The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Posted: 24 Oct 2012 04:50 PM PDT OCT 25 — So it was X's turn to buy a round at the bar. He turned to the two lads on his right and said, "That'll be one for you, and (pointing to the other dude) one plus 30 per cent for you since you are Malay." Everyone laughed including the "Malay." It wasn't funny really, but it is not unusual in liberal settings where people poke fun at structural idiosyncrasies even if the awkwardness in question includes them. But as tragic as it may be, jokes are society's way to deal with the ridiculous or impossible in its midst — and long after the joke is made, the reality of the subject of derision continues. Jokes don't reduce the reality. This column often endeavours to explain why inequality is an evil all decent persons must oppose. There is the converse, those who have to live the life positively or better through the inequality, and in many instances their station in life is perceived through the inequality. Today, the column wants to appraise the other. Here the discussion is about the constitutional Malay, and his life in Malaysia. The adjective "constitutional" is mentioned here once to underscore the unique environment here where the race of a person is determined by articles within the basic law and not by genetics [N1]. With that stated I'll omit the superfluous adjective. I'd like to look at the "feeling of success" many impressive Malays experience, and the sense of abandon those at the other end of the Malay spectrum feel. We have to set aside this time the observation that there are various victims produced by an unregulated affirmative action programme. And no, it is not my intention to deny their feeling of despair and frustration inside the system. On this occasion I want to spotlight the Malay who pays the price. Punching the fist of success into a concrete ceiling For decades in Malaysia whenever a Malay hits a milestone — mainly in commerce — it is discounted. "He got it because he is Malay" echoes in some corridors, and it takes the shine off the result or announcement. It must be an amazing scar on the truly gifted, to perform or reach the summit only to plummet because many refuse to believe the authenticity of the success. At this juncture it is important to separate the genius of acts and the extenuating circumstances. Good people can only excel when they are given opportunities, however the ease of the opportunity or its numerous appearances does not cancel out the capacity of the person excelling. Not all Malays given key roles in GLCs (government-linked companies) perform. But pointing that those who do did not deserve the passing mark is disingenuous. And on that account, not all people of other ethnicities inheriting roles in firms — GLCs or not — perform. The moral argument has been not enough opportunities have been evenly distributed and to ensure the ethnicity of a Malaysian does not disadvantage them in their work. That argument still remains. But in the same breath, so the many Malays who do deliver have to live with monkeys on their backs. A combination of society's recognition and their own cognisance that there is veracity in the claim not all is well in "the state of Denmark" and they did get a leg-up, becomes the unwelcome cold shower. Some deal with it by being defensive and over-verbalise that there is nothing unnatural about the extenuating circumstances. This explains why right-wing organisations like Perkasa have a number of professionals in their ranks. They'd be right and square in their work environment, but find their soul stirred by those not seeking to apologise. And to the rest not seeking to prove anything really, for example, a surgeon who wants to be well, a good surgeon, the situation can be always overwhelming. To be regarded as one of the top Malay surgeons, rather than a top surgeon. Which reveals why so many Malays here feel an enormous sense of relief when they do match their peers abroad. If they meet the standard in a system where being Malay has no bearing, then no detractor can take the achievement away from them. The summary of this demographic is that there is an unrelenting frustration borne out of race. I've gone to school and work with Malays of extraordinary qualities and impeccable manners — the latter being more necessary to be a friend of mine. I also know the worst kind of Malays. Neither group defines what Malays are, they only define what people are. Genius and cowardice is distributed evenly across all ethnicities, across all nations. Do I make the toilet bowl shine on through? Many of my relatives live in low-cost housing. Their neighbours are largely Malays. The service industry may be inundated with foreign workers but there is a rich representation of Malays in hospitality among the Malaysian citizen numbers. They are in all kinds of modest employment which draw Malays. The millions who have to rely on the cheapest cars get their families everywhere and at night scramble for parking spots in the apartment zone. Life is hard for most people. It is the same anywhere in the world. It is bitter when your national media plays up how wonderful it is to get all sorts of things just by being a Malay while you the 15-year-old work for pittance at the local supermarket over the weekend. This is not to negate the need for labour to further oneself, this is to confront the lie that millions are told day after day that they have great lives as Malays. To explain the frustration of getting sneers from fellow countrymen, some falsely thinking every Malay gets to have nasi kandar with Syed Mokhtar every other Wednesday [N3]. Unfortunately every election cycle, those in power tell underprivileged Malays, who are the largest block of Malays, that all the things enjoyed by Malays will be under threat if there is a change in regime. So fun is arbitrary? I'll apologise quickly if there are any unfounded oversimplifications. There have been several phases of social experimentation in Malaysia over years built on short-term returns repudiated by the dysfunctional nature of everyday Malaysian life when it comes to race relations. Malays are at the centre of the examination and in many senses the point from which the country's solutions will appear from. Between the Malays whose achievement are derided and the many Malays who are barred from the better life must come the resolve to fix things in the country. Because they know only too well, that for them, most times it's not fun being Malay. NOTES: [N1] Article 160 of the Federal Constitution defines a Malay as a Malaysian citizen born to a Malaysian citizen who professes to be a Muslim, habitually speaks the Malay language, adheres to Malay customs, and is domiciled in Malaysia or Singapore. Over time it has shrunk in practice to being Muslim, with the folks in Kimma (Congress of Indian Muslims) being the unexplained exception by choice. [N2] Perkasa believes nothing done in the name of protecting and advancing Malays is unacceptable. Those who are critical of anything Malay to them are enemies of the state. Their members also don't put olives in their martinis, I am informed. [N3] Which was yesterday. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. |
| Let there be no compulsion in religion Posted: 24 Oct 2012 04:34 PM PDT OCT 25 — An Indonesian friend once remarked how interesting it was that each time she visited Malaysia there seemed to be more women wearing some version of the tudung, hijab or jilbab as she calls it. Coming from the country with the largest Muslim population in the world (an estimated 205 million of the Indonesian populations are Muslims), she said that in Indonesia though there were more Muslims covering their heads, in Malaysia it seemed as if every third woman was wearing a headscarf. I laughed and said, "Obviously you haven't seen Bangsar or been to Bukit Bintang very often." Later while I was sipping my teh tarik in Bangsar, I looked around and somehow made the same observation my friend did. Is it possible that the increasing wearing of the hijab is symbolic of the increasingly narrowing and limiting of dialogue space with regards to Muslims and their faith? We are told time and again how only the qualified can speak of religion and that the rest of the flock must heed the guidance of the shepherds. That we cannot question. That we cannot discuss. And that we cannot have an opinion when it comes to matters of religion for fear that we will lose our way down the wandering path. But I fear instead that due to the imposition of restrictions by religious authorities, the overbearing need for control and our unquestioning and blind faith in others, we are already lost. In many Muslim countries, the reality is that when people want to demonstrate their piety and faith, their eyes inevitably fall on the women. Restrictions are introduced. The distance between ankles and hemlines are measured. Jobs and education are curtailed and denied. Homes become prisons. It is a daily struggle for many of these women belonging to a religion which is supposed to be liberating and embodies concepts of contemporary women's rights but shackled by the patriarchal bondage of culture and traditions. Which is why I worry that there is an increasing trend of religious compulsion which is slowly and surely making its way through our society. A trend that is being confused with being Muslim. Making things compulsory and mandatory seem to be the modus operandi for making people look a certain way and act a certain way. The wearing of the tudung is a manifestation or symptomatic of that trend. These days, it is not uncommon to hear how all Muslim students are required to wear the tudung by the school authorities. It used to be only during the Ramadan month that it was compulsory but nowadays, many schools make it a requirement for all Muslim girls to wear the tudung, whether they want to or not. Some of us would ask, what's wrong with that? Others, including myself, would say that the choice should be theirs and not on instructions by the principal or ustazah. We have even seen children barely old enough to walk wearing the tudung. Who made that decision for them? Compulsion to wear the tudung also exists in those working in the civil service where they are frowned upon or even marginalised for not doing so. Wearing the tudung should be a personal choice made from free will. One that is made between a person and God. Not be forced to by others. Religion should not be about compulsion. It says so in the Quran. Increasingly there is very little or no space at all for women who choose not to wear the tudung to voice out their concerns, issues and experiences. We observe that in France, women who choose to wear the hijab are denied the freedom to do so. In Malaysia, the reverse is happening. It is becoming increasingly harder for those who choose not to wear the headscarf. There are many who feel that such a minority should not be allowed any space to express their thoughts and opinions on this matter as they are thought to be un-Islamic and wayward. Who can speak for those who do not want to conform but are afraid to do so? The reality is that not all women who wear the tudung actually want to do so. There is compulsion where there should not be. Do we ever wonder why Indonesia has a more vibrant, inclusive and dynamic form of Islam? It is because they generally allow for dialogue and discourse over the many perspectives and issues affecting the Muslim ummah. Granted, there are also extremist elements there which have been responsible for, among others, the persecution of religious minorities and terrorist activities. But in Malaysia, what has happened is that we fear dialogue on anything that is related to religion. What is emphasised instead is conformity through intimidation and doctrine by those who find it easier to do so then answer questions and engage in dialogue. For too long, we have conveniently hidden behind statements such as "not qualified to discuss issues." We are comforted by the belief that those who are in authority (i.e. scholars, ulamas, muftis and other religious persons) in their wisdom must know enough to decide and guide us. In other words, we have outsourced understanding of our personal faith to others. Easier that way, isn't it? Islam is one of the richest religions in history. Why? Not because of the dogma and the rituals embodied within but because it emphasises the need for us to learn. Learn from other religions, cultures and ourselves. Rather than chastising ourselves for asking questions in the first place (due to our conditioning, most people feel intimidated, guilty and unwelcomed about asking anything which shows uncertainty and doubt), we need to create space to ask questions we were afraid of asking, to express doubt, to speak of a more enlightened and progressive Islam. Far from weakening one's faith, these opportunities will strengthen our understanding of our faith and enable us to be better Muslims. Let's not deny ourselves that opportunity through compulsion and conformity. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. |
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