consciousness. No longer are we a fringe party representing largely parochial interests, though awareness of this fact has not yet fully seeped into the minds of the party faithful. Thus, it is a toxic combination of good intentions, ignorance and misdirected rigour that has resulted in actions that are perhaps quite unnecessary given the context of the DAP's place in the Malaysian polity today. Firstly, and most prevalently, is the somewhat anti-establishment tendency that has ingrained itself into the DAP psyche. This is both the culmination of four decades of sitting incessantly in opposition benches, as well as the limited democratic space available. Hence, what has resulted is a natural disposition towards opposing for the sake of opposing and a general lack of prudence in contextualising issues from a wider and more inclusive aspect. In short, we have chaps causing controversy for the sake of it, and while this was fine when we were a party with only a handful of seats nationally, there is a discerning need for a more mature worldview in the current political climate. Another factor is the lingering siege mentality amongst leaders and cadres schooled in an era now bygone. The DAP has traditionally seen its foes as the MCA and Gerakan, and thus political reproach between both sides are usually confined to Chinese-based issues. As such, the spectre of institutionalised Islamisation and perceived cultural hegemony, both hot issues in the Eighties and Nineties, are still alive and occupying the minds of certain sections of the party, and this is perhaps more so apparent across the South China Sea. Again, the impetus is on us to move on with the times and out of our comfort zone towards a more centrist position. As a party with far more representation than both traditional rivals combined, we need to be cognisant of the fact that we have made the big leap into national relevance, while MCA and Gerakan no longer occupy the nation's imagination. Lastly, perception is the be all and end all in politics. I know for a fact that no cultural disrespect was meant by my Sarawakian colleagues, and that their rationale about saving the state some money (a full uniform apparently costs around RM2,000 to RM4,000) is not without its merits, but I think this incident also reveals an inherent lack of understanding of Malay, and by extension Malaysian, culture and sensitivities. It may seem like a straightforward toss-up between an unnecessary triviality and an opportunity to make a statement against establishment excess, but for Malays and certainly for those in Peninsular Malaysia, there is a deeper cultural connotation at play. To fully comprehend the complexities of Malay cultural psychology, one has to be appreciative of the very revealing testament that is encapsulated, in typical Malay fashion, in the old adage: "biar mati anak, jangan mati adat", which roughly translates to "better for children to perish than to lose tradition." Crude, to be sure, but a telling insight that is evident when one considers that while Chinese racial discourse usually revolves around the loss of business and education opportunities, its Malay counterpart is often centred on the primordial sentiments of culture and religion. In other words, the priorities are clearly different. Therefore, if Malays are proverbially willing to sacrifice kin to save culture, one can be assured that the argument of saving a few thousand ringgit will not hold strong. Still, I maintain that non-conformity can be a virtue, as I am certainly one to speak. Yet I also see the need to be more responsive towards the socio-cultural mores of our multi-cultural heritage, especially within the framework of a semi-feudalistic society in a constitutional monarchy. What may seem banal and costly to a few may be perceived as symbolically important and priceless to many others. We must realise this. Perhaps it was the Malay in me who felt vexed, but I do believe that like me, many other Malays and indeed Malaysians now place greater expectations on the DAP, especially in our capacity to bridge the gap between an insular past and an inclusive future. This is a crucial juncture in our party's history, and whether we emerge truly Malaysianised depends very much on how we choose to view the world inasmuch as how the world chooses to view us. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
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