The message which the following story conveys is very similar to one of my
previous entries (
http://asimplemalaysian.blogspot.com/2006/10/who-is-more-convincing-epu-or-asli.html) Anyway,enjoy...:=)) > > "Hidup China! Hidup China! Hidup China!" > > > >
"Hey, Wong! What the hell are you trying to do ah?" > > > > "I'm rehearsing my
speech for the Annual General > > Assembly lah Ali." > > > > "But what's with
this `hidup China' thing?" > > > > "That's how I will close my speech. I will
shout > > `hidup China' three > > times." > > > > "That's so ridiculous. Can you
just imagine a Malay > > standing on > > stage and screaming `hidup Melayu' at
the end of his > > speech? Would > > he not look downright stupid? I'm sure he
would also > > be considered a > > racist. And isn't brandishing that Kung Fu
sword > > above your head > > very provocative as well? I mean, how would you
like > > it if a Malay > > starts waving a keris and threatens to bathe it in >
> blood or > > something like that? I am sure you will get upset." > > > >
"Hmm..you're right. Maybe I will drop the Kung Fu > > sword bit. But > > what's
wrong with shouting `hidup China'? After all, > > we are a > > Chinese political
party." > > > > "I know. But Malaysia is not a 100% Chinese country. > > It is
60% > > Malays and 40% non-Malays, or roughly something like > > that. I also >
> don't know the real figure because there are so many > > Indonesians who > >
have been given identity cards that we really don't > > know how many > > there
really are anymore. So would it not be > > insensitive of a Malay > > if he were
to stand on stage and start screaming > > `hidup Melayu'?" > > > > "I suppose
you're right. Maybe I should cut out the > > `hidup China' > > part from my
speech as well." > > > > "Right! You must be more sensitive to the feelings > >
of the other > > races. Before you say something you must stop and > > ask
yourself > > whether what you are going to say will hurt the > > feelings of the
> > other races or not. Just like no Malay leader, > > especially someone of > >
the level of Prime Minister, would ever stand on > > stage and > > scream `hidup
Melayu', you also should not go around > > > > screaming `hidup China'. What if
the Malays > > retaliate by also > > shouting `hidup Melayu'? How would you
feel?" > > > > "Yes, you are right. I did not think of it that way. > > I think
that is > > good advice." > > > > "We Malays may form 60% of the country's
population, > > but we are > > always concerned and conscious of the minority >
> pendatang's feelings. > > We always consider the feelings of immigrants like >
> you." > > > > "I appreciate that." > > > > "My grandfather emigrated from
Indonesia soon after > > it obtained > > Merdeka because that country was in a
mess. Malaya > > then was still > > under the British but it was a peaceful and
stable > > country, even > > though still a colony of Britain. My father was
born > > in this country > > so we regard ourselves as Malaysian Malays and not
> > as Indonesians > > anymore. So we must think as Malaysians. I am sure > >
you are the same." > > > > "Yes, my ancestors came to Malaya around 1400 and > >
none of our family > > has ever gone back to China, not even to visit it as > >
tourists. We > > don't even know who our relatives in China are or > > where
they live." > > > > "I go back to Indonesia once in awhile. I still > > visit
some of my > > relatives there but they're very poor. Life's very > > hard in >
> Indonesia. We are more fortunate in Malaysia. Life's > > easier here, > >
especially for Malays like me." > > > > "You're very lucky. You still have
family members in > > Indonesia. It's > > like having two countries as your
home. We Chinese > > only have > > Malaysia. China will not accept us back even
if we > > want to go back. > > But what's there to go back to anyway? There's >
> nothing there for us > > anymore." > > > > "But Malaysia's not so bad. At
least you Chinese can > > earn a good > > living here. If you can't find work
you can always > > do business. We > > Malays need to work for the government.
If not then > > we can't earn a > > living." > > > > "Chinese can never work for
the government. The > > government will not > > take us. So we have no choice
but to do business, > > even if it is just > > selling pirated VCDs. Our
unemployment rate for > > university graduates > > went up 50% this year
compared to last year. Did you > > know that?" > > > > "Wah! So high?" > > > >
"Yes. Last year two Chinese graduates were > > unemployed throughout > >
Malaysia. This year, three Chinese graduates are > > unemployed, an > > increase
of 50%?" > > > > "That's terrible. For Malays it's not so bad. Last > > year it
was about > > 60,000 unemployed graduates. This year it's 66,000. > > So ours
went up > > only 10%, not so bad." > > > > "See, Malays are more fortunate. The
government > > absorbs the > > graduates. You can also join the police or army.
We > > Chinese, where > > we want to go?" > > > > "I suppose you're right. But
it's all the fault of > > your political > > leaders. We have Umno that takes
care of the > > interest of the Malays. > > You have MCA and Gerakan, but they
do not take care > > of the Chinese. > > You Chinese are neglected and have to
fend for > > yourselves. You have > > to work hard to become rich. It must be
very tough > > for you Chinese." > > > > "Tough, very tough. You think it's easy
to become > > rich? Very > > difficult. You cannot become a millionaire > >
overnight. You need at > > least two or three years. We have to open shops. You
> > can go see at > > any shopping centre in Malaysia, almost 100% of the > >
shops are owned > > by Chinese, even in places like Kota Bharu. Malays > > don't
have to do > > this. We have to work the whole day long, even on > > Sundays.
The only > > holiday we get is during Chinese New Year. You > > Malays work five
days > > a week and every public holiday you can rest at > > home. You Malays >
> work only 34 hours a week. We Chinese have to work > > almost 100 hours > > a
week, three times more than you Malays have to > > work. We have no > > time to
even go shopping. That's why you see at the > > shopping centres > > or places
like Giant, almost all the customers are > > Malays. We > > Chinese where got
time to go shopping? We are too > > busy working." > > > > "Yes, I have noticed
that." > > > > "Actually, sometimes I wish we Chinese have a > > political party
like > > Umno. At least then we can relax a bit and not work > > so hard and let
> > the party look after our interest. This MCA and > > Gerakan are useless. > >
They will never help the Chinese. So we have to help > > ourselves. If > > not,
who will help us?" > > > > "That's why. You Chinese should be more political > >
minded like we > > Malays. I tell you, if not because of politics, we > > Malays
will also > > be nowhere like you Chinese. Luckily we have Umno. > > If not we
Malays > > would also be suffering like you Chinese. Imagine if > > I have to
work > > 100 hours a week and sit in my shop from morning to > > night, every
day > > of the week with no rest. Aiyah! I just cannot > > imagine that."
