Month: August 2006

It has been 49 years since the Union Jack was brought down, but somehow the legacy of that occupation remains. Malaysia may have progressed from some backyard jungle nation to one that makes International impact, has its own satellites, and sending men to space, but somehow little has changed.

We were colonised for 446 years: by the Portuguese, the Dutch, the British (through manipulation), the Japanese, then back to the British. When the British came, they brought in labourers from China and India to work on the tin mines and estates. It was the policy of the British that the Malays be kept to administrative work; the Chinese the economy; the Indians, being the minority, the labourers. Somehow this policy has embedded within the minds of most of the people of Malaysia now. There is not many Chinese working in the civil service, probably because it doesn’t pay as much, or it is seen as a Malay domain. The Malays tend to think of it as a Malay domain, and the prospect for non-Malays to progress isn’t as bright as it is for the Malays. The Indians will try to fit into any of the categories as best as they can in order to be accepted by the rest.

I remember when I was small, a little over a year after the May 13 tragedy, I was sent to a Chinese kindergarten in Malacca, and was the only Malay there. I made friends with the non-Malays; after all I was the only non-Chinese in that kindergarten. In the evenings, my father would take me to his friend’s house: and the late Uncle Ah Boon and his sons would converse with me in Mandarin and teach me the Chinese characters. We moved to Petaling Jaya a little over a year later, and still, my father sent me to a Chinese kindergarten. Together with my neighbour’s son, Fazrin Azuar (son-in-law of Rafidah Aziz who got into controversies of sorts over some allegations), we befriended everyone, not knowing any boundaries especially that of the colour of skin. I also had a crush on a very cute chinese girl (well, 6-year olds are all cute anyway) called Sharon who used to live somewhere in the SEA Park area.

Then I went to St John’s Primary (1) Institution at Jalan Bukit Nanas. Among my best friends were Yong Choon Wah, Chow Kah Sung, Adrian Lim, Lee Yew Wing, in addition to Mizan Yahya (now married to a member of the Johor Royal Family), Harith Iskandar (yes, the funny guy), and Zamri Ridzwan (now Haji). Still, we knew no boundaries. Even when I was in the Malay College, most of my friends, especially those who came from the cities, ignored racial barriers. And Audrey Foo of Ipoh (now married and living in Teluk Intan) was my favourite butt. Yes, she’s beautiful too.

However, as we grew up, it is the elders, the self-centered ones, the ones with self-interests and own agendas…the ones before us who fed us with stories about race, language etc that had us all then look at each other with contempt. That had caused the racial barrier to be drawn between us..old friends. I remember bumping into one of those best friends mentioned above in England. As freshmen, we got on well, until he was enticed to join this grouping chaired by some students from Hong Kong. Then slowly he withdrew from me, and one night over the dinner table, muttered something racist at me.

That was a blow to me. Coming from a family that is pretty well mixed (we have inter-racial marriages in my family), I found it hard to comprehend this friend’s behaviour. However, that is the reality.

Now, even as a member of UMNO, I hold dear to my friendship with those within and without parties such as the MCA, MIC, Gerakan, DAP, KeADILan, PAS…as to me, friendship surpasses the importance of politics. And in 2003, I am proud that the Government had accepted 2 out of 3 proposals made by my division for the introduction of English in the subjects of Science and Mathematics to bring the Malays at par with the rest, as we believe that the Malays should equip themselves with knowledge to better themselves rather than be spoon-fed all the time. I am still disappointed with the shooting down of the third proposal – to make Mandarin a compulsory subject for students – by language extremists.

49 years down the line, people are less tolerable, there are extremists amongst us who would rather see the division of races continue in this great nation. Office mates still flock by the race to go out to lunch, the Malays still prefer to live in a mainly Malay area, so do the Chinese in mainly Chinese area.

We may have concrete built around us, but somehow we still have that jungle mentality. The legacy of our occupiers still run thick within our blood.

Selamat Menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan ke-49. Make sure you are also liberated mentally.

I was just sitting down listening to Thai songs, then this oldie by Carabao called Made in Thailand when I remember how Malaysians are very much like the Thais the band mentioned in the 1984 song.

If you buy Langkawi t-shirts, you would be better off buying them in Hat Yai because it would be cheaper to buy a Langkawi t-shirt there. They’re made in Thailand. Then back in 1980-1981 I remember there was this textile factory in Penang that produces jeans that weren’t sold in Malaysia. In fact, they were exported to the US, labeled as a well-known brand jeans and resold all over the world. Come to think of it, the yellow Adidas windbreaker I was given for the North Pole expedition in 1998 came from Penang…without the Adidas label of course.

Malaysians love to buy branded goods too. Then those who wanted to feel stylish went for brands like Alfio Raldo (headquartered at Taman Perindustrian Sungai Chua in Kajang) and Bonia. As long as they don’t use anything with local sounded names.

Let’s have a look at the lyrics of “Made in Thailand”:

เมดอินไทยแลนด์ แดนดินไทยเรา
เก็บกันจนเก่า เรามีแต่ของดีดี
มาตั้งแต่ก่อนสุโขทัย มาลพบุรี อยุธยา ธนบุรี
ยุคสมัยนี้ เป็น กทม.

เมืองที่คนตกท่อ (ไม่เอาอย่าไปว่าเขาน่า)

เมดอินไทยแลนด์ แดนไทยทําเอง
จะร้องรําทําเพลง ก็ลํ้าลึกลีลา
ฝรั่งแอบชอบใจ แต่คนไทยไม่เห็นค่า
กลัวน้อยหน้า ว่าคุณค่านิยมไม่ทันสมัย
เมดอินเมืองไทย แล้วใครจะรับประกันฮะ

(ฉันว่ามันน่าจะมีคนรับผิดชอบบ้าง)

เมดอินไทยแลนด์ แฟนแฟนเข้าใจ
ผลิตผลคนไทยใช้เองทําเอง
ตัดเย็บเสื้อผ้ากางโกงกางเกง กางเกงยีนส์ (ชะหนอยแน่)
แล้วขึ้นเครื่องบินไปส่งเข้ามา
คนไทยได้หน้า (ฝรั่งมังค่าได้เงิน)

เมดอินไทยแลนด์ พอแขวนตามร้านค้า
มาติดป้ายติดตราว่าเมดอินเจแปน
ก็ขายดิบขายดีมีราคา
คุยกันได้ว่ามันมาต่างแดน
ทั้งทันสมัย มาจากแม็กกาซีน
เขาไม่ได้หลอกเรากิน
หลอกเรานั่นหลอกตัวเอง…เอย

Made in Thailand, our land
we’ve kept it since the ancient times, there’s been many good things.
Since the eras of Sukhothai, to Lopburi, Ayuthaya, Thonburi,
through to modern day Kor Tor Mor (short for KrungThep Mahanakhorn or Bangkok

The city where people fall down the open drains (don’t blame them for it).

Made in Thailand, made in our own land,
the land of the meaningful songs and dances.
Foreigners secretly are admirers of Thai products, but Thais don’t see their worth.
Scared of being looked down upon, that liking Thai products isn’t fashionable.
If it’s “Made in Thailand”, who’s going to give the guarantee for them?

(I think someone should accept responsibilty for this.)

Made in Thailand, and all its admirers understand.
That these are products produced by Thais, made by Thais.
the shirts, trousers, and jeans, (true..a bit)
are sent abroad on planes, and then imported back.
It’s the Thais who gain face (but it’s the foreigners who get the money.)

Made in Thailand, and when put up in the shops.
They put the “Made in Japan” labels upon them.
Then they sell well, sell for high prices
and the wearers then brag they’ve got imported clothes,
the latest fashions, from the magazines.
It wasn’t the foreginers who cheated us.
But it was us who cheated ourselves…oh….