The Malay Dilemma

Wah, wah, wah... interesting email I received today. Read on. It's not 100% true. But most people will agree that it can come close to that. It's in Malay. I apologize to those who cannot understand.

Anyway, my personal opinion... people cannot be judged by their races or descendents or skin or hair color or by their country etc etc. We can only judge a person by the person him/ herself. But since there is no way we can get to know everybody personnally, generalism plays an important part.

So this is how people generally think of the Malay people. As a Malay, I'm looking down when I say, I somehow agree to it.

Malays, don't get mad. Save the energy... better use it to change this perception.

Dilema Melayu
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Di mana boleh cari ramai Melayu
Pastinya di Kelantan dan Trengganu
Dan juga di pasar malam dan pasar minggu
Di Akademi Fantasia dan Pesta Lagu
Di Jom Heboh orang Melayu berpusu-pusu
Di Sungai Buloh dan sebelum ini di Pudu
Dan di jalan, lumba haram tak buka lampu
Dan di selekoh duit rasuah depa sapu
Di pusat serenti akibat ketagih dadah dan candu
Di malam kemerdekaan dan malam tahun baru
Terkinja-kinja best giler menari macam hantu
Apa hobi orang Melayu
Terkenal dengan budaya malas dan lesu
Berlepak buang masa tak jemu-jemu
Atau baca majalah Mastika cerita hantu
Tengok telenovela dari Filipina dan Peru
Sambil makan junk food kacang dan muruku
Mana tak gendut berpenyakit selalu
Kalau nak berlagak melayu nombor satu
Asal bergaya sanggup makan nasi dan toyu
Boleh tak jumpa mereka di kedai buku
Atau di perpustakaan dan majlis ilmu
Atau ambil kelas kemahiran di hujung minggu
Ada tapi kurang sangat ke situ
Kenapa Melayu jadi begitu
Nak salahkan sapa ibubapa atau guru
Pemimpin negara atau raja dulu-dulu
Ayat lazim di mulut ialah malas selalu
Nak harap kerajaan saja bantu
Terutama sekali kontraktor kelas satu
Tak habis-habis gaduh nak jatuh sapa dulu
Dan suka sangat dengan budaya mengampu
Sampai bila kita nak tunggu
Bangsa Melayu jadi bangsa termaju
Boleh, dengan beberapa syarat tertentu
Pertama dengan banyak menguasai ilmu
Kata nabi ikutlah al Quran dan sunnah ku
AlQuran yang diturunkan 1400 tahun dulu
tapi apakah yang kita tahu,
cuma baca nak halau hantu

Sticks and stones

Ahhhh... the news I saw on ERL last week and suddenly triggered
thoughts.

What is the fuss about Iran and its uranium enrichment project?
This might sound wrong to some people, but... why Iran cannot
continue this project and some other countries already has nuclear
weapons? Are we so afraid that terrorists will use Iran to get
nuclear weapons until we overlooked that they might have already
getting it from some other countries?

I'm really getting tired of this issue. Mostly at around this time
when issues on Israel's violations of ceasefire and attacks on
Lebanon's civilians and Israel's actions of planting BOMB on
Lebanon's soil is being treated not even as secondary. Some people
somewhere need to get their priority right. Or maybe, their
priorities are already in order? Well, that scares me...

When will this world be free from wars? At the early of the 3rd
century, wars are blooming. Some people are so into it, even the
tiniest spark means an excuse to start an attack. I believe what
Einstein once said is true... if wars continue, one day we'll be
back fighting using sticks and stones.

Well, no need to crack your head about nuclear weapons people.
Make sure we have enough trees by that time.

In the process, it's sure good for the environment too.

Too early to judge

Something I wrote at the airport last week.
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It's time to go back to Homeland after a week at a neighbouring country. How much I miss Homeland, but I miss my mom even more. Can't wait to get home.

Homeland neighbour is similar to Homeland. The weather, the races of people, the religions and I suppose the culture. However, it's not the same. Something feels different. I've always had a bad impression about this Neighbour country. These bad impressions came with my own experiences and also from the stories of others. Not only from Homelanders. But also from the Neighbourers. So, my heart dropped a bit when I found out that I have to spend the next few months at Neighbour country.

In my opinion the thing that everybody will remember most about a country is the people. In my case, this is true. That's why, I believe anyone who has come to Homeland will always remember the kindness & friendliness of Homelanders and maybe, maybe also will never forget the drivers :) Before this, I always feel that Neighbourers are unfriendly. That was the impression I got with my previous visits.

But I guess, this bad impression is about to change after the few days I spent at Neighbour country this week.

I don't know what happened to Neighbour country since last year. People that I met this week were nice & friendly. I always received smiles and found myself involved with a friendly chats with the hotel receptions, taxi drivers, cashiers at the shops and even with people in the quiet office. What has changed?

Maybe people of Neighbour country has changed. Or, maybe I was the one who has changed. And maybe the way I look at things around me has changed. When we look at things from different angles, we tend to see different things. Whatever or whoever changed, I'm glad it changed for the better.

Well, a week is still too early to judge. But first impression matters doesn't it? I really hope this impression lasts... It sure will lift up my spirit.