Asia Sentinel

wow
written by aion kinah , October 28, 2009

lost the use of their brains. Look at the mess in UMNO - cheating, bribery are rampant at this moment, going into their AGM. Every minister in the BN is going all out to make a quick dollar before the guillotine drops. This must be the end of the

...
written by Mr. Anonymous , February 13, 2009

I see that Wong Choon Seng takes the 'poor-oppressed-Chinese' stance...

And, really, to all those Chinese out there who use this (and there are an inordinate number of them - do they teach this to you in school?): STOP IT WITH ALL THE 'RED INDIAN' stuff, already, will you? Man, you're so annoying.

Firstly, the term, 'Red Indian' is old and mildly offensive. Use Amerindian, Native American, American Indian, etc.

Secondly, and the main point, stop trying to argue that since the West was so bad, that China and the East should not be criticized. If two people do bad things, they both still do bad things. The West of one, two, three, four centuries ago was quite racist; the West has made great strides since then, even Australia and the United States. Northeast Asia of the TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY is *currently* quite racist. China, Korea, and Japan have done very little to combat their racism, acknowledge that their racism is barbaric and wrong, or even admit that it exists.

You point out how Amerindians and Australian Aborigines lost land to 'white' Americans and Australians. What about all those Asian peoples who have lost land to the ever-increasing Han Chinese? The Thais were tossed out as recently as the AD 1300s. Han Chinese have displaced and forcefully assimilated far, far more people than Americans and Australians have Amerindians and Australian Aborigines. So if you want to charge the West with displacing peoples, you ought to take a look in the mirror and admit that China has done exactly the same thing, and over the course of millennia, at that, not just a few centuries as is the case with the West.

So stop insulting Amerindians/Native Americans/American Indians with your fake concern for their welfare. You're not looking out for them. You're just self-pitying the Chinese who you think have had it so bad at the hands of 'whites' while you spew out racism against South and Southeast Asians, as well as 'whites'.

Good for the Malaysians here!
written by Mr. Anonymous , February 13, 2009

I'm impressed by the (general) anti-racist attitude of apparent Malaysians in the comments section for this article.

This is in marked contrast to what I have seen of the overwhelming majority of Chinese bloggers who refuse to accept that China has a lot of racism while ironically simultaneously hurling racist remarks against non-Chinese, and thus proving positive that China has a racism problem. Then they hypocritically complain about racism directed at Chinese.

Case in point: http://asiasentinel.com/index....&Itemid=35

Good on the anti-racist Malaysians (of all 'races')!

lol
written by wow gold , December 01, 2008

lol,i agree with you ,nice job, thanks for sharing.

Malaysian should be Color Blind
written by yeahwho , November 21, 2008

Zaid Ibrahim is indeed the rare UMNO leader who dare to speak out and who dare to forgo his comfort position to fight for justice.Race relation issue in Malaysia is here to stay unless all the race based poltical parties are disbanded and integrated into a multi-racial party.Sad to say after more than 50 years of independence Malaysian still called themselves Malay,Chinese or Indian.We should be color blind and indentify ourselves as Malaysian.Even our ID card is identified by race.The only time Malaysian are proud to call themselves Malaysian is when we travelled overseas.Why?Because our passport only identify us as Malaysian.

...
written by yeahwho , November 21, 2008

Zaid Ibrahim is indeed the rare UMNO leader who dare to speak out and who dare to forgo his comfort position to fight for justice.Race relation issue in Malaysia is here to stay unless all the race based poltical parties are disbanded and integrated into a multi-racial party.Sad to say after more than 50 years of independence Malaysian still called themselves Malay,Chinese or Indian.We should be color blind and indentify ourselves as Malaysian.Even our ID card is identified by race.The only time Malaysian are proud to call themselves Malaysian is when we travelled overseas.Why?Because our passport only identify us as Malaysian.

Admiting
written by Bender , November 21, 2008

I feel sorry for Mr Samy as he could not admit that his ancestors were from a lower caste in his homeland where dravidian rules. Whilst congratulating him for his "knowledge" in malay history.

going back under their tempurong
written by kanchil , November 16, 2008

Instead of taking on the world as proud citizens of Malaysia, the Malays are retreating into their coconut shell(tempurong). They do it by being proud of their "ketuanan melayu". They refuse to rub shoulders with the non Malays in the march towards a developed status. They want wealth, status, knowledge bestowed on them. They cannot or are not capable of thinking for themselves, in secular matters or religious matters. It is a fact that 98% of Malays cannot read the Koran. But they have learnt most of it by heart. Hence how are they going to interpret the finer points of morality and even what is haram or halal? No wonder many Muslims have turned from Islam and to other religions. An Indian had become a prime minister without the Malays even realising it. Will a Chinese Muslim be allowed to become a prime minister?

Thank you Mr Bender
written by Samy , November 15, 2008

Thank you Mr Bender.
on November 14, 2008 - Between Immigrants and Bumiputera

"Ever heard about the Malay Achipelago. Its actually the areas where Malays (Bumiputera) originated. "

You are a darn right. That's precisely what everyone knows and have been saying and you are now merely confirming it i.e. the Malays originate from the Archipelago and migrated to Malaya or the Malayan PENINSULA like the other immigrants from East Asia (Chinese), Sub-Continent (eg Mamaks, Hindu Indians) and the Middle East (Arabs).

Malaysia Boleh!

...
written by Douglas Wong , November 15, 2008

Bob Terwiliger writes on November 14, 2008 -

"How could China intervene? Why would China intervene? What right would China have to intervene in the affairs of a sovereign nation? Remember as well how determinedly China reminds other nations not to intervene in China's affairs, and how it lectures nations for intervening in the affairs of nations other than China."

You're indeed behind time. Big countries with power and money can indeed intervene when they they perceive injustice done upon their interests or kinds. The US has been doing so in various forms since time immemorial. Even today, in Iraq, Afghanistan and in Latin America (its backyard).

The West against Zimbabwe (white settlers), Russia in Georgia, Pakistan in Kashmir, Iran in Iraq, etc. What about sabotage? Endless . . . It therefore pays to be cautious . . doesn't it?

You see when one particular ethnic group is deliberately signled out officaily to be discriminated over a long period of time then technically sovereignty over the nationality of the group vis-a-vis the state ceases to exist. The allegiance of the oppressed minority is now also questionable say in the light of the apartheid treatment promoted aggressively by the state against them.

Remember, in this age confrontation several forms. Don't forget who armed and supported the Chinese Malaysians to fight the British imperialists and eventually forced them to leave Malaya? The Indians who para-landed troops in Sri Lanka?

Sejarah - Emperor Yung Lo appointed Parameswara to its vassal state
written by Samy , November 14, 2008

Mr Bender writes on November 14, 2008 - Between Immigrants and Bumiputera

"Ever heard about the Malay Achipelago. Its actually the areas where Malays (Bumiputera) originated. "

Now we know why Pulau Batu Puteh was lost. The same absurd argument.

Mr Bender, if any so-called Malay immigrant from the Archipelago is also considered a bumiputra in Peninsula Malaysia or Malaya then we must let in all the 240 million poor Indonesians and the 90 million poor Filipinos, right? They are the so-called 'Malays' as you put it.

Real bodoh!

Real Bodoh
written by Samy , November 14, 2008

Reply -

Get your facts right. before you write otherwise orang with lebeh pengetahuan will laugh. Ketawa lah!

Between Immigrants and Bumiputera
written by Bender , November 14, 2008

" During the colonial time, the british, dutch, portugese and spanish divided the territories politically. Its still remain unchange now."
+ Ancient times lah please not recent times. Get to the root of it., Red Indian!

" During the old days, Malays travelled around the archipelago for social or economic purposes."
+Are you serious? The so-called sultan of Melaka even had to tumpang a boat ride to China to pay homage to the Chinese Emperor then. How to gayong sampan from Java to Malaya? Maybe crossing sungei within the islands like Java, Sumetera, etc.

" Thats why they share almost the same language (melayu), culture and religion."
" So why aren't Malays like Christian Filipinos, Hindu Balinese, etc., classified as bumiputras? You don't even know that (religion) Islam was INTRODUCED into this part of the world in the 15th century . Not original lah. Original ka Arab Saudi.

"Now, lets compare to the immigrant who came from outside of the Malay Archipelago. Who came with a different languages, cultures and religions."
+Apparently you have not read the truth by an honest Malay intellectual. Check out Syed Imran's (former Press Secretary, PMO, Malaysia) - "We are immigrants who live squatting in this country. The groups which truly can be recognized as indigenous or ‘bumiputra’ are those we know as Negrito, Jakun, Semang, Jahut, Orang Laut, Orang Darat, Senoi and the other Orang Asli groups who still live in these lands." - Kuda Ranggi blog.

"So, the best thing to do is for this immigrant descendant to admit that they are really immigants and the malays is the real pribumi."

Yes, Indians and Chinese are immigrants. They didn't claim to be Orang Asli for they are not so kulit terbal and tak malu. So if you are pribumis of Malaya then the Orang Asli must be the Red Indians of America. The Mamaks must be the Bushmen of Australia.

Oh . . LOL!

Kawan, you don't even know when and who the first person was who migrated from Palembang to begin Melaka. Please do an engine search in the internet. The government can bluff you but smart people can look up the internet and verify.

Mr
written by Bob Terwiliger , November 14, 2008

"China would have no choice one day but to intervene. "

There are many stupid comments on this website, but I believe this has to be the very stupidest.

How could China intervene? Why would China intervene? What right would China have to intervene in the affairs of a sovereign nation? Remember as well how determinedly China reminds other nations not to intervene in China's affairs, and how it lectures nations for intervening in the affairs of nations other than China.

As for the Chinese in Malaysia, culturally they may be Chinese, but poltically they are not, and in the end China has absolutely no interest in them, ludicrous historical agreements notwithstanding.

Between Immigrants and Bumiputera
written by Bender , November 14, 2008

Ever heard about the Malay Achipelago. Its actually the areas where Malays (Bumiputera) originated. During the colonial time, the british, dutch, portugese and spanish divided the territories politically. Its still remain unchange now. During the old days, Malays travelled around the archipelago for social or economic purposes. Thats why they share almost the same language (melayu), culture and religion.

Now, lets compare to the immigrant who came from outside of the Malay Archipelago. Who came with a different languages, cultures and religions.

So, the best thing to do is for this immigrant descendant to admit that they are really immigants and the malays is the real pribumi.

DECEPTION ANYONE?
written by Lim K T , November 12, 2008

Wong Choon Seng's message is powerful indeed given the data provided.

No doubt Asia Sentinel records and provides the international platform for the world to read & understand the truth & facts of the issue at stake in Malaysia today.

As a Malaysian myself, I find it utterly stupid (bodoh) for the UMNO leadership to label others as "pendatang" or "orang asing" (immigrants). The whole world will laugh when they learn of the truth. Let's look again at the facts & truth abt the racial composition of Malaysians in general.

Aborigines or indegineous natives:
Orang Asli (Malaya)
Kandazans (Sabah)
Ibans & Dayaks (Sawarak)

Immigrants by descent to Malayan Peninsula (Malaya)

(1) FROM MUSLIM INDONESIA -
Javanese (Java)
Acehnese (Aceh)
Madurese (Madura)
Bugis (Sulawesi)
Minangkabaus (Minang)
Boyans, etc.

(2)FROM INDIA
Indian-Muslim Mamaks (Kerala, Tamil Naidu)

(3) FROM MIDDLE EAST
Muslim Arabs

(4)FROM CHINA
Chinese (Guangdong, Fujian)

(5)FROM INDIA
Hindu Indians (Tamil Naidu)

The most shameful thing is the Groups (1), (2) & (3) calling themselves "bumiputras" (sons of the soil) so as to receive State privileges, subsidies and handouts for the past 40 years as the expense of the whole economy. Mind you those are the monies of the Chinese taxpayers who work by the sweat of their brows. The majority of the so-called Malays are in fact the "pribumis" of Indonesia. They know where they themselves berasal (originate) like the Mamaks.

As the Malays themselves would put it aptly, "Kachang lupakan kulit" meaning the drinker forgetting the source of the spring.

Well, for the world. Other than being an Orang Asli if a Malay were to tell you he is a "bumiputra" simply ask him where he originates from. You'll find the province concerned is still there in Indonesia!

The Indefinite Contract
written by Wong Choon Seng , November 11, 2008

I can't help but make some important comments after reading this article.

Whilst the Malaysian Hindu Indians cry out to the Queen of England for help; the unequal & unfair treatment meted out to the Chinese minority in Malaysia over the last 5 decades by the UMNO government, China would have no choice one day but to intervene.

Since time immemorial, everyone knows that more than 90% of the Malaysian taxpayers are the Chinese and yet they are being treated merely like aphids or milk cows and not accorded equal rights.

There is in fact a very special contract (unlike the laughable one-sided so-called social contract touted by UMNO) in existence drawn up between China and Melaka (Malaya) which the present Malaysian leadership led by Muslim immigrants from Indonesia and India are unaware of.

History (Sejarah) is indeed recorded for posterity for all to see in the internet.

Emperor Yung Lo presented the sultan with a seal, silk and a yellow umbrella as a symbol of royalty and also a letter appointing Parameswara, acknowledging the interloper from Palembang, as the ruler of the vassal state of Melaka. In 1409，the sultan paid tribute to the Ming Emperor to ask for protection against Siam.. Emperor Yung Lo then restrained Ayutthaya (Siam) from invading southwards down the Malayan peninsula toward Malaka. Melaka was made a protectorate of Ming China as the sultan on condition that he also safeguarded the well-being for the Chinese settlers in Melaka.

Being of Siamese descent, the Tengku was indeed a wise and honorable men. He quietly understood the intent and spirit of Article 8 when the clause was included in black and white into the Malaysian Constitution for he knew deep down in his heart that there could not have been 'Peninsula Malaysia' but rather the Yala Peninsula of Petani States today if the Chinese Emperor had not stepped in then.

Who knows as power begins to shift back to the East one day Chairman Hu or another cannot sit idly by seeing the ingrates bite the hands that have been feeding them for almost half a century.

Bumiputras
written by Ayu , November 10, 2008

The cronies of Iskandar Kutty are eating the lunches of the so-called Bumiputras. UMNO stil tries to hoodwink the people to vote for them through fear that becos of racial inferiority of the Bumiputras - a myth created by Iskandar Kutty; they are not able to compete in the modern world.

Facts Speak
written by Baba Beng , November 10, 2008

Discrimination and Corruption.
written by Tomis , November 09, 2008 -

"Minority groups in Thailand and Indonesia were encouraged to take on local names. Singapore too had restrictions against ethnic Malays joining the armed forces - not exactly the meritocracy you make it out to be."

People would have thought it was perfectly okay for the Filipino, Indonesian or Thai minorities to adopt indigenous names not that the Americans or Australians were using the native Red Indian or the Bushman names respectively. In fact, the millions of Muslim immigrants in Christian Europe are not even coerced to change names has plenty to talk about one's grace, magnanimity and civility, isn't it?

Therefore, take Malaysia for instance, whose names should the non-Muslim minority Malaysians follow? The indigenous natives, the Orang Asli's or the majority Indonesian or Indian Muslim immigrants? Unlike Mahathir s/o Iskandar Kutty, the minorities have a rich culture & ancestry which they also want to conserve, right? They are no turncoats.

In so far as Singapore is concerned, I think anyone who has been there to visit relatives or friends or have access to the internet cannot be easily hoodwinked about their treatment of the minorities there.

Unlike Malaysia, ALL able-bodied citizen males, regardless of ethnicity, are conscripted into the 2-year National Service (Army, Police or Civil Defence). The regular army is but a token force. The greatest challenge for Singapore I think is not about Malays serving their national service in the military but 'JI ' (Jemiah Islamist) which is not written on everyone's forehead.

To sum it all, Malaysia is way behind on its treatment of its minority citizens vis-a-vis Singapore. In a nutshell, we know Singapore does not hare an official pro-majority NEP since independence to deliberately marginalise the minorities. Anyone can see that at the majority taxpayers' expense, the minorities get subsidized public housing, their own vernacular national tv channels, newspapers, mother tongue teachers, etc.

Finally, in the resourceless tiny island state, surprisingly the per capita income of the average Malay, I was informed, is so much higher than neighbouring Malaysia's or even Indonesia's. Little wonder, someone mentioned, emigration is not a concern even with the pro-Muslim Affirmative Police across the causeway over the last 45 years unlike the endless outflow of Chinese and Indian Malaysians since the country's independence.

Well, check out the facts!

Discrimination and Corruption.
written by Tomis , November 09, 2008

I would like to point out that Baba Beng's statement on our neighbours; Thailand and Indonesia never enacting any official discriminatory practices against their minority citizens is incorrect. Indonesia for instance, passed legislation restricting the use of Chinese languages shortly after independence. Minority groups in Thailand and Indonesia were encouranged to take on local names. Singapore too had restrictions against ethnic Malays joining the armed forces - not exactly the meritocracy you make it out to be.

However it is true to say that present day Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore have largely abandoned practices that discriminate against minority groups. Indonesia has moved towards a more democratic system of goverment in the post-Suharto years and has repealed most of its discriminatory legislation.

Links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Chinese_legislation_in_Indonesia

We Are All Malaysians!
written by Baba Beng , November 08, 2008

Yes, there is no place for apartheid anymore in today's age. The age of the internet where people can compare and judge. Both shameful & demeaning. Even S Africa has finally abandoned such inhumane practices, call it what you may.

A house divided cannot progress in the 21st century. This is the age of global competition. Even America has a BLACK man as its president now. The smart Americans have voted for the Greenback (economy) not White or Black anymore. Without the majority Whites this is not possible.

Though Indonesia like the Philippines or even Thailand has its REAL "pribumis", it' has not enacted any official discriminatory practices against its own minority citizens.

But for Malaysia, more than 45 years of discriminatory practices (affirmative action policy for the Muslim majority) are still in force. It's tearing the country apart very soon. Why should Malaysian citizens who are treated unfairly & unequally by the State not switch allegiance to rising powers like China or India or even withhold paying their taxes to the State in future? Are the majority Malays in Malaysia really so weak today (after more than 45 years of affirmative action policy) that they still can't stand upright on their own two feet? Maybe the UMNO leadership still suffers from this mental paralysis knowing fully well that such a disease is costly ($$$) to the economy. The hidden cost will eventually hurt the entire country and pull EVERYONE down.

What rubbish "Social Contract" that won't even see the light in the International Court of Law like the Pulau Batu Puteh case. In any case, those so-called citizenship "recipients" are already long gone and dead today. We the present generation are bona fide Malaysians are born and bred here, like you call yourselves "bumiputras" (the Indonesian or Indian Muslim immigrants), . In fact, for many, our ancestors arrived much earlier here than many of you folks! We even fought and shed blood fighting the Japanese invaders and the British imperialists in Malayan history.

Check this out from some rational and God-fearing Malay intellect themselves -

Syed Imran (former Press Secretary, PMO, Malaysia) -

"The groups which truly can be recognized as indigenous or ‘bumiputra’ are those we know as Negrito, Jakun, Semang, Jahut, Orang Laut, Orang Darat, Senoi and the other Orang Asli groups who still live in these lands . . NOT . .. we (Arabs like Syed Hamid Albar & Mr Syed, himself, Acehnese like Sanusi Junid, Mamaks like Mahathir s/o Iskandar Kutty, Kader Sheikh Fadzir & Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Bugis like Najib, Minangkabau like Rais Yatim, Javanese like Mohamad Rahmat and others who originate from Madura (Indonesia), Boyan (Bawean in Indonesia), Siam, Burma, Yunnan (China)."

Ahmad Mustapha ( nephew of Dr Mahathir) -

"Singapore practises corrupt-free meritocracy and Malaysia affirmative action. The former attracted all the best brains and the latter chased out all the brains. The Singapore cabinet consists of dedicated and intelligent technocrats whereas Malaysia has one of the most unwieldy cabinets. Not only that, brain wise it was below par not even good for the kampong.

With that kind of composition, one that is very brainy, naturally Singapore , with no natural resources could outstrip Malaysia in every aspect of development. Malaysia, on the other hand, was too much preoccupied with its Malayness and the illusory ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ and was also more interested in useless mega iconic development rather than real social and economic development."

Well, united we stand as a country; divided we will all fall eventually!

apartheid
written by malaysian baru , November 07, 2008

UMNO is practising apartheid. Why is the world looking on when this so called democracy is actually practising apartheid. We must put an end to all this Hitlerism. Another reason for believing that the UMNO Putras have lost the use of their brains. Look at the mess in UMNO - cheating, bribery are rampant at this moment, going into their AGM. Every minister in the BN is going all out to make a quick dollar before the guillotine drops. This must be the end of the UMNO era. Let's help it get out faster.

Couldn't hate them more
written by Hate-UMNO , November 07, 2008

Great article! May be some good-hearted M'sians should go to the UN to seek a declaration that M'sia blatantly practises naked racism & in so doing warrant that the rest of the world should boycott , sanction & treat it like a scorned pariah state.