Racisma: Semua kita sama saja?

Cut the bull. We are all racists!

January 23, 2015

This reader says it’s time we stop pretending and own up to the fact that we are struggling racists trying to accept our differences.

COMMENT

by Fa Abdul

I am a racist.

I think the Malays who claim 100% ownership of Malaysia are arrogant. I think those who use their religion to portray themselves as kind, humble and nice are two-faced. I feel most Malays who think their special privileges makes them superior to the rest are simply ignorant.

Yes, I am a racist.

I think Chinese who knock into you and never apologise are plain rude. I think Chinese who look down on other races based on wealth comparisons are full of themselves. I think Chinese who pick their nose at every traffic stop and blow their noses at every street corner are just gross and icky.

Did I mention I am racist?

I think some Indians are noisy and loud, they have a habit of announcing their presence some kilometres away. I think some Malaysian Indians know more about what’s happening in India compared to the country they reside in.

I am absolutely a racist.

I think most Mamaks are opportunist who are willing to sell their own dignity in return for special privileges. I think Mamak men who marry Malay ladies in order to be accepted into the Malay community and have their children raised as Malays are outrageously pathetic. And I think most Mamaks who adopt a Malay lifestyle and refuse to be known as Mamak are an embarrassment.

There are a whole list of other things which I find irritating in Malays, Chinese, Indians and Mamaks but I feel I have made my point.

I am a racist.

Racists normally feel they are more superior than others and they tend to look down on those who are not up to their standards. I do not feel superior to anyone but I have to admit that I do look down on people who are stupid. Yes, I am justifying the fact that I am a racist. However it does not change the fact that I am one.

Growing up a Mamak, I had an identity crisis – trying to fit into the Malay community but having come from culturally strong Indian roots and brought up in a rural Chinese village in Penang, I certainly had my fair share of being a victim of racism. But let’s keep that topic for another day.

You know, being a mamak has its perks. The Malays (sometimes) accept me as one of them because of my religion. The Indians (sometimes) accept me as one of them because of my ethnicity. The Chinese (sometimes) accept me because they think I am neither Malay nor Indian.

Once you are one of the gang, you get to learn all about the interesting juicy stuff people talk behind closed doors. So I have lots of stories of how racist many of my friends are.

I have this one Malay friend who doesn’t allow her daughters to swim in their condo pool when there are Chinese kids swimming.

“Tunggu budak Cina keluar dulu baru boleh berenang. Depa tu pengotoq, dah la tak mandi, tak cuci pungkok, makan babi pulak tu!”

I have this Chinese friend who was looking for a housemate. He specifically was looking for a non-Malay and a non-Indian.

“Eeeyeeerr…Malay very leceh one lah. Always no money to pay rental. They can have one lorry full of kids but no money to pay rent one. And Indian ahh…a bit smelly lah.”

I have this Indian friend who was renovating his house a few years ago. He had a tough time looking for contractors.

“First I used a Malay contractor – work went so slow, lazy buggers. Then I used Chinese contractors – work went so fast but once they got advance payment, terus disappear. I am thinking of using a foreign contractor.”

“Why don’t you find an Indian contractor?” I asked.

“An Indian will never trust another Indian.”

The truth is, we are all racist. So let’s stop pretending that only certain races are.

We brand people like Ibrahim Ali and Ridhuan Tee and ISMA as racists. We claim racism in our country is fuelled by politics. Yet what we fail to realise is that we are no different from them.

Try browsing through the comment section of any online news portal and you will see what I mean.

We are all playing this mocking game Malaysian style – we criticise and make racially insensitive comments about another race when our own kind get together. We would be lying if we denied this. We make all kinds of accusations against another race when we can easily find similar weaknesses within our own race. We are all racists. Yet in public, we put up an act and pretend we believe in Bangsa Malaysia. What a load of bull!

Now don’t get me wrong. I do believe in Bangsa Malaysia. However I do not believe in letting go our own identity in exchange for a united Malaysia. I am a Mamak. I can’t change that. And I don’t want to change that. I am proud of my roots and I feel that is what makes me unique.

I believe everyone should be a proud Malay, a proud Chinese and a proud Indian. Do not pretend to be someone you are not. Embrace the fact that you are who you are. Once you have done that, only then can you accept the people around you. And then we can all be the united Bangsa Malaysia we dream of.

If only we can accept each other’s differences and weaknesses, and focus on something special that we can be proud of, we could actually be able to get rid of the discomfort in our tummies every time we spot someone who is of a different shade than us.

Let us learn to accept our weaknesses and focus on our strengths.

For example, many get irritated with the double or triple parking along the street every Friday noon and having to put up with loud speakers from mosques five times a day but try to think about the Malay hospitality – think of their warm smile when you are invited for Hari Raya gatherings or wedding functions. Seriously, some Malays might think they are better than you, but when you are in need of help, they will be there. These are the people whom even if they have less to eat, will still share their food with you. And this is one of the things I love about the Malays. Such a wonderful quality.

The Chinese are very smart people but most of them are unwilling to share their knowledge with the others. I know how geram this could make the rest of us feel (especially students). However, this same characteristic of theirs is what makes us raise our bar and push ourselves to achieve an equal status if not higher. Honestly, can you imagine the state of our country without the Chinese?

The Indians can be noisy but I know for a fact that they are one of the friendliest people in the world. Try going to an Indian neighbourhood and sit at the bus stop. You will surely meet a nice Indian aunty who will start a non-stop conversation with you until you have told her your entire history for three generations! Indians are such warm people, really amazing.

Mamaks can be pretentious and Malay wannabes. But remember, without them you can say goodbye to your Penang nasi kandar and nasi dalcha! So even if they annoy you, you have no choice but to love them!

So yeah, I am a racist.

But I am learning to accept our differences and focus on our strengths.

What about you?

“You don’t fight racism with racism, the best way to fight racism is with solidarity.”

Fa Abdul is producer/playwright in a local theatre company