Malaysians Say The Darndest Things!

Being Indian Gives You Low Self-Esteem?

March 4, 2008

Article 160 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution defines ‘Malay’:

‘Malay’ means a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, conforms to Malay custom and -

* (a) was before Merdeka Day born in the Federation or in Singapore or born of parents one of whom was born in the Federation or in Singapore, or was on that day domiciled in the Federation or in Singapore; or
* (b) is the issue of such a person;

I bring up this article, because during the past few years (I have been documenting since 2005), Indian Muslim organizations like Kimma have been practically begging the government to recognize them as Malays instead of Indians. Why? Because Kimma claims that the community wants the same rights as Bumiputeras in this country.

In the latest news today, another Indian Muslim organization has made waves across India (at the moment, most Indian news-wires have picked up this story) by claiming that Malaysian Indian Muslims want to be called Malays. Here’s the news article:

(IANS) - Members of the Malaysian Indian Muslim community want to be known as Malays and not Indians and want the law to be rationalised in their favour.

The federal constitution states that an Indian is a Malay ‘if he professes the Muslim religion, habitually speaks Malay and conforms to Malay custom’.

(Me: The federal constitution does not state it specifically for Indians)

‘These traits are practised by Muslims of Indian origin today,’ claimed Mohamed Kader Ali, president of the Malaysian Indian Muslim Youth Movement (Gepima).

‘We feel uncomfortable to be known as Indians, because people automatically think we are Hindus when we are actually Muslim,‘ The New Straits Times quoted Ali as saying.

He added that Muslims of Indian origin suffered an inferiority complex by being regarded as Indians.

‘I am a second generation Malaysian and I can safely say that from wedding rituals to the food we eat and the language we speak, we conform to Malay customs all the way.

‘As such, Gepima is appealing to the government to streamline the laws and recognise Muslims born after independence as Malays in their birth certificate.

‘We have been facing this problem for the past 50 years. We have written several letters to the National Registration Department but it keeps saying that it can’t do anything about this,’ Ali said.

His 24-year-old son Syed Osman Mohamed cited an incident last August when he went to the Registrar of Companies to apply for a business permit.

‘In the forms that I filled up, I stated Malay as my race and Islam as my religion. But the officer called me up and asked me to change it to Indian, based on how I looked.

‘He only had my MyKad and it does not state there whether I am Indian or not,’ Syed Osman said.

MyKad is a multipurpose digital application card for all citizens over the age of 12.

‘Our children do not even know how to speak Tamil. They only converse in Malay and our wives wear baju kurung or kebaya nowadays, not the sari,’ Ali said.

Ethnic Indians, most of whom went to Malaysia during the British era, are predominantly Tamil Hindus. Along with those from northern and other parts of south India, they form eight percent of Malaysia’s 27 million population.

I wonder what’s more embarassing: The fact that Gepima’s Indian Muslims don’t want to be known as Indian, or the fact that Gepima still stands for Malaysian Indian Muslim Youth Movement.

I think if Gepima really doesn’t want to be known as Indian, then first, don’t refer to yourselves as Indian Muslims. If you’re not proud of your heritage, then don’t wear it on your badge.

(Edit 12.40pm 4th March 2008: In fact, since we’re 4 days away from election, if you don’t want to feel inferior, you can start by voting for a political party that does not take race into account. On my last count, that’s ALL the opposition parties.)

Gepima says the darndest things!

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• Read Of The Week: Understanding the Malay Dilemma
• Did RPK Insult Prophet Muhammad?
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