The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Posted: 12 Feb 2013 04:25 PM PST FEB 13 ― It is heartening to hear that the one who gave out white packets for Chinese New Year does not speak for the ruling government. He does not speak for me, my family and friends either. Nor do those who belong in the same book-burning club, masquerading as defenders of all that is good and holy even when the public perceives them to have little or nothing between their ears. God forbid someone like that ever speaking on my behalf, ever. I have often pointed out the danger these people pose to the society. They may be small in number, noisy empty cans, but leave them alone and you will find many joining their ranks. What started off as a small flame will end up burning our home. Our education system, as we know it, does not produce the sharpest tools in the shed. The education minister must realise this when calling for calm. It is only a matter of time before the like-minded get together to form a bigger coalition. Imagine if those running correction camps for LGBTs join forces with the Perkasa boys. No number of marches by BERSIH and water cannons will ever clean our streets of them. Fools seldom differ. But since we are talking about the usage of Allah in Malay-language bibles, let us discuss it rationally. I am in no way trying to question the decision by the High Court regarding this matter, nor pretend to be an expert on Islam or Christianity so my comment is based mainly on logic and rationale. Those who lack these two faculties should stop reading now. But before we wade into deeper waters, Malaysians who were shocked to find out about Malay-language bibles please grow up. To think that all Malaysian Christians speak English is a bit too much. Besides what is our national language for if not to unite all Malaysians across racial and religious lines? There are, of course, bibles in other languages too: Arabic, Mandarin, Tamil, Urdu, French, Japanese, Korean, etc. Christianity is, after all, a religion embraced by many worldwide. As the bible is read across the world in many, many languages, there is a need to translate the word for "God" in the English bibles into one that the locals understand. For instance the Mandarin bibles translate the word God into "Shen," in Tamil "Devan." The Arabs would translate the word God as "Allah" in their bibles. If we were to follow this logic, and leave foolish emotions, politics, and most importantly egos aside, what would the word God be in the Malay language? Bahasa Malaysia 101, people, what is "God" in Malay? I may be wrong but isn't God "Tuhan" in Malay? So here comes the big question, what is an Arabic word doing in a Malay bible? Allow me to be more specific. What is the ONLY Arabic word doing in the Malay-language bible? There are no Arabic words in the Mandarin, Tamil, Japanese nor Korean bibles. So why the Malay-language bibles? This is not a rethorical question. I need it answered. The Indonesian bibles, for instance, use the word Allah. It was first made by Dutch Christian missionaries in what is now Indonesia, aimed at converting Muslims to Christianity, and so deliberately used the term "Allah" instead of the Malay term "Tuhan" to refer to God. Is that the answer, then? An attempt at conversion? Yes, the Christians and Muslims may worship the same God in spite of our differences. You may say that we share the same prophets who were sent down to guide us by the same God, The Author of all our holy scriptures. The word Allah predates Islam, and is therefore not exclusive to Muslims. So what is the big deal? We live in a world where people wage wars, burn families and severe heads in the name of religion. What makes every religion addictive to mere mortals like us is the emotional, and spiritual attachment that is unique to every follower which demands a certain amount of faith to follow. Depending on education and upbringing, it could bring out the best in people but unfortunately also brings out the worst in some. That is religion ― which is why it is a big deal. If you ask me, I would be more than happy if everyone can accept the fact that we are all descendants of Adam and Eve, that we all share the same God akin to one big happy family instead of eyeing and treating each other with suspicion. But this is Malaysia, a land where our children eat, play and learn separately. A land where disparities are as clear as day with religion worn on sleeves for all to see. A land where politicians use race and religion to attract votes and are willing to stoop low for an extra point or two. To use an Arabic word in the Malay language bible, when it is not the case with the bibles of other languages would seem wrong, unfair, and suspicious to Muslims. For someone who has Christian family members and friends, I will be the first to defend their freedom to practise the religion without interference from anyone. But this isn't about freedom of worship, or defiling the sanctity of a holy book. Nor is it about the exclusive ownership of the word Allah by Malaysian Muslims. This is about respecting other religious sensitivities in a multiethnic, multicultural society. Fighting over a mistake such as this will not be beneficial to Muslims nor Christians and will only allow politicians to put a wedge in and part us further. We need to resolve this amicably and move forward for the sake of our nation, and the future generation. My suggestion is that the Malay language bibles need not be any more different than the bibles of other languages. Do what has been done elsewhere. There won't be any confusion then. To you your religion, to me mine (Quran 109:06). * This is the personal opinion of the writer |
| Time we stopped rejecting Bahasa Malaysia Posted: 12 Feb 2013 04:03 PM PST FEB 13 ― It strikes me as ridiculous that more than 50 years on, Malaysians still can't come to terms with our supposed "national language." There seems to be no middle ground when it comes to Bahasa Malaysia. On one side, we have the loudly-shouting camp constantly calling for us to "memartabatkan" Bahasa Malaysia. Then on the other side, we have the people calling Bahasa Malaysia "useless." Both sides need a time out and, at the same time, a really firm scolding. Bahasa Malaysia is, like it or not, our national language. It should be part of our identity, the one language that we use to communicate with each other, regardless of racial background. Instead, we have to live with the knowledge that there are plenty of citizens born and raised in this country who cannot speak our national language. And that is unacceptable. If you are Malaysian, you should be able to speak Bahasa Malaysia. At the same time, forcing it down our throats is not helpful. Let us be realistic: Linguistic ability is something that varies from person to person. If my fellow citizen speaks pidgin Malay, so be it. We are all most fluent with the language we speak at home and with our diverse makeup; it makes sense that some will speak Bahasa Malaysia better than others. The status quo cannot stand. The national language champions must ease their rhetoric and the Bahasa Malaysia detractors must accept that, constitutionally, Bahasa Malaysia is our national language and learn to live with it. There are people who actually refuse to speak Bahasa Malaysia, calling it the "colonist's language." My answer to that: What is wrong with you? This is Malaysia's biggest problem — that we are unable to divorce the issue of race from anything we do. Take, for instance, the rejection of Bahasa Malaysia by some people because it is seen not as the national language but as the "language of the Malays." How are we ever going to move forward as a country if all we do is obsess over the most ridiculous things while using the most infantile reasoning? You want to be called Malaysian? Then learn to speak Bahasa Malaysia. Let us forget that short period of history when some ninny tried to make us call it Bahasa Melayu instead of Bahasa Malaysia. All we seem to be doing these days is moving back, regressing into the same old racial or religious rhetoric. The British are gone! There is no more need for divide and conquer! Malays, get over your inferiority complex. I am looking at you, Perkasa. (Also, when are we going to start ignoring Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad? Someone start a Facebook cause for it, stat.) Everyone else, learn when to fight and when to compromise. And I wish everyone would just get on board with this one statement: Becoming skilled at another language or speaking another language better than Bahasa Malaysia does not make you less Malaysian. Let the Chinese have their Chinese schools. Let the Indians have their Tamil schools. Let the Malays learn and use English without being made fun of or treated as race traitors for learning "Bahasa penjajah." The colonists are gone, replaced by the far more useful tourists. Instead of this constant fighting and nitpicking, can we not establish a new identity? Malaysia, land of the multilinguists, where everyone can speak at least two languages. We must learn to find strength and merit in our unique diversity and stop letting the politicians use it to control us. Let us move forward, embrace the national language as well as all the other languages spoken in this funny little country of ours. And ban that ridiculous "Bahasa Malaysia Jiwa Bangsa" song. * This is the personal opinion of the writer |
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